Main Index

 GRADEBOOK Help Index

The following is a list of the major help topics.  Use the scroll bar to see entries currently not visible in the Help window.  For information on how to use Help, choose Using Help from the Help menu or press F1.

Introduction

Registration

Grading Methods

Definitions

Procedures

Commands

Dialog Boxes

General


Introduction
Introduction to GRADEBOOK

GRADEBOOK is continuously being revised to incorporate user suggestions.  Please let the author know of any improvements or features that you would like to see in the program.  Low cost disk updates or review copies (includes install program and VBRUN300.DLL) are available for $3.00 to both registered and unregistered users directly from the author.  Unregistered users may deduct the $3.00 if they later register the program.  The latest unregistered version of the program may be obtained and downloaded from the Edforum or WinShare forum on Compuserve (file GB.EXE).  It is usually less expensive to order a copy from the author than it is to download it.  If you purchase a single user license, it may be later updated to a site license for the difference in price.

Context sensitive help is always available in the GRADEBOOK program by pressing the F1 key.  If you want help on a particular menu selection press the Shift and F1 key simultaneously and then select the menu item you want help on or press the F1 key when a menu selection is highlighted.  You may also press the F1 key when you are in a dialog box to get context sensitive help on that particular dialog box.  You may also click on Help on the main menu bar and then click on the Help Index.  You may get help on how to use the help system by clicking on the Using Help option.

Preface

GRADEBOOK allows you to keep student scores and calculate grades automatically.  Because every instructor records and calculates grades differently, the program was designed to be flexible.  GRADEBOOK can be used by elementary, junior high school, high school and college instructors.  It sets no practical limit on the number of terms, classes, students or tasks.  Multiple periods per term and custom term names are supported.

GRADEBOOK keeps track of student scores on various tasks in up to ten different categories.  All categories except extra credit are user-definable.  GRADEBOOK will keep your student list in alphabetical order or you may place the students in any desired order to agree with a manually kept grade book.  Reports may be in rank order if desired.  Student names and optional ID numbers may be entered manually or optionally imported from an ASCII file.  All program input is checked for validity as it is entered.

Using GRADEBOOK, you can calculate your grades by summing the individually weighted raw scores (total points), by using percentage scores and assigning weighting factors to particular categories of tasks (category weights), or by combining both methods (total points with category weights).  You have the option of ignoring low scores in each category when you calculate the final grade.  Several options are available for extra credit and not counted scores may be entered.  Scores may be incremented, scaled or adjusted to obtain the desired mean or standard deviation.  Custom scores may be calculated as a function of other scores.

GRADEBOOK can calculate and plot the distribution of scores for a single class or for several combined classes, for a single task or for all the tasks.  Based on this distribution, you specify the interval of scores for each letter grade.  GRADEBOOK then automatically calculates the final grade for each student.  GRADEBOOK can assign either A, B, C, D, and E grades, or plus and minus grades.  Custom letter grades may also be assigned.  GRADEBOOK can automatically support pass/fail, 4.0, 7.5, etc., type systems.  Grades may be manually overridden.  GRADEBOOK can also calculate and plot the distribution of grades for a single class or for several combined classes.  Grades and scores may be printed on an instructor summary sheet for your use or as individual student reports.  Different report formats are available including multiple subject report cards.  You can issue progress reports any time during a grading period and GRADEBOOK will automatically calculate the appropriate interim weights.  Progress reports may contain teacher notes.  If you wish, reports can be printed for posting using student ID numbers.  GRADEBOOK allows you to revise any data including student and task order at any time.  GRADEBOOK will quickly calculate what score would be required on the final exam to get a particular term grade.  GRADEBOOK allows students that have different grading criteria to be extracted from the main class and allows extracted students to be combined back into the main class.  Students, tasks, scores and averages may be automatically transferred to new classes or summary classes.

GRADEBOOK will work with any printer (optional) that is supported by Microsoft Windows.  Full font support is provided for Window's printer and screen fonts.  GRADEBOOK may easily be interfaced with other programs.  Student names and ID numbers may be imported from ASCII files.  Student names and ID numbers, score lists, attendance lists and grade lists may be exported to ASCII files.  In addition GRADEBOOK allows you to use the Windows clipboard to import and export GRADEBOOK data and charts to other Windows applications.  You may copy term lists, class lists, student lists, score lists, attendance lists, score distributions, grade lists, grade distributions, interim weight reports and required final scores using the clipboard to programs such as Excel and Word for Windows.  The score distribution charts and grade distribution charts may also be copied into other applications.  Scores and attendance may also be copied from other programs using the clipboard.

GRADEBOOK includes commands for easily backing up and restoring your student data for extra security.  It may be used to generate statistics for an entire department or school.  GRADEBOOK will keep its data files on the hard disk, or if you prefer, it will keep your data files on floppy disks for added security.  An optional password may be used.  GRADEBOOK allows the data files to be kept in separate subdirectories if several instructors must share one computer.

Disclaimer

GRADEBOOK is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantablitity and of fitness for any purpose.  The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of GRADEBOOK.

General Definitions

This section describes some of the general definitions used by the GRADEBOOK program.  A more complete listing of definitions may be found in the definitions section.

Each term is designated by a year and calendar quarter.  Fall 1991 is an example of a term.  Each term may consist of several periods.  Each term has classes.  Physics 121 - M, W, F @ 2:00 PM is an example of a class name.  Each class contains students and tasks.  Doe, John Q. is an example of a student name.  Students may have optional student ID numbers.  Social security numbers are typically used for this purpose.  This allows public grade posting.  Chapter 1 and 2 Quiz - September 5, 1991 is an example of a task name.  Task names are optional.  Each task belongs to a category.  Test, Final, Library Assignment, Mid Term, and Quiz are typical category names.

Each category name must have a 5 letter maximum category abbreviation which is used on large printouts.  MdTrm is an example of a category abbreviation.  If you are using a weighted scoring system, each category can be assigned a category weight.  A Quiz weight of 15%, test weight of 60% and a final weight of 25% are examples of category weights.  The category weights must add up to 100% not including the weight assigned to extra credit.  If you are using a total point method of scoring, extra credit may be assigned a category weight or may be calculated regularly.  Interim equivalent weights are the weights used for a progress report.  These weights must be adjusted from the final category weights you use at the completion of the marking period because the completion ratio of the various categories is different in mid period.  When using total points or total points with category weights, each task may be assigned an individual task weight.

Each student in a class may be assigned a score for each task.  A score may not be negative but may exceed the perfect score for a task or it may be "NA".  Percent scores are not required by the program.  When calculating score distributions, grade distributions or grades, "NA" scores may be treated as a zero score or they may be treated as "NA" and excluded from the distribution.  You may also use "NC" (not counted) scores for scores you want to be automatically discarded for late joining students or excused absences.  The sum (either weighted or total points) of a student's scores is called the term average.  Letter grades may be assigned to individual scores or to a term average.  Letter grades may be A through E or may include plus and minus or custom grades such as 4.0, etc.  You have the option of discarding the worst score or scores for each student for each category.

See Also

Definitions

Program interface

GRADEBOOK uses the standard Windows interface conventions.  The following is a brief description of some of the common operations.  Please refer to your Windows manual for more detail.

Most windows have a system menu button, a title bar, minimize and maximize buttons and sizable borders.  In addition a window may have a menu bar, scroll bars, check boxes, radio buttons, edit boxes, list boxes, combo boxes and command buttons.  The system menu button is always in the upper left corner of a window if it exists and looks like a hyphen.  Clicking on the system menu may give you options for Restoring, Moving, Sizing, Minimizing, Maximizing and Closing a window.  Double clicking on the system menu is the same as selecting Close.  The other menu items are primarily for users who do not have a mouse.

The title bar is where the program name is usually listed.  By placing the mouse pointer in the title bar area and dragging you may move the window to a new location.  The button in the upper right corner of a window with the down arrow is the minimize button.  Clicking on the minimize button will shrink the window down to an icon.  You may restore an icon to its previous size by double clicking it.  You may also click it and then select Restore from its system menu.  The button in the upper right corner is called the minimize-maximize button.  If a window is full sized it appears with both an up and down arrow.  If a window is partial size it appears as an up arrow only.  Clicking the minimize-maximize button when a window is full size will shrink it to its previous size.  Clicking the minimize-maximize button when a window is partial size will increase it to full size.  When a window is partial size, you may resize it by placing the mouse pointer over one of the edges of the window.  When the pointer changes shape to the sizing arrow, drag the mouse until you get the window size desired.  Note that dragging the corner of a window will give you a diagonally shaped sizing arrow and will allow you to size two sides at the same time.

If a window has a menu bar you may select menu items by clicking them.  If you don't have a mouse or your hands are currently on the keyboard, you can make menu selections by pressing the Alt key and then pressing the letter key that corresponds to the underlined letter in the menu item.  Some menu items will have accelerator keys.  For example, you may use Ctrl-P to print a report and Ctrl-Ins to copy a report or chart to the clipboard.  The F1 key or Shift-F1 key combination may be pressed whenever you want context sensitive help or help on that particular menu command.  You may use the cursor keys to move the highlight to various menu items without selecting them.  If a menu item is grayed it may not currently be selected.  However, you may still select it for context sensitive command help.

A window may have a horizontal or vertical scroll bar or both.  Clicking the up or down (left or right) arrows at the end of the scroll bar will scroll the window a small amount (usually one line for vertical scroll bars and one column for horizontal scroll bars).  The item that moves up and down (or left and right) in the scroll bar is called the slider.  It indicates your relative position in the window.  If the slider is at the end, you are at the end of the window's viewable area.  If you click above or below (to the left or right) of the slider, the window will scroll a large amount (usually one screen full).  You may also place the mouse pointer directly on the slider and drag it to the desired position.  If you want to go to the end just drag the slider to the end.  You may also use the PgDn, PgUp and cursor keys to move the slider.

Radio buttons are used when mutually exclusive items need to be selected.  For example you may want your printer to be in portrait or landscape mode.  Clicking on either button will disable the other button (or buttons).  Check boxes are used for items that are not exclusive.  An example would be bold face and italics.  You may have both check boxes checked simultaneously.  A list box is a box that contains a list of selections.  It may have scroll bars if the list is too large to fit in the box.  It may also be a drop down list box.  In a drop down list box the list is not displayed until you click on it.  You make selections in list boxes by clicking on the desired item.  Some list boxes allow you to double click an item.  This will select the item and usually close out the dialog box with one action.  A combo box is a list box with an edit box.  If you do not want any of the items in the list, you may type in your own selection in the edit box.  An edit box is a box where you may type in text.  You may edit the text you type in by using the standard windows editing keys.  You can use the mouse to highlight some or all of the text in a text box.  When text is highlighted it is automatically replaced by whatever you enter.  Some text boxes will automatically highlight all of the text when they get the focus.  This prevents you from having to delete the old text before typing in the new.

A command button is a button you can click on to execute a command.  Typical names are OK, Cancel, Done, Select, etc.  One button on a form may be the default button.  It will have an extra thick border.  Pressing the Enter key will execute the default command button.  If you are typing in information this is usually quicker than taking your hands off the keyboard and using the mouse.  The Cancel button can usually be done by pressing the Esc key.  Only one control on a form can have the focus.  The control with the focus is the one that accepts your input.  Windows draws a dashed line around the control with the focus.  Clicking on any control will give it the focus.  You may also shift focus by using the Tab key.  Each time you press the Tab key the focus will advance to the next control.  This is especially useful when you are typing in information in one control and want to advance to the next without taking your hands off the keyboard.  For example, when you are entering in student scores in the GRADEBOOK program, you first select the student by just typing in the first few letters of his name.  Then press the Tab key and the score text box will be highlighted.  Type in his score and press the Enter key.  This will enter the score and send you back to the student selection list box where all you must do is type in a few letters of the next student's name.

Windows programs can use the clipboard to transfer text or graphics.  All GRADEBOOK reports and charts may be copied to the clipboard by using the Edit Copy command.  They may then be pasted into other Windows programs such as Excel or Word for Windows.  The GRADEBOOK program may display up to three windows at one time.  You may have a score distribution or grade distribution and both a score distribution chart and a grade distribution chart displayed at the same time.  You may manually arrange the windows or click on Window Arrange All.  When all three windows are displayed you can change your grading curve, category weights, selected task, distribution spacing or number of discards, etc. and watch the charts automatically update with the new information.  You may copy the entire screen of information to the clipboard by pressing the PrtSc key.

All data input into the GRADEBOOK program is checked for validity.  If you are supposed to be entering a number, the program will not except alpha characters, etc.  All data entered into the program can be revised if necessary.  All user configurable options are retained by the program between runs.  The current class name is always shown in the title bar.

Teacher hints

1.	An elementary school teacher would typically have one set of students with multiple subjects.  Each subject could be assigned to a separate class.  For example, one class would be for English, one class for Mathematics, one for Science, etc.  GRADEBOOK will automatically enter the students for a new class after you have entered the first class.  Progress reports can then easily be printed on individual subjects if desired.  A progress report that includes all subjects (report card) may be printed by doing a Grade, Master List.  If you need to print a report that averages all the subjects into one overall average, you can use a summary class.  To do this, add a summary class using the same students.  Then rename some of the categories that you don't normally use.  You could rename Field Assignment to English, Library Assignment to Science, etc.  Now add a task to the summary class for each subject.  Use the Score, Add Previous Average menu to transfer the current average from each subject class to the corresponding task in the summary class.  If you need an overall average, you may then assign the desired weights to each subject (category) in the summary class and print out progress reports for all the combined subjects.  After printing progress reports you would probably want to delete the summary class prior to doing your next set of progress reports.  Note that the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program will easily prepare single page multiple subject reports and single page multiple period and multiple subject reports (report cards).

2.	If you need to combine several period averages or several term averages, you can use a summary class.  Add a new class using the existing students and add a task for each period or term that you want to transfer.  Then use the Score, Add Previous Average menu to transfer the previous period or term averages.  You may optionally add a task for the final exam.  You may then calculate grades for the entire term or year by assigning a weight to the final and previous averages.  You could assign different weights to each period or term average if necessary by using a different category for each period or term.  You could rename some of the categories that you don't use to "Period 1" or "Term 1" or "Fall Term", etc.

3.	You can assign extra credit each time a student performs a task such as doing a problem on the board by first adding an extra credit task and giving it a perfect score of 1.  Then use the Misc, Final Weights menu to give extra credit the weight that you want to give each time the student completes the task.  For example, give extra credit a weight of .5%.  Every time a student completes the extra credit task, increment his existing extra credit score by 1.  You will be warned that you are entering a score greater than the perfect score.  If a student does three problems on the board, his extra credit score would be 3 out of a perfect of 1.  His extra credit average would be 300%.  With a weight of .5% for extra credit, his final average would be increased by 3*.5%=1.5%.

4.	If you need to calculate the distribution of scores for a subset of all the tasks you may use a summary class.  GRADEBOOK will do distributions for all the tasks or for a single task.  If you want just a distribution of some of the test scores add a summary class using the same students.  Then use the Score, Transfer menu to transfer all the desired test scores to the summary class.  Then shift to the summary class and do a Score, Distribution of the summary class (all tasks) to get the distribution of the selected test scores.  Alternatively, you could rename one of the unused categories to "Test Average" and add a "Test Average" task to the class.  Then use the Custom Tasks menu to calculate the desired test category average.  Distributions may then be calculated for the "Test Average" task.

5.	If you give a test that everyone including your best students does poorly on, you can easily change the average by scaling the score for the task.  For example, if the prefect score was 100 and after doing a score distribution for the task you had an average score of 53%.  If you want the average score to be 75%, you could use the Ratio to New Mean option to get an average or 75%.  You could also use the Increment to New Mean option to raise the average score to 75%.  You do not need to reenter or revise the student scores.  If you want to maintain the original scores, you could first add a custom task that was the sum of the original task (identical).  Then scale the identical task.  The original task may then be deleted or given a task weight of 0.

6.	If you are using total points and want to increase the weight for a given task you can revise the task weight for the task.  For example, if you wanted to double the weight for a test, use the Task, Revise menu to double the task weight.

7.	Instructor summaries are normally printed on one page using the brief format.  If you get the message that the report will be 2 pages (or more) wide, prior to printing you can cancel the print job.  You can then adjust the printer margins, font size or page orientation until you get a report that will be only 1 page wide.

8.	When printing progress reports for the entire class, select an individual student for the first printout.  You can then change font size, margins or page orientation if you don't like the way the report looks prior to printing the whole class.

9.	Use the Windows macro recorder for repetitive tasks.  If you must print progress reports each week which consist of the same set of keystrokes or mouse actions, the macro recorder may save you time.  For example, if you need to add a summary class with the same students, add some tasks, add some previous averages, etc., for each progress report the macro recorder will allow you to do this with a single shortcut key.

10.	Save paper when printing progress reports.  The one student per page option uses the most paper.  However, if you don't select this option the report may span two or more pages and will require you to cut sections from more than one page.  If your progress report is less than one half of the page when using the one student per page option and you are using a laser printer, just print half the students, turn the pages upside down and print the other half of the students.  Then just cut the pages in half.

11.	Keep multiple defaults.  If you teach completely non-related subjects you may find that having 10 different category names is not enough or that you need to use different custom grades.  Use the File, Select Dir menu to shift to a different subdirectory when doing one set of subjects.  This subdirectory will have its own GRADEBK.INI initialization file and may contain ten different category names and different custom grades.

12.	You run GRADEBOOK on your home computer but would like to print out the reports on the fancy laser printer at school.  Install the printer driver for the fancy printer using the Windows control panel.  Do a File, Printer Setup when running GRADEBOOK, select the fancy printer as the default and use the print to file option.  Give the file a name such as A:GRADES.  Take the floppy to school and put it in the computer connected to the fancy printer.  From the DOS prompt give the command:

COPY /B A:GRADES LPT1:

The /B is required when printing binary files.  Change the LPT1: to LPT2: if the printer is connected to the second port.  Alternatively, if GRADEBOOK is running at both the home and school computer, you may use the File, Backup and Restore menus to transfer your classes back and forth.

13.	Save room on your hard disk.  The only required file in the \GRADEBKW subdirectory is the GRADEBK.EXE executable file.  You may delete the GRADEBK.HLP help file and the FA90_1.DAT and FA90_1.ATD sample class.  If you distribute copies of the program to friends, please distribute the unregistered GB.EXE or GB.ZIP file which contain all the required files.  Use the File, Backup menu to make copies of the classes in old terms.  You may then delete these terms to save space.

14.	Return the program to all its defaults.  If you have changed category names, term names, custom grades, etc., and want to return to the as shipped default condition, just delete the GRADEBK.INI initialization file.  The program will automatically recreate the file the next time it is run.  This will not have any effect on your student or class data.

15.	Use the Windows calculator for calculations.  You may need to sum the scores for several sections of an assignment prior to entering them into GRADEBOOK.  Start GRADEBOOK and the Windows calculator.  Click the minimize-maximize button in GRADEBOOK and adjust the window size so that the calculator and GRADEBOOK are both on the screen.  Then do a Score, Add.  Click on the calculator and add the individual numbers.  Do an Edit, Copy or press Ctrl-Ins to place the results on the clipboard.  Highlight the existing score in the Score, Add Dialog box and press Shift-Ins to paste the results in.  You may also copy scores from GRADEBOOK to the calculator by highlighting them, pressing Ctrl-Ins and then pasting them into the calculator.  You may also copy any individual score or group of scores to the clipboard using the spreadsheet grid interface accessed from the Score, Edit menu.  After adjusting the scores, they may be easily pasted back in.

16.	GRADEBOOK doesn't have a student data module.  Use the Windows card file to store additional student information such as parent names, phone numbers, etc.  The clipboard may be used to copy information from the card file to custom teacher notes.  The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT may be used if you need to track a large amount of student specific data.

17.	Examine the STATS.DAT file if you need to know a students exact average.  Do a Score or Grade Distribution to first update the file.  Because of rounding, a student may be listed with a 90.0 average but be assigned a B grade even though the cutoff was 90%.  His exact score might have been 89.962.  To check the actual value for any score that is stored by the program, do a Score, Edit to use the spreadsheet grid interface.  The scores are listed to the nearest tenth.  Select any score and the exact score (without rounding) will be listed.  The exact existing score is also listed when you do a Score, Add.  To prevent the appearance of an incorrectly assigned grade, some instructors set the cutoff .04 less than the desired value.  If you wanted a 90% cutoff for a B, set the actual cutoff to 89.96%.  It will be listed as 90.0% on the report.  A student with an 89.962 average would be listed at 90.0% and would still be assigned the desired grade.  Note that you cannot set the cutoff .05 lower because it will sometimes be rounded up and sometimes rounded down depending on whether the preceding digit is odd or even.

18.	GRADEBOOK may use an "NA" or an NC score as the default score for scores that have not yet been entered.  If you add a class using a previous class as a template, all the scores will be the default score.  You may need to change the NA scores to NC or vice versa.  Manually changing all the scores would be tedious.  However, the spreadsheet grid accessed from the Score, Edit menu makes changing a large number of scores easy.  Just select all the columns and rows you want to change and do an Edit, Set Value and input the desired score such as "NC".  The default score may be set using the Misc, Options dialog box.

19.	GRADEBOOK allows you to print reports for a single student or for all the students.  If you need to print reports for a subset of students (ex. - all the students who have an average below 70%), you can extract the students you want to print the report for to a separate class.  Do a Student, Extract and select all the desired students.  You should elect to leave the extracted students in the original class.  After printing the report for the extracted students, you can then delete the extracted class.

20.	If you use the same grading curve for each class and don't want to reenter it every time you add a new class, you can use a template class.  Add a dummy class (no students required) and use the Misc, Grading Curve menu to set the desired cutoffs.  Then whenever you add a new class, use the dummy class as a template and the new class will have the desired cutoffs.  You may also include the desired category weights in the template class.  To do this, add a temporary task.  This will enable the Misc, Final Weights menu.  Set the desired category weight by doing a Misc, Final Weights and the grading curve by doing a Misc, Final Weights.  You may then delete the temporary task.  The category weights will automatically be included when you add a new class using the template class as a template.

21.	GRADEBOOK allows a maximum of 100 tasks per class.  If you require more the program may be modified to suit your needs.  However, you may find it more appropriate to keep different task categories in separate classes.  The category averages may then be combined in a summary class.  GRADEBOOK has been tested with 800 students per class with 31 tasks.  The number of tasks plus 8 times the number of students must be less than 32,768.  This limit does not apply if you are doing brief reports.  The program may be used for much larger classes if necessary.  Please contact the author if you need more than 100 tasks per class or need to handle extremely large classes.

22.	If you do progress reports, it is easier to not enter your tasks in ahead of time.  The empty tasks then do not need to be discarded or assigned an "NC" score to do a progress report.  However, if you have several similar classes, you may need to enter the identical task in each class.  To easily do this, just add the task to the first class.  Then do a Task, Transfer and transfer the task to all the similar classes.  You may transfer several tasks at once.  If you don't do progress reports, you could enter all the tasks into a template class and use it for adding your classes.  All your classes would then have the same tasks.  This is useful if you teach the same class repetitively.  If you do enter all your tasks in ahead of time, you may easily assign an "NC" score to them using the Score, Edit menu or use "NC" as the default score.  You may also easily discard the empty tasks using the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.

23.	If you use a 4.0 grading system, you may need to average the 4.0, etc., grades for several terms.  You may easily set up a 4.0 grading system using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  The 4.0, etc., grades are assigned based on a students average.  If you set up a summary class and transfer the period averages to it, your actual averages will be transferred instead of the 4.0, etc., grades.  If you need to average the 4.0 grades and not the raw averages you can first set up a summary class with the same students.  Add a task to the summary class for each period with a perfect score of 4.  Then shift to the first period class and do a Grades, List and elect to list the grades only.  Each student will then be listed by name and letter grade (4.0, 3.5, etc.).  Then do an Edit, Copy and shift to a spreadsheet program and do an Edit, Paste.  Select all the grades (4.0, 3.5, etc.) and do an Edit, Copy.  Shift back to GRADEBOOK and select the summary class.  Do a Score, Edit and then paste the grades into the first period task.  Repeat for the other periods.  Add a new task to the summary class and give it a perfect score of 4.  Do a Tasks, Custom Tasks and do a category average of the period tasks using actual scores.  The custom task will now contain the desired averages and can be obtained by doing a Score, List.  If you don't want intermediate averages such as 2.57 then you can set the grading curve so that a 4.0 is 100% (4/4), a 2.0 is 50% (2/4), etc.  Then when you do a Grades, List for the summary class, the grades listed will be the nearest grade under the actual grade - ex. a 2.57 will be listed as a 2.5.

24.	If you need to record information such as standardized test scores but don't want to include them in your grade calculations, you may use a category that you give a "0" weight to or give an individual task weight of "0" to the task.

25.	Self paced classes where different groups of students complete different tasks in different orders can sometimes be difficult for a grading program.  For example, you might teach a computer class that covers modules on Word Perfect, Lotus, dBase, and BASIC.  Different students would be working in different modules.  This type of class may be easily handled if you set up the categories by task type instead of module type.  For example, you could have categories for tests, quizzes, homework, labs and the final.  Add all the tasks at the beginning of the class and use the task name to identify the module such as Word Perfect Test.  Use individual task weights if you want different weights for tasks in the same category.  For example you might want the Word Perfect Test to have 1.5 times the weight of the dBase test.  Use the Score, Edit menu to assign "NC" scores to all the tasks if you are not using "NC" scores as the default.  Use the Misc, Final Weights menu to use total points with category weights and give each category the desired weight.  Enter the scores for the various students as they are completed.  The Score, Edit grid might be easier for this since the scores you will be entering will be for random tasks.  After you have at least one score in each category (except the final), you may easily do progress reports at any time.  Some students may have two test scores, others may only have one, but they will still have a category average for tests.  By discarding the worst final score and using interim weights, the category weights will be adjusted correctly for the progress reports.

Please let the author know if you have any teacher hints that you think might be useful to other users.


Registration

What is Shareware?

