• Report an IT Security Incident
  • Request Help
  • Help & Support
    • COVID-19 Support
    • Request Help
    • Track a Ticket
    • Knowledge Base
    • Getting Started
    • Contact Us
    • ITS Alerts Sign Up
  • Service Catalog
    • Accounts & Access
    • Computers & Software
    • Email & Collaboration
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Network, Internet & Telephone
    • University Applications
    • Web, Servers & Data
  • About ITS
    • Our Team
    • Strategic Plan
    • Annual Reports
    • Awards
    • Student Employment
  • Working with ITS
    • Solution Request
    • Governance Committees
    • Portfolio and Project Management Office
    • Architectural Standards Review Board
    • Business Intelligence
    • Enterprise Data Integration Services (EDIS)
    • GMU-TV
    • IT Security Office
  • Alerts & Bulletins
    • Unplanned Outages
    • Phishing Alerts
    • Maintenance
    • Bulletins
    • Spotlights
    • After Action Reports
    • Archives
    • Known Issues
  • Report an IT Security Incident
  • Request Help
X Hide

Information Technology Services

Skip to content
  • Help & Support
    • COVID-19 Support
    • Request Help
    • Track a Ticket
    • Knowledge Base
    • Getting Started
    • Contact Us
    • ITS Alerts Sign Up
  • Service Catalog
    • Accounts & Access
    • Computers & Software
    • Email & Collaboration
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Network, Internet & Telephone
    • University Applications
    • Web, Servers & Data
  • About ITS
    • Our Team
    • Strategic Plan
    • Annual Reports
    • Awards
    • Student Employment
  • Working with ITS
    • Solution Request
    • Governance Committees
    • Portfolio and Project Management Office
    • Architectural Standards Review Board
    • Business Intelligence
    • Enterprise Data Integration Services (EDIS)
    • GMU-TV
    • IT Security Office
  • Alerts & Bulletins
    • Unplanned Outages
    • Phishing Alerts
    • Maintenance
    • Bulletins
    • Spotlights
    • After Action Reports
    • Archives
    • Known Issues

Knowledge Base

Home > Help & Support > Knowledge Base > Teaching & Learning > Blackboard > How to Use and Manage Letter Grades in Blackboard

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 to the grading schema will also change other columns using that grading schema.

BEST PRACTICE

Set up your schemas BEFORE the start of the semester.

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.

Instructions

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 with an exact percentage, for instance, if it is defined that an A is equivalent to 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.

Last modified: November 10, 2020

Previous

How do I send my Blackboard grades to Patriot Web?

Next

Can I download Grade Center and work offline?

Related articles

  • How can I add captions to my Kaltura videos?
  • Beginning of the Semester Blackboard Checklist
  • How to Use Feedback Box with Blackboard
  • Best Practices for Test Options in Blackboard
  • Why can't I take a specific test on my mobile device?

Get Started at Mason

Whether you are a student, faculty, staff member, or a guest visiting the Mason campus, we have resources to help get you started.

Read More

Quick Links

Patriot Pass Password Reset
Submit a Ticket
Track a Ticket
PuTTY
Cisco AnyConnect VPN

Read More

Explore IT Services

A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z #

© 2020 George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Latest tweet

George Mason ITSFollow

George Mason ITS
George Mason ITS@GeorgeMasonITS·
7h

Congratulations to the April ITS Employee of the Month, Nian Ma, Senior Applications Analyst! Thank you for all of your hard work! 🥳 #OneITS

Reply on Twitter 1382779369270218753Retweet on Twitter 1382779369270218753Like on Twitter 1382779369270218753
View All
ITS Support Center
703-993-8870
support@gmu.edu
Monday–Thursday,
8 a.m.–9 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday, Closed
Sunday, 1 p.m.–9 p.m.
(closed Thursday 3 p.m.–4 p.m. for a team meeting)
  • Webmaster
X
An invitation to participate in the annual IT Faculty Services Survey has been delivered to instructional and adjunct faculty via an email from CIO/VPIT, Kevin Borek. See the email for details. Your participation is appreciated.