How to Use and Manage Letter Grades in Blackboard

All grades in Blackboard must have a numeric point value associated with the item, but the instructor can enter grades as letters and students can view their grades as letters. To accomplish this, the instructor must 1) first decide what point value a letter will represent (a grading schema) and 2) then change the graded item view from number score to letter.

The Grade Center includes a default template of a grading schema. Please verify the approved grading parameters within your Department.

Students will view their grades in My Grades. The grade will display both the Letter Grade and the total possible points available for the assignment.

Important

WARNING: BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL if editing a grading schema during the semester. Changes will also change other columns using that grading schema. Setting up your schemas BEFORE the start of the semester is always the best.

The best way to record grades using letter grades is ALWAYS input scores and let Blackboard generate the letter grade—that way all students have the exact grade value they earned.

Step 1

From your course Control Panel select Grade Center, then Full Grade Center.

Step 2

Choose Manage, then Grading Schema.

Here you can choose to edit an existing schema (marked with a 3 in the image below) or create a new one (marked with a 4 in the image below).

Step 3

Edit an existing schema (3) or create a new one (4).

Step 4

Give the schema a new name.

Step 5

Edit the schema.

The Rows consist of letter grade constraints and their default percentages.

  • A student can get an A if their score is between 90% to 100%, therefore if you input a number between 90 and 100 the student will automatically get an A. You can now make the uppermost value in a schema greater than 100%. For example, if a student earns more than 100%, you may choose to assign A+ to those scores.
  • A letter grade can also be associated to an exact percentage, for instance if it is defined that an A is equivalent to a 95%, then if an A is entered the student will automatically receive a 95% (shown as letter B in the image below).

If a Row needs to be added, click on the arrow to the right of the row (shown as letter C in the image below)

If a Row needs to be deleted, click on the Delete Row button(shown as letter D in the image below).

After the necessary changes have been made click on Submit.

Step 6

Return to the Grade Center page to apply the new schema to a Grade Center column.

Step 7

Find the column you want to change to a Letter Grade. Next to the item name, click the downward arrow and select Edit Column Information.

Step 8

From the drop-down menu next to Primary Display, choose your grading Schema name (i.e., Letter).

Step 9

Click on the Submit button. Your schema will then be applied to the grading of the column.