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you.  If you are unable to resolve a shareware related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help.  The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to the ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

GRADEBOOK for Windows is a shareware program.  You can think of shareware as try before you buy software.  It is not free software or public domain software.  If you like the program and use it for more than a 30 day trial period, you must register the program by sending in payment with the registration Form, by calling 800-727-2065 (orders only), by calling 517-727-2066 or by registering program ID #685 on CompuServe (GO SWREG).  Credit card (MC or Visa) and educational system purchase orders are accepted.  A registered copy of this program is required for each computer operating the program simultaneously whether the computer stands alone or is on a network.  Site licenses are available.  The shareware version of GRADEBOOK has all the features and capabilities of the registered program.  The registered version includes the following files:

GRADEBK.EXE     Main GRADEBOOK executable program

GRADEBK.HLP     On line help file

FA90_1.ATD      Sample class attendance file

FA90_1.DAT      Sample class file

README.DOC      Installation instructions

NOTE.TXT        Sample teacher note

GRID.VBX        Grid interface dynamic link library

CBK.VBX         Windows callback dynamic link library

CMDIALOG.VBX    Common dialog dynamic link library

SETUP.EXE       Automatic install program

                (registered version only)

VBRUN300.DLL    Visual Basic dynamic link library

                (registered version only)

You may make and distribute copies to others and are encouraged to do so.  You should distribute the self extracting GB.EXE file which is a compressed file containing an unregistered copy of the first seven of the above files.  The GB.EXE file is included in the retail version and may also be obtained by downloading it from a bulletin board or from a shareware disk.  You may also distribute the GB.ZIP file.  This file requires a program such as PKUNZIP to decompress the files.  You must also have the VBRUN300.DLL file which is available on most bulletin boards and is also furnished with the registered version.  It may also be found on the WINFUN or WINSHARE forums (library 1) on CompuServe.

GRADEBOOK is continuously being revised to incorporate user suggestions.  Please let the author know of any improvements or features that you would like to see in the program.  Low cost disk updates or review copies (includes install program and VBRUN300.DLL) are available for $3.00 to both registered and unregistered users directly from the author.  Unregistered users may deduct the $3.00 if they later register the program.  The latest unregistered version of the program may be obtained and downloaded from the Edforum or WinShare forum on Compuserve (file GB.EXE).  It is usually less expensive to order a copy from the author than it is to download it.

In an effort to make it easier for you to obtain your favorite software, the latest updates of many ASP authored programs can be found on the BBSs listed below.  These BBSs are members of the ASP Hub Network (AHN).

Zone 1 - East Coast USA

   North-East Coast               Mid-East Coast

[Site #1]                      [Site #2]

   The Consultant BBS             The Break RBBS <East>

   Jay Caplan                     Bruce Jackson

   P.O. Box 8571                  4660 Whitaker PL

   New York NY 10116-4655         Dale City, VA 22193-3011

   Data1) 718-837-3236            Data1) 703-680-9269

   Data2)                         Data2) 703-551-0000

Zone 2 - North Mid-USA         Zone 3 - Southern Mid-USA

[Site #3]                      [Site #4]

   The Twilight Zone              The DataExchange BBS

   John Hrusovszky                Don Morris

   1119 E. Main St                119 Herring St.

   Auburndale, WI 54412           Leesville, LA 71446

   Data1) 715-652-2758            Data1) 318-239-2122

   Data2)                         Data2)

Zone 4 - West Coast USA

[Site #5]                      [Site #6]

   Attention to Details BBS       Space BBS

   Clint Bradford                 Owen Hawkins

   5085 Trail Canyon Dr           PO Box X

   Mira Loma CA 91752             Menlo Park, CA 94026

   Data1) 909-681-6221            Data1) 415-323-4398 (ASP Files)

   Data2)                         Data2) 415-323-4193 (Other Files)

Zone 5 - Canada

[Site #7]

   Knightec BBS

   Phil Knight

   35 Robb Blvd #6

   Orangeville, ONT L9W 3L1

   Data1) 519-940-0007

   Data2)

These BBSs are bound by special agreement with the ASP.  In the case of a dispute contact the ASP Omsbudsman.

Why should I register?

Although the unregistered version is fully functional, there are several advantages to registering the program.

1.  Registered users may obtain program support directly from the author.  Please contact the author at the address listed in the README.DOC file or listed on the registration form. You may also contact the author by leaving a message on CompuServe to Russell Stevens, 70150,323 or on AOL to RAStevens.  Telephone support (517-727-2066) is available by request.  The latest unregistered version of the program may be downloaded from the Edforum or WinShare forum on Compuserve (file GB.EXE) or from the Windows forum on AOL.  Registered users may obtain a registered version of any future upgrade to the program for $3.00.  User manual updates are also available.

Additional support is available by request for customized program features, user training, interfacing with other programs and system wide data collection and analysis.

2.  Registered users receive a 140 page bound, laser printed, illustrated and indexed user manual and the latest version of the program.  The manual includes an extensive tutorial to help get proficient at using the program.  The manual also includes samples of all the different types of reports and charts that may be generated by the program and by the supplied Word for Windows and Excel macros and Works worksheet.

3.  The unregistered version starts up with a copyright notice (nag screen) stating that it is an unregistered copy.  This notice will stay on screen for a few seconds or you may press any key to bypass it.  Registered versions of the program contain your name in the copyright notice.  The "Unregistered Copy" watermark note on some of the printouts does not appear in registered versions of the program.

4.  Registered users receive a collection of Word for Windows and Excel templates, macros and workbooks which allow custom reports to be automatically generated from GRADEBOOK data.  Word for Windows may be used to reformat grade and score lists to include a large number of tasks on a single page in either a horizontal or vertical layout.  Teacher notes and graphics such as grade and score distribution charts may also be included.  The charts may be pasted, linked or embedded and may be further modified using Microsoft Draw.  The user may modify styles as desired.  The Excel workbook can also be used to reformat GRADEBOOK reports and to prepare grade and score distribution charts using any of the Excel chart formats such as exploded pie charts, 3-D charts, overlaid frequency and cumulative frequency charts, etc.  Raw GRADEBOOK score data may be extensively analyzed using the Analysis ToolPak.  An Excel worksheet is also furnished that will track various types of attendance and calculate an attendance score that may be copied into GRADEBOOK.  Requires Word for Windows version 2.0, Excel version 4.0 and 4 MB (recommended).  A Works for Windows worksheet is also included for attendance tracking.  All macros may be modified by the user if desired.

5.  Only registered users may purchase the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program described below.

6.  The program author appreciates and needs the support to continue improving the program.

To register the program, click on registration form, and then print a copy of the registration form.  You may register the program by sending in payment with the registration form, by calling 800-727-2065 (orders only), by calling 517-727-2066 or by registering program ID #685 on CompuServe (GO SWREG).  Credit card (MC or Visa) and educational system purchase orders are accepted.

See Also

Registration Form

The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program

Registered users of GRADEBOOK for Windows may purchase the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program.  GRADEBOOK for Windows will satisfy the grading requirements of most teachers.  However, the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program is ideal if you need the ability to customize reports, include multiple class or subject information on a single report, generate multi-period report cards, prepare mailing labels, create phone lists, create seating charts, create form letters, prepare reusable lesson plans with class calendar schedules, automatically generate tests from a test bank, and the ability to track a large amount of student information on a school or department wide basis.  It is also useful if you want to interface with other programs.  It will directly export reports to Word for Windows, Word for DOS, Word Perfect, Excel, Lotus, RTF, DIF, CSV, and many other formats.

The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program generates a Microsoft Access relational database of all your GRADEBOOK for Windows data.  The database contains tables for classes, students, tasks, scores, grades, attendance, attendance scores, and miscellaneous student data.  A separate database is generated for lesson plans and test questions and for report cards.  Numerous reports are supplied with the program in various formats for doing class lists, student lists, task lists, score lists, grade lists, attendance lists, address lists, mailing labels, phone lists, student school data, student parent data,  user specified student data, incomplete assignments, tests and answer sheets, and report cards.  In addition to the normal field types such as parent names, addresses, phone numbers, age, etc., you may also specify and record user defined data fields.

Teacher notes for student reports may be input or modified separately for each student prior to printing reports.  Seating charts may be easily prepared by dragging and dropping students to the desired location.  Lesson plans may be prepared by subject and easily reused from term to term.  After entering your class schedule by clicking dates on a calendar, each lesson is assigned a date and time.  Since the number of classes may vary from term to term, you may easily insert, delete or rearrange lesson plans.  Different formats are available, including weekly, multiple subject, calendar summaries.  Test questions and answers may include OLE objects and may be arbitrarily selected and randomly arranged.

When printing or print previewing reports, you may select the desired classes and students to be included.  The reports may be exported in a variety of formats for use in other programs.  The reports may contain different fonts, font sizes, and use boldfacing, italics and underlining.  Lines, boxes, shading, drop shadows and logos may be incorporated.  If one of the supplied reports does not satisfy your requirements, the program author can prepare a report based on your specifications for a nominal charge.  Alternatively, you may modify one of the existing reports or prepare your own custom reports using Microsoft Access or Crystal Reports (not supplied).  Reports may be prepared simply by dragging the desired database fields to the report and setting the various properties.  Reports that are prepared or modified using Crystal Reports, may be easily installed and used by the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT program.

The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT and GRADEBOOK for Windows may also be used on a school or department wide basis.  All the classes may be set up on a master computer (not required).  The students may be manually input or you may use a student list generated from another computer or program.  A floppy disk containing each instructor's classes may then be generated.  This disk may be used by the instructor to automatically enter his classes and students.  At the end of a period, each instructor may turn in a floppy with their student data for use by the master computer.  School or department wide reports may then be generated.  Multi-period report cards which contain all the grades for all the subjects for each student may be easily prepared.  Report cards may contain any combination of averages, grades, absences, tardies, and citizenship.  It is not required that all or any of the instructors use GRADEBOOK for Windows in order to generate school wide reports or report cards.  Elementary teachers who teach several subjects can prepare progress reports which contain all the subjects even if they use a separate class for each subject.

In addition to being able to use Microsoft Access to prepare custom reports, you may use it to easily interface with or connect to other database programs.  You may interface with Btrieve, dBase, FoxPro, Paradox and ODBC databases such as Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle.  You may also export selected fields to a merge file.  This allows form letters to be easily generated using programs such as Word for Windows.  Form letters for progress reports, report cards, school announcements, etc., may be prepared for any set of classes or students.

The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT has extensive on-line help and comes with a printed manual.  The manual includes a tutorial, a detailed description of the database design, samples of all the included reports, and sample form letters.  Microsoft Access or Crystal Reports may be used to generate custom reports but are not required.  Custom reports may also be generated using a word processor's data merge capability or by exporting data to other programs such as Excel.  Other programs that have Access drivers, such as Word for Windows and Excel, may directly query the database.

A 386 computer with at least 4 MB and Windows version 3.1 is recommended for the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT for individual use.  A 486 with 8 MB is recommended for preparing school wide reports.


Registration Form

Select File, Print Topic from the Help menu bar to print this form.

GRADEBOOK For Windows (3.03)

Registration Form

Telephone Orders:

 Call 800-727-2065 (orders only) (MC, Visa) or

 Call 517-727-2066 (MC, Visa)

CompuServe Orders:  US orders only

 GO SWREG (program ID #685)

Ship To:  Via Priority Mail (FedEx or UPS extra, foreign via first class air)

 Name:    ____________________________________________

 Address: ____________________________________________

          ____________________________________________

 City:    ___________________ State: __ Zip: _________

Register To:  Name or Math Dept Copy 1, Copy 2, etc., for site licenses.

 Name:    ____________________________________________

Disk Format: ___ 1.44MB (3.5")  ___ 1.2 MB (5.25")

Registration Fee:  US dollars

 ____ $34 Per single user copy.  Includes manual.

 ____ $90 For a 10 copy site license.  Includes

          unbound manual with 10 registered disk copies

          and permission to make 9 copies of the manual.

          Add $8 for each additional user over 10.

 ____ $20 GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT $25 if purchased separately.

 ____ $60 ASSISTANT 10 copy site license similar to above.

          Add $5 for each additional user over 10.

 ____ $3  Additional for shipping of Canadian orders.

 ____ $15 Additional for shipping overseas orders.

 ____ -$3 If you purchased a review copy from author.

 ____ Total - Make checks payable to Russell Stevens or

      MasterCard/Visa number: ________________________

      Expiration date:___/___

      Signature:_________________________

Send To:  Educational system purchase orders accepted

 Russell Stevens          Phone 800-727-2065 orders only

 R&R EdWare               Phone 517-727-2066

 5191 Pine Grove Dr.      CompuServe 70150,323

 Spruce, MI 48762         AOL RAStevens

Optional Information

School/College/Position: _____________________________

Telephone: ___________________________________________

Where did you obtain GRADEBOOK? ______________________

Comments/Suggestions/Grading Scheme: _________________

______________________________________________________


Grading Methods

GRADEBOOK has been designed so that it can accommodate most grading schemes.  There are normally two steps in assigning a grade.  The first step is to calculate an average score for a student based on his individual task scores.  The second step is to use this average to assign a letter grade.  Some school systems do not use letter grades but assign the actual average as the grade.  This may be easily done in GRADEBOOK by electing to not print the grade when doing a Grades, List.

Custom Grades

GRADEBOOK may assign up to 13 letter grades based on up to 12 different cutoff points.  The Grades, Custom Grades menu may be used to easily select one of the following standard schemes.

# Cutoffs	Grades

1	P, F (pass, fail)

4	A, B, C, D, E

4	A, B, C, D, F

4	4, 3, 2, 1, 0

6	4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0

8	A, A-, B, B-, C, C-, D, D-, F

12	A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E

12	A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F

12	12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

12	7.5, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0

You may also assign any other desired scheme of up to 13 letter grades.  GRADEBOOK allows your custom letter grades to be up to 3 characters such as "3.5".  For each unique letter grade, you input the desired cutoff point using the Misc, Grading Curve menu.  Each class may have its own grading curve.

GRADEBOOK allows you to use several different methods to calculate a students average.  The different methods can produce the same average at the end of the class if the appropriate weighting factors are used.  The methods differ primarily in how the averages are calculated in mid term when doing progress reports.

Total Points Method

The simplest method is to use total points.  When total points are used, the weight of each individual task is determined by its perfect score relative to the sum of all the perfect scores.  A 100 point test has 5 times the weight of a 20 point quiz.  To prevent having to enter large perfect scores and to make it easier to score tasks, you may assign individual task weights when using total points.  Thus a 300 point test has the same weight as a 100 point test that has a task weight of 3.  To calculate a students average, you take the sum of each of his scores times each score task weight and divide by the total possible points.  The total possible points is the sum of all the perfect scores times each score task weight.  Each task is assigned to a task category.  GRADEBOOK allows you to discard the worst "n" scores in each category.  When using total points, all tasks in a category must have the same perfect score and task weight in order to discard the worst scores in that category.  This is required to prevent tasks that are weighted differently from being discarded for different students.  When a low score is discarded, it is not added into the student total or the total possible points.  The Misc, Selected Tasks menu is used to discard scores.  If a student doesn't complete a task, the default score is an "NA" score.  An "NA" score may be treated as a "0" score when calculating the average or may produce an "NA" average if it is not discarded.  If you don't want to penalize a student for missing a task because he started the class late or has another valid reason, you may assign an "NC" score.  An "NC" or not counted score doesn't change a student's average and is not used as one of the discarded scores.  If the number of "NC" scores and discarded scores in a category is greater than or equal to the number of tasks in a category, the student will receive no points for the category and the total possible points will not include any points from the category.  Otherwise, an "NC" score will reduce the total possible points by the product of the perfect score for the "NC" task and its task weight.

Students may also have extra credit scores.  An extra credit score allows a student to increase his average.  When using total points, you may use regular extra credit or give the extra credit category a weight.  If you give the extra credit category a weight, a student who completes all the extra credit may increase his average by the weight.  For example, if you assigned the extra credit category a weight of 10% and you had 4 extra credit tasks worth a total of 220 points, a student who completed all 220 points could increase his average by 10%.  When you use regular extra credit, the weight of the extra credit is determined by the total possible extra credit points relative to the total possible points not including extra credit.  For example, if you had 4 extra credit tasks worth a total of 220 points and the total possible points not including extra credit was 2000 points, a student who completed all of the extra credit could increase his average by 220/2000 or by 11%.  The type of extra credit used may be specified using the Misc, Final Weights menu.

Interim weights are not used when you are using total points.  To do a progress report in mid term you just use the Grades, List menu.  The current average for a student is calculated based on his current points relative to the current total possible points and is adjusted for discarded, "NC" and extra credit scores.  If you have entered all your tasks in ahead of time, the average would be low because of all the "NA" scores that were not yet completed.  To get a correct progress report, you can use the Score, Edit menu to easily change all the "NA" scores to "NC" scores.  You may also change the default score to "NC" by using the Misc, Options dialog box.  Progress reports can then be done at any time by just doing a Grades, List.  You could also give a 0 weight to the tasks that were not yet completed.  This would give the same results as giving all the students an "NC" score for the task.  Alternatively, you could discard all the "NA" scores using the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  This would give you the same results when using total points but would require that you revise the number of discarded scores prior to each progress report.  Progress reports generated when using total points may be misleading under some situations.  They should be quite accurate for a student that gets roughly the same percentage score on different task categories.  However, some students may do much better on quizzes and labs than they do on tests and finals.  If, at the time of the progress report, the proportion of quiz and lab points is higher than they will be at the end of the class, the progress report may be overly optimistic.  Also, when using total points, the effective weight of an entire category will vary quite a bit as the term progresses.  If you issue a progress report just before and just after giving a heavily weighted test, the amount of the average due to tests will be different.

Total Points with Category Weights Method

To improve the accuracy of the progress reports or to keep the weight of a category more constant, you may want to use a total points with category weights method.  This may be selected from the Misc, Final Weights menu.  When using total points with category weights, an average for each category is calculated by using total points.  Then all the category averages are weighted and combined to produce the overall average.  The category weights are also input using the Misc, Final Weights menu.  For example, you may weight Tests at 50%, Quizzes at 15%, Homework at 15% and the Final at 20%.  The weights must add up to 100%.  Extra credit may also be given a weight.  Each category average is determined by adding up all the student scores in the category times each task weight and dividing by the total possible points in the category.  The total possible points in a category is determined by adding up each perfect score times each task weight.  The total possible points in each category is adjusted for discarded or "NC" scores.  As with the total points method, if you have entered in your tasks ahead of time, the empty tasks must be changed to "NC" scores or discarded using the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  If they are discarded, the number discarded must be revised prior to each progress report.

Unless you have at least one completed task in every category that has a weight, you should use interim weights when doing a progress report when using total points with category weights.  If the Final is weighted at 20%, and the final hasn't been completed, a perfect student could only get an average of 80% without extra credit.  When you use interim weights, the category weights for categories that have scores are normalized to 100%.  For the above example, Tests would be given a weight of 62.5% and quizzes and homework would be given a weight of 18.75% each (total 100%).  If you have entered the final task in ahead of time, you must discard it to get the correct interim weights.  The interim weights will automatically change to the final weights when the interim count of each weighted category is at least one.  The interim count is the current number of tasks in a category less the number of discards in the category.  It is listed on the Interim Weights dialog box.  If you have entered your final in ahead of time, you need to discard the worst final score to get the correct interim weights.  You may use "NA" or "NC" scores for the empty tasks.  If you use "NA" scores, they must be discarded to get the correct interim weights.  "NC" scores do not need to be discarded unless all the scores in a category are "NC" such as for the final.  If all the scores in a category are "NC" and they are not all discarded, the category will still be given a weight but the student's category average will be 0.  For example, if you have entered 10 homework tasks but have only entered scores for 2 of them, you can give the remaining homework tasks an "NC" score.  This will cause the homework category average to be calculated based on just the scores that you have entered.  If all 10 homework tasks have an "NC" score, the 10 worst homework scores must be discarded to prevent the homework category from having a weight.  As with total points, giving a 0 weight to the tasks that were not yet completed would give the same results as giving all the students an "NC" score for the task.  Progress reports done when using total points with category weights are most accurate when the relative proportion of each category remains constant throughout the class.  If most of the tests are given at the end of the class, the first test would count for 62.5% of the progress report for the above example.  In this situation, a more accurate progress report could be obtained by using the category weights method of grading.

Category Weights Method

When using category weights, each category including extra credit is given a weight.  However, each category average is calculated by the average percentage scores of all the tasks in the category.  Thus a score of 8 out of 10 on a quiz is the same as 80 out of 100.  Every task in the category has the same weight and individual task weights may not be entered.  If you want a test to have more weight than a quiz, you use a different category type and assign a higher weight to that category.  However, all tests in the category would have the same weight regardless of their perfect scores.  As with the other grading schemes, you may discard the worst "n" scores per category.  However, since percentage scores are used, all the tasks in a category do not need to have the same perfect score in order to discard the worst score.  You may also assign "NC" scores.  When calculating a category average, "NC" scores are ignored.  If the number of "NC" scores plus the number of discarded scores in a category is greater or equal to the number of tasks in the category, the category average will be zero.

Calculating progress reports when using category weights is the most difficult but can yield the most accurate results.  Instead of normalizing the category weights if there is an empty category (no interim count), the interim weights are calculated based on the actual number of completed tasks in each category (interim count) compared to the number of tasks in each category that will be completed at the end of the class (final count).  This is possible since all the tasks in a category have equal weights.  This requires that you know the number and type of all your tasks ahead of time to correctly enter in the final counts.  The current interim count in a category is the number of tasks in the category less the number of tasks that you are discarding in that category.  Whenever you do a progress report, the current interim counts are compared to the final counts and the interim weights are calculated.  The interim weights are automatically revised every time you enter another task because the interim count changes.  This method works easiest if you don't enter all your tasks in ahead of time.  If you have entered all your tasks in ahead of time, using "NC" scores for the empty tasks will not give you the correct interim weights.  This is because, the interim count will not change as you enter scores for more tasks.  More accurate progress reports will be obtained if you discard the empty tasks prior to each progress report.  This can automatically be done from the Misc, Selected Tasks menu if you leave the empty tasks as "NA" scores.  A task is empty if all the students have an "NA" score for the task.  Every time you enter a score, the number of tasks discarded for that category would decrease by 1 causing the interim count for the category to increase by one.  The interim weights would then be correctly adjusted.  If there are no scores in a category, all the tasks must be discarded in the category to get the correct interim weights.  For example, if the final has a weight of 20% and has been entered in ahead of time, its interim count will be 1 and the final category would be given a weight.  By discarding the worst final, the interim count would be 0 and the final category would not be given a weight for the progress report.

Note that if you use total points with category weights and use individual task weights of 1 and use the same perfect score for all tasks in a category, you will get the same average that you would by using category weights.  If all the scores in a category have the same perfect score, the category average would be the same whether calculated from total points or from percentage scores.

GRADEBOOK will correctly calculate interim weights for progress reports when you have entered all the tasks in ahead of time.  When using total points you may enter "NC" scores for the empty tasks or discard the empty tasks.  When using total points with category weights, you may use "NC" scores for tasks in categories that have some scores at the time of the progress report, otherwise the empty tasks must be discarded.  When using category weights, you should discard all empty tasks prior to doing a progress report.  If you need to do progress reports, it is much simpler to just enter the tasks as they are completed.  It is also simpler to explain to the student when he asks how his average was calculated.  The interim weights are computed automatically and you don't have to discard empty tasks or assign "NC" scores.  Teachers who teach the same course each term or teach several classes of the same course may prefer to enter all the tasks in ahead of time since this may be done automatically by using a template class.  If you have 5 identical classes and enter a task every day, you would have to enter 5 identical tasks every day if they were not entered in ahead of time.  However, you can enter a task once and then easily transfer the task to the other classes with a couple of mouse clicks by using the Task, Transfer menu.  This would make the progress reports easier but would require extra work to enter the tasks each day.  The method you use to calculate averages and assign grades may be determined by your school requirements, by your personal preferences, how often, if at all, you have to issue progress reports, the number and type of scores you are using in your average, etc.  Total points are appropriate if you carefully select all the perfect scores and task weights to give you the desired weights.  Total points with category weights allows you to use differently weighted tasks within a category but maintain a weight for the entire category.  Category weights are more appropriate when all the tasks in a category may have the same weight.  You may change grading methods for a class at any time using the Misc, Final Weights menu.  More complex grading schemes may be created by using custom tasks or by scaling scores.  Summary classes may also be used to transfer various scores and averages to get the desired effect.


Procedures

Click on any of the following procedures.

Adding Scores

Arranging Windows

Backing Up Files

Blanking Scores

Charting Distributions

Clipboard

Colors

Combining Classes

Creating Multiple Directories

Customizing Grades

Customizing Tasks

Customizing Terms

Discarding Scores

Editing Attendance

Editing Scores

Excel

Exporting Files

Extra Credit

Extracting Scores

Extracting Students

Fill Styles

Floppy Storage

Fonts

Grade Curve

Importing Files

Incomplete Scores

Individual Reports

Late Joining Students

Periods

Printing Reports

Progress Reports

Report Cards

Restoring Files

Scaling Scores

Score Distributions

Selecting Students

Teacher Notes

Word for Windows


Adding Scores

Adding scores is the most repeated operation in GRADEBOOK.  The Add Scores Dialog Box has been designed to minimize the keystrokes required to add scores.  Scores may also be added or edited using a spreadsheet grid type interface for instructors who prefer this type of interface.  The grid interface is accessed from the Scores, Edit menu.  The regular interface is accessed from the Scores, Add menu.  Scores are added to the current default class as shown in the title bar of the Report Window.  To add scores to a different class, use the Class, Select menu.  When the Add Score Dialog Box starts, the last task is the default in the Task To Add Score To List Box.  If you add tasks as the term proceeds instead of adding them all at the beginning, the last task entered is usually the task you want to add scores to.

Some instructors prefer to sort their papers or to record the scores on a sorted list prior to entering the data into GRADEBOOK.  The sorted list may be a regular grade book, an input form printed using the Class, Data Input Form menu or a grade book that you have printed from GRADEBOOK using the Blank Incomplete Scores Option.  If you are entering sorted scores, very few keystrokes are required.  The Random Entry Check Box should not be checked when entering sorted scores.  The default student shown in the Student List Box is the first student.  The Score Edit Box shows the existing score for the student highlighted in the Student List Box.  Just Press the Tab key to shift the focus to the Score Edit Box and enter the score for the first student.  Since the Add Button is the default key, just press the Enter key to enter the score for the first student.  The focus will stay at the Score Edit Box and the highlighted student will automatically increment to the next student in the list.  Enter the next score and press the Enter key or just press the Enter key to skip the student.  You may also use the cursor keys to quickly move to the next, previous, first or last student when the Score Edit Box has the focus.

Some instructors find that sorting the papers or recording the scores on a sorted list prior to entering the data into GRADEBOOK is not worth the extra effort.  GRADEBOOK allows you to quickly locate a student by entering in a search string.  The first letter of the search string may be the first letter of the student's last name or the first character of his ID number depending on the status of the Search By ID check box.  If there is only one student whose last name or ID begins with that letter, GRADEBOOK narrows the search to that student.  If several students have a last name or ID that begin with the same letter, just enter the next letter of the last name or ID to narrow the search.  You may continue until the desired student is located.

