Rev 7-7-09
Miscellaneous STInet Grading Scenarios
This guide lists several special grading scenarios and how to handle them. As new scenarios
surface, additional ones may be added, or the document separated as needed.
Reopening a File Exchange Assignment for Scoring After Due Date
1. Navigate to the Coursework Assignment and Click on the Blue Assignment Title in the first column.
2. Click on the Student Name (will be a blue link in first column – currently hidden from view)
If a red ! appears here, there is
something submitted for you to check.
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3. Click “Re-enter Grade/Feedback”
4. Remove the Grade figure (It could be a 0 if the student missed the due date, or maybe the student completed
more of the assignment and you need to adjust a number that already is in that location?). Click “SAVE”. If
there is a Feedback message, you may also with to remove that or change it to communicate the grade
adjustment.
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5. By adjusting the “Due Date” in the “Reopen Assignment” box that will now appear at the right, you can adjust
the due date so the student will be able to upload a file for you to score. Click “Reopen” after adjusting this
date. Make a notation for documentation as to why you are reopening. The date/time of reopening will appear
in the workflow at the top of the screen.
6. You will notice now that the Workflow table indicates the assignment has been re-opened and the new duedate appears in the “Extension” box. Should you need to extend the deadline again, you would use the
“Extension” box.
7. After the student submits the file before the new due date, you should see a file in the “Results” area and a new
workflow entry indicating the assignment was submitted by the student. An exclamation mark appears by the
student’s name indicating a file is there for you to check (See Step 2 in this guide for the list of student names
and the red exclamation mark column). This assignment file can be opened, reviewed and scored like an
original file exchange assignment with points and feedback.
8. Note the “Results” box message about entering a grade/feedback by first closing the assignment. This is
sometimes necessary if the student submits the file to you in another way, you are ready to grade it but the file
came to your through a process other than STInet file exchange. Perhaps the student gave it to you in an email
or via Datacluster Dropbox? By closing it, you will be able to enter the grade. An advantage of making them do
the file exchange is that the graded file is in this workflow area for documentation. However, you can attach the
file in the Results box at the time you enter the score and maybe put in a feedback message indicating this is the
file that now received the new score.
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Grading an Offline Assignment That is Not In or Late
Unlike File Exchange and Online Assignments, which can be graded automatically by the system when due dates
are not met, an Offline Assignment will list a due date and points possible along with instructions, but the
instructor is the manager of any points deduction for late points. The system cannot detect whether or not the
assignment is late or not submitted, as it is submitted “offline”.
Recommendations:

When entering in points for these assignments, enter a zero (0) for any you do not receive when
expected. If you leave the field blank, it will positively affect the student and show his grade as “not
affected”. It is better to provide incentive for getting it turned in on time, by placing a zero in the points
field so they see the effect of a zero, and a feedback comment indicating it is not in. The grade can be
changed later with “Edit Saved Entries”.

Make sure your Points Possible for the assignment are correct before you start entering student scores.
If not, “Edit the Assignment” before you enter the first student score.
BONUS POINTS FOR WHOLE CLASS
Bonus points can be awarded to all students in the class for an Offline, Online or File Exchange Assignment with this
bottom area of the Coursework - Assignment Info Student Results screen (where you enter student points):
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PENALTIES FOR LATE WORK
The system will automatically generate penalty points for work that misses the deadline in Online and File Exchange
Assignments. Offline assignments require the Instructor to make that judgment. Set up your rules for penalty points in
the “Add an Assignment” screen, as shown in this excerpt of the assignment setup screen:
Will you give a Total of just one, point or %
deduction, no matter how many days late, or
base the deduction of %/Points on the
number of days?
You will need to decide if your
penalty will be Points or % here.
It is important to have the right “Show
Grade” choice here so students will see
their grades/deductions when you
want them to.
How would an Offline Assignment be deducted for lateness? The instructor would use “Edit Graded Entries” in the
Student Results screen and adjust the points, with a feedback message indicating it was lower than the maximum points
because of lateness. Be specific so students know why their score may be lower than normal.
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DROPPING LOWEST GRADE
Lowest grades can be dropped automatically by the Gradebook, and when/if the “lowest grade” fluctuates throughout
the semester, it will adjust accordingly.
