Skip Navigation

End of Semester Grading

Canvas Teaching Tips - Get the most out of Canvas

Canvas Teaching Tips are distributed by the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Online and Academic Technology Services office and offer SHORT helpful tips about Canvas, online learning, and academic technology.

Click here for more Canvas Teaching Tips

End of Semester Grading

Don't Forget the Zero!

If a student has not turned in an assignment, ALWAYS mark a "0" or it won't be counted against their final grade. It if needs to be excused, mark it "EX."

A simplified graphic depicting the Canvas gradebook. There are columns for Student Name, Paper Unit 1, and Discussion 1. The first student, Joe Crimson, scored 97 on Paper Unit 1 and a zero has been entered for Discussion. A blue thumbs up icon points to the zero in the Discussion 1 column for this student. The second student, Betty Boomer, has grades of 89 and 95. The third student, Oscar Okie, has a 74 for Paper Unit 1 and nothing has been entered for Discussion 1. A red thumbs down icon points to the empty cell for Discussion 1 indicating that is not recommended to leave a grade cell blank in Canvas. The fourth student, Skye Seed Sower, has an 89 for Paper Unit 1 and EX has been entered for Discussion 1. A blue thumbs up icon points to the EX indicating that it is recommended to enter EX if the assignment is excused for this student.

Example:
If a student only turned in one assignment the whole semester and received a 90% for it, and the instructor did NOT put zeroes in for all the other assignments, the student would receive a 90% for a final grade.

Quick Fix

The fastest way to enter zeroes for missing assignments is to:

  1. Click the three dots to the right of the assignment title in Grades and select “Set Default Grade”
    A column in the Canvas gradebook with a header that reads Unit 1 Essay 1. A blue arrow points to the column of three dots at the right side of this column header. A dropdown menu appears with items in this order. Sort by, SpeedGrader, Message Students Who, and Curve Grades. The item Set Default Grade is highlighted with a blue arrow pointing to it. All grades posted is greyed out.

  2. Enter a “0”, and do not check the box to “Overwrite already-entered grades”
    Image of the menu item for entering a default grade for an assignment. The header reads Default grade for Unit 1 Essay 1. The text below reads Give all students the same grade for Unit 1 Essay 1 by entering and submitting a grade value below. Below this text is a text entry box with a zero entered out of 50 possible points for the assignment. A checkbox for Overwrite already-entered grades is not checked. Red text which reads Leave Unchecked points to this checkbox. At the bottom of the image is a button which reads Set Default Grade.

  3. Click "Set Default Grade"
  4. Canvas will then fill in zeroes for every student who does not have a grade for that assignment

 

Decorative image of grades of A, C, A, D, B, B flying away on blue wings

To submit your grades:

  1. Make sure every assignment has a grade (or a "0" or "EX" if a student hasn't submitted something.)
  2. Set the course grade scheme in Canvas to "Letter Grade"
    (no +/- grades allowed)
  3. Submit grades in Banner (One)

Please click here for step by step instructions on submitting your grades in Banner/One.

 

NEED HELP?

Canvas help icon

Canvas help is easy to find and always available. Click the Help button in the Canvas global navigation for 24 hour support and great help guides.

Click here to view a guide on using Canvas Help

Learn more!

If you'd like to learn more about this Canvas tip, or Canvas in general, please contact our office at 405.325.5854 or casonline@ou.edu.

 

DFCAS Online & Academic Tech Services
Ellison Hall, 102-109
633 Elm Avenue
Norman, OK 73019-3118
(405) 325-5854
Updated 3/22/2023 by DFCAS Online & Academic Tech Services: casonline@ou.edu