To use this method, first check the Random Entry Check Box and then pick the desired task from the Task To Add Score To List Box.  Then start entering the search string for the first student.  The search string is listed after the Search Text Label.  As you enter the search string, the highlight in the Student List Box will shift to the first student that matches the search string.  If it is the desired student, press the Tab key and enter the score.  If not, enter the next letter of the search string.  If you enter a search string for which there is no match, the Search Text will not be revised.  If you enter an incorrect search string, you may use the Backspace key to correct it.  When you enter a score by clicking the Add Button or by pressing the Enter key, the Search Text will be reset.  The Search Text will also be reset if you click on a student in the Student List Box.

If you need to add several scores at a time for a single student you should check the One Student, Several Tasks check box.  When this box is checked, the task will automatically increment to the next task whenever you add a score and the student will not increment.  You may also use the cursor keys to quickly move to the next, previous, first or last task when the Score Edit Box has the focus.

You may also just use the Student List Box to select the student directly.  Click the down arrow to drop down the list box, use the scroll bar controls to locate the student and then click on the desired student.  The cursor control keys may also be used to locate the student.

See Also

Add Scores Dialog Box

Scores Add Menu

Report Window

Editing Scores

Class Select Menu


Arranging Windows

The Report Window is the main GRADEBOOK window.  However, GRADEBOOK may display up to 3 separate windows.  In addition to the Report Window, there may be a Score Chart Window and a Grade Chart Window.  You may use the normal Windows controls to move and size the windows.  The windows may be moved by dragging the title bar of the window.  Windows may be sized by dragging the sizing borders of the window.

The Score Chart and Grade Chart windows may be minimized or maximized using the minimize and maximize buttons.  Minimizing the Report Window, minimizes all windows.  If you want to change score and grade parameters and watch the effect on the score distribution chart and the grade distribution chart, you can use the Window, Arrange All menu.  The Window, Arrange All menu is located on either the Score Chart or the Grade Chart window.  It will arrange all the currently active GRADEBOOK windows.  You can use the Misc menu on the Report Window to vary the selected tasks, final and interim category weights, and the grading curve and watch the distribution in the Report Window and the charts update with the new information.

You may use the Window Always on Top Menu to force the chart window to remain as the topmost window.  This is useful if you want to change fonts or other options and dont want the chart window to disappear behind other windows.

See Also

Report Window

Score Chart Window

Grade Chart Window

Window Arrange All Menu

Window Always on Top Menu


Backing Up Files

Data security is very important when keeping student scores.  If you keep all your scores in a regular grade book and lose the book you would not have any backup.  GRADEBOOK allows you to easily backup and restore your student score data.  If you periodically backup your hard disk (recommended) the GRADEBOOK files would also be backed up.  However, most people don't do complete disk backups very often.  Even losing 1 set or 1 week of scores can be unacceptable if your hard disk should fail.  It is also difficult to restore a single GRADEBOOK file from a complete hard disk backup.  What is the name of the file that you need to restore, etc.

It is recommended that you use the GRADEBOOK backup feature every day that you add scores or attendance to a class.  If this is done, you would always have a backup of any data you have entered into GRADEBOOK.  You can also create hard copy backups by printing a score list or attendance list.  A hard copy backup would contain all the data but would require you to manually reenter it if your hard disk should fail.  If you have your backup data on a floppy, you may easily start up with the same data that was current when you made your last backup without reentering any data.

Backing up class files may also be used if you are keeping your grades on two computers such as a school computer and a home computer.  After you have revised a class, do a backup and elect to overwrite the previous file on the floppy with the latest version.  Take the disk to your other computer and do a restore.  If you have transferred all the classes from one computer to the other computer, the class files names will be the same and you can elect to overwrite the existing file.  This allows you to easily transfer the latest class file from computer to computer regardless of which computer is used to enter the changes.  Backing up class files can also be used to gather all the class information from all the instructors in a department or the whole school.  Just backup each instructor's classes to a floppy and elect to use a unique name.  Then restore the floppy on the master computer.  You may then do score and grade distributions for any combination of the classes.  When doing this, instructors should use unique class names.  Alternatively, if all the computers are on a network, the files may just be backed up to the master computer directly.  The master computer may be used to prepare report cards for the entire school using the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT.  You may backup your data by using the File, Backup menu on the Report Window.

See Also

Report Window

File Backup Menu

Backup Class Files Dialog Box

File Restore Menu

Restore Class Files Dialog Box


Blanking Scores

When GRADEBOOK prints a score or grade list report, you have the option of how you want incomplete scores printed.  They may be printed as "NA" or they may be left blank.  This option is selected from the Blank Incomplete Scores Check Box located on the Add Class or Revise Class dialog box.

You would normally print a data entry form using the Class, Print Data Form menu.  However, you may want to blank incomplete scores to print a grade book.  If you enter all the tasks at the beginning of a term and then print a score list and blank the incompletes, you would then have a gradebook that you could use to enter scores on.  You could use this grade book as an input data form to add scores to GRADEBOOK.  If you reprint the report during the term, scores that you have entered values for would have the actual values printed.  You may also print reports for individual tasks if you wanted to create a data input form for a single task or a generic data entry form.

GRADEBOOK does not require the use of a sorted data input form to enter student scores.  However, some instructors prefer to do this because it makes score entry a little quicker.  You might also prefer to do this if someone else is entering your score data for you.  You could use the written copy to later verify that the data was entered correctly.

See Also

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Adding Scores

Class Print Data Form Menu


Charting Distributions

GRADEBOOK allows you to chart score and grade distributions.  This option is selected from the Score, Chart Distribution or Grade, Chart Distribution menu.  These menu items are initially disabled (grayed).  To enable the menu item you must first do a score or grade distribution before you may chart it.

If you want to view both the score and grade distribution charts at the same time you should first select Score (Grade), Distribution and then select Score (Grade), Chart Distribution.  Then select Grade (Score), Distribution and then select Grade (Score), Chart Distribution.

GRADEBOOK may have up to 3 windows displayed at once.  You may use the Window, Arrange All menu to arrange the windows.  When score or grade distribution and score or grade distribution charts are displayed you may use the Misc menu to change the selected tasks, final and interim category weights and the grading curve and the distributions and charts will be automatically updated.

Score and grade distribution charts may be printed using the File, Print menu on the score or grade chart window.  They may also be copied to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu.

See Also

Window Arrange All Menu

Arranging Windows

Score Chart Distribution Menu

Grade Chart Distribution Menu

Chart File Print Menu

Chart Edit Copy Menu

Score Chart Window

Grade Chart Window


Clipboard

GRADEBOOK can utilize the Windows clipboard to copy reports and charts to other Windows applications.  Any report in the Report Window may be copied to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu on the Report Window.  All data is separated by tabs.  The report may then be pasted into other programs such as Excel or Word for Windows.  You could paste a score list into Excel and then use Excel to analyze or plot the score data.  You could paste a grade list into Word for Windows and use it to format the report.  You could add optional graphics to your report (4 stars for an A, etc.).  The clipboard may be used to include GRADEBOOK reports in other documents.  For example, you could write a letter to a parent and include a score list or score distribution as part of the letter.  You can use Excel or Word for Windows to prepare custom report cards by first doing a Grade, Master list and then copying the report to the clipboard.  When using the Score, Edit or Student, Attendance Edit menu, the clipboard may be used to copy and paste scores or attendance abbreviations to and from other Windows programs.  It may also be used to easily transfer student names and or ID numbers to other programs.

Score and grade distribution charts may be copied to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu on the chart window.  The charts may then be pasted into any Windows application that accepts bit mapped graphics.  Note that charts are copied to the clipboard at the size they appear on screen.  You may want to adjust the window size to the desired size before copying the chart to the clipboard.  You could copy a score distribution chart to the clipboard and then paste it into a Word for Windows document.  If you don't have a color printer, you may want to adjust the fill styles and fill colors of the chart before you copy it to the clipboard.

The clipboard may also be used to edit teacher notes.  Teacher notes may be pasted to the Teacher Note Dialog Box from other Windows applications.

More information on using the Windows clipboard may be found in the documentation furnished with Windows.

See Also

Report Window

Edit Copy Menu

Chart Edit Copy Menu

Editing Scores

Excel

Word for Windows

Teacher Note Procedure

Fill Styles

Colors


Colors

The colors that GRADEBOOK uses for the title bar, menu bar, scroll bars, etc. are set using the Windows control panel.  The colors that GRADEBOOK uses for charts is set from the Options menu on the chart windows.  If you don't have a color monitor, different colored bars in the grade distribution chart may appear the same even if you have set them to different colors.  To prevent this you should assign different fill patterns to the different chart bars.

GRADEBOOK will print the charts on a color printer if you have one.  If not, the different colored bars may appear the same on the printout.  To prevent this you should assign different fill patterns to the different chart bars.  You may prefer to use a solid fill with different colors when viewing charts on screen if you have a color monitor.  You could then change to a hatched pattern with a black color prior to printing your chart or copying it to the clipboard to paste into another application.

See Also

Chart Options Menu

Clipboard

Fill Styles


Combining Classes

Two classes may be combined by selecting the Class, Combine menu.  This option allows you to combine two similar classes into a single class.  The students in the class you are combining from are added to the default class and their class is then deleted.  To combine classes, both classes must have identical tasks and perfect scores.  The students that are merged into the default class are added to the end.  You may use the Student, Reorder menu to reorder the students if desired.

You may want to combine classes because you have broken a class into several smaller classes using the Student, Extract menu.  This allows you to use different grading criteria for progress reports for late joining students or students with special circumstances.  However, after doing your progress report you might want to merge the students back into the main class (if you deleted them from the main class) so you only have to enter scores for one class for future tasks.

See Also

Combine Class Menu

Combine Class Dialog Box

Late Joining Students

Extracting Students


Creating Multiple Directories

It is quite common that several instructors may need to share one computer for grade keeping.  Using multiple directories may be useful in this situation.  If all the instructors enter their own grades, they would want their class data and default data stored in their own subdirectory.  They would not require access to the other instructors data.  Another option would be that of a single person (secretary) entering the grades for several instructors.  She would want to be able to shift between instructors without having to restart the program.

For the first example, each instructor would want the GRADEBOOK program to start up in his subdirectory.  To prevent having to install multiple copies of the program, GRADEBOOK allows the use of a command line parameter.  To use this feature, the GRADEBOOK program needs to be installed normally in just one directory such as C:\GRADEBKW.  Each instructor then needs to create a separate subdirectory for their class files.  Each instructor should then add an icon for his copy of GRADEBOOK to a group window on the Windows program manager.  To do this, click the File, New menu on the program manager.  Select program item and enter a description such as "Bobs GradeBook".  Assuming you have created a BOB subdirectory, you should enter the following for the command line:

C:\GRADEBKW\GRADEBK.EXE C:\BOB

The procedure for the other instructors is the same.  When you click on the Bobs GradeBook icon, the GRADEBOOK program located in C:\GRADEBKW will start but will store its initialization files and class files in C:\BOB.  You can also use a command line parameter to have GRADEBOOK store its files on a floppy disk.

C:\GRADEBKW\GRADEBK.EXE A:\

For the second example, where one person wants to have access to several subdirectories you would start GRADEBOOK normally without a command line parameter.  You can then use the File Select Dir menu command to switch between subdirectories when you are running the program and would only have one GRADEBOOK icon for starting the program.  You could also keep all the instructors in one subdirectory by using unique class names (Bob's Chem 101).  You would want to do this if you need to do grade and score distributions for classes taught by more than one instructor.

See Also

File Select Dir Menu

Class File Names

GRADEBK.HLP File

GRADEBK.INI File

GRADEBK.EXE File


Customizing Grades

Different schools use different methods to calculate a student's gpa (grade point average).  Some schools just assign numerical values to letter grades.  A student who received a B+ in a course would be assigned a numerical value which would then be used to calculate his gpa.  Some schools require the instructor to turn in a numerical value that may be used to calculate the gpa.  One typical system uses the seven grades 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0.  Another typical system uses the 13 grades 7.5, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0.

Instead of using letter grades such as B+, B, B-, etc., you may use custom grades such as 7.0 or C1.  You may use up to three characters.  If you use plus and minus grades you may use up to 13 grades (12 cutoffs).  If you don't use plus and minus grades, you may use up to 5 grades (4 cutoffs).  You may decrease the actual number of grading levels by assigning the same cutoff point to consecutive grades and by using the same custom grade for two consecutive cutoffs.  For example, a 4.0, 3.5, etc., system requires 6 cutoffs.  Using plus and minus grades gives you 12 cutoffs.  To get 6 cutoffs, just assign the lower 6 cutoffs to the same value as the sixth cutoff.  You will now have 7 possible letter grades, A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, and E.  To have your printouts use the custom grades, assign a 4.0 to an A+, a 3.5 to an A, a 3.0 to an A-, a 2.5 to a B+, a 2.0 to a B, a 1.0 to a B- and a 0.0 to an E.  Your grade printouts will now only list 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, and 0.0 grades.  Follow the same procedure for a 7.5 system.  Since .5, 1.5, and 2.5 are normally not used, you need 12 cutoffs (13 grades - 7.5, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.0, and 0.0).  You do not need to delete any levels.  Just assign the custom grades 7.5 to an A+, 7.0 to an A, etc.  Unused grade categories are not plotted when you do a grade distribution chart.  Several of the common grading schemes may be automatically selected using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.

See Also

Grades Custom Grades Menu

Custom Grades Dialog Box


Customizing Tasks

A custom task is a task whose score is a function of other existing task scores.  It may be calculated from the sum of, the highest of, the average of, the weighted average of, the lowest of, the reverse of, the difference of, the total "NA" or "NC" scores contained in, or the category average of existing scores.  Existing scores that are "NA" are treated as zero scores if you are using the treat zeros as incompletes option.  If not, the custom score will be "NA".  The treatment of "NC" scores depends on the type of custom task.  When doing a sum, an "NC" score results in an "NC" custom task.  When calculating the highest score, an "NC" score is treated as a zero score.  When calculating averages or weighted averages, "NC" scores are not included.  When calculating the lowest score, "NC" scores are ignored.  Differences involving an "NC" score result in an "NC".  When reversing a score, "NC" scores remain "NC".  If you are doing a category average, "NA" and "NC" scores are treated the same way as they would be when calculating a grade.  "NC" scores are not counted and do not penalize a student.  "NA" scores are treated as "0" scores or result in an "NA" average unless they are discarded.  The number of scores discarded is set from the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  When doing a category average, the custom task is always converted to a percentage score because, even if you are using total points, the number of total possible points may vary from student to student because of "NC" scores.  Custom tasks may be used for several reasons.

A custom task could be used to discard all but the best score of several tasks.  You could define a custom task to be the highest of several scores.  You would then probably want to delete the old scores.  If you are using weighted scores and they are in a category by themselves, you could give that category a zero weight instead of deleting the scores.  Note that you could also use the Misc, Selected Tasks menu to discard the worst "n" scores to accomplish the same thing.  This also allows you to discard tasks when using total points even when they don't have the same perfect score.

A custom task could be used to average existing tasks.  Tasks are automatically averaged when you use task weights instead of total points.  If you are using total points, a custom task could be used to average several tasks.

A custom task could also be used to assign different weights to scores in the same category.  If you are using task weights, all the scores in a category have the same weight and are averaged.  By using a custom task you could assign a different weight to each score.  If you had three tests, you could assign a weight of 30 to two of the tests, and a weight of 40 to the third test.  When you assign weights, you may use any non-negative integer number.  The actual weight of each task is determined by its weight number divided by the sum of all the weight numbers you have entered.  The third test would have a weight of 40/(30+30+40) or 40%.  Your weight numbers do not need to add up to 100.  To use fractional weights, you can use larger numbers - 408/(296+296+408) or 40.8%.  If you are using total points or total points with category averages, you can just assign different individual task weights.

A custom task could also be used to determine the lowest score of the selected tasks.  By selecting all the test scores, the custom task would contain each students worst test score.

A custom task could also be used reverse a score.  Reversing a score results in each students score being subtracted from the perfect score.  If you are using a task to track the number of absences, you would want more absences to result in lower scores.  To accomplish this, just reverse the task with the number of absences.  This will give you a task with the number of times the student was present or the percent of the time a student was present.

A custom task could also be used to calculate a students improvement by taking the difference in two tasks.  If you give a standardized test at the beginning and end of a class, taking the difference in the two tasks will give a score based on improvement.  Note that negative scores are not allowed.

A custom task could also be used to list the number of times a student had an "NA" or "NC" score.  If you select all the tasks, it will be the total number of "NA" or "NC" scores or the percentage of "NA" or "NC" scores.  This score could be reversed if you wanted a score that decreased as the number of "NA" or "NC" scores increased.  You may also just select a subset of the tasks, such as all the test tasks, to get the number of "NA" or "NC" scores on just the tests.

A custom task could also be used to calculate category averages.  To create a report that lists just category averages and an overall average with grade, you could first add a task for each category you want to average.  You could rename categories that you don't use.  For example, if one of your categories was "Test", you could rename an unused category to "Test Average".  Do a category average for each category.  The averages are calulated the same way they would be if you were calculating grades.  Then add a summary class using the same students, select the original class and then do a Score, Transfer to transfer all the category averages to the summary class.  You may then give each category the desired weight and do a Grade, List to print a report that just contains category averages instead of all the individual scores.

When you are using custom tasks you can use the actual scores or the percentage scores depending on the desired effect.  If you are using total points and you want the highest score of several scores that do not have the same perfect score, you would want to use percentage scores.  For example 81 out of 100 is more points than 9 out of 10 but it is actually a worst score from a percentage standpoint.  When you use percentage scores, the score that is added to the destination task is the calculated percentage times the perfect score for the destination task.  If you use actual scores, the score that is added is an actual score.  When doing category averages, the destination score is always based on a percentage of the perfect score for the destination task, even if total points are used when calculating the category average.  This is required because each student's total possible points may differ if they have "NC" scores.

You would normally add a new task prior to customizing a task because any existing scores will be replaced with the new scores.  When customizing scores, the calculated score may exceed the perfect score for the destination task.  If this happens, you would probably want to revise the perfect score.  You should review the perfect score to make sure you are getting the desired effect.  For example, if you are summing several scores and using total points, you would probably want the perfect score to be the sum of all the perfect scores.

Some types of custom scores have little real world use.  The sum of several scores makes sense if you are using total points and using actual scores.  The custom task could then replace all the source tasks and result in the same grade.  However, the sum of several scores using percentage scores may have little use.  For example, if you have 3 scores and each has a percentage score of 75%, the average of the three scores is 75%.  If you sum the percentage scores, you will get a percentage score of 225%.  The custom score would give a different grade to students than the 3 original scores.

You may want to experiment with custom scores before adding them to an existing class.  To do this, add a summary class using the same students.  Then transfer the scores you want to customize to it.  Add a new task to hold the custom scores and experiment with the different custom options.  When you get the desired effect, you can then transfer the custom score back to the original class.

See Also

Custom Tasks Menu

Custom Tasks Dialog Box


Customizing Terms

Different schools may use different term names.  GRADEBOOK uses the seasonal names Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter as the default term names.  If your school operates on a quarterly basis, you may want to rename the terms as Quarter 1, Quarter 2, etc., or as Semester 1, Semester 2, etc.  Each calendar year may have four separate term names such as Semester 1 1992, Semester 2 1992, etc.  You may use your own custom term names.  The names are assigned using the Term, Custom Terms menu.  You may use up to ten characters in a term name.  There is no requirement that each period must be in a separate term.  If you have 6, six week periods, all the classes could be in one term.  This would make it easier if you need to calculate an overall average for the entire year.  You could use just one term and name it Year 93-94.

See Also

Term Custom Terms Menu

Custom Terms Dialog Box


Discarding Scores

Some instructors prefer to discard one or more of the worst scores for a particular category.  This allows students to miss one quiz or homework assignment without having to try to make it up.  GRADEBOOK will automatically discard the worst "n" scores for any category.  You select the number of scores you want to discard for each category from the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.

You may discard scores when doing progress reports in mid term or when doing the final grade calculations at the end of the term.  You may not select to discard more scores than you have entered for the category.  The actual tasks discarded will vary from student to student depending on which scores are their worst.

You may discard scores when using the total point method of scoring only if all tasks for the category have the same perfect score and individual task weight.  This is required to make sure that the discarded scores for each student have the same weight.  Scores that are entered as "NC" (not counted) are not discarded.  For example, if you discard the 4 worst homework assignments, the 4 worst homework assignments are discarded for all students.  A student who joined the class late and was given "NC" scores for the homework assignments that he missed would still have his 4 worst homeworks discarded.  He would then not be penalized for the "NC" scores since they would not count as his worst scores.  If the missed scores were left as "NA", they would be discarded as his worst scores.  The first approach gives the late student an advantage since he has a higher proportion of his worst scores discarded, the second approach penalizes him because he doesn't get to discard as many worst scores.  If neither of these methods produce the desired effect, the late student may be easily extracted to a separate class by himself and a different set of grading criteria can be used to print his progress reports.  For example, you could discard his worst 2 homework assignments instead of his worst 4.  This would produce an advantage/disadvantage midway between the previous 2 methods.

If you enter all your tasks in at the beginning of the class, you do not want the empty tasks to be counted when doing progress reports.  If you are using total points, this may be done by assigning NC scores to the empty tasks.  If you are using total points with category weights, you may assign NC scores to empty tasks unless there aren't any scores in the category.  You then need to discard all the tasks in the empty category to get the correct interim weights.  If you are using category weights, you should discard all the empty tasks to get the correct interim weights.  You may easily automatically discard the empty tasks using the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  If you don't enter tasks in ahead of time, using interim weights will automatically give you the correct weights when doing progress reports, without having to change the number of discarded tasks or entering NC scores.

See Also

Misc Selected Tasks Menu

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Progress Reports


Editing Attendance

Some instructors like to base part of the course grade on good attendance.  GRADEBOOK allows you to track 10 different user defined attendance types and to calculate an attendance score based on the number of each type of attendance that exceeds a specified maximum allowed amount.  You may also use the Excel attendance template which is furnished with the registered version as well as a Works for Windows worksheet.  The Excel template tracks 5 different types of absences and calculates an attendance score that may be copied into GRADEBOOK.  When using GRADEBOOK to track attendance, the attendance score may easily be copied to any task using the Student, Attendance Edit and Score, Edit menus.

If you want attendance to count for 5% of a class grade, you can use the Misc, Final Weights menu to assign a category weight of 5% to Attendance.

Absences and comments for each absence are added or edited using the Attendance Grid window.  This interface may be accessed from the Student, Attendance Edit menu.  To use the interface, you must first have a class with at least one student and you must specify a range of dates you want to track attendance for.  The dates are entered or revised using the Class, Add or Class, Revise menus.  The consecutive day number, the day of the week and the date appear at the top of the grid.  The student names and ID numbers appear at the left of the grid.  If the grid is too large to fit on the screen, it may be scrolled with the scroll bars.  The area at the top of the grid contains the active student, his current attendance abbreviation and his current comment for the selected date.  The attendance value and comment for the active student may be edited from this area.  The interface is very similar to that of Excel and uses the Check button, cursor keys or <Enter> key to enter in a value.  The X button or <Esc> key may be used to cancel an entry.

You may use the mouse or keyboard to select a single cell or a range of cells.  To select a single cell with the mouse, just click on it.  To select a single cell with the keyboard, use the cursor keys to move to the desired cell.  If you want to edit the contents of a cell, just start typing the new attendance abbreviation and the focus will shift to the Attendance Edit Box at the top of the grid.  You may specify the attendance abbreviations and names using the Misc, Attendance Settings menu.  You may then enter any of the 10 specified abbreviations.  If you want to also enter a comment, you can press the <Tab> key or use the mouse to move to the Comment Edit Box.  You may click on the Check button to upgrade the grid or the X button to leave the grid unchanged.  You may also use the cursor, <Enter> or <Esc> keys.  Note that any of the changes you make to the grid are not saved until you do a File, Save.  Incorrectly entered abbreviations are ignored.  After entering in an absence, the attendance totals and score for the current student are updated and appear in the right two columns of the grid.  To reduce the number of keystrokes required when adding several absences, just select (highlight) the range of students and dates you want to enter.  Then whenever you enter an absence, the active cell will automatically move to the next student or next date.  Alternatively, you may use the cursor keys to enter attendance.  Enter the first attendance code and optional comment, press the <Down> cursor key, enter the next code, etc.

You may set the value of any single cell or range of cells by using the Edit, Set Value menu.  You may set all the values to any attendance abbreviation.  This is useful if you want to enter an absence for an entire class due to a school function.

To copy an individual cell to the clipboard, first select the cell and then do an Edit, Copy.  You may select which data you want to copy.  You may include the attendance abbreviation, column headings, names, ID numbers or any combination of these.  The clipboard may be used to easily enter duplicate entries.  Just copy the desired attendance abbreviation to the clipboard, select a destination cell and then do an Edit, Paste.  Continue pasting to all the desired cells.  Once a cell value is on the clipboard, it may also be pasted into other Windows applications such as Word for Windows or Excel.

You may also use the mouse or keyboard to select a range of cells.  To select a range of cells with the mouse move to one corner of the desired range and drag to the opposite corner.  To select a range with the keyboard, move to one corner of the desired range using the cursor keys, hold down the <Shift> key and use the cursor keys to move to the opposite corner.  You may easily select an entire column by clicking on one of the top fixed cells.  You may easily select an entire row by clicking on one of the left fixed cells.  To select the entire grid, click on one of the upper left corner fixed cells.  You may also do an Edit, Select All to select the entire grid.  The font used in the cells is selected using the Misc, Screen Fonts menu.  Cell sizes may also be adjusted if desired by dragging the sizing cursor in one of the fixed cells.  You may decrease the size of the column containing the Student ID numbers if you want to display more information in the grid.  You may also display more information by using a smaller font.

You may copy an entire range to the clipboard by doing an Edit, Copy when a range is selected.  You may included the attendance abbreviation, column headings, names, ID numbers or any combination.  You can easily transfer your entire class with attendance abbreviations to Excel or Lotus for Windows.  Select the entire grid, do an Edit, Copy and include just the names and attendance abbreviations.  Shift to a new worksheet in Excel or Lotus and do an Edit, Paste.

The grid may also be used to input attendance by pasting in a range of attendance abbreviations.  For example, you could use Excel to record absences.  Highlight just the attendance abbreviations in Excel and do an Edit, Copy.  Shift to GRADEBOOK, select the corresponding dates and then do an Edit, Paste.  The attendance abbreviations will be automatically entered in.

The clipboard may also be used to easily transfer absences within a class.  Select an entire column, do an Edit, Copy without row and column headings, select a different column and then do an Edit, Paste.  Absences may also be easily transferred to another class with the same students.  Do an Edit, Copy and include just the attendance abbreviations, a File, Exit to exit attendance editing, a Class, Select to select the other class, a Student, Attendance Edit and then select the desired column and do an Edit, Paste.  Note that if the students are in a different order, some students may get an incorrect absence.

