HOW TO FIGURE YOUR GRADES

Based on personal preference, university professors typically use one of three basic grading systems to evaluate student work: the point system, evenly weighted letter grades, and weighted letter grades. Here are some guidelines to help you understand how these three basic systems work so that you can more easily calculate your course grades.

*POINTS
*LETTER GRADES
*WEIGHTED LETTER GRADES

POINTS

When the grades in a course are calculated using points, you will add together your total earned points and divide that number by the total points possible to find the percentage-of-100 number equivalent of your letter grade. 

For example, let's say a class is organized like this:

Attendance and Participation = 50pts
Essay 1 = 100pts
Essay 2 = 150pts
Midterm = 100 pts
Final Exam = 200pts

There are 600 (50+100+150+100+200) possible points.

Let's say your scores went something like this:

Attendance and Participation = 45/50pts
Essay 1 = 80/100pts
Essay 2 = 120/150pts
Midterm = 85/100 pts
Final Exam = 180/200pts

You earned 510 (45+80+120+85+180) out of the 600 possible points.  Your grade is figured by dividing 510 by 600 = 510/600 = .85 = 85% = B

LETTER GRADES

If all projects are weighted equally and are all assigned a letter grade, you will convert your grades to their standard number equivalent (on a 4.0 scale), add the numbers together, and divide by the total number of grades to find the 4.0 scale number equivalent of your letter grade. This is using the same system as figuring your G.P.A.

For example, let's say a class is organized like this:

Attendance and Participation
Essay 1
Essay 2
Midterm
Final Exam

Let's say your grades went something like this:

Attendance and Participation = B (= 3)
Essay 1 = A (= 4)
Essay 2 = F (= 0)
Midterm = D (= 1)
Final Exam = C (= 2)

Add your scores together: 3+4+0+1+2 = 10 (B+A+F+D+C). Divide your total (10) by the number of scores possible (5) = 10/5=2. Your average grade is a 2 = C for the course.

WEIGHTED LETTER GRADES

When grades are figured by percentages, each project has a different weight or worth to the total grade. This means that you cannot just average your scores together to figure your grade accurately; instead, you must consider the grade AND its weight. In this situation you will first convert each letter grade to its standard number equivalent (on a 4.0 scale). Then you will multiply each number equivalent by its weight (% of total grade). Finally, add these numbers together to find the 4.0 scale number equivalent of your letter grade.

For example, let's say a class is organized like this:

Attendance and Participation = 10%
Essay 1 = 15%
Essay 2 = 20%
Midterm = 25%
Final Exam = 30%

Let's say your grades went something like this:

Attendance and Participation = A (= 4)
Essay 1 = A (= 4)
Essay 2 = A (= 4)
Midterm = C (= 1)
Final Exam = C (= 2)

In this case, your earned more As than Cs, BUT your As were only worth 45% (20%+15%+10%) of your grade. 55% (30%+25%) of your grade is a C. To figure your grade you will employ the following formula (where * means multiply): (4*10%)+(4*15%)+(4*20%)+(2*25%)+(2*30%) = 2.9 = B-
ALSO WRITTEN AS (4*.10)+(4*.15)+(4*.20)+(2*.25)+(2*.30) = 2.9 = B-

PRACTICE

1.

Attendance and Participation = 15/20pts
Essay 1 = 25/50pts
Essay 2 = 75/75pts
Midterm = 72/100 pts
Final Exam = 133/150pts

2.

Attendance and Participation = A
Essay 1 = B
Essay 2 = B
Midterm = C
Final Exam = D

3.

Attendance and Participation = 25% = B
Essay 1 = 15% = C
Essay 2 = 15% = C
Midterm = 20% = B
Final Exam = 25% = A

ANSWERS

1. 320/395 = 0.810126582 = B-

2. 4+3+3+2+1= 13/5 = 2.6 = C+

3. (3*25%)+(2*15%)+(2*15%)+(3*20%)+(4*25%) = 2.95 = B-

ALSO WRITTEN AS (3*.25)+(2*.15)+(2*.15)+(3*.20)+(4*.25) = 2.95 = B-

STANDARD 4.0 SCALE