A but of explanation here but bear with me....
Since I do not grade on the conventional % rate and use points issued for grades, I have never been able to get the automated category totals to work. I realize that I am asking for something the system is not designed for but feel that if I could understand what is happening maybe I can make it work for me.
I issue a certain number of points for a project. In one case 378. If a student turns in a project exactly as described in the assignment then they get a C or 50% of the points available. Adding some personal touches will net a B or 75% of the points. If a student goes beyond the book and finds attributes on the internet etc, the grade is A or 100% of the points available.
I have found it very useful to create a scale as follows:
0, F, 170, D-,174, D, 181, D+, 193, C-, 208, C, 227, C+, 249, B-, 276, B, 306, B+,340, A-, 378, A
When I grade, I evaluate by grade then use the scale as a look up for the appropriate number of points. To determine term grade, I export to a spread sheet and cross sum and then apply a curve. So far, it serves me well.
I then see some incredibly bizarre calculations for the automated columns and have switched them off or have hidden them. Apparently, the system does not take the number from the grade field to manipulate but the number of entries in the scale. It was suggested that I fill the scale with 378 entries as place holders but this is unwieldy.
Is there some reason the system does not work mathematically instead?