Creating and Managing Categories

Create an Assignment Category

Under Assignments, click +New category.

The process of adding a new category differs depending on the calculation method in the Assignments tab:

Weighted Categories Calculation Method

• Category Title: Enter the title of the assignment category.
• Grading: Select whether the category will be graded or ungraded.
  Note: Options dealing with graded in this dialog window will disappear if ungraded is selected.
  
  • Assignments placed within a graded category count towards students' final grades and appear in BYU Grades, Schedule, and the Assignments tab.
  • Assignments placed within an ungraded category do not count towards students' final grades and appear in the Schedule and the Assignments tab, but not in BYU Grades. An ungraded category can be used for pre- or practice tests.
• Category Weight: Enter the weight of the final grade that will be derived from the assignments in this category.
  Note: If all the category weights add up to 100, these numbers will work like percentages. If all the category weights do not add up to 100, the weights will be relative. For example, if all of the category weights add up to 60 and your Tests category has a weight of 30, then the Tests category counts as 50 percent of the total grade.
• Assignments weights: Select whether the assignments in this category will be weighed variably or equally.
  
  • Assignments in a variable category will be weighed based on the relative contribution of each assignment's score. For example, a homework assignment worth 25 points would affect students' grades more than an assignment worth 10 points.
  • Assignments in an equal category will have equal weights regardless of each assignment's value. Thus, a homework assignment worth 10 points will count just as much toward a student's final grade as a homework assignment worth 25 points.
• Drop low scores: Check to drop low scores. A text box will appear to specify the number of low scores that will be dropped in the category.
• Student view scores in: Select whether students will view scores in Points, Percent, or Letter grade. One option must be selected and it is possible to check all three. If Points or Percent is selected, specify the number of decimals that will be displayed to students.
  

Click Save once all desired options are selected.

Total Points Calculation Method

• Category Title: Enter the title of the assignment category.
• Grading: Select whether the category will be graded or ungraded.
  Note: Options dealing with grading in this dialog window will disappear if ungraded is selected.
  
  • Assignments placed within a graded category count towards students' final grades and appear in BYU Grades, Schedule, and the Assignments tab.
  • Assignments placed within an ungraded category do not count towards students' final grades and appear in the Schedule and the Assignments tab, but not in BYU Grades. An ungraded category can be used for pre- or practice tests.
• Drop low scores: Check to drop low scores. A text box will appear to specify the number of low scores that will be dropped in the category.
• Students view scores in: Select whether students will view scores in Points, Percent, or Letter grade. One option must be selected and it is possible to check all three. If Points or Percent is selected, specify the number of decimals that will be displayed to students.

Click Save once all desired options are selected.

Create a Sub-Category Workaround

Learning Suite does not have an option to create sub-categories. However, a possible work around to have an assignment with multiple components would be to create a new weighted category that would serve as the assignment, and the assignments in the category would be the components of the assignment.

1. The total grade must be calculated by weighted categories. The green box at the bottom of the assignments page must show it is calculated by weighted categories. If not, click Points. Select the Weighted categories radio button. Click Save.

2. Click +New category.

3. Enter the necessary information for the category. The Category weight should be the weight the “assignment” (in this case the category) has on the final grade. Click Save.

4. Create the necessary assignments and place them in the category you’ve created. In the example pictured below, the research paper is the category and the assignments are the components of the entire research paper grade.

Assignments and exams created in Learning Suite that appear on the assignments page can be reordered at any time. You can reorder assignments within a category as well as move them to different categories.

Once in Assignments, hover over the assignment and click and hold, then drag and drop the assignment to a new location. A green box in the background signifies where the assignment’s new location will be within the list.

Notes: 

• The due dates of assignments will not automatically be adjusted if assignments or exams are placed out of order in regards to due date. These will have to be manually edited by clicking Edit next to the assignment.
• If moving assignments or exams from a graded category to an ungraded category, the assignment or exam will automatically be changed to ungraded. Notice below that the grade under the % of Total column is blank for the category. This means that any assignments within that category will not be counted towards students’ final grade.