Location: The gradebook > Student Results Summary > Customize the Student Results Summary > Add calculated columns

Add calculated columns to the student results summary

This type of column calculates the average, sum, or highest grade of the selected columns. For example, you could have a column that calculates students' average scores for composition assignments or that finds each student's highest grade for skill-building assignments. You specify the columns the MyLab is to include in the calculation and whether the MyLab calculates the average or total grade or finds the highest grade. You can add calculated columns to the Student Results Summary.

Note: When you display grades as points, the gradebook does not display calculated columns. For more information, see Calculated columns and point grades below.

To add a calculated column:

Do one of the following:
- Click Review Class Progress under Manage Student Resources on the Home page.
- Click the Gradebook tab.
Click Student Results Summary.
Click the Customize link.
Select Create a New Calculated Column and click the Continue button.
Enter the new column's Full Title.
Enter the column's Gradebook Column Title.
By default the new column becomes the rightmost column in the Student Results Summary.
(Optional) To change the order of the columns, click the Edit button. Drag and drop the columns to change the order and then click the Save button.
Select the columns that you want calculated. To do this, drag and drop the columns in the panel on the right. (After you add three columns, additional slots become available when you add more columns.)
Any column with a check mark is either a weighted or calculated column and cannot be selected.
Select the calculation you want: average score, total, or highest score. (These selections are in the lower-right of the page.)
Click the Continue button.
The Confirmation page displays the options you selected.
Click the Edit button to modify the column settings or click the Save button to create the column.

Calculated columns and point grades

The gradebook cannot display both calculated columns and point grades because it does not have a common denominator to use when calculating an average grade. For example, if a student's grade for one assignment is 1 out of 2 possible points and the grade for another assignment is 90 out of 100 possible points, the gradebook cannot calculate the average of 1/2 and 90/100.

However, if you switch to percentage grades, the gradebook converts the two grades to 50% and 90%, respectively, and can now calculate the average.

Also, when you are displaying assignment grades as points, the rightmost column in the Student Results Summary displays the total number of points a student has earned.