Use care when pasting in information.  If you are pasting to a range that is larger than your source range, the extra cells will be assigned a null value.  If the starting cell of the source and destination is a different student, all students will be assigned incorrect absences.  You should only paste in attendance abbreviations.  If the abbreviations are copied to the clipboard from GRADEBOOK, don't include headings, names or ID numbers when you do an Edit, Copy.  If the scores are copied to the clipboard from another program, make sure you don't include row or column headings with the abbreviations.  If you notice that absences have been pasted or edited incorrectly, you may do a File, Exit.  If you have made changes, you are then prompted if you want to save the changes.  Elect the No option if the abbreviations were incorrect, and the changes will not be written to your class attendance file.

The grid may be used to input absences to GRADEBOOK that are normally entered into another program.  If your absences are normally entered into Lotus for Windows, they can easily be copied using the clipboard.  The Lotus spreadsheet can easily be created by copying all the student and date information from GRADEBOOK.  The absences must be entered in Lotus with the same abbreviations as you would enter them in GRADEBOOK.

If you need to transfer information to and from a DOS program, or a program which doesn't support the Windows clipboard, you may use the File, Import and File, Export menus.  Any selected range may be exported to a file and include attendance abbreviations, headings, names, ID numbers or any combination of these.  You may also import a file to any given range that you have selected.  You can use this feature to interface with Lotus for DOS.  The import and export file names and paths may be specified using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

Student Attendance Edit Menu

Clipboard

Excel


Editing Scores

Scores are normally added or edited using the Score Add Dialog box.  It has been designed to minimize the keystrokes or mouse movement required.  However, some instructors prefer a spreadsheet grid type interface.  This interface may be accessed from the Score, Edit menu.  To use the interface, you must first have a class with at least one student and one task.  All the tasks, task categories, sequence numbers and perfect scores appear at the top of the grid.  The student names and ID numbers appear at the left of the grid.  If the grid is too large to fit on the screen, it may be scrolled with the scroll bars.  The area at the top of the grid contains the active student, his current score and the active task description.  The score for the active student may be edited from this area.  The interface is very similar to that of Excel and uses the Check button, cursor keys or <Enter> key to enter in a value.  The X button or <Esc> key may be used to cancel an entry.

You may use the mouse or keyboard to select a single cell or a range of cells.  To select a single cell with the mouse, just click on it.  To select a single cell with the keyboard, use the cursor keys to move to the desired cell.  If you want to edit the contents of a cell, just start typing the new score and the focus will shift to the Score Edit Box at the top of the grid.  You may then enter a numerical score, an "NA" or "NC" score, or a letter grade.  If you are using plus and minus grades you may enter plus and minus letter grades.  Letter grades are translated to scores using the grade curve midpoints or using the grade input equivalents that you have assigned.  You may click on the Check button to upgrade the grid or the X button to leave the grid unchanged.  You may also use the cursor, <Enter> or <Esc> keys.  Note that any of the changes you make to the grid are not saved until you do a File, Save.  Incorrectly entered scores such as a "Zq" are input as "NA" scores.  Scores are displayed in the grid to the nearest tenth but are stored and copied to and from the clipboard with their full precision.  Note that when you do a Score, List or Grade, List and copy the report to the clipboard, only the rounded values are placed on the clipboard.  To reduce the number of keystrokes required when adding several scores, just select (highlight) the range of scores you want to enter.  Then whenever you press the <Enter> key, the active cell will automatically move to the next student or next task.  Thus to enter all the scores for a task, just select the entire column by clicking above it, type in the first score, press the <Enter> key, type the next score, press the <Enter> key, etc.  Alternatively, you may use the cursor keys to enter scores.  Enter the first score, press the <Down> cursor key, enter the next score, etc.

You may set the value of any single cell or range of cells by using the Edit, Set Value menu.  You may set all the values to "NA", "NC", a numeric value or a letter grade.  This is useful if you want to change all the default "NA" scores to "NC" scores or if you want to preset a score to its perfect value so that you may later decrement it.

To copy an individual cell to the clipboard, first select the cell and then do an Edit, Copy.  You may select which data you want to copy.  You may include the scores, column headings, names, ID numbers or any combination of these.  The clipboard may be used to easily enter duplicate entries.  Just copy the desired score value to the clipboard, select a destination cell and then do an Edit, Paste.  Continue pasting to all the desired cells.  Once a cell value is on the clipboard, it may also be pasted into other Windows applications such as Word for Windows or Excel.

You may also use the mouse or keyboard to select a range of cells.  To select a range of cells with the mouse move to one corner of the desired range and drag to the opposite corner.  To select a range with the keyboard, move to one corner of the desired range using the cursor keys, hold down the <Shift> key and use the cursor keys to move to the opposite corner.  You may easily select an entire column by clicking on one of the top fixed cells.  You may easily select an entire row by clicking on one of the left fixed cells.  To select the entire grid, click on one of the upper left corner fixed cells.  You may also do an Edit, Select All to select the entire grid.  The font used in the cells is selected using the Misc, Screen Fonts menu.  Cell sizes may also be adjusted if desired by dragging the sizing cursor in one of the fixed cells.  You may decrease the size of the column containing the Student ID numbers if you want to display more information in the grid.  You may also display more information by using a smaller font.

You may copy an entire range to the clipboard by doing an Edit, Copy when a range is selected.  You may included the scores, column headings, names, ID numbers or any combination.  You can easily transfer your entire class with scores to Excel or Lotus for Windows.  Select the entire grid, do an Edit, Copy and include just the names and scores.  Shift to a new worksheet in Excel or Lotus and do an Edit, Paste.

The grid may also be used to input scores by pasting in a range of scores.  For example, you could add an attendance task to GRADEBOOK with a perfect score of 100.  You could then do a Student, Attendance Edit and copy the current attendance scores to the clipboard.  Then do a Score, Edit and paste the scores into the desired task.  Alternatively, you could use Excel to track attendance and calculate an attendance score.  This may typically be done by subtracting a fixed percentage for each type of absence over a base amount.  For example, you could subtract .5% for each unexcused absence over 3, .1% for each tardy, etc.  Highlight just the attendance scores in Excel and do an Edit, Copy.  Shift to GRADEBOOK, select the entire attendance task column and then do an Edit, Paste.  The attendance scores will be automatically entered in.  You could define one of the categories as Attendance and give the Attendance task its own weight.

The clipboard may also be used to easily transfer scores within a class.  Select an entire column, do an Edit, Copy without row and column headings, select a different column and then do an Edit, Paste.  Scores may also be easily transferred to another class with the same students.  Do an Edit, Copy and include just the scores, a File, Exit to exit score editing, a Class, Select to select the other class, a Score, Edit and then select the desired column and do an Edit, Paste.  Note that if the students are in a different order, some students may get an incorrect score.  Scores may also be transferred using the Score, Transfer menu which allows the students to be in different order or a different number of students.

Use care when pasting in information.  If you are pasting to a range that is larger than your source range, the extra cells will be assigned an "NA" score.  If the starting cell of the source and destination is a different student, all students will be assigned incorrect scores.  You should only paste in scores.  If the scores are copied to the clipboard from GRADEBOOK, don't include headings, names or ID numbers when you do an Edit, Copy.  If the scores are copied to the clipboard from another program, make sure you don't include row or column headings with the scores.  If you notice that scores have been pasted or edited incorrectly, you may do a File, Exit.  If you have made changes, you are then prompted if you want to save the changes.  Elect the No option if the scores were incorrect, and the changes will not be written to your class file.

The grid may be used to input scores to GRADEBOOK that are normally entered into another program.  If your scores are normally entered into Lotus for Windows, they can easily be copied using the clipboard.  The Lotus spreadsheet can easily be created by copying all the student and task information from GRADEBOOK.  The scores may be entered in Lotus as "NA", "NC", a letter grade or a numerical score just as you would enter them in GRADEBOOK.

If you need to transfer information to and from a DOS program, or a program which doesn't support the Windows clipboard, you may use the File, Import and File, Export menus.  Any selected range may be exported to a file and include scores, headings, names, ID numbers or any combination of these.  You may also import a file to any given range that you have selected.  You can use this feature to interface with Lotus for DOS.  The import and export file names and paths may be specified using the Misc, Options menu.

To make it easier to interface with ScanTron files, GRADEBOOK will import score information from a file that has student ID numbers and scores.  The file does not need to be in any particular order and should be in comma or tab delimited format with the ID number followed by the score:

"380-47-9123","27" or   (may use tab instead of comma)

380-47-9123,27

To import the scores, first use the Misc, Options menu to specify the name of your import file.  Then do a Score, Edit and select the entire column where you want to import the scores to.  Then do a file import.  You will be notified if your import file has excess or duplicate scores or if you are importing a score to a student that already has a score entered.

See Also

Score Edit Menu

Score Add Dialog Box

Clipboard

Excel


Excel

Excel is a Windows based spreadsheet program.  Reports, charts, scores and attendance abbreviations from GRADEBOOK may be pasted into Excel or other Windows based spreadsheets using the Windows clipboard.  When pasting in a report, all the data items are separated by tabs.  Excel will then automatically place each column of data in its own column.  Scores may be pasted directly to and from GRADEBOOK using the Score, Edit menu.

Registered users receive a set of Excel workbooks and macros that may be used to automatically reformat GRADEBOOK reports, generate distribution charts and statistically analyze data.  The macros may be user modified.

To paste a report into Excel, first copy the desired report to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu from the Report Window of the GRADEBOOK program.  Then start Excel or shift to Excel if it is already running and select the cell where you want to paste the report.  Do an Edit, Paste in Excel.  You may then adjust the column widths as necessary.  Excel could then be used to chart or analyze the data using the normal Excel commands.

To paste a chart into Excel, first copy the desired chart to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu from the chart window of the GRADEBOOK program.  You should size the chart to the desired size while you are still in the GRADEBOOK program.  Then start Excel or shift to Excel if it is already running and select the cell where you want to paste the chart.  Do an Edit, Paste in Excel.  You may then move and size the chart using the normal Excel commands.  If you have a limited amount of memory you may need to exit the GRADEBOOK program prior to starting the Excel program.  This will not remove any report or chart that has been placed on the clipboard.

To paste scores or attendance abbreviations into Excel, do a Score, Edit or Student, Attendance Edit and select the desired range of cells.  Do an Edit, Copy and then select the data you want to include.  Shift to Excel and do an Edit, Paste.  To paste scores or attendance abbreviations from Excel into GRADEBOOK, select the data in Excel, do an Edit, Copy, shift to GRADEBOOK, do a Score, Edit or Student, Attendance Edit and select the identical range and then do an Edit, Paste.

See Also

Report Window

Editing Scores

Score Chart Window

Grade Chart Window

Clipboard


Exporting Files

Using the clipboard is the easiest way to move GRADEBOOK reports, charts, scores and attendance abbreviations to other Windows programs.  However, sometimes you need to transfer data to a non-Windows program or need to have a disk file which contains the information.  The STATS.DAT file is a GRADEBOOK file that contains a numerically sorted list of students and their scores.  It is automatically created every time you do a score or grade distribution.  It is a comma delimited ASCII file that may be directly imported into spreadsheet, database and numerical analysis programs.  The file name and path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.

In addition, GRADEBOOK will export student lists, attendance lists and score and grade list reports to ASCII files.  First do a student list, attendance list, score list, grade list or grade master list and the File, Export menu will become enabled.  When you do a File, Export, GRADEBOOK will create a comma delimited ASCII file which contains the report information.  You may also export any selected range of scores with scores, column headings, names, ID numbers or any combination when doing a Score, Edit.  Any selected range of attendance abbreviations with column headings, names ID numbers or any combination may be exported when doing a Student, Attendance Edit.  The file will have the default name of EXPORT.DAT.  The file name and path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.

The EXPORT.DAT file may be imported into spreadsheet, database and numerical analysis programs.  If could also be used to turn in a file that contains a list of students and their grades.

GRADEBOOK also allows you to export score and grade distribution charts.  Select File Export from the chart window.  The chart will be exported to a file with the default name CHART.BMP.  The file name and path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

Clipboard

STATS.DAT File

EXPORT.DAT File

IMPORT.DAT File

CHART.BMP File

Importing Files


Extra Credit Procedure
Extra Credit

GRADEBOOK allows you several different options for calculating extra credit.  A student who receives extra credit may increase his average score with extra credit.  Average scores greater than 100% are possible after adding the extra credit.

If using the category weights or total points with category weights methods of grading, the extra credit category is assigned a category weight.  The average extra credit score is calculated.  If an "NC" (not counted) score is entered for an extra credit, that extra credit is not included when calculating the average extra credit.  You may also discard the worst extra credit score(s) if desired but you would not normally do this for extra credit.  If you did, it would be possible for a student who did less extra credit to get a higher score than one who did all the extra credit.  For example, assume one student had extra credits of 0 and 9 and another student had extra credits of 6 and 8 out of 10. and that extra credit was given a weight of 10%.  If you don't discard any extra credit, the first students extra credit average would be (0+9)/2/10=45% and his average would be increased by 45%*10%=4.5%.  The second students extra credit average would be (6+8)/2/10=70% and his average would be increased by 70%*10%=7.0%.  This is normally the desired result.  If you discard the worst extra credit, the first students extra credit average would be 9/10=90% and his average would be increased by 90%*10%=9%.  The second students extra credit average would be 8/10=80% and his average would be increased by 80%*10%=8%.  In this case, the student who did the most extra credit would get the worst grade.  To prevent this, you should normally not discard extra credit tasks or assign "NC" (not counted) scores to them.  If extra credit is given a weight, the weight is listed in percent on the grade list and score and grade list distribution reports.

If using the total points method of grading, you have two options for extra credit.  You may give it a weight as above or you may just use regular extra credit points.  If you give extra credit a weight, all the extra credit points for a student are added and then divided by the total possible extra credit points to get his extra credit average.  The extra credit average is then multiplied by the extra credit weight and added to a students average.  You can discard the worst extra credit tasks or assign "NC" scores to them, but would not normally want to for the same reasons as above.  For example, assume a student had extra credit points of 6 and 8 on two extra credit tasks that had 10 possible points.  His extra credit average would be (6+8)/(10+10)=70%.  If the extra credit weight was 10% his average would be increased by 70%*10%=7%.  If extra credit is given a weight, the weight is listed in percent on the grade list and score and grade list distribution reports.

If using the total points method of grading, you may also elect to use the regular method to calculate extra credit.  Using the regular method calculates extra credit based only on the points of the extra credit scores.  All the extra credit scores are added to the regular scores to calculate a students average.  The weight of extra credit then depends only on the points given to extra credit.  You can discard the worst extra credit tasks or assign "NC" scores to them, but would not normally want to for the same reasons as above.  For example, assume a student had extra credit points of 6 and 8 on two extra credit tasks that had 10 possible points and that the total number of points not including extra credit is 200.  If the student had 150 points, his average without extra credit would be 150/200=75%.  With extra credit his average would be (150+6+8)/200=82%.  On grade list printouts, his average would be listed as 75% out of a perfect of 100% and his extra credit would be listed as 7% out of a possible 10%.  The 10% possible is calculated by adding all the extra credit perfect scores and dividing by the total non-extra credit points (10+10)/200=10%.  If the regular method is used, "Totpt" is listed on the grade list and score and grade list distribution reports.

See Also

Final Category Weights Dialog Box


Extracting Scores

Scores may be extracted from one class and transferred to another class in the same term using the Score, Transfer menu.  You may need to calculate a grade or print a report on just a subset of the scores in a class.  For example, you may want to calculate the score distribution for just the test scores.  To do this, add a new summary class and automatically add the students from a previous class in the same term.  Then do a Score, Transfer and select the scores you want to transfer.  You may transfer several scores at the same time.  Select the new class for the destination class.  To verify that the scores were transferred, do a Class, Select and select the new class.  The transferred tasks and scores will then appear when you do a Score, List.

The Score Add Previous Average menu also allows you to extract individual scores as well as average scores.  However, its primary use is to transfer entire class averages.  To use it to transfer individual score averages, add a new class and automatically add the students from a previous class in the same term.  Add the desired tasks to the new class.  Then shift to the original class and do a Misc, Selected Tasks and select the single task that you want to extract.  Shift to the new class and do a Score, Add Previous Average.  Select the original class and the task in the new class that you want to import the previous scores to.  Repeat this for all the task you want to transfer to the new class.  You may then print reports with the extracted scores or calculate grades using only the extracted scores.

After extracting scores to a summary class you could extract the combined average of the extracted scores back to the original class.  To do this, calculate grades for the new class containing the extracted scores using all the tasks.  Then shift to the original class and add a new task which will contain the combined scores.  Do a Score, Add Previous Average.  Select the new class and the task in the original class where you want the combined scores.  You would then probably want to delete the original scores that were extracted.

Scores may also be transferred between classes using the clipboard if the classes have the same students in the same order by using the Score, Edit menu.  Copy the desired range of scores to the clipboard, shift to the other class, do a Score, Edit and paste the scores to the desired range.

See Also

Score Transfer Menu

Score Add Previous Average Menu

Score Transfer Dialog Box

Add Previous Average Dialog Box


Extracting Students

GRADEBOOK allows you to create a new class file based on students from an existing class file.  This is useful if you want to print a report for a subset of the students or if you need to use a different grading criteria for a late joining student or for a student with a special circumstance.  If all you want to do is to discard the tasks the student has missed without penalty, just assign an "NC" score to those tasks.  The students may be deleted from the main file and are placed in a new class file with the same name as the original file with the first student's name added to the end.  The new class may be renamed if desired.  After extracting the students, the new class file becomes the default class.  You may then revise the number of discards, or the final count if using interim weights.  You may still do score and grade distributions for all the students by selecting multiple classes when you do a distribution.

If you have several students who have missed the same number of tasks, you may extract them all at the same time.  You would want to revise the class name if you do this, since the class name will only list the first student's name.  You can delete the students from the original class or leave them in the original class.  If you leave them in, they would be listed in two classes.  After doing your progress reports, you could then delete the new extracted class.  If you delete the students, you can use the Class, Combine menu to add the extracted students back into the original class after you have done your progress reports.

To print progress reports for just the students who are doing poorly, you could extract students who have averages less than 60 and greater than 0.  After printing the progress reports, you can then delete the extracted class.

See Also

Combining Classes

Late Joining Students

Student Extract Menu

Extract Student Dialog Box


Fill Styles

GRADEBOOK allows you to specify the fill style that is used to fill the bars of score and grade distribution charts.  If you have a color monitor, you may prefer to use a solid fill pattern and use different colors to distinguish the different bars.  If you don't have a color monitor you may need to use different types of hatching patterns to be able to distinguish the different bar types.  The fill styles may be set from the Options menu on the chart window.

Likewise, if you don't have a color printer, you may need to use different fill styles instead of different colors to distinguish the different bar types.  If you have a color monitor and a black an white printer you may want to use a solid fill with different colors for the screen display and shift to different hatching patterns prior to printing your charts.  You may also want to do this prior to copying the chart to the clipboard to paste in a different application.

See Also

Clipboard

Colors

Chart Options Menu

Score Chart Options Dialog Box

Grade Chart Options Dialog Box


Floppy Storage

GRADEBOOK by default stores the class files in the same directory that the GRADEBK.EXE file is installed in.  However, if you must share your computer or students have access to your computer, you may not want to leave your class files accessible to others.  GRADEBOOK allows you to keep your class data on a floppy disk instead of the hard disk.  You may then secure the floppy disk and prevent others from accessing your class files.

To use this option you must start GRADEBOOK with a command line parameter that specifies the floppy disk that you want to store your data on.  Your initialization file and class files will then be stored on the floppy.  The GRADEBK.EXE program and GRADEBK.HLP help file would remain on your hard disk.  The command line parameter is entered from the Windows program manager.  After installing GRADEBOOK, select the GRADEBOOK icon and then do a File, Properties command from the program manager.  Change the command line from

C:\GRADEBK\GRADEBK.EXE to

C:\GRADEBK\GRADEBK.EXE A:\

You may also use drive B if desired.  Start GRADEBOOK by double clicking the GRADEBOOK icon and you will be prompted to insert your data disk in the appropriate floppy drive.  Using a floppy to store data will slow down the GRADEBOOK program but this may be acceptable if you require the extra security.

See Also

Class File Names

GRADEBK.EXE File

GRADEBK.INI File

GRADEBK.HLP File


Fonts

GRADEBOOK supports any fonts that are installed under Windows.  Windows may be supplied with the following fonts:

Courier 10, 12, 15

Helv 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24 (or MS Sans Serif)

Tms Rmn 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24  (or MS Serif)

Symbol 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24

Modern

Roman

Script

Arial (True Type)

Times New Roman (True Type)

The fonts listed with point sizes are bit mapped fonts and are only furnished in the given sizes (there are 72 points per inch - a 12 pt high font is roughly 6 lines per inch).  The fonts without point sizes are vector fonts and are scalable to any size.  To use additional fonts, they must first be installed.  Fonts are available such as True Type, Bitstream's Fontware or Facelift, HP's Intellifont or Adobe's Type Manager.  Some font packages provide matching screen fonts for the printer fonts.

GRADEBOOK allows you to specify screen and printer fonts independently.  You may prefer to use a Windows bit mapped font to increase display speed.  You may decrease printing time especially if you have a dot matrix printer by using a built in printer font for your printed reports.  You may specify the fonts used in reports from the Misc, Screen Fonts or Printer Fonts menu.  If you specify a font size, orientation or bold or italic font that is not available on your system, Windows will use the nearest available font.  Some font packages will use a Windows bit mapped font if you specify a size below a certain threshold.  Whenever you change fonts the currently displayed report and charts will be redrawn with the new font.

See Also

Misc Screen Fonts Menu

Misc Printer Fonts Menu

Select Report Fonts Dialog Box

Select Chart Fonts Dialog Box


Grade Curve

GRADEBOOK allows you to specify a different grading curve for each class.  A grading curve consists of the various grade cutoff points you want to use to assign letter grades.  Each letter grade is assigned a cutoff value from the Grading Curve Dialog Box.  You may use a preset grading curve or may adjust the curve depending on your score distribution.  To adjust the grading curve select the Misc, Grading Curve menu.

See Also

Grade Curve Dialog Box

Misc Grading Curves Menu


Importing Files

Some schools have computerized class files available.  These are usually ASCII files that contain student names and may contain social security numbers, phone numbers, etc.  If you have large classes, entering in all the student names and optional ID numbers can be made much easier if you have a file that contains the required information in the correct format.

To import student names and optional ID numbers or student scores, you must first ensure that the file is in the correct format.  The required format is described under the IMPORT.DAT topic.  You may need to write a short computer program or macro to convert the file to the necessary format.  If it is a comma delimited ASCII file, you can usually import it into a spreadsheet, arrange the data as required and then save it as comma delimited ASCII file.  The exact steps required depend on the spreadsheet you are using.  You then need to name the file IMPORT.DAT and place it in the same directory as your class files.  Alternatively, you can use the Misc, Options menu to specify the file name and path.

After adding a class using the Class, Add menu you may then add students using the Student, Add menu.  You may then click the Import Button to import the list of students and optional ID numbers.

Scores may also be imported into GRADEBOOK when doing a Score, Edit.  If you are importing scores without ID numbers, the scores being input must be located in the IMPORT.DAT file and should match the selected region of the spreadsheet grid.  This type of IMPORT.DAT file could be created by doing a File, Export and renaming the EXPORT.DAT file to IMPORT.DAT or by creating the IMPORT.DAT file directly from a spreadsheet or other program.  If you are importing scores with ID numbers, the order and number of scores do not need to match the highlighted tasks.  More details may be found under Editing Scores or IMPORT.DAT.  The file names may be user specified using the Misc, Options menu

Attendance abbreviations may also be imported into GRADEBOOK when doing a Student, Attendance Edit.  The abbreviations being input must be located in the IMPORT.DAT file and should match the selected region of the spreadsheet grid.  This type of IMPORT.DAT file could be created by doing a File, Export and renaming the EXPORT.DAT file to IMPORT.DAT or by creating the IMPORT.DAT file directly from a spreadsheet or other program.  More details may be found under Editing Attendance.  The file names may be user specified using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

IMPORT.DAT File

Class Add Menu

Student Add Menu

File Export Menu

EXPORT.DAT File

Add Students Dialog Box

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Incomplete Scores

GRADEBOOK makes a distinction between a score that is "NA" (incomplete) and a "0" score.  All scores in GRADEBOOK are initially set to the default score which may be "NA" (incomplete) or "NC" (not counted).  The default score may be set from the Misc, Options dialog box.  If you don't enter a score for a task, it remains the default score.  You may have an incomplete score because a student was absent or did not turn in an assignment.  Incomplete scores are indicated in GRADEBOOK by an "NA" or a blank on score and grade list reports depending on how you have set the Blank Incomplete Scores option on the Add Class or Revise Class Dialog Box.

A "0" score is a complete score that received a "0".  GRADEBOOK will treat incomplete scores depending on how you set the Treat Incomplete option on the Final Category Weights Dialog Box.  You may treat incomplete scores as a zero score.  GRADEBOOK will then use a zero value for all incomplete scores when doing score and grade calculations.  You do not have to enter a "0" for the incomplete scores to do this.

The other option is for GRADEBOOK to treat incomplete scores as incomplete.  Students with these scores are then not included in score and grade calculations (they receive an "NA" for a grade) if they have more "NA" scores than the number of scores that are being discarded.  This is useful if you want to know the score distribution for a task for just the students that completed the task.  If you include the incomplete students the distribution would be skewed lower.  Note that if there are no incomplete scores, either option gives the same results.

GRADEBOOK also uses "NC" (not counted) scores.  You may give not counted scores to students who join the class late or for excused absences.  Scores that are not counted are not used to calculate averages.  If you are using the total points or total points with category weights method, entering a not counted score will decrease the total perfect score or the total perfect category score by the perfect score for each score not counted.  If there are 200 total points in a class and you give a student an "NC" score on a 10 point quiz, his average will be calculated based on a total of 190 points.  If you are using the category weights method, entering a not counted score will increase the number of  scores discarded for that category by 1.  The average score for that category is then determined by the remaining scores in that category.  If there are 4 tests and you give a student an "NC" score on one of the tests, his test average will be based on the average of the 3 remaining test.  If the number of "NC" scores plus the number of scores you want to normally discard for a category is greater than or equal to the number scores of that category type, then the category average will be 0.  If there are 4 tests and you have elected to discard the worst 2 and you also give a student an "NC" on two of the tests, he will be assigned a zero average for tests.  If tests have a weight of 60%, his maximum possible average would then be 40%.  If you only gave him a single "NC" score, his test average would then be based on his best test score (4 test scores, 1 is "NC", of the remaining 3, the worst 2 are discarded).

