Complex mark calculations

Best eight (8) quizzes out of ten (10)

In the scenario where a course has ten (10) quizzes, however, only the best 8 quiz marks for each student will contribute towards the final mark, a drop rule can be added to an assignment group, to drop the lowest two (2) scores for each student.

Canvas ignores blank [-] marks when calculating drop rules. It is vital that all assignments associated with a drop rule, where marks have been posted, has any blank [-] marks defaulted to zeroes [0] instead, to ensure the calculations are accurate.

For more information, see:

• How do I create rules for an assignment group? (Canvas Guides)
• How do I set a default grade for an assignment in Gradebook? (Canvas Guides)

Example: Dropped lowest 2 scores with BLANK (-) marks for students who haven’t submitted

In this scenario, where the student hasn’t submitted a quiz, the marks are blank [-]. As the drop rule only looks at assignments with marks, and ignores blank marks, the drop rule has dropped the two lowest marks of a 5 and 4, instead of two of the blank marks, and will calculate 30/40 = 75%, that will then be used in the GMS calculation of the student’s final grade.

In this example, zeros [0] are now set / defaulted for all students with blank marks, so that is out of 80 instead of 30, and instead calculates 39/80 = 48.75%.

Example: Dropped lowest 2 scores with ZERO (0) marks for students who haven’t submitted

Setting dates and late submission

When creating assignments, setting due dates and availability dates is an important part of this process.

In Canvas, by setting an availability end date that goes beyond the due date, this will allow students to continue to submit their assignments after the due date, as “Late”. The “Late” Mark Status will be set for all students who have submitted their assignment after the due date.

Late assessment submission can be managed in Canvas under the one assignment; a different concept if you have previously created an on-time submission point and late submission point to easily identify late submissions and deduct marks as a late penalty.

For more information, see What is the difference between assignment due dates and availability dates? (Canvas Guides).

Separate on-time and late assignment submissions

Alternatively, you may choose to not use the single assignment to manage late assessments, but rather, have a hard due date on an “on-time” assignment and manage any late submissions via a “late” assignment. In choosing this option, both the “on-time” and “late” assignments must be grouped together under the same assignment group, and a drop rule added. For further information on how to create a drop rule, see How do I create rules for an assignment group? (Canvas Guides).

Example 1A: A late submission where the assessment group has no drop rule applied

Example 1B: A late submission where the assessment group has a drop rule applied

Example 2A: On-time submission where the assessment group has no drop rule applied

Example 2B: On-time submission where the assessment group has a drop rule applied

Applying late penalty

Griffith University applies a late penalty to students who submit assessment after the due date, without an approved extension. The late penalty is described in the Assessment Procedure for Students.

Late policies in Canvas can automatically apply deductions to all late submissions where the student has a “Late” grade status. This feature, however, is currently disabled / hidden in Canvas, as it will not be used at Griffith University.

Deferred and supplementary assessment

A new exam paper is likely to be written for students who are approved a deferred or supplementary exam, and as such, often marks are kept under a separate Markbook column.

For deferred and supplementary exams, where there is the main exam column and a deferred / supplementary exam mark column, you will need to ensure the two exams are isolated under their own assignment group and add a drop rule to drop the lowest mark.

For more information, see How do I create rules for an assignment group? (Canvas Guides).

Example 1

Example: Deferred exam - No Drop rule applied.

In this scenario, the “Final Exam” assignment Group is adding up the “Final Exam” mark and the “Deferred & Supplementary Final Exam” mark and will calculate 56/200 = 28%, that will then be used in the GMS calculation of the student’s final grade.

In this example, a drop rule must be added to ignore the lowest 1 mark, so that the overall “Final Exam” assessment group mark is out of 100 instead of 200, and instead calculates 56/100 = 56%.

Example: Deferred exam - Drop rule applied: ignore lowest score = 1.

Canvas ignores blank [-] marks when calculating drop rules. It is vital that all assignments associated with a drop rule, where marks have been posted, has any blank [-] marks set to zeroes [0] instead, to ensure the calculations are accurate.

Example 2

Let’s look at another example, this time Supplementary assessment.

Example: Supplementary Exam- No Drop rule applied.

In this scenario, the “Final Exam” assignment Group is adding up the “Final Exam” mark and the “Deferred & Supplementary Final Exam” mark and will calculate 99/200 = 49.5%, that will then be used in the GMS calculation of the student’s final grade.

In this example, a drop rule must be added to ignore the lowest 1 mark, so that the overall “Final Exam” assessment group mark is out of 100 instead of 200, and the student mark used is 56 marks instead of 43 marks, and instead calculates 56/100 = 56%.

Example: Deferred exam - Drop rule applied: ignore lowest score = 1.

Canvas ignores blank [-] marks when calculating drop rules. It is vital that all assignments associated with a drop rule, where marks have been posted, has any blank [-] marks set to zeroes [0] instead, to ensure the calculations are accurate.