During Gradebook SETUP, the Advanced Weighting method of grading will ask you about dropping the lowest grade.
Basic Points method will not do this. “Use All Grades” is the default setting. Here are details on the meaning of each
option button within the setup of “Weight All Together” or “Weight by Type”.
Advanced Weighting with “Weight by Type” would produce these options with “All Grades”
as the default:
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Advanced Weighting with “Weight by Type” with “Set Dropped Grade on a Type by Type
Basis”:
EXAMPLE: When the third
option button is chosen, you
will need to click this blue
category link to go “behind
the scenes” of the
Coursework Breakdown and
indicate to drop the lowest in
that particular type category.
If you decide this type
category should not
have anything
dropped, then DO NOT
check this one.
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After applying this setting, the Gradebook would show the lowest “Lab Assignment” to be “red”, indicating it would be
dropped. This will adjust as lower grades are seen in this category.
FINAL GRADE ADJUSTMENT
Instructors who wish to make a final grade adjustment to the student’s grade may do so this way AT THE END OF THE
SEMESTER:
1. Click on the Student Name in Gradebook to receive that student’s gradesheet and “Grade Results” section.
Click on this to enter
the next screen.
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2. Enter the amount of adjustment and a feedback message to document why you are adjusting this grade.
+1 in this area will increase 1% to 40%.
-1 in this area will decrease 1% to 38%.
Be sure to document “why” the adjustment
was made & date it. Click SAVE.
OPTIONAL VS EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS
Optional or Extra Credit Assignments are set in the “Assignment Setup” screen:
This is an editable field, if you did not
choose the right option the first time.
The meaning of these options:
Select the appropriate status
for the assignment: Required (shown in Gradebook as part of final grade),
Extra Credit (optional; not part of final course grade; points earned are
applied to assignment score), Optional (not included in Gradebook).
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Optional assignments are good
for “practice tests”, as they are
not scored in Gradebook, but
you can see if students complete
them.
Extra Credit assignment
points only help students if
they do them. They do not
count against them if they
do not. These points
increase the earned student
points but do nothing to the
total points possible.
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STUDENTS CAN BE EXEMPT FROM MY FINAL TEST – HOW DO I DO THIS IN ADVANCED
WEIGHTING METHOD WITH TYPE CATEGORIES?
Enter the final test assignment as required with a due date and points, as you would any other assignment.
Before you give the assignment, for those not required to take the final exam, enter the average percentage
that this student got for their Tests portion of their grade so far, into the “Final Exam” grade and then in the
comments, just state that this was their “Test Grade Average” and they are not required to take the final.
Those who are required to take the test, will have their score entered after it is determined. Those who are
required to take it but do not show up, will have a 0 entered.
ATTENDANCE AS PART OF THE GRADE – SHOWS “ALONG THE WAY” IN SEMESTER
To accomplish this, we will need to set Attendance a % along with Coursework during Gradebook Setup. This
will allow the Gradebook to look at the rate of attendance, and if the student attended 5 of 10 times (50% rate
of attendance), then his 50% attendance rate is multiplied times the % you assigned Attendance to be of the
Final Grade. This will fluctuate throughout the semester as the student attendance and coursework rates
change in relation to each other. Academic Administration shall provide guidelines for grading on attendance.
1. Fix the Grade Breakdown in GRADEBOOK – SETUP:
Give Attendance
a % in this area
with “Edit this
Breakdown”.
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Click this to do
some
attendance
configuration
(see next page)
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2. Attendance configuration should be examined and adjusted to fit your course.
3. Your Gradebook will multiply the rate of attendance by the weight you assigned to Attendance for the Final
Grade. In this example, Attendance was weighted 0%, so Grade Points are 0. Examine your Gradebook for
accuracy if you use Attendance as a weight.
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CUSTOM ITEMS IN GRADE (PARTICIPATION, PROFESSIONALISM)
Items other than Attendance or Coursework can also be considered in the Final Grade. Click on the yellow
highlighted area during “SETUP” of your Gradebook to set up the custom items.
1. Give your item a name and relative weight with the following highlighted options:
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2. Click “Attendance Detail” in Gradebook and see the “Custom Column” for
“Professionalism”.
3. To enter grades in the column, click the link at the bottom of the Gradebook page:
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