See Also

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Final Category Weights Dialog Box


Individual Reports

GRADEBOOK can print score list reports, attendance list reports, and grade list reports either as individual reports or as instructor summary reports.  You select the desired option from the Score List, Attendance List or Grade List Dialog Box.  Individual reports are intended to be passed out to individual students.  Each report would contain the score, attendance or grade information for a single student.  These are usually passed out in mid term as progress reports.  A progress report can contain information for just one task or for all the tasks completed.  When printing individual reports, GRADEBOOK gives you the option of printing one student per page or printing as many reports on a single page as will fit.  If you print several reports per page, you will save paper but will have to cut the reports apart prior to passing them out.  If you print one student per page you may include your standard teacher note.  If you include a teacher note you may customize it for each student if desired.

See Also

Progress Reports

Teacher Notes

Score List Dialog Box

Attendance List Dialog Box

Grade List Dialog Box


Late Joining Students

Students who join a class late may miss one or more tasks.  If they make up the missing tasks, the calculations of scores and grades is straight forward.  If they are not required to make up the missing tasks, score and grade calculations are more complicated.

The simplest method is to just assign "NC" (not counted) scores to the scores that the late joining students have missed.  Their averages would then be calculated using the same number of discards, category weights, etc., as the rest of the class.  If using the total points method, their total possible perfect score is decreased by the perfect scores of each not counted score.  If using the total points with category averages or the category averages method, the not counted scores are automatically discarded and each category average is determined by the remaining scores in that category.  However, if a student has missed all the tasks of a certain category or you want to change the category weights or number of discards when calculating his average because his task numbers are different, you may want to use one of the following methods.  For example, if you have a Mid Term exam and you have weighted it for 20% and a student misses it, you would not want to give him an "NC" score on the exam if you didn't want to penalize him.  An "NC" score would be discarded, and since there are no other Mid Term scores, his Mid Term average would be 0 and his maximum average would then be limited to 80%.  If there were two Mid Term scores his Mid Term average would be based on the remaining Mid Term score.  To prevent this you might want to base his grade calculations on a revised set of task weights where the weight for Mid Term was 0.  Note that if you are using total points, assigning an "NC" for the Mid Term would result in not penalizing the student since his average would be calculated based on a revised perfect total.  However, if you were using total points with category averages, he would still be penalized because his Mid Term category average would be zero.  Another example would be if you normally discard the worst test score.  You might not want to discard the worst test score for a student that missed a test.

One method of using different grading criteria is to create a separate class for the late joining students.  This may be easily done using the Student, Extract menu.  This creates a separate class for the late joining students.  When calculating score and grade distributions, GRADEBOOK allows the related classes to be combined.  Each separate class may use a different number of worst scores to discard and can use a different number of total tasks for calculating interim weights.  If you elect to leave the students in the original class, you can just delete the extracted class when you have printed your progress reports.  If you delete the extracted students, you may use the Class, Combine menu to add the extracted students back to the original class.  This allows you to just add scores for one class.

Another option is to include all the students in one class, revise the grading criteria and recalculate grades for the late joining students.  You could calculate the grades for the majority of the students and then change the number of scores you want to discard, the final counts and task weights.  You could then list the grades for the individual late joining students.  The advantage of using this method is that you only need to add scores for one class.  However, this option does not allow an accurate score distribution to be calculated.  This option also requires you to keep changing your grading criteria for the class to calculate grades for different students.

The option you choose for late joining students depends on several factors.  How many students joined late?  Did they all miss the same number of tasks?  Do you want to penalize them for being late?  Did they miss all the tasks in a single category and you are using category weights?  Do you need to have accurate score distributions even though you are grading some students on a different set of criteria?  Using "NC" scores is the easiest unless you are using category weights and a student has missed all the tasks of one category.  Using separate classes is the most flexible, gives accurate results, but is harder to implement.  Revising grading criteria in the same class for different students gives accurate grades but can't give accurate distributions.  If you do several progress reports during the term, this method requires you to change your grading criteria numerous times.  If you only calculate your grades once at the end of the term, this option might be more attractive.

See Also

Score Distributions

Progress Reports

Combining Classes

Extracting Students


Periods

College level courses typically have one period per term.  The term grade is calculated by using all the scores in the term.  High school classes typically will have several periods per term.  The Fall term may consist of 2 ten week periods or 3 six week periods.  A grade is calculated for each period.  In addition, a final grade is usually calculated for the term.  This grade would be an average of the period grades and may also contain a final exam for the entire term.  You might also give a yearly grade which would consist of the average of several terms with an optional final exam.

GRADEBOOK allows you to calculate period grades, overall term grades and overall year grades.  This may be done in several different ways.  The most flexible method is to keep different classes for each period or term, and an overall summary class to calculate the term or year grade.  To do this add your first period (term) class and give it a name such as Math 1st hour - Period 1.  Add the students to this class and add tasks and scores normally.  You may issue progress reports if desired.  At the end of the first period (term), calculate the grades for Math 1st hour - Period 1.  To start the second period (term), add a new class named Math 1st hour - Period 2.  Click the Use Previous Students check box.  Then select the Math 1st hour - Period 1 class to add the existing students.  All the existing students will be automatically entered in the new period 2 class.  Add or delete students as necessary.  Add tasks and scores and calculate grades at the end of period 2.  Repeat this procedure if you have more periods or terms.  Start a new class and name it Math 1st hour - Overall.  Automatically add the students from the most recent period or term.  Now add all the tasks that you want to use to calculate the overall term or year grade.  For example add a Mid Term task named Period 1, a Mid Term Task named Period 2 and a Final task named Final Exam.  Now do a Score, Add Previous Average.  Select the Math 1st hour - Period 1 class and the Mid Term task named Period 1.  This will automatically enter each students average score from the first period class and enter it as a score for the first Mid Term task.  The average score will be calculated based on your selections for selected tasks, final weights and grading method for the previous class.  Repeat this for your other class periods or terms.  Enter in your final scores if you are giving a final.  You must now assign category weights.  If you don't have a final, just give the Mid Term category a weight of 100%.  The final grade will then be calculated based on the average of the Mid Term scores.  If you have a final you might give the Mid Term category a weight of 80% and the final a weight of 20%.  It is also possible to give different weights to the different periods.  Just assign the different periods to different task categories such as Mid Term 1 and Mid Term 2.  You may then assign different weights for Mid Term 1 and Mid Term 2 and for the final if you have one.  This method allows you to print separate reports for each period and for the overall term.

Some instructors might want to keep all the information in one class file instead of the 3 or 4 separate files required by the first method.  One method of doing this is to add a class such as Math 1st hour.  Add the students, task and scores normally and calculate grades at the end of the first period.  Add a temporary summary class using the same students.  Add a Mid Term task and name it Period 1.  Use the Score, Add Previous Average menu to import the period 1 average scores.  Then select the previous class and add a Mid Term task and name it Period 1.  Use the Score, Add Previous Average menu to import the period 1 average scores from your temporary class.  Delete the temporary class and then delete all the period 1 tasks except for the Mid Term task.  Now continue adding your period 2 tasks.  When you calculate the grades for period 2, discard the worst (only) Mid Term task.  Your printouts will include the first period averages but they will not be used in calculating the second period grades.  Repeat for a third period if necessary but then discard the worst 2 Mid Term tasks to calculate the grades for period 3.  Repeat after your final period and then add a task for the final if necessary.  You may then calculate the overall grade after you assign the desired weighting factors.

If you want your printouts to contain all the scores for all the periods you could name your categories Period 1 Test - (P1TST), Period 1 Quiz - (P1QZ), etc.  You would have a similar set of categories for Period 2.  Enter your period 1 scores in your period 1 categories.  Calculate your first period grades normally.  Enter your  period 2 scores in your period 2 categories.  When calculating period 2 grades, discard the worst 10 P1TST (or however many you have).  The period 2 grade would then only be based on the period 2 scores.  Your reports would contain all the scores.  Add a task for the final if necessary and calculate the overall grade by assigning the appropriate weights.

See Also

Score Add Previous Average Menu

Add Previous Average Dialog Box

Select Previous Class Dialog Box


Printing Reports

GRADEBOOK can produce the following different reports:

Attendance List

Term List

Class List

Student List

Task List

Score List

Score Distribution

Grade List

Grade Distribution

Master Grade List

Interim Weights

Final Score Required

The font and font size for all these reports may be selected for both the screen and the printer from the Misc, Screen Fonts or Printer Fonts menu.  To print any of these reports just select the File, Print menu when the desired report is in the Report Window.  You may use the File, Printer Setup menu to select the desired printer and to change the printer orientation from portrait to landscape.  You may use the File, Printer Margins menu to set the margins on the printout.  If you select a font size that is too large, GRADEBOOK will give you a message to use a smaller font or to change to landscape mode.  If you are going to be printing a long report, you may prefer to use a font that is built into your printer instead of a downloadable font to reduce the print time.

See Also

Misc Printer Fonts Menu

File Print Menu

Report Window

File Printer Setup Menu

File Printer Margins Menu


Progress Reports

GRADEBOOK allows you to print many different types of progress reports.  A progress report is a report that you pass out to a student in mid term which indicates how well he is doing in the class.  Normally, progress reports are prepared using a score list or a grade list report using the individual report option on the Score List or Grade List Dialog Box.  A master grade list may also be used as a progress report if you want mulitple subjects on the same report.  Instructor summary reports only list the term name, date, class name and grading information once.  Individual summary reports list this information for each student and produce a complete report that may be handed out to each student.  Individual summary reports also allow you to print only one student per page and include teacher notes.  Progress reports may be easily printed for a subset of the students by using the Student, Extract menu.

There are two basic report layouts.  If you elect the brief task listing option, the report lists the category abbreviations and scores in a horizontal format.  If you don't elect this option, the complete category names and task names are listed in a vertical format.  If you don't elect the one page per student option, GRADEBOOK will print as many students on one page as will fit.  If the next student will not completely fit on the page, a new page will be started.  You would then need to cut the reports apart to pass them out.  This option conserves paper but requires more effort.  If you are doing a brief task listing and have not selected the one page per student option and have more tasks than will fit on the page horizontally, they will be continued on the next page.  A single students report could then span several pages.  To prevent this you can use smaller margins, a smaller font and print in landscape orientation.  If you do elect the one page per student option, GRADEBOOK will attempt to print all the scores for a student on a single page by using multiple rows and will start a new page for each student.  If you have a large number of tasks, you may need to use the brief task listing option to fit all the tasks on a single page, especially if you include a teacher note.  Teacher notes are placed at the end of a report.  If the entire note will not fit on the page, the entire note is placed on a separate page.

When doing a score list report, you may elect to list a single task or all the tasks from the Score List Dialog Box.  When doing a grade list report, you select the tasks you want included using the Misc, Selected Tasks Dialog Box.  This report could include all the scores, the student's current average and his current grade.  The current average and current grade would depend on how you have set the options on the Final Category Weights, Interim Category Weights, Selected Tasks and Grading Curve Dialog Boxes.  Using interim weights for progress reports will automatically adjust the final category weights to compensate for the different task ratios in mid term versus end of term.  You may also print progress reports that list just the student's current grade by selecting the grades only option on the Grade List Dialog Box.

The following are some typical report examples:

1.  To print out a report for a single test do an individual score list report and select the test task.  If you want a full page report or want to include a teacher note, select the one student per page option.  This type of report might be useful if you don't have a student paper to return (otherwise you would just write his score on the paper).

2.  To post the scores for a single test do an instructor score list report and select the test task.  You may want to just use student ID numbers instead of names on the report.  All the student scores will be listed on one sheet (or several consecutive sheets if the class is large).

3.  To post the scores and grades for a single test, do a Misc, Selected Tasks and select the test task.  Then do an instructor grade list report and select the scores and grades option.  You may want to just use student ID numbers instead of names on the report.  All the student scores and grades for the test will be listed on one sheet (or several consecutive sheets if the class is large).

4.  To post just the grades for a single test, do a Misc, Selected Tasks and select the test task.  Then do an instructor grade list report and select the grades only option.  You may want to just use student ID numbers instead of names on the report.  All the grades for the test will be listed on one sheet (or several consecutive sheets if the class is large).

5.  To print a brief progress report in mid term, first input your grading curve, selected tasks and interim weights as described below.  Then do an individual grade list report using the brief task listing option using scores and grades.  Cut the report apart into individual student strips, and staple each students report to one of his assignments.

6.  To print a long progress report in mid term, first input your grading curve, selected tasks and interim weights as described below.  Then do an individual grade list report using scores and grades but don't use the brief task listing option.  Select the one student per page option, teacher note option and custom note option.  Customize the note for each student.  This type of report would be suitable for a student to take home for a parent's signature.

Numerous other combinations are possible.  Appendix B of the manual contains samples of the various types of reports that may be produced.

You may print an entire class of progress reports or just print a single student's progress report at any time.  Near the end of the term, you can print out a current progress report and a score required on final report.  The students would then know their current average and could determine the score needed on the final exam to get a certain letter grade.

Most instructors find it easier if they do not enter in all the tasks at the beginning of the term if they want to do progress reports.  Entering in tasks after you have scores for them prevents having to discard tasks or assign "NC" scores to tasks for which you which you haven't yet entered scores for when doing a progress report.  The basic procedure is to first enter your grading curve from the Misc, Grading Curve menu.  Enter your task weights from the Misc, Final Weights menu.  You should enter the weights you will be using at the end of the term after the final.  You would normally treat incompletes as zeroes and be using task weights.  If using total points your weights used for the progress report just depend on the points of the currently completed tasks.  Use the Misc, Selected Tasks menu to select all tasks and to discard the appropriate number of tests, quizzes, etc., for your progress report.  If you want to discard the worst test so far, discard 1 test (if you have entered all the tasks ahead of time you need to discard at least all the tasks for which you haven't yet entered scores).  Be sure to click the revise button after each change.  Then from the Misc, Interim Weights menu, click on the Interim Weights button.  Then for each category, enter the number of tasks that you want counted at the end of the term (if you will have 10 quizzes at the end of the term but will only count the 9 best - enter 9).  Click the revise button after each change.  The interim weights will be updated automatically.  To do a progress report, just do a Grade, List and pick the options you want.  To do another progress report after entering in more scores, just do another grade list using interim weights.  The final task count will not change and the number of tasks you want to discard will probably not change (unless you have entered all the tasks in ahead of time.  GRADEBOOK takes the current number of tasks less discards (interim count), compares it to the number of tasks you want counted at the end of the term (final count), and automatically calculates the correct interim weights.  If you haven't entered in empty tasks, you will not need to discard a different number of tasks prior to doing each progress report.  If you have entered empty tasks, the Misc, Selected Tasks menu may be used to automatically discard the empty tasks.  Note that when you have entered in all your scores (including the final), it doesn't make any difference if you use interim or final weights since they will be the same because the interim task count will be equal to the final task count.

See Also

Score List Dialog Box

Grade List Dialog Box

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Final Category Weights Dialog Box

Interim Category Weights Dialog Box

Grading Curve Dialog Box


Report Cards

GRADEBOOK can easily prepare multiple subject single period report cards.  The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT may be used if you need multiple subject, multiple period report cards.  A multiple subject report is typically required by elementary instructors who teach multiple subjects to the same set of students.  Each subject may be kept in a different class.  Each class may use different tasks, grading methods, grading curves, etc.  In order for multiple subjects to appear on a students report, his name must be entered the same in each class with the exception of capitalization, punctuation and spaces.  This is easy to ensure if you first add the students to one class and use that class to supply the students for the other classes that you add.  Report cards may be done at any time and can be used as progress reports.

To prepare the report, just do a Grade, Master List.  Select the subjects you want to include and the students you want reports for.  Each report may be printed on a separate page and may include an optional teacher note or custom teacher note.  You can include any combination of a students regular average, extra credit average, overall average, letter grade, class rank, and class percentile.  The report can list the student by any combination of name and ID number.  You may also enter the title you want to appear on the report.

You may easily create custom report cards using a word processor or spreadsheet.  The data may be transferred by exporting it to a file or by copying it via the clipboard.  To use the clipboard, just do an Edit, Copy.  Shift to your spreadsheet or word processor and then do an Edit, Paste.  You may then reformat the report, include graphics, etc.  To export the data to a file, just do a File, Export.  Then shift to your word processor or spreadsheet and open the file.  The export file may be specified by doing a Misc, Options.

See Also

Master Grade List Dialog Box

Grade Master List Menu

EXPORT.DAT File

Clipboard


Restoring Files

Hopefully you will not have to restore files very often.  If your hard disk should fail, you accidentally reformat or repartition your hard disk or accidentally delete or modify a file you may need to restore a previously backed up file.  You may also want to restore a file of a previous term's class because you deleted it to conserve space on your hard disk.

You cannot restore a class file unless you have previously backed it up.  It is recommended that every day that you add score or attendance information to GRADEBOOK that you do a File, Backup for the classes you have changed.  If you do this you would always be protected against a hard disk failure.  You can also make a hardcopy printout of your class data but this would require you to manually reenter all the data.

If you need to restore a class file, just select the File, Restore menu.  You may restore individual classes or all the classes from your backup.  If you are restoring to replace a defective file, you can elect to overwrite the existing file.  You may also elect to use a unique file name.  This would allow you to examine the existing and backup versions and then delete the one you don't want.  If you are transferring files from your school computer to your home computer, you would want to overwrite the existing file if your file names are the same.  This would allow you to transfer the current version of a class back and forth between both computers.  If you are restoring class files from several instructors to calculate overall statistics, you would want to use unique file names to prevent one instructors classes from overwriting another instructors classes with the same file name.

See Also

File Backup Menu

File Restore Menu


Scaling Scores

GRADEBOOK allows you to easily scale scores after they have been entered.  You may want to do this to change the average score, standard deviation or to change the weight of a task.  You could just change the perfect score for a task.  This would change everyone's percentage score on the task but would not change the task weight and might not give you the average that you wanted.  If you have given a test that even your best students did poorly on, you might want to scale the scores to improve the average.  The Score, Scale dialog box allows you to select 5 different methods for scaling scores.  Scores may be multiplied by a ratio factor, incremented by an increment factor or adjusted to obtain the desired standard deviation.  If you increase everyone's score by the same ratio, you can increase the average score.  When using a ratio, students with better scores get a larger score increase than students with lower scores.  This gives the same result as reducing the perfect score.  All scores are increased by the same ratio.  You may elect to input the desired average instead of the ratio.  When you ratio the scores, the existing standard deviation and average will also change by the same ratio.

You may want to increase the average by incrementing the scores.  This would be more appropriate if you are using total points and don't want to end up with fractional scores or you may want to give all the students 10 free points or 10 free percent because you want to discard one section of the test that everyone missed.  In this case you would want to increment everyone's score by 10.  You may also elect to input the desired average instead of the increment.  If you are using a positive increment, the average will increase by the increment and the standard deviation will not change.  If you use a negative increment which would cause one or more of the scores to be less than zero, they will be set to zero.  This will reduce the average and the standard deviation.

You may also change the standard deviation.  You might want to do this if the scores have little or excessive variance.  Reducing the standard deviation results in the same average.  Increasing the standard deviation may increase the average if it causes some of the scores to be less than zero.  These scores are set to zero.  You can see the results of score scaling without doing a Score, Distribution by repeating the score scaling for the same task and reviewing the new statistics.

Scaling scores by itself will not increase the weight of a task except by increasing the student scores for the task.  If you are using total points, you can increase the task weight and leave the percentage scores unchanged by revising the perfect score and scaling the scores.  For example, to double the weight of a test that you have already entered with a perfect score of 100 points you would first revise the perfect score to 200 points using the task, revise menu.  The test would now have double the weight but the student percentage scores would all be 50% less.  Now use the score, scale menu to double all the student scores.  The net result will be a doubling of the test weight without changing any of the student percentage scores.

If you are using task weights, you can just increase the weight of the test category.  If you want one test to have a different weight than other tests, you could put the test in a category by itself and assign it the desired weight.

See Also

Score Scale Dialog Box

Score Scale Menu


Score Distributions

If you grade on a straight curve (fixed grade cutoffs) you don't need to do a score distribution.  However, if you want to adjust your grading curve so that a certain percentage of the students get certain grades, you need to do a score distribution.  You may set the spacing interval used to do the distribution from the Add Class or Revise Class Dialog Box.  Larger classes or using plus and minus grades will require smaller spacing intervals to accurately determine the grade cutoffs.

You do a score distribution by selecting the Score, Distribution menu.  You may include several classes in the distribution.  The score distribution report will list each interval and the number of students with a score in that interval.  It will also list the number of students in or above the interval and the percent of students in or above the interval.  The percent above number may be used to determine your grade cutoff points.

The score distribution report also lists statistical information about the score distribution such as the mean, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum.  After doing a score distribution, the Score, Chart Distribution menu will become enabled and you chart the distribution.

See Also

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Score Distribution Menu

Score Chart Distribution Menu


Selecting Students

Several GRADEBOOK dialog boxes require you to select the student you want to enter or revise information for.  The student names are listed in a drop down list box.  You may click the arrow on the drop down list box, use the scroll bar controls to locate the desired student and then click on the desired student.  For large classes, doing this for each student would be time consuming.

To minimize this time, GRADEBOOK allows you to enter a search string to quickly locate the student in the list.  You may enter a search string whenever the Student List Box has the focus.  Just type the first letter in the students last name.  The list box will automatically highlight the first student whose last name begins with the desired letter and will place the letter after the words "Search Text".

If you have more than one student with a last name beginning with the desired letter, you may need to narrow the search.  Just type the next letter in the last name.  If there is a matching student the Student List Box will highlight the first matching student.  Continue entering in letters until you have narrowed the search down to the desired student.  Depending on the size of the class this may only require one or two letters for a unique search.  If you enter a search string for which there is no match, the "Search Text" will not be updated.  If you enter an incorrect search string and locate the wrong student, you may use the backspace key to revise the search string.

See Also

Add Score Dialog Box


Teacher Notes

Teacher notes may be added to score, attendance, grade list and master grade list printouts which are used for progress reports.  You should first create the standard teacher note that you want to appear on all student reports.  To do this, select the Misc, Teacher Note command and edit or enter the note you want to use.  You may enter long lines.  They will automatically word wrap when the note is entered or printed.  Press the <Enter> key to insert a manual line break.  You may enter in dummy words as place holders if you want to customize the teacher note.  For example, you could enter the word "NAME" where you want to enter in the student's name.

When you click the Done button your teacher note will be saved in the NOTE.TXT file.  To print the teacher notes, do a score list, attendance list, grade list or grade master list.  Select the individual report option, and then select the teacher note option.  If you want to customize your note for each student, you may also select the custom note option.  If you select the custom note option, you may edit your standard teacher note for each student.  You may cut, copy or paste when editing teacher notes.  You could use the Windows Notepad or a word processor to create several specialized notes in one document.  When doing custom notes, you could then copy the desired note from this document to the clipboard and then paste it into the teacher note dialog box.

See Also

Teacher Note Dialog Box

NOTE.TXT File

Misc Teacher Note Menu


Word for Windows

Word for Windows is a Windows based word processing program.  Reports and charts from GRADEBOOK may be pasted into Word for Windows or other Windows based word processors using the Windows clipboard.  When pasting in a report, all the data items are separated by tabs.

Registered users receive a document template with macros that may be used to automatically reformat GRADEBOOK reports.  Reports may be in either a vertical or horizontal format and can fit a large number of tasks on a single page.  Teacher notes and charts may be added.  The distribution charts may be pasted, linked or embedded using the supplied Excel macros in picture (metafile) format instead of the bit map format that GRADEBOOK places on the clipboard.  The macros may be user modified.

To paste a report into Word for Windows, first copy the desired report to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu from the Report Window of the GRADEBOOK program.  Then start Word for Windows or shift to Word for Windows if it is already running and place the cursor where you want to paste the report.  Do an Edit, Paste in Word for Windows.  You may then adjust the tab positions as necessary using the ruler or the Format, Paragraph menu.  Word for Windows could then be used to modify or enhance the report as desired.

To paste a chart into Word for Windows, first copy the desired chart to the clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu from the chart window of the GRADEBOOK program.  You should size the chart to the desired size while you are still in the GRADEBOOK program.  Then start Word for Windows or shift to Word for Windows if it is already running and place the cursor where you want to paste the chart.  Do an Edit, Paste in Word for Windows.  You may then crop and size the chart using the normal Word for Windows commands (Format Picture).  If you have a limited amount of memory you may need to exit the GRADEBOOK program prior to starting the Word for Windows program.  This will not remove any report or chart that has been placed on the clipboard.

See Also

Report Window

Score Chart Window

Grade Chart Window

Clipboard


Commands

Select any of the following menu items.

File Menu

Edit Menu

Term Menu

Class Menu

Student Menu

Tasks Menu

Scores Menu

Grades Menu

Misc Menu

Help Menu

Chart File Menu

Chart Edit Menu

Chart Options Menu

Chart Window Menu

Grid Edit File Menu

Grid Edit Edit Menu

Grid Edit Help Menu


File Menu

The File menu is used for printer and file operations and has the following submenus.

File Select Dir

File Password

File Print Menu

File Printer Setup Menu

File Printer Margins Menu

File Export Menu

File Backup Menu

File Restore Menu

File Exit Menu


Edit Menu

The only submenu under the Edit menu is the Edit, Copy menu.

Edit Copy Menu


Term Menu

The Term menu is used for term operations.

Term Select Menu

Term List Menu

Term Delete Menu

Term Custom Terms Menu

Term Transfer Menu


Class Menu

The Class menu is used for class operations.

Class Select Menu

Class List Menu

Class Add Menu

Class Delete Menu

Class Revise Menu

Class Combine Menu

Class Print Data Form Menu


Student Menu

The Student menu is used for student operations.

Student List Menu

Student Add Menu

Student Delete Menu

Student Revise Menu

Student Reorder Menu

Student Extract Menu

Student Attendance Menu


Tasks Menu

The Task menu is used for task operations.

Task List Menu

Task Add Menu

Task Delete Menu

Task Revise Menu

Task Reorder Menu

Custom Task Menu

Task Transfer Menu


Scores Menu

The Scores menu is used for score operations..

Score List Menu

Score Add Menu

Score Edit Menu

Score Add Previous Average Menu

Score Transfer Menu

Score Distribution Menu

Score Chart Distribution Menu

Score Scale Menu


Grades Menu

The Grades menu is used for grade operations.

Grade List Menu

Grade Distribution Menu

Grade Chart Distribution Menu

Grade Custom Grades Menu

Grade Input Equivalents Menu

Grade Override Menu

Grade Master List Menu


Misc Menu

The Misc menu is used for miscellaneous operations.

