Maintaining an Accurate Gradebook

The Canvas gradebook requires a score for each assignment to calculate grades accurately. There are three options for dealing with missing assignments. STELAR recommends using Option 1 or 2 below: 

Option 1(recommended): Missing Submission Policy in the Gradebook  

Apply a policy across all assignments to automatically apply zero points for missing assignments. 

Pros:  

• Students see the effect of the missing assignment in their grades right away. The zero score is applied immediately after the due date (and time) passes. 
• The missing assignment stays in the Student To-Do List, appears in Recent Feedback, and retains a Missing status for faculty and students. 
• Faculty do not have to manually update their gradebook for missing submissions. 

Cons:  

• The policy applies to all assignments. Assignments cannot be exempted from the policy. 
• The policy applies as soon as the due date (and time) has passed. If faculty want more control over when the score is applied, consider using Option 2: Set a Default Grade. (see below) 

Option 2 (recommended): Set a Default Grade of zero for missing assignments. 

This method allows faculty to apply a score for all un-scored assignments in an entire column in the gradebook. 

Pros:  

• Faculty have control over when the score is applied for missing assignments.  
• The missing assignment stays in the Student To-Do List, appears in Recent Feedback, and retains a Missing status for faculty and students. 

Cons:  

• Faculty have to remember to apply the Default grade. To have the gradebook apply the score automatically, use Option 1: Missing Submission Policy (see above). 

Option 3 (not recommended): Manually Enter a Zero Score 

STELAR does not recommend using this method of entering zeros for missing assignments. The primary reason we do not recommend this method is that the Missing status is removed from the assignment. 

Without a Missing status, students and faculty do not have a record of why the zero score was applied. 

Pros:  

• Faculty have control over when the score is applied for missing assignments.  
• Faculty have control over which student the zero score applies to. 

Cons:  

• Faculty must enter each score individually. 
• The Missing status is removed from Grades for faculty and students. (The assignment remains in the Student To-Do List and Recent Feedback.)