Misc Category Names Menu

Misc Final Weights Menu

Misc Grading Curves Menu

Misc Selected Tasks Menu

Misc Interim Weights Menu

Misc Final Score Reqd Menu

Misc Screen Fonts Menu

Misc Printer Fonts Menu

Misc Teacher Note Menu

Misc Attendance Settings Menu

Misc Options Menu


Help Menu

The Help menu is used to get help on the GRADEBOOK program.

Help Index Menu

Help Commands Menu

Help Registration Menu

Help Using Help Menu

Help About Menu


Chart File Menu

The Chart file menu is used for chart printer operations.

Chart File Print Menu

Chart File Export Menu

Chart File Exit Menu


Chart Edit Menu

The only submenu under the Chart Edit menu is the Chart Edit, Copy menu.

Chart Edit Copy Menu


Chart Options Menu

The Chart Options menu is used to control the fill colors, fill styles and settings for score and grade distribution charts.

See Also

Score Chart Options Dialog Box

Grade Chart Options Dialog Box


Chart Window Menu

The only submenu under the Chart Window menu is the Chart Window, Arrange All menu.

Chart Window Arrange All Menu

Chart Window Always on Top Menu


File Select Dir Menu

The File Select Dir menu may be used to change the current directory.  Normally GRADEBOOK keeps its class data and default values in the same directory as the program.  This may be modified by using a command line switch so that GRADEBOOK will store its data on a different drive or subdirectory from the main program.  GRADEBOOK may also be used by one person to store several instructors class data and defaults in different subdirectories.

After entering scores for one instructor, you can use this menu to change to another subdirectory or drive and enter scores for a different instructor without having to restart the program.  Each subdirectory would contain its own class data and default GRADEBK.INI file.  You could have a subdirectory for BILL, TOM and JOE.  By keeping each instructors classes in separate subdirectories, each instructor could have different defaults (fonts, sizes, etc.).  You could also keep all the instructors classes in one subdirectory if desired.  This would allow you to do combined distributions for classes taught by different instructors.  If three instructors all taught an intro course, you could calculate the overall score and grade distributions if all the classes were kept in one subdirectory.  You would need to uniquely name the classes such as Bob's Physics Intro and Tom's Physics Intro.

See Also

Select Dir Dialog Box

Creating Multiple Directories

GRADEBK.INI File


File Password Menu

The File Password menu may be used to enter an optional password.  If you elect to use a password, you will have to enter the correct password each time you start the program.  Using a password will not prevent your data files from being copied or deleted.  However, using a password will prevent others from running the program installed on your computer from accessing or modifying your data files.  You may enter up to 12 characters for a password.  Case will be ignored when your password is checked.

See Also

Password Dialog Box


File Print Menu

The File Print menu may be used to print any report that is in the Report Window.  You may use the Misc, Report Fonts menu to set the printer font and font size.  Printer margins may be set with the File, Printer Margins menu.  The printer configuration may be set with the File, Printer Setup menu.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Report Fonts Menu

File Printer Margins Menu

File Printer Setup Menu

Printing Reports


File Printer Setup Menu

The File Printer Setup menu is used to configure the printer using the standard Windows Print Setup dialog box.  You may select the active printer, orientation, paper size, paper source and different options depending on the printer selected.

See Also

File Printer Margins Menu


File Printer Margins Menu

The File Printer Margins menu is used to set the printer margins.

See Also

Printer Margins Dialog Box


File Export Menu

The File Export menu is used to export GRADEBOOK reports to ASCII files.  Student list, score list and grade list reports may be exported.  The reports are saved in a file with a default name of EXPORT.DAT in the same subdirectory as the class files.  The file name and path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

EXPORT.DAT File

Exporting Files


File Backup Menu

The File Backup menu is used to make backups of your class data files for security in case your hard disk should fail or you should accidentally erase or damage a file.  It may also be used to transfer class files to another computer using a floppy or directly over a network.

See Also

Backing Up Files

Class File Names

Backup Class Files Dialog Box


File Restore Menu

The File Restore menu is used to restore class files that you have previously backed up.

See Also

Restoring Files

Class File Names

Restore Class Files Dialog Box


File Exit Menu

The File Exit menu is used to exit the GRADEBOOK program.  You may also exit by clicking the System menu and then clicking Close or by double clicking the System menu.


Edit Copy Menu

The Edit Copy menu is used to copy GRADEBOOK reports and charts to the Windows clipboard.  They may then be pasted into other Windows applications.

See Also

Clipboard


Term Select Menu

The Term Select menu is used to select the current default term.  The current default term is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.

See Also

Select Current Term Dialog Box

Report Window


Term List Menu

The Term List menu is used to create a term list report.  A term list report is a chronological list of all the past and present terms for which GRADEBOOK has class data for.


Term Delete Menu

The Term Delete menu is used to delete an entire term.  When a term is deleted, all the classes in the term are also deleted.

See Also

Delete Term Dialog Box


Custom Terms Menu
Term Custom Terms Menu

The Term Custom Terms menu is used to customize term names.  The default term names are Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter.

See Also

Custom Terms Dialog Box


Term Transfer Menu

The Term Transfer menu is used to transfer the current class to a different term.  This is useful if you need to prepare report cards using the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT.

See Also

Select Destination Term Dialog Box


Class Select Menu

The Class Select menu is used to select the current default class.  The current default class is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.

See Also

Select Class Dialog Box


Class List Menu

The Class List menu is used to create a class list report.  A class list report lists all the classes in the current default term. For each class, the distribution spacing, plus and minus grades option, use ID numbers option and blank incompletes option is also listed.


Class Add Menu

The Class Add menu is used to add new classes to GRADEBOOK.

See Also

Add Class Dialog Box


Class Delete Menu

The Class Delete menu is used to delete a class from the current default term.

See Also

Delete Class Dialog Box


Class Revise Menu

The Class Revise menu is used to revise the current default class.

See Also

Revise Class Dialog Box


Class Combine Menu

The Class Combine menu is used to combine the selected class with the current default class.  The current default class is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.

See Also

Combine Class Dialog Box


Class Print Data Form Menu

The Class Print Data Form menu is used to print out a data entry form for the current class.  The data entry form may be used to record student scores prior to entry into the GRADEBOOK program.  The current default class is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.  The shading levels used in the printout may be specified from the Misc, Options menu.


Student List Menu

The Student List menu is used to create a student list report.  A student list report contains a list of all the students in the current default class and their optional ID numbers.


Student Add Menu

The Student Add menu allows you to add new students to the current default class.

See Also

Add Student Dialog Box


Student Delete Menu

The Student Delete menu is used to delete a student from the current default class.

See Also

Delete Student Dialog Box


Student Revise Menu

The Student Revise menu is used to revise the data for a student in the current default class.

See Also

Revise Student Dialog Box


Student Reorder Menu

The Student Reorder menu is used to reorder or alphabetize the students in the current default class.

See Also

Reorder Students Dialog Box


Student Extract Menu

The Student Extract menu is used to extract a student from the current default class. and to start a new class for that student.

See Also

Extract Student Dialog Box

Extracting Students


Student Attendance Menu

The Student Attendance menu is used for attendance operations.

Attendance Edit Menu

Attendance List Menu


Attendance Edit Menu

The Attendance edit menu is used to enter or revise attendance data for the current default class.

See Also

Editing Attendance


Attendance List Menu

The Attendance List menu is used to list attendance reports for thecurrent default class.

See Also

Attendance List Dialog Box


Task List Menu

The Task List menu is used to create a task list report.  A task list report contains a list of the task names in the current default class, the perfect score for each task and the category each task has been assigned to.


Task Add Menu

The Task Add menu is used to add a new task to the current default class.

See Also

Add Task Dialog Box


Task Delete Menu

The Task Delete menu is used to delete a task from the current default class.

See Also

Delete Task Dialog Box


Task Revise Menu

The Task Revise menu is used to revise an existing task for the current default class.

See Also

Revise Task Dialog Box


Task Reorder Menu

The Task Reorder menu is used to reorder the tasks in the current default class.

See Also

Reorder Tasks Dialog Box


Custom Task Menu

The Custom Task menu is used to create a task whose scores are calculated from the scores of existing tasks.  The new score may be the sum of, the highest of, the average of or the weighted average of several existing tasks.

See Also

Custom Tasks Dialog Box


Task Transfer Menu

The Task Transfer menu is used to transfer tasks from one class to another class in the same term.  It may be used to easily add the same task to several similar classes.

See Also

Score Transfer Dialog Box

Select Destination Class Dialog Box


Score List Menu

The Score List menu is used to create a score list report.

See Also

Score List Dialog Box


Score Add Menu

The Score Add menu is used to add scores to the current default class.  Scores may also be added and edited using the Score, Edit menu.

See Also

Add Score Dialog Box


Score Edit Menu

The Score Edit menu is used to edit the scores of the current default class.  It uses a spreadsheet type grid that may be used for inputting scores and for copying and pasting scores to and from other Windows applications.  Scores may also be edited using the Score, Add menu.

See Also

Editing Scores


Score Add Previous Average Menu

The Score Add Previous Average menu is used to add the average scores from a previous class to an existing task in the current class.  This allows term grades to be easily calculated if the term consists of more than one period.  This option may also be used to extract individual scores by selecting the Misc, Selected Task option for the previous class and selecting a single task.  Transferring individual scores is usually done using the Score, Transfer menu.

See Also

Add Previous Average Dialog Box

Score Transfer Dialog Box

Periods

Extracting Scores

Select Previous Class Dialog Box


Score Transfer Menu

The Score Transfer menu is used to transfer tasks and scores from one class to another class in the same term.  It may be used to extract a subset of tasks to a summary class where you can calculate distributions and grades on just the subset of tasks.

See Also

Score Transfer Dialog Box

Add Previous Average Dialog Box

Periods

Extracting Scores

Select Destination Class Dialog Box


Score Distribution Menu

The Score Distribution menu is used to create a score distribution report.

See Also

Score Distribution Dialog Box


Score Chart Distribution Menu

The Score Chart Distribution menu is used to chart a score distribution.  You must first do a score distribution to enable the menu item.

See Also

Charting Distributions


Score Scale Menu

The Score Scale menu is used to scale the scores for a task.  It may be used to adjust the average or mean to any desired value.

See Also

Scaling Scores

Score Scale Dialog Box


Grade List Menu

The Grade List menu is used to create a grade list report.

See Also

Grade List Dialog Box


Grade Distribution Menu

The Grade Distribution menu is used to create a grade distribution report.

See Also

Grade Distribution Dialog Box


Grade Chart Distribution Menu

The Grade Chart Distribution menu is used to chart a grade distribution.  You must first do a grade distribution to enable the menu item.

See Also

Charting Distributions


Grade Custom Grades Menu

The Grade Custom Grades menu is used to input custom grades.

See Also

Customizing Grades


Grade Input Equivalents Menu

The Grade Input Equivalents menu is used to specify the method and values used for translating letter grade input into numerical scores.

See Also

Grade Input Equivalents Dialog Box


Grade Override Menu

The Grade Override menu is used to manually enter the letter grade for a student.

See Also

Grade Override Dialog Box


Grade Master List Menu

The Grade Master List menu is used to create a master grade list report.  A master list includes all the grades for all classes (subjects) that a student is in.

See Also

Master Grade List Dialog Box


Misc Category Names Menu

The Misc Category Names menu is used to assign category names.

See Also

Category Names Dialog Box


Misc Category Weights Menu
Misc Final Weights Menu

The Misc Final Weights menu is used to adjust the final category weights and grading method.

See Also

Final Category Weights Dialog Box


Misc Selected Tasks Menu

The Misc Selected Tasks menu is used to select the tasks used in score and grade calculations.

See Also

Selected Tasks Dialog Box


Misc Grading Curves Menu

The Misc Grading Curves menu is used to set the letter grade cutoff points.

See Also

Grading Curve Dialog Box


Misc Interim Weights Menu

The Misc Interim Weights menu is used to input the final task counts to calculate the interim weights.  This menu item is disabled if the use total point scoring method has been selected from the Misc, Final Weights Menu.

See Also

Interim Category Weights Dialog Box


Misc Final Score Reqd Menu

The Misc Final Score Reqd menu is used to create a final score required report.  A final score required report lists the score required on the final exam to get a certain letter grade based on your current term average.  The letter grades listed depend on the plus and minus grades option you have selected.  You are asked to input the category weight for the final exam.

See Also

Progress Reports


Misc Report Fonts Menu
Misc Screen Fonts Menu

The Misc Screen Fonts menu is used to select the font, font size and bold and italic attributes of the screen fonts.

See Also

Screen Report Fonts Menu

Screen Chart Title Fonts Menu

Screen Chart Label Fonts Menu


Misc Chart Fonts Menu
Misc Printer Fonts Menu

The Misc Printer Fonts menu is used to select the font, font size and bold and italic attributes of the printer fonts.

See Also

Printer Report Fonts Menu

Printer Chart Title Fonts Menu

Printer Chart Label Fonts Menu


Misc Teacher Note Menu

The Misc Teacher Note menu is used to input the text for a teacher note.  Teacher notes may be added to individual score and grade list when the single page per student option is selected.

See Also

Teacher Note Dialog Box

Teacher Note Procedure


Misc Attendance Settings Menu

The Misc Attendance Settings menu is used to specify the names and abbreviations of the attendance categories and the percentage amount to be deducted for each type of absence that exceeds a specified number of absences.

See Also

Attendace Settings Dialog Box


Misc File Names Menu
Misc Options Menu

The Misc Options menu is used to specify the file names and paths that are used for importing and exporting data and the number of digits used in score and grade list reports.

See Also

Options Dialog Box


Help Index Menu

The Help Index menu is used to go to the GRADEBOOK help index.  You may then select the topic you desire help on.  You may also go to the help index whenever you are in the help system by clicking on the Index button.  You may also start the help system by pressing the F1 key.  This will give you context sensitive help for whatever dialog box you are in.  You may also press the Shift-F1 key to get help on any menu item.


Help Commands Menu

To get help on any menu command press Shift-F1 and then select the desired command.  You may also get help on the various commands by going to the help index and selecting Commands.


Help Registration Menu

The Help Registration Menu is used to obtain information on how to officially register the program.  Registered users may obtain program support directly from the program author.  In addition, registered users receive a laser printed, illustrated and indexed user manual which contains an extensive tutorial with samples of all the different types of reports and charts that may be generated.  The copyright notice for registered programs contains the name of who registered the program.  Note that this notice may be bypassed by pressing any key.

See Also

Registration

Registration Form


Help Using Help Menu

The Help Using Help menu is used to get help on how to use the Windows help system.


Help About Menu

The Help About menu is used to get information about the GRADEBOOK program.

See Also

Help About Dialog Box


Chart File Print Menu

The Chart File Print menu is used to print the current score or grade distribution chart.

See Also

Charting Distributions


Chart File Export Menu

The Chart File Export menu is used to export the current score or grade distribution chart.  The charts are saved in a file with a default name of CHART.BMP in the same subdirectory as the class files.  The file name and path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

CHART.BMP File

Exporting Files


Chart File Exit Menu

The Chart File Exit menu is used to close out the chart window.  You may also click the system menu and click Close or double click the system menu.


Chart Edit Copy Menu

The Chart Edit Copy menu is used to copy score and grade distribution charts to the clipboard.  They may then be pasted into other Windows applications.

See Also

Clipboard


Chart Window Arrange All Menu

The Chart Window Arrange All menu is used to arrange the GRADEBOOK windows.  GRADEBOOK may have up to three windows, a Report Window, a score distribution chart window and a grade distribution chart window.

See Also

Arranging Windows


Chart Window Always on Top Menu

The Chart Window Always on Top menu is used to force the score distribution chart window or the grade distribution chart window to remain the topmost window.

See Also

Arranging Windows


Score Edit File Menu
Grid Edit File Menu

The Grid Edit File menu is used for file operations when you are editing scores or attendance and has the following submenus.

File Save

File Import

File Export

File Exit


Score Edit File Save Menu
Grid Edit File Save Menu

The Grid Edit File Save menu is used save any score or attendance changes that you have made.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Score Edit File Import Menu
Grid Edit File Import Menu

The Grid Edit File Import menu is used to import a file to the grid.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Score Edit File Export Menu
Grid Edit File Export Menu

The Grid Edit File Export menu is used to export the data in the grid to a file.  You should first select a range of scores or attendance.  You may then select which data you want to include.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance

Scores Included Data

Attendance Included Data


Score Edit File Exit Menu
Grid Edit File Exit Menu

The Grid Edit File Exit menu is used to exit the score or attendance editing mode.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Score Edit Edit Menu
Grid Edit Edit Menu

The Grid Edit Edit menu is used to initiate copy and paste operations and has the following submenus.

Edit Copy

Edit Paste

Edit Select All

Edit Set Value


Score Edit Edit Copy Menu
Grid Edit Edit Copy Menu

The Grid Edit Edit Copy menu is used to copy the currently selected region to the clipboard.  You should first select a range of scores or attendance.  You may then select which data you want to include.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance

Scores Included Data

Attendance Included Data


Score Edit Edit Paste Menu
Grid Edit Edit Paste Menu

The Grid Edit Edit Paste menu is used to paste the contents of the clipboard to the currently selected region.  The clipboard should only contain score or attendance information.  Names and column headings will not be pasted in correctly.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Score Edit Edit Select All Menu
Grid Edit Edit Select All Menu

The Grid Edit Edit Select All menu is used to select the entire grid.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Score Edit Edit Set Value Menu
Grid Edit Edit Set Value Menu

The Grid Edit Edit Set Value menu is used to set the value for the entire selected range.

Editing Scores

Editing Attendance


Screen Report Fonts Menu

The Screen Report Fonts Menu is used to select the font, font size and bold and italic attributes of the screen report fonts.

Report Fonts


Screen Chart Title Fonts Menu

The Screen Chart Title Fonts Menu is used to select the font, and bold and italic attributes of the screen chart title fonts.

Chart Fonts


Screen Chart Label Fonts Menu

The Screen Chart Label Fonts Menu is used to select the font, and bold and italic attributes of the screen chart label fonts.

Chart Fonts


Printer Report Fonts Menu

The Printer Report Fonts Menu is used to select the font, font size and bold and italic attributes of the printer report fonts.

Report Fonts


Printer Chart Title Fonts Menu

The Printer Chart Title Fonts Menu is used to select the font, and bold and italic attributes of the printer chart title fonts.

Chart Fonts


Printer Chart Label Fonts Menu

The Printer Chart Label Fonts Menu is used to select the font, and bold and italic attributes of the printer chart label fonts.

Chart Fonts


General

Click on any of the following general topics.

Class File Names

CBK.VBX

CHART.BMP File

CMDIALOG.VBX

EXPORT.DAT File

FA90_1.ATD File

FA90_1.DAT File

GRADEBK.EXE File

GRADEBK.HLP File

GRADEBK.INI File

GRID.VBX

IMPORT.DAT File

SETUP.EXE File

NOTE.TXT File

README.DOC File

STATS.DAT File

VBRUN300.DLL File


CBK.VBX File

The CBK.VBX file is the file that contains the dynamic link library that supports the Windows callback functions that are required to abort printing.  It is installed automatically in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory if you use the SETUP program furnished with the registered version of the program.  If you are running other Visual Basic applications, you only need one copy of the dynamic link library on your hard disk.  It must be located in the DOS path or in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.

If you are running other Visual Basic applications that use CBK.VBX, it is recommended that you keep only one copy of CBK.VBX on your hard disk.  All Visual Basic applications would share the same DLL.  This would save space on your hard disk.


CHART.BMP File

The CHART.BMP file is a bit mapped file that is created using the Chart File Export menu.  You may export score and grade distribution charts.  These charts may be copied to the Windows clipboard using the Chart Edit Copy menu and then be pasted into other Windows applications.  However, you may need to import the chart into a non-Windows application.  By exporting the chart to a file, the file may then be loaded into a non-Windows program.

If you need a file that has a PCX format, you may load the bit mapped file into Windows Paint and then save it in PCX format.  You can use the Excel templates to create a scaleable chart in picture (WMF) format.  It is possible to change the export file name and path using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

Chart File Export Menu

GRADEBK.INI File

Exporting Files


CMDIALOG.VBX

The CMDIALOG.VBX file is the file that contains the dynamic link library that supports the common Windows dialog boxes.  Common dialog boxes may be used for printer setup, file selection, font selection and color selection.  It is installed automatically in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory if you use the SETUP program furnished with the registered version of the program.  If you are running other Visual Basic applications, you only need one copy of the dynamic link library on your hard disk.  It must be located in the DOS path or in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.

If you are running other Visual Basic applications that use CMDIALOG.VBX, it is recommended that you keep only one copy of CMDIALOG.VBX on your hard disk.  All Visual Basic applications would share the same DLL.  This would save space on your hard disk.


Class File Names

GRADEBOOK stores all of its data except for default values in class files.  Class files are named using the following convention:

QQYY_nnn.DAT   or   QQYY_nnn.ATD

QQ is a two letter abbreviation for the semester quarter.  If can be SP, SU, FA, or WI (spring, summer, fall or winter).  YY is a two digit year number.  The nnn is a sequential class number.  Classes are started each term with number 1 and proceed upward.  If a class is deleted, the next class added will use the deleted number.  This file naming convention allows up to 999 classes for each calendar quarter.  Thus FA90_1.DAT is the first class for the fall 1990 term.  The FA90_1.ATD file contains the attendance data for the FA90_1.DAT file.

When you do a File, Backup all the class files for the current default term are backed up.  The minimum size of a class file is 10,580 bytes.  Each student added to a class increases the class file size by 460 bytes.

Class files are normally stored in the same directory as the GRADEBOOK program.  However, you may use a command line parameter to store the class files in a different subdirectory.  This feature allows several instructors to use one GRADEBOOK program on a single hard disk.  Each instructor would start GRADEBOOK with a command line parameter for his subdirectory.  This feature also allows GRADEBOOK to keep its class files on a floppy if required for security reasons.

See Also

File Backup Menu

Creating Multiple Directories

Floppy Storage


FA90_1.ATD File

The FA90_1.ATD file is a sample class attendance file that is furnished with GRADEBOOK.  To use the sample class, do a Term, Select and select the Fall 1990 term.  Then do a Class, Select and select the Physics 121 - College Physics M, W, F @ 2:00 PM class.  You may then do a Student, Attendance Edit or Attendance List.

See Also

Class Select Menu

Term Select Menu

Class File Names


FA90_1.DAT File

The FA90_1.DAT file is a sample class file that is furnished with GRADEBOOK.  To use the sample class, do a Term, Select and select the Fall 1990 term.  Then do a Class, Select and select the Physics 121 - College Physics M, W, F @ 2:00 PM class.

See Also

Class Select Menu

Term Select Menu

Class File Names


EXPORT.DAT File

The EXPORT.DAT file is an ASCII file that is created using the File, Export menu.  This menu option is enabled when you have a student list, score list, grade list or master grade list report in the Report Window or when you are doing a Score, Edit.  The file format consists of comma delimited string values that are enclosed in quotation marks.

This type of file is easily imported into spreadsheet and database type programs.  GRADEBOOK will overwrite any previous EXPORT.DAT file when creating a new file.  Thus you should rename the file or make a copy of the file before doing another File, Export.  The file name EXPORT.DAT is the default file name and may be changed using the Misc, Options menu.

See Also

File Export Menu

GRADEBK.INI File

IMPORT.DAT File

Student Add Menu

Exporting Files


GRADEBK.EXE File

The GRADEBK.EXE file is the GRADEBOOK executable program file.  It is automatically installed by the install program.  You may also install the program manually if desired.  First create the directory on your hard disk where you want to store the GRADEBOOK program (ex. C:\Gradebk).  You may use the DOS CD command, The DOS Shell file manager or the Windows file manager to create a directory.  Now copy all the files on the distribution disk to this subdirectory with the exception of SETUP.EXE and README.DOC.  Use the Windows program manager to add the GRADEBOOK program to a group window.  First make the desired group window the default window.  Then do a File, New and select Program Item.  Enter GradeBook for the description and enter C:\GRADEBK\GRADEBK.EXE for the command line.  To start GRADEBOOK just double click its icon.

You may also enter a command line parameter if you want to store your class files in a different subdirectory or if you want to store your class files on floppy disks.  The following are sample command lines.

C:\GRADEBK\GRADEBK.EXE C:\BOB or

C:\GRADEBK\GRADEBK.EXE A:\

See Also

Creating Multiple Directories

Floppy Storage

SETUP.EXE File


GRADEBK.HLP File

The GRADEBK.HLP file contains the information you are now reading.  It contains all the context sensitive help topics.  It is accessed by pressing F1 to get help on any window or dialog box. and by pressing Shift F1 to get access on any menu command.  You may also access the file by selecting the Help, Index or Help, Commands menu items from the Report Window.  Help on any topic may be printed directly from the Help system if you desire a printed copy of the help topics.  The GRADEBK.HLP file must be located in the same subdirectory as the GRADEBK.EXE file.

See Also

Report Window


GRADEBK.INI File

The GRADEBK.INI file is the GRADEBOOK initialization file.  It contains all the default values used by the GRADEBOOK program.  The INI file is stored in the same subdirectory as the class files.  If several instructors are using GRADEBOOK on a single hard disk, each instructor can keep their class files in their own subdirectory.  This subdirectory may be specified as a command line parameter when starting GRADEBOOK or by using the File, Select Dir menu.  Each instructor would also have their own INI file that would store their own default values.  GRADEBOOK can also keep its class files on a floppy by specifying the drive as a command line parameter.  The INI file would then be kept on the same floppy as the class files.

If the INI file is deleted, GRADEBOOK will automatically create it using the standard default values.  GRADEBOOK reads the INI file when it starts and updates the INI file whenever a default value is revised.

See Also

Class File Names

Creating Multiple Directories

Floppy Storage


GRID.VBX File

The GRID.VBX file is the file that contains the dynamic link library that supports the spreadsheet grid type interface.  It is installed automatically in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory if you use the SETUP program furnished with the registered version of the program.  If you are running other Visual Basic applications, you only need one copy of the dynamic link library on your hard disk.  It must be located in the DOS path or in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.

If you are running other Visual Basic applications that use GRID.VBX, it is recommended that you keep only one copy of GRID.VBX on your hard disk.  All Visual Basic applications would share the same DLL.  This would save space on your hard disk.


IMPORT.DAT File

The IMPORT.DAT file is used to input a student list and optional ID numbers into the GRADEBOOK program.  The file format required is an ASCII file with comma delimited string values enclosed in quotations.  The following four formats are acceptable.

"Doe, John Q.","380-54-9780"

"Smith, Mary","321-54-8712"

"Johnson, Mark A.",""

"Doe, John Q."

"Smith, Mary"

"Johnson, Mark A."

"Doe","John","Q","380-54-9780"

"Smith","Mary","","321-54-8712"

"Johnson","Mark","A",""

"Doe","John","Q"

"Smith","Mary",""

"Johnson","Mark","A"

If ID numbers are used, all students must have one or space reserved for one.  The name may be three separate fields or a single field with the last name followed by a comma, a space and then the first name.  The middle initial is optional.  You may only import a student list into a class with no students.  Select the Student, Add menu and then click on Import.

You may create a test IMPORT.DAT file by first exporting a student list using the File, Export menu.  You may then rename the EXPORT.DAT file to IMPORT.DAT.

The file name IMPORT.DAT is the default file name.  The file name and path may be changed using the Misc, Options menu.

An IMPORT.DAT file may also be used to import scores directly into GRADEBOOK.  This type of file would normally be created from ScanTron results.  It may also be created by selecting a task when you are doing a Score, Edit and then doing a File, Export.  If the file does not contain ID numbers (scores only) then the data to be input must be in the same order as the highlighted scores.  If ID numbers are included, the scores may be in any order or quantity and must be separated from the ID numbers by a comma or tab character.  The ID number should not contain commas.  The following formats are allowed.

27  (scores only require exact order)

22

"380-47-9123","27"  (may use tab instead of comma)

"376-82-3987","22"

380-47-9123,27  (may use tab instead of comma)

376-82-3987,22

After the IMPORT.DAT file (or whatever you have named it) has been created, the scores may be automatically imported by doing a Score, Edit, highlighting the desired task column and then doing a File, Import.

See Also

File Export Menu

EXPORT.DAT File

Student Add Menu

Importing Files


INSTALL.EXE File
SETUP.EXE File

The SETUP.EXE file is the GRADEBOOK automatic installation executable program.  To run the install program first start Windows in standard or enhanced 386 mode.  From the Windows program manager, click on the File menu option.  Then click on the Run menu option.  Type a:setup or b:setup and then press the Enter key.  The install program will not modify your CONFIG or AUTOEXEC files.  It will decompress and copy the program files to the subdirectory of your choice (create if necessary) and will then add a GradeBook group window to the program manager and install the GradeBook icon in this group.  You may then drag the icon to another group if you desire and delete the GradeBook group window.

GRADEBOOK may be installed on top of a previous installation.  The install program will not delete any of your existing class files.  If you are installing a newer version of GRADEBOOK over an older version, the install program will replace the existing files with the latest version.


NOTE.TXT File

The NOTE.TXT file is an ASCII file that contains the standard teacher note that may be included in progress reports.  GRADEBOOK revises this file when you use the Misc, Teacher Note menu.  You may also manually edit the file using the Windows Notepad or other word processor if desired.

See Also

Teacher Note Procedure

Teacher Note Dialog Box


README.DOC File

The README.DOC file is a short ASCII file that is included on the GRADEBOOK distribution disk.  It contains instructions for installing the GRADEBOOK program.  The file may be viewed by issuing the following command from the DOS prompt.

C:\>TYPE A:README.DOC


STATS.DAT File

The STATS.DAT file is an ASCII file that contains a numerically ranked list of students and their scores.  It is created or updated every time GRADEBOOK does a score or grade distribution.  The students are listed by name, by ID number  or both depending on which option you have last used on a score list or grade list.  NA scores are listed as "0" or "NA" depending on the treat incompletes option you have selected.  Note that the scores are not rounded off as they are in a score or grade list report.  The file has the following format:

"Doe, John Q.", 45.98312

"Smith, Mary", 61.72145   etc.   (may be ID numbers or names and ID numbers)

This file may be imported directly into spreadsheet, database or numerical analysis programs if desired.  You may also use it to see the actual score used by GRADEBOOK for a student.  A student may have a term average of 90.0 on a grade report but may be assigned a B grade even though the A cutoff point is 90.  Upon examining the STATS.DAT file you may notice that the actual score was 89.97654.  This is rounded up to 90.0 on the report but the grade is assigned based on the actual value.  If this occurs you may want to slightly adjust your grading curve to prevent it from happening.

The file name or path may be revised using the Misc, Options menu.


VBRUN300.DLL File

The VBRUN300.DLL file is the file that contains the Visual Basic dynamic link library version 3.00.  It is installed automatically in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory if you use the SETUP program furnished with the registered version of the program.  If you are running other Visual Basic applications, you only need one copy of the dynamic link library on your hard disk.  It must be located in the DOS path or in your \WINDOWS or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.

If you are running several Visual Basic applications, it is recommended that you keep only one copy of VBRUN300.DLL on your hard disk.  All Visual Basic applications would share the same DLL.  This would save space on your hard disk.


Definitions
Definitions of Terms

Click and hold on any of the following terms to get a definition of the term as used in the GRADEBOOK program.

Attendance Abbreviation

Attendance Comment

Attendance Name

Blank Incompletes

Category Abbreviation

Category Name

Category Weight

Chart Font

Class

Command Line

Custom Grades

Custom Terms

Discard Tasks

Divisions

Export Data

Extra Credit

Fill Color

Fill Style

Final Score Required

Grade Distribution

Grading Curve

Import Data

Interim Weights

Maximum X

Minimum X

Perfect Score

Period

Plus and Minus Grades

Printer Margins

Progress Report

Report Card

Score

Score Distribution

Score Distribution Spacing

Selected Task

Student

Student ID

Summary Class

Task

Task Template

Teacher Note

Term

Term Average

Total Point Scoring

Total Points with Category Averages Scoring

Weighted Scoring


Attendance Abbreviations
Attendance Abbreviation

Absences are entered into GRADEBOOK using a one or two letter abbreviation which is specified by the user.  Brief attendance reports use the abbreviation.  Long attendance reports use the complete attendance name.


Attendance Comment

GRADEBOOK allows you to enter a comment for each absence up to 68 characters long.


Attendance Name

GRADEBOOK allows you to specify the names of 10 different attendance categories.  Each category may be assigned a certain number of free absences for which there is no penalty and the amount of penalty for each absence that exceeds this number.


Blank Incompletes

Incomplete scores may be indicated either by a blank (no entry) or by an "NA" on score and grade list reports.  If you elect to use a blank, you may later use the printed report to manually enter scores.  This report could be used as a data entry form to enter scores into GRADEBOOK or could be used as a manual grade book.


Category Abbreviations

A category abbreviation is a five letter maximum abbreviation of a category name.  Category abbreviations and category names except for extra credit may be user defined.  The abbreviation is used on score and grade list reports to conserve space.  MidTm is an example of a category abbreviation.


Category Name

Each score is assigned a category name.  Scores with the same category name are averaged together and weighted with a category weight when using a weighted scoring system.  The worst "n" scores in each category may also be discarded if desired.  Library Assignment is an example of a category name.  All category names with the exception of Extra Credit are user definable.


Category Weight

Each category may be assigned a category weight.  Category weights are used when using a weighted scoring system.  Categories with a higher weight have a greater effect on the term average.  The category weights except for extra credit must add up to 100%.


Chart Font

A chart font is the name of the typeface that is used by GRADEBOOK when drawing charts.  You may specify a font to be used for chart labels and a font to be used by chart titles.  You may also specify bold or italic fonts.  GRADEBOOK automatically uses an appropriate font size for charts.


Class

A class is a collection of students.  You may assign descriptive class names such as Physics 101, M, W, F @ 10:00 AM.  Each class may be assigned a value to use for distribution spacing, whether to use plus and minus grades, and whether to blank incomplete scores.  The current default class is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.


Command Line

The command line is the line that the Windows program manager uses to start the GRADEBOOK program.  It may include a command line parameter that indicates where you want to store the class files.  The following are typical command lines:

C:\GRADEBKW\GRADEBK.EXE

C:\GRADEBKW\GRADEBK.EXE C:\JOHN

C:\GRADEBKW\GRADEBK.EXE A:\


Custom Grades

GRADEBOOK may use standard letter grades such as B+, B, etc., or you may assign your own custom grades such as 3.5, 3.0, etc.  Up to 3 characters may be used for a custom grade.


Custom Terms

GRADEBOOK may use the default term names of Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter, or you may assign your own custom term names such as Semester 1, Quarter 2, etc.  Up to 10 characters may be used for a custom term name.


Discard Tasks

When calculating scores and grades, GRADEBOOK allows you to discard the worst "n" scores in any category.  The discarded scores may be different tasks for different students depending on their worst scores.  If you are using the total point or total points with category averages method of scoring, you may only discard scores for a category where all the tasks have the same perfect score and individual task weight.  This is required so that all tasks in a category have the same weight.  Scores that are entered as "NC" (not counted) are automatically discarded.


Divisions

When charting score distributions, you may specify the number of divisions you want on the x-axis between the Minimum X and the Maximum X.  Each division will contain a bar showing the number of students with scores in that division range.  Larger classes or using plus and minus grades usually require more divisions to get a chart that may more easily be used for determining the grade cutoffs.


Export Data

The GRADEBOOK program will allow you to export data in ASCII files.  These files may then be imported into other programs for further display or analysis.  You may export student lists, and score, attendance and grade lists.  By using the grades only option you may export a file containing a list of students and their grades.  Selected scores with or without row and column headings may be exported when doing a Score, Edit.  Selected attendance with or without row and column headings may be exported when doing a Student, Attendance Edit.


Extra Credit

Students who do extra credit tasks may increase their term average.  The amount the term average may be increased depends on the method used to calculate the extra credit.  Extra credit may be given a weight when using task weights, or may be given either a weight or counted as regular points when using the total points method.   A term average greater than 100% is possible using extra credit.


Fill Color

Score and grade distribution charts are histograms with bars that represent the data.  The bars may be filled with a user selected fill color.  The fill color is also used for chart printouts if you have a color printer.


Fill Style

Score and grade distribution charts are histograms with bars that represent the data.  The bars may be filled with a user selected fill style.  The fill style is also used for chart printouts.  If you don't have color printer you may prefer not to use a solid fill style when doing a printout.


Final Score Required

The final score required is the score that a student with a certain term average going into the final exam needs to get on the final to get a certain letter grade.  GRADEBOOK will produce a final score required report that may be passed out to the students near the end of the term with their final progress report.


Grade

GRADEBOOK will assign letter grades to students based on their score or term average.  Individual tasks, progress reports and the entire term may have a grade.  Plus and minus letter grades or custom grades may also be used.  The letter grade assigned depends on the grading curve.


Grade Distribution

GRADEBOOK can calculate a grade distribution.  A grade distribution report will list each letter grade and the number of students for each letter grade as well as the data used to calculate the distribution.  GRADEBOOK can also chart grade distributions.


Grading Curve

A grading curve consist of grade cutoff points for the various letter grades.  The grade cutoff points may be set by the user.  You may use a fixed grading curve with preset cutoff points or you may modify the grading curve by adjusting the grade cutoff points based on a score distribution.


Import Data

GRADEBOOK may import student names and optional ID numbers from an ASCII file.  Selected scores may also be imported when doing a Score, Edit.  Selected attendance may be imported when doing a Student, Attendance Edit.  The default file name used is IMPORT.DAT.


Interim Weights

When doing progress reports in mid term, not all tasks for the term will be completed.  The ratio of completed tasks in different categories will be different than at the end of the term.  GRADEBOOK can automatically adjust the final category weights based on the existing task ratios and calculate interim weights.  Using interim weights for progress reports will give the different categories the same relative weight as they would have at the end of the term when all tasks are complete.


Maximum X

The Maximum X value is the maximum x-axis value that is plotted when doing a score distribution chart and may be set by the user.  It must be greater or equal to the maximum student score.


Minimum X

The Minimum X value is the minimum x-axis value that is plotted when doing a score distribution chart and may be set by the user.  It must be less than or equal to the minimum student score.


Perfect Score

The perfect score for a task is the maximum possible score on a task.  Percent scores for a task are calculated by dividing the student score by the perfect score.  When revising a perfect score, you will receive a warning message if you try to set it lower than an existing score.


Period

A term may consist of one or more periods.  For example the Fall term may contain 3 six week or 2 10 week periods.


Plus and Minus Grades

GRADEBOOK can use the straight letter grades A, B, C, D and E or it can use the plus and minus grades A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E.  Custom grades may also be used.  Using plus and minus grades allows up to 13 grades (12 cutoffs).  When not using plus and minus grades you are limited to 5 grades (4 cutoffs).


Printer Margins

GRADEBOOK allows you to set the printer margins for printed reports and charts.  The value you specify for a margin is added to the default margin of your printer.  If your printer has a default margin of .25 inch and you set the margin to .75 inch you will get a 1 inch white space.  You may want to change margin settings to leave room for hole punching or binding or to position the chart or report on the page.


Progress Report

A progress report is a grade list report that is prepared in mid term to inform the students how they are currently doing in the course.  Individual reports for each student may be printed.  They may be printed one to a page or several may be printed on a page and later cut apart.  Progress reports would normally use interim weights unless you are using the total point method of scoring.


Report Card

A report card is a report that lists the current student standing for multiple subjects on one report.  GRADEBOOK may be used to print single period multiple subject report cards.  The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT is required if you need multiple period multiple subject reports.


Report Font

A report font is the typeface that is used in the Report Window and for printed reports.  GRADEBOOK allows you to specify different report fonts for the printer and for the screen.  You may also specify bold or italic and the font size you want to use in points.  GRADEBOOK can use any font that is installed under Windows.  Using large screen fonts will require you to use the scroll bars to see the entire report on the screen.  If your printer font is too large, a report may not fit on a page.  You can use a smaller font or configure the printer in landscape mode.


Score

Each student is assigned a score for each task.  The score may be "NA" if incomplete or it may be "0" if complete with no value.  Numeric scores can not be negative but may exceed the perfect score.  GRADEBOOK can treat "NA" scores as incomplete or as "0" scores when doing score and grade calculations.  You may enter an "NC" (not counted) score if you do not want the score to be used in calculating the average.


Score Distribution

GRADEBOOK can calculate a score distribution.  A score distribution report will list each distribution spacing interval and the number of students with a score in the interval and the number and percent of students with a score in or above the interval.  The report will also list statistical information on the score distribution.  The score distribution may be used to adjust the grade cutoff points so that certain percentages of the students receive a certain grade.  GRADEBOOK can also chart score distributions.


Score Distribution Spacing

GRADEBOOK uses the user set score distribution spacing to calculate score distributions.  For each distribution spacing interval, the number of students with a score in that interval is calculated.  If you use plus and minus grades or have large classes you may need to use a smaller score distribution spacing to be able to use the score distribution to set your grade cutoff points.


Selected Task

GRADEBOOK does score and grade calculations on individual tasks or on all the tasks less the number of tasks you want to discard.  You may discard the "n" worst scores in any category.


Stucent
Student

A class is a collection of students.  For each student, GRADEBOOK needs a unique last name as a minimum.  A first name and middle initial are optional.  Student ID numbers are also optional.  Social security numbers are typically used for student ID numbers.  Students may be kept in alphabetical order or in any order you desire.


Student ID

Students may be assigned optional student ID numbers.  Social security numbers are typically used for student ID numbers.  Score and grade list reports can use student names only, ID numbers only, names and ID numbers or ID numbers and names.  ID numbers only are typically used for posting scores or grades.  They are usually listed in ID number order to ensure privacy.


Summary Class

A summary class is a class that is added to consolidate or analyze data from another class.  A summary class may be used to combine several period averages into an overall term average or several term averages into an overall year average using the Score, Add Previous Average menu.  A summary class may also be used to calculate score and grade distributions for a subset of task such as all the test tasks by using the Score, Transfer menu.


Task

A term consists of a collection of tasks.  Each task may have an optional task name.  Chapter 3-5 Test, Oct. 15, 1991 is an example of a task name.  Each task is also assigned to a category and has a perfect score assigned to it.  When using total points or total points with category averages, each task may have an individual task weight.  Each student may be assigned a score for each task.


Task Template

Any previous class may be used as a task template when adding a new class.  This automatically adds all the task information from the previous class to the new class.


Teacher Note

Teacher notes may be added to progress reports.  A teacher note may contain general information such as your office hours, phone number, class information and a parent signature line.  Teacher notes may also be customized for each student to contain information specific to that student.


Term

A term is a collection of classes in a calendar quarter.  The default term names are Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter.  Winter 1991 is an example of a term name.  The current default term is listed in the title bar of the Report Window.  A term may contain several periods.  For example the Fall term may consist of 3 six week or 2 ten week periods.  Term names may be customized if desired.


Term Average

The sum (either weighted or total points) of a student's scores is called the term average.  GRADEBOOK uses the category weights, selected tasks and discarded tasks to calculate the term average.  The letter grade assigned to a student is determined from the term average and the grading curve.


Total Point Scoring

If you use the total point scoring method, category weights (optional for extra credit) are not used to calculate the term average.  The term average is determined by summing the individual scores times their task weights except for discarded scores, dividing by the total perfect score and then adding on the extra credit.  If a student has an "NC" (not counted) score, his total perfect score is reduced by the perfect score for each not counted score.


Total Points with Category Averages Scoring

If you use the total points with category averages scoring method, the category averages are calculated using total points.  The overall average is determined by combining the weighted category averages.


Weighted Scoring

If you use the weighted scoring method the term average is determined by averaging the percent scores for all tasks in a category except for discarded scores, and then adjusting each category by its category weight.  Extra credit is then added.  If a student has an "NC" (not counted) score it is discarded and his average score for that category is determined by the remaining scores in that category.


Dialog Boxes

Select the desired dialog box from the following list.

About GradeBook for Windows

Add Class

Add New Task

Add Previous Average

Add Score

Add Students

Attendance Grid Window

Attendance Included Data

Attendance List

Attendance Settings

Backup Class Files

Category Names

Combine Class

Custom Grades

Custom Tasks

Custom Terms

Delete Selected Class

Delete Student

Delete Task

Delete Term

Destination Class

Extract Student

Final Category Weights

Grade Chart Options

Grade Distribution

Grade Input Equivalents

Grade List

Grade Override

Grading Curve

Interim Weights

Master Grade List

Options

Password

Printer Margins

Report Window

Reorder Student

Reorder Task

Restore Class Files

Revise Class

Revise Existing Task

Revise Student

Score Chart Options

Score Distribution

Score Grid Window

Score List

Score Scale

Score Transfer

Scores Included Data

Select Chart Fonts

Select Current Class

Select Current Directory

Select Current Term

Select Destination Term

Select Previous Class

Select Report Fonts

Select Task Template Class

Selected Tasks

Teacher Note


About GRADEBOOK
About GradeBook for Windows

The About GradeBook for Windows dialog box is accessed from the Help, About menu.  The dialog box contains the current program version and the author's name as well as copyright information.  The dialog box will also indicate if Windows is running in standard or 386 enhanced mode.  The GRADEBOOK program will not run in real mode.  The amount of free memory in KB (kilobytes) is also listed.  The existence of a math co-processor is also indicated.  GRADEBOOK will use a co-processor if available.  The dialog box has the following control.

OK Button

Selecting the OK Button will close out the dialog box.

See Also

Help About Menu


Report Window

The Report Window is the main GRADEBOOK window.  The Report Window is used for reports and the chart windows are used for charts.  The first thing listed in the title bar of the Report window is the current term.  The next item listed in the title bar is the name of the current class.  If there are no classes yet entered for the term, the title bar will say "No Classes".

The menu bar of the Report Window contains the main program commands.  The main commands are labeled File, Edit, Term, Class, Student, Tasks, Scores, Grades, Misc and Help.  A detailed description of each command may be found under COMMANDS from the Help Index.

The Report Window may contain any of the following reports:

Attendance List

Term List

Class List

Student List

Task List

Score List

Score Distribution

Grade List

Grade Distribution

Master Grade List

Interim Weights

Final Score Required

Any report in the Report Window may be printed using the File, Print menu.  The printer may be configured using the File, Printer Setup menu.  Printer margins may be set using the File, Printer Margins menu.  Any report in the Report Window may be copied to the Windows Clipboard using the Edit, Copy menu.  Once on the clipboard they may be pasted into other Windows applications such as Excel or Word for Windows.

In addition to using the clipboard to transfer GRADEBOOK data to other programs, several reports may be exported to ASCII files.  The attendance list, student list, score list, grade list and master grade list reports may be exported using the File, Export menu.  The ASCII files may then be used by any program.  GRADEBOOK allows you to turn in an ASCII file of the students and their grades instead of a printout.

Most reports in the Report Window will automatically update as you change defaults, grading curves, selected tasks, final and interim weights, etc.  The font and font size used in the Report Window may be selected from the Misc, Report Fonts menu.  Help on any command on the Report Window menu may be obtained by pressing Shift - F1 and then selecting the command you want help on.  Help on any dialog box that appears in the Report Window may be obtained by pressing F1.

See Also

Commands

Excel

Word for Windows

Clipboard

Exporting Files

Fonts

Printing Reports


Select Current Term Dialog Box

The Select Current Term dialog box is used to select the default term.  The currently selected term is shown in the Selected Term box.  You may select terms for which you have previously added classes to, or you may select a new term.  The dialog box has the following controls.

OK Button

Selecting the OK Button will change the default term to the term currently shown in the Selected Term Box.  The new default term will appear in the title bar.  This will also cause the default class to change to the first class entered for the new default term.  If there are no classes for the new default term, No Classes will appear in the title bar.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

Selecting the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without changing the current default term.

Existing Terms List Box

The Existing Terms List Box initially highlights the current default term.  If you want to change the default term to a term for which you already have entered classes for, you may select it from this list box.  You may click the desired term and then click OK, or you may double click the desired term.  You may not use the Existing Terms List Box to select terms that do not have classes.

Year Box

The scroll bars on the Year Box may be used to increment the selected term year.  Pressing the up arrow will increase the year by one year.  Pressing the down arrow will decrease the year by one year.  You may select years for which you have not previously entered classes.  As you select different years, the term listed in the Selected Term Box will update automatically.

Period List Box

The Period List Box lists the four available term names.  You may click on the desired name and the term listed in the Selected Term Box will update automatically.  Term names may be adjusted by doing a Term, Custom Terms.

See Also

Report Window

Term Select Menu


Select Destination Term Dialog Box

The Select Destination Term dialog box is used to select the term you want to transfer the current class to.  The currently selected term is shown in the Selected Term box.  You may select terms for which you have previously added classes to, or you may select a new term.  GradeBook allows you to combine averages from different terms by using a summary class and doing a Score, Add Previous Average.  However, if you are using the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT to prepare report cards, all the classes (subjects) that you want to appear on the report card must be in the same term.  The dialog box has the following controls.

OK Button

Selecting the OK Button will transfer the current class to the term currently shown in the Selected Term Box.  The new default term will appear in the title bar.  The current class will then be the default class in the new default term.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

Selecting the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without transferring the current class.

Existing Terms List Box

The Existing Terms List Box initially highlights the current default term.  If you want to select a term for which you already have entered classes for, you may select it from this list box.  You may click the desired term and then click OK, or you may double click the desired term.  You may not use the Existing Terms List Box to select terms that do not have classes.

Year Box

The scroll bars on the Year Box may be used to increment the selected term year.  Pressing the up arrow will increase the year by one year.  Pressing the down arrow will decrease the year by one year.  You may select years for which you have not previously entered classes.  As you select different years, the term listed in the Selected Term Box will update automatically.

Period List Box

The Period List Box lists the four available term names.  You may click on the desired name and the term listed in the Selected Term Box will update automatically.  Term names may be adjusted by doing a Term, Custom Terms.

See Also

Report Window

Term Transfer Menu


Delete Term Dialog Box

The Delete Term Dialog Box is used to delete a term including all of its classes.  You may want to delete old terms to increase the amount of space available on your hard disk.  If you anticipate that you might need access to the data in the future, you can do a File, Backup to make a backup copy of the data on floppy disk before you delete the term.  You may not delete the current default term.  To delete the current default term, first do a Term, Select to select a different default term.  The following controls are on the Delete Term Dialog Box.

Delete Button

Clicking the Delete Button will delete the term that is currently selected in the Existing Terms List Box.  You will get a message asking if you are sure you want to delete all the classes for the term you have selected.  If you may need access to the data in the future, you should backup the data before you delete the term.  Deleting a term deletes all the classes in a term.  Deleting a class only deletes a single class in a term.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without deleting any terms.

Existing Terms List Box

The Existing Terms List Box will list all the terms which have classes with the exception of the current default term.  You may select the term to delete by clicking it and then clicking the OK Button or you may double click the term you want to delete.

See Also

Report Window

Term Delete Menu

Term Select Menu

Backing Up Files

Select Current Term Dialog Box


Delete Class Dialog Box
Delete Selected Class Dialog Box

The Delete Selected Class dialog box is used to delete a single class.  You may only delete classes in the current default term.  The Delete Selected Class Dialog Box has the following controls.

Delete Button

Clicking the delete button will delete the class that is selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  You will get a message asking if you are sure you want to delete the class.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  If you delete the current default class another class will become the default class and will appear in the title bar.  If there are no other classes, No Classes will appear in the title bar.  If you will need access to the class data in the future you may want to do a File, Backup prior to deleting the class.  If you want to start a new class in a new term using the same students you should first do a Student, List and then do a File, Export.  The student names and optional ID numbers could then be imported into a new class when you add students to the new class.  If you want to start a new class in the same term with the same students, you should do a Class, Add before you delete the class.  GRADEBOOK will automatically start a class with the same students as in a previous class in the same term.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without deleting any classes.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box lists all classes in the current default term including the current default class.  You may delete a class by clicking on the class and then clicking the Delete Button.  You may also double click the class to delete it.

See Also

Report Window

Class Delete Menu

Student List Menu

File Export Menu

Student Add Menu

Backing Up Files

Exporting Files

Importing Files


Select Class Dialog Box
Select Current Class Dialog Box

The Select Current Class Dialog Box is used to select the current default class.  It is accessed from the Class, Select menu.  You may only select classes in the current default term.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Select Button

The Select Button will change the current default class to the class that is selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  The title bar will be updated with the new default class name.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without changing the default class.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box will initially highlight the current default class.  You may select a different class by clicking it and then clicking the Select Button or you may double click the desired class.

See Also

Report Window

Class Select Menu


Revise Class Dialog Box

The Revise Class Dialog Box is used to revise class specific data and is accessed from the Class, Revise menu.  It is similar to the Add Class Dialog Box.  Only data for the current default class may be revised.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

Clicking the Revise Button will revise all the class data that has been changed.  If the class name is revised the title bar will be updated.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without revising any of the class data.

Class Name Edit Box

The Class Name Edit Box initially contains the name of the current default class.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to revise the class name.  A class name is required.  Duplicate class names are not allowed.

First Class Date Edit Box

The First Class Date Edit Box is used to enter the date of the first class.  This date is used to track daily attendance.

Last Class Date Edit Box

The Last Class Date Edit Box is used to enter the date of the last class.  This date is used to track daily attendance.

Distribution Spacing Box

The Distribution Spacing Box initially contains the current score distribution spacing for the default class.  It may be adjusted using the scroll bar from .1% to 10% in .1% increments.  The score distribution spacing is used when calculating score distributions.  The number of students with scores in each spacing interval is calculated.  Using a higher number of grade cutoffs usually requires using a finer score distribution spacing to locate the grade cutoff points accurately.

Use Plus and Minus Grades Check Box

The Use Plus and Minus Grades Check Box is used to select the plus and minus grades option.  When checked, plus and minus grades are used by default but may be revised using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  When not checked, only straight letter grades are used by default.

Blank Incomplete Scores Check Box

The Blank Incomplete Scores Check Box is used to control how incomplete scores are shown on grade and score list reports.  If you elect to blank the incomplete scores, your score or grade list would be blank instead of containing NA scores.  You might want to do this to print a form that you could use to manually write scores on.  This form could be used as a data input form for entering scores into GRADEBOOK.  You may also use the Class, Print Data Form menu to print out a data entry form.  This option has no effect on how incomplete scores are treated for score and grade calculations.  This is controlled by the Treat Incompletes as Zero option on the Final Category Weights Dialog Box.

See Also

Class Revise Menu

Report Window

Final Category Weights Dialog Box

Score Distributions

Grade Curve

Blanking Scores

Printing Reports

Incomplete Scores

Class Print Data Form Menu


Add Class Dialog Box

The Add Class Dialog Box is used to add class specific data and is accessed from the Class, Add menu.  It is similar to the Revise Class Dialog Box.  The class will be added to the current default term as shown in the title bar.  If there are existing classes you are given the option of adding a class with all the students from a previous class.  This is useful if you have a term that consists of several periods and you need to calculate period grades and an overall term grade.  You can add a summary class without having to reenter the students.  If there are any existing classes you are also given the option of using a previous class as a task template.  This is useful if you teach the same class again.  You may not want to use this feature if you plan on doing progress reports during the term.  Not adding the tasks ahead of time will prevent you from having to discard all the tasks that you haven't entered scores for when you do a progress report.  See the progress reports procedure for more details on how to do progress reports.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Add Button

Clicking the Add Button will add a new class and will automatically make the default class the new class.  The title bar will be updated with the new class name.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without adding a new class.

Class Name Edit Box

The Class Name Edit Box is initially empty and is used to enter the new class name.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and modify the class name.  A class name is required.  Duplicate class names are not allowed.

First Class Date Edit Box

The First Class Date Edit Box is used to enter the date of the first class.  This date is used to track daily attendance.

Last Class Date Edit Box

The Last Class Date Edit Box is used to enter the date of the last class.  This date is used to track daily attendance.

Distribution Spacing Box

The Distribution Spacing Box initially contains the default score distribution spacing .  It may be adjusted using the scroll bar from .1% to 10% in .1% increments.  The score distribution spacing is used when calculating score distributions.  The number of students with scores in each spacing interval is calculated.  Using a higher number of grade cutoffs usually requires using a finer score distribution spacing to locate the grade cutoff points accurately.

Use Plus and Minus Grades Check Box

The Use Plus and Minus Grades Check Box is used to select the plus and minus grades option.  When checked, plus and minus grades are used by default but may be revised using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  When not checked, only straight letter grades are used by default.

Blank Incomplete Scores Check Box

The Blank Incomplete Scores Check Box is used to control how incomplete scores are shown on grade and score list reports.  If you elect to blank the incomplete scores, your score or grade list would be blank instead of containing NA scores.  You might want to do this to print a form that you could use to manually write scores on.  This form could be used as a data input form for entering scores into GRADEBOOK.  You may also use the Class, Print Data Form menu to print out a data entry form.  This option has no effect on how incomplete scores are treated for score and grade calculations.  This is controlled by the Treat Incompletes as Zero option on the Final Category Weights Dialog Box.

Use Previous Students Check Box

The Use Previous Students Check Box is disabled (grayed) if there are no other existing classes.  This option allows you to automatically enter the students from a previous class without having to manually enter the names.  This is useful if your term has several periods.  After adding a class for the first period, you may start a class for the second period using the same students.  You may also add an overall term class using the same students.  For more information see the periods procedure.

Use Task Template Class Check Box

The Use Task Template Class Check Box is disabled (grayed) if there are no other existing classes in any term.  This option allows you to automatically enter all the task information from any previous class.

See Also

Class Add Menu

Report Window

Class Revise Dialog Box

Final Category Weights Dialog Box

Score Distributions

Grade Curve

Blanking Scores

Printing Reports

Incomplete Scores

Select Previous Class Dialog Box

Select Task Template Class Dialog Box

Periods

Progress Reports

Class Print Data Form Menu


Combine Class Dialog Box

The Combine Class Dialog Box is used to combine the current default class with the selected class.  It is accessed from the Class, Combine menu.  You may only combine classes in the current default term.  If you try to combine a class with itself, it is ignored.  Classes to be combined are checked to ensure that they have identical tasks and perfect scores.  Combining classes is usually done after extracting students to do progress reports for late joining students.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Combine Button

The Combine Button will combine the current default class with the class that is selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  The current default class will remain active but the students from the selected class will be added to the end of the class.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without combining a class.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box will initially highlight the current default class.  You select the class you want to combine with by clicking it and then clicking the Select Button or you may double click the desired class.

See Also

Report Window

Class Combine Menu

Late Joining Students


Select Previous Class Dialog Box

The Select Previous Class dialog box is used to select a class that you want to copy the students from into a new class.  This allows you to have separate classes for each period in a term or each term in a year, without having to manually reenter the student names.  The Select Previous Class Dialog Box has the following controls.

Select Button

Clicking the select button will select the class that is selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  The new class will become the current default class and will appear in the title bar.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without deleting any classes.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box lists all the classes.  You may select a class by clicking on the class and then clicking the Select Button.  You may also double click the class to select it.

See Also

Add Previous Average Dialog Box

Score Add Previous Average Menu

Periods


Select Destination Class Dialog Box

The Select Destination Class dialog box is used to select a class or classes that you want to transfer tasks or scores to.  You may only select classes in the current default term.  When doing a Task, Transfer only the tasks are transferred and you may transfer them to multiple classes.  When doing a Score, Transfer both the tasks and the student scores are transferred to a single class only.  The only scores that will be transferred are for those students who are in both classes.  It you have added the destination class using the same students as in the source class, all the scores will be transferred.  The students do not need to be in the same order in both classes.  Transferring tasks to multiple classes is useful if you teach several classes of the same subject.  Just enter the tasks for one class and then transfer the tasks to all the other classes.  This prevents having to enter identical tasks in several classes.  The Select Destination Class Dialog Box has the following controls.

Transfer Button

Clicking the transfer button will transfer the scores or tasks to the class or classes that are selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will not be changed.  To verify that the scores or tasks have been transferred, do a Class, Select and select the destination class.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without transferring any scores or tasks.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box lists all classes in the current default term except the current default class.  You may select a class by clicking on the class and then clicking the Transfer Button.  You may also double click the class to select it if you are doing a Score, Transfer.

See Also

Score Transfer Dialog Box

Score Transfer Menu


Add Task Dialog Box
Add New Task Dialog Box

The Add New Task Dialog Box is used to add a task to the current default class and is accessed from the Task, Add menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Add Button

The Add Button adds the new task to the current default class.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

New Task Name Edit Box

The New Task Name Edit Box is initially empty.  Task names are optional.  All tasks belong to a task category.  However, you may want to more fully describe the task.  Instead of just being the third test you could name a task "Chapter 3 - 5 Test, Oct. 15, 1991".  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the task name.

Insert Task Before List Box

The Insert Task Before List Box initially highlights the last item in the list which is labeled last task.  All the existing tasks are also listed.  You would normally enter a new task at the end but there is no requirement that tasks be entered in chronological order.  Tasks may be reordered at any time using the Task, Reorder menu command.

Category List Box

Each task that you add must belong to a category.  The Category List Box allows you to select from 10 different categories.  Each category with the exception of Extra Credit may be user defined from the Misc, Category Names menu item.

Perfect Score Edit Box

Each task that you add must have a perfect score.  The Perfect Score Edit Box is used to enter the perfect score.  The perfect score must be greater than 0 and less than 1000.  Fractional perfect scores such as 12.7 are allowed.

Task Weight Edit Box

The Task Weight Edit Box is used to enter the individual task weight for the selected task.  If you are using total points or total points with category weights, you may assign a task weight from 0 to 100.  Fractional weights are permitted.  If using category weights, each task in a category has the same weight (1.0).

See Also

Report Window

Task Add Menu

Task Reorder Menu

Task Reorder Dialog Box

Misc Category Names Menu

Category Names Dialog Box


Revise Task Dialog Box
Revise Existing Task Dialog Box

The Revise Existing Task Dialog Box is used to revise an existing task of the current default class and is accessed from the Task, Revise menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the task information for the current default class.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Revised Task Name Edit Box

The Revised Task Name Edit Box initially contains the name of the first task.  Task names are optional.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the task name.  Select the task you want to revise using the Task To Revise List Box.

Task To Revise List Box

The Task To Revise List Box initially highlights the first item in the list which is the first task.  All the other existing tasks are also listed.  Click on the task you want to revise.  This will update the Revised Task Name Edit Box, the Category List Box and the Perfect Score Edit Box with the existing data for the selected task.

Category List Box

The Category List Box allows you to revise the category of the selected task.  Each category with the exception of Extra Credit may be user defined from the Misc, Category Names menu item.

Perfect Score Edit Box

The Perfect Score Edit Box is used to revise the perfect score for the selected task.  The perfect score must be greater than 0 and less than 1000.  Fractional perfect scores such as 12.7 are allowed.  GRADEBOOK will warn you if you try to revise the perfect score for a task to be less than the highest score, if any, that you have already entered for the task.

Task Weight Edit Box

The Task Weight Edit Box is used to revise the individual task weight for the selected task.  If you are using total points or total points with category weights, you may assign a task weight from 0 to 100.  Fractional weights are permitted.  If using category weights, each task in a category has the same weight (1.0).

See Also

Report Window

Task Revise Menu

Misc Category Names Menu

Category Names Dialog Box


Delete Task Dialog Box

The Delete Task Dialog Box is used to delete an existing task of the current default class and is accessed from the Task, Delete menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Delete Button

The Delete Button deletes the selected task from the current default class.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Task To Delete List Box

The Task To Delete List Box lists all the existing tasks for the current default class.  The list consists of the optional task name followed by the category name.  To delete a task, just click on the desired task and then click on the Delete Button.  Optionally, you may double click the desired task.  GRADEBOOK will ask if you are sure you want to delete the task.  It is not necessary to delete a task and then add the task to change its location.  This may be done using the Task, Reorder menu.

See Also

Report Window

Task Delete Menu

Task Reorder Menu

Task Reorder Dialog Box


Reorder Tasks Dialog Box

The Reorder Tasks Dialog Box is used to reorder existing tasks of the current default class and is accessed from the Task, Reorder menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Reorder Button

The Reorder Button reorders the selected task from its current location to the new location you select in the New Task Location Before List Box.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Task To Reorder List Box

The Task To Reorder List Box is a drop down list box that you use to select the task you want to reorder.  The list consists of the optional task name followed by the category name.

New Task Location Before List Box

The New Task Location Before List Box is a drop down list box that you use to select the desired location for the task you have selected in the Task To Reorder List Box.

See Also

Report Window

Task Reorder Menu


Report Fonts Dialog Box
Select Report Fonts Dialog Box

The Select Report Fonts Dialog Box is used to select the screen and printer fonts that GRADEBOOK uses for all the reports in the Report Window.  GRADEBOOK can use any font that is installed under Windows.  You may select the screen and printer fonts independently.  Windows may be supplied with the following fonts:

Courier 10, 12, 15

Helv 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24 (or MS Sans Serif)

Tms Rmn 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24 (or MS Serif)

Symbol 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24

Modern

Roman

Script

Arial (True Type)

Times New Roman (True Type)

The fonts listed with point sizes are bit mapped fonts and are only furnished in the given sizes (there are 72 points per inch - a 12 pt high font is roughly 6 lines per inch).  The fonts without point sizes are vector fonts and are scalable to any size.  Windows also supports bit mapped fonts in specific sizes such as those supplied by Bitstream's Fontware.  Windows also supports scalable fonts such as True Type, Bitstream's Facelift, HP's Intellifont and Adobe's Type Manager.  If available, you will probably want to select one of these high quality fonts for your report printer fonts or one of the fonts that is built into your printer.  Using a built in printer font may greatly reduce your printing times especially if you have a dot matrix printer.  To get a WYSIWYG display you could use a matching screen font if you have one installed.  However, you may find (depending on your hardware) that using the scalable fonts or the matching screen fonts slows down your screen display.  If this is a problem you may prefer to use one of the built in Windows bit mapped fonts.  The Select Report Fonts Dialog Box is accessed from the Misc, Screen Fonts or Printer Fonts menu and has the following controls.

OK Button

The OK Button revises the report screen and printer fonts that are used.  If there is currently a report in the Report Window it will be redrawn with the new screen font.  This may take a while if the new font is currently not loaded.  The selected report fonts are not used to chart score and grade distributions.  If the particular font that you have selected is not available in the size or bold and italic configuration that you select, Windows will use the closest available font.  In addition, some font packages will shift over to the built in Windows fonts when the font size is below a certain threshold size.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without changing the report fonts.

Help Button

The Help Button will provide help information on the dialog box.

Font List Box

The Font List Box shows all the screen or printer fonts available on your system.  The current font will be highlighted.  Click on the font name that you want to use.

Font Style List Box

Used to select regular, italic, bold, or bold italic attributes.

Font Size List Box

The Font Size List Box may be used to select the desired font size by clicking on the size you want.  Alternatively, you may enter the size you want in the edit box.  You may enter a size from 4 to 127 points.  If you select a large sized font for a screen font you will have to use the scroll bars to view all of your report in the Report Window.  If you select a large sized font for a printer font, the wide sections of your report might not fit on a single page.  If this occurs you will get a message informing you that your font is too large.  You may use a smaller font or shift your printer into landscape mode.  You may also decrease your printer margins.  Note that not all fonts will work in landscape mode.  It depends on whether your font package supports landscape mode.

Sample Picture Box

Displays a sample of the font selected if you have selected a size.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Screen Fonts Menu

Misc Printer Fonts Menu

File Printer Margins Menu

Printer Margins Dialog Box

Select Chart Fonts Dialog Box

Fonts


Category Names Dialog Box

The Category Names Dialog Box is used to revise the default category names and their abbreviations and is accessed from the Misc, Category Names menu.  GRADEBOOK can group tasks in up to 10 different categories.  All of the categories with the exception of Extra Credit may be user defined.  The category abbreviations are limited to 5 characters and are used on score and grade list reports to conserve space.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the default category names and abbreviations.  When you click the Revise Button you are asked if you are sure you want to make the revisions you have entered.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Old Category Name List Box

The Old Category Name List Box is a drop down list box that initially lists the 9 existing user definable categories.  The currently selected category's abbreviation is automatically shown in the Old Abbr. box.  Click on the category you want to revise.

Old Abbr. Box

The Old Abbr. Box shows the current abbreviation for the category selected in the Old Category Name List Box.

New Category Name Edit Box

The New Category Name Edit Box is used to enter the revised category name for the category selected in the Old Category Name List Box.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the category name.

New Abbr. Edit Box

The New Abbr. Edit Box is used to enter the revised abbreviation for the category selected in the Old Category Name List Box.  You may enter up to 5 letters.  To conserve space on the reports you should only capitalize one or two of the characters in the abbreviation (capital letters require more space when using proportionally spaced type).  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the abbreviation.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Category Names Menu


Printer Margins Dialog Box

The Printer Margins Dialog Box is used to adjust the printer margins and is accessed from the File, Printer Margins menu.  You may want a larger margin on the left to allow space for hole punching.  If you are printing individual student reports one student per page, you may want to adjust the top margin to vertically center the report.  When GRADEBOOK prints a report, it will center it vertically if the report is less than one page (except for score and grade lists reports).  All reports except for score and grade lists will also be centered horizontally between the margins.

All margins are listed and entered in inches.  Note that the margins listed are in addition to any default margin that may be built into your printer.  Laser printers normally have about a quarter of an inch default margin.  If your printer has a .25 inch default left margin and you use .75 inch as your margin you will have 1 inch of white space on the left edge of the paper.  The easiest way to enter margins is to use the Tab key to change focus to the margin you want to revise.  When the edit box receives the focus, the existing margin will automatically be selected.  Just type in the new value and your entry will replace the current selection.  The dialog box has the following controls.

OK Button

The OK Button revises the margins.  If your new margins overlap or are out of range, you will get an error message.  The new printer margins will take effect on the next report that you print.  If a report is too wide to fit on a page, you can reduce the font size, reduce the margins or print in landscape mode.  Score and grade list reports will automatically use as many pages as required.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without revising the margins.

Margin Edit Boxes

The Margin Edit Boxes are used to enter the new margins.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the margins.

See Also

File Printer Margins Menu

Individual Reports

Fonts


Add Student Dialog Box
Add Students Dialog Box

The Add Students Dialog Box is used to add students to the current default class and is accessed from the Student, Add menu.  The only required entry for a student is a last name.  GRADEBOOK will not accept duplicate student names.  When checking for duplicates, GRADEBOOK will ignore capitalization, spaces, commas and periods.  Social security numbers are typically used for student ID numbers and allow you to post score and grade reports by ID number if you select the option when doing score and grade lists.  The Import Button may be used to import the student names and optional ID numbers from an ASCII file.  The Import Button is only enabled when no students have yet been entered into a class.  Students do not have to be entered in any particular order.  The order may be adjusted or alphabetized by using the Student, Reorder menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Add Button

The Add Button is used to add individual students to the current default class.  Each student must have at least a last name.  Clicking the Add Button adds the student to the class, clears the edit boxes, and places the focus at the Last Name edit box.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Add Button for the last student entered or it will be not be added to the class when you click the Done Button.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Last Name Edit Box

The Last Name Edit Box is used to enter the last name.  The normal Windows editing keys may be used to enter and revise the last name.  Capitalization is optional.  Reports will take up less room if you only capitalize the first letter of the last name.  Pressing the Tab key will move the focus to the next edit box.

First Name Edit Box

The First Name Edit Box is used to enter the optional first name.

MI Edit Box

The MI Edit Box is used to enter the optional middle initial.

ID Number Edit Box

The ID Number Edit Box is used to enter the optional student ID number.  It may contain characters as well as numbers.

Import Button

The Import Button may be used to import a list of student names and optional ID numbers from an ASCII file named IMPORT.DAT.  The file name and path may be changed using the Misc, Options menu.  The Import button is disabled after you have added a student to a class.  Students may only be imported to an empty class.

See Also

Report Window

Student Add Menu

Student Reorder Menu

Add Class Dialog Box

Reorder Students Dialog Box

File Export Menu

Student List Menu

IMPORT.DAT

EXPORT.DAT

Exporting Files

Importing Files


Delete Student Dialog Box

The Delete Student Dialog Box is used to delete a single student from the current default class and may be accessed from the Student, Delete menu.  When a student is deleted, all scores that have been entered for that student are also deleted.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Delete Button

The Delete Button will delete the selected student.  You will be asked if you are sure you want to delete the student.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Delete List Box

The Delete List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want to delete.  Just click on the student you want to delete.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Delete List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

See Also

Report Window

Student Delete Menu

Selecting Students


Reorder Students Dialog Box

The Reorder Students Dialog Box may be used to reorder individual students in a class or to alphabetize the entire class.  It is accessed from the Student, Reorder menu.  You may reorder the students so that the order will coincide with a manually kept grade book where late joining students may be kept at the end of the list.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Reorder Button

Clicking the Reorder Button will relocate the student selected in the Reorder List Box to the new location shown selected in the Locate Before List Box.

Alphabetize Button

Clicking the Alphabetize Button will alphabetically arrange the entire student list.

Order by ID Button

Clicking the Order by ID Button will arrange the entire student list based on ID number order.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Reorder List Box

The Reorder List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want to reorder.  Just click on the student you want to reorder.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Reorder List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

Locate Before List Box

The Locate Before List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the new location for the student you want to reorder.  Just click on the new location.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired location, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Locate Before List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

See Also

Report Window

Student Reorder Menu

Selecting Students


Revise Student Dialog Box

The Revise Student Dialog Box may be used to revise the student data for a student in the current default class.  It is accessed from the Student, Revise menu.    You may want to reorder the students after revising a student name using the Student, Reorder menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

Clicking the Revise Button will revise the student data for the student selected in the Student List Box.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box and the current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want to revise.  Just click on the student you want to revise.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.  Whenever a different student is selected the edit boxes will be updated with the current information for the selected student.

Last Name Edit Box

The Last Name Edit Box is used to enter the revised last name.  The normal Windows editing keys may be used to enter and revise the last name.  Capitalization is optional.  Reports will take up less room if you only capitalize the first letter of the last name.  Pressing the Tab key will move the focus to the next edit box.

First Name Edit Box

The First Name Edit Box is used to revise the optional first name.

MI Edit Box

The MI Edit Box is used to revise the optional middle initial.

ID Number Edit Box

The ID Number Edit Box is used to revise the optional student ID number.  It may contain characters as well as numbers.

See Also

Report Window

Student Revise Menu

Selecting Students

Student Reorder Menu

Reorder Students Dialog Box


Extract Student Dialog Box

The Extract Student Dialog Box is used to extract students from the current default class and start a new class file for the extracted student.  It may be accessed from the Student, Extract menu.  When a student is extracted, all scores that have been entered for that student are also extracted and transferred to the new class.  You may want to extract a subset of the students to print progress reports or so that you may apply different grading criteria for them than for the rest of the class.  This might be necessary for late joining students or students with a special circumstance.    The extracted students may be left in the original class or deleted.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Extract Button

The Extract Button will extract the selected students and close the dialog box.  You will be asked if you are sure you want to extract the students.  The students will be placed in a new class file with the same name as the original class with the first student's name added to the end.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without extracting a student.

Selection Method Options

You may elect to manually select the students you want to extract or you may extract students based on their average score.

Average < Text Box

The Average < Text Box is used to input the maximum average of the students you want extracted.

Average >= Text Box

The Average >= Text Box is used to input the minimum average of the students you want extracted.

Select Students to Extract List Box

The Select Students to Extract List Box is used to select the students you want to extract.  Just click on the students you want to extract.  You may also use the cursor keys and spacebar to select the students.

See Also

Report Window

Student Extract Menu

Late Joining Students

Extracting Students


Add Score Dialog Box

The Add Score Dialog Box is used to add student scores.  Entering scores is the most repeated operation in GRADEBOOK.  The Add Score Dialog Box has been designed to minimize the keystrokes required to enter scores.  It is accessed from the Score, Add menu.  The last task added is automatically the selected task in the Task To Add Score To List Box.  The Tab key may be used to shift the focus to the Student List Box after selecting the desired task.  The default student will be the first student in the class as you have ordered the students.  The Tab key may be used to shift the focus to the Score Edit Box after selecting the desired student.  When the Score Edit Box receives the focus it will automatically highlight the existing score.  Just type in the desired score and press the Enter key.  Since the Add key is the default key, pressing the Enter key will add the score.  If the Random Entry Check Box is checked the focus will automatically shift back to the Student List Box which will automatically increment to the next student on the list.  You may then select the next student or enter the appropriate search text.  If the Random Entry Check Box is not checked the focus will stay at the Score Edit Box and the Student Drop Down List Box will automatically increment to the next student on the list.  You will be notified after you enter the score for the last student.  You may then enter the next score and press the Enter key.  To skip a student, all you need to do is press the Enter key.  This will not change the existing score.  When the Score Edit Box has the focus, the Up and Down cursor keys may be used to go to the next or previous student.  The Pg Up and Pg Dn keys may be used to go to the first or last student.

The Random Entry Check Box is used to minimize the keystrokes required to enter scores when you are adding scores that are not in the same order as listed in the program.  If you are adding scores directly from a pile of student papers, the Random Entry Check Box should be checked.  GRADEBOOK will look for a particular student based on the search text that you enter.  You may use the student name or ID number for searching.  If the Search By ID check box is checked, the search is based on the student ID number instead of the name.  After selecting the student, press the Tab key to shift the focus to the Score Edit Box and enter the score.  Pressing the Enter key with the Random Entry Check Box checked will add the score to the file and then shift the focus back to the Student Drop Down List Box where you may then select the next student.

If you need to add several scores at a time for a single student you should check the One Student, Several Tasks check box.  When this box is checked, the task will automatically increment to the next task whenever you add a score and the student will not increment.  It the box is not checked, the student will increment whenever you add a score and the task will remain the same.  When the Score Edit Box has the focus, the Up and Down cursor keys may be used to go to the next or previous task.  The Pg Up and Pg Dn keys may be used to go to the first or last task.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Add Button

Clicking the Add Button will add a score for the currently selected student.  You will receive a warning if the score exceeds the perfect score.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Add Button for the last score entered.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without adding additional scores.

Task To Add Score To List Box

The Task To Add Score To List Box is a drop down list box which you use to select the task you want to add a score to.  The last task is automatically the default task.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want to add a score for.  Just click on the desired student.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.  The search string is also reset whenever the Add Button is used to add a score.  Whenever a different student is selected the Score Edit Box will be updated with the current score for the selected student.

Score Edit Box

The Score Edit Box is used to enter the score.  When it has the focus, the Up and Down cursor keys and Pg Up and Pg Dn keys may be used to select the desired student or task.  Scores may not be negative but may exceed the perfect score.  Fractional scores such as 82.37 are permitted.  You may also enter "NA" for a score.  It is not necessary to enter "0" for incomplete scores.  GRADEBOOK will treat "NA" scores as zero scores if you have elected that option from the Misc, Final Weights menu.  You may also enter letter grades for scores.  GRADEBOOK will convert letter grades to scores by using the values you specify using the Grade, Input Equivalents menu.  If you are using grade curve midpoints and your grading curve is 80 for a B and 90 for an A, a B grade will be converted to a score of 85% of the perfect score.  If you are using plus minus grades you may also enter plus minus grades.  If a B+ is 87 and an A- is 90, a B+ grade will be converted to a score of 88.5% of the perfect score.  GRADEBOOK does not accept E grades as input when you are using grade curve midpoints.  An E might be a 0 or a 59 or something in between if there is some partial credit.  When using grade curve midpoints, you should enter E grades by entering the appropriate numerical score.  If you are not using grade curve midpoints, you may specify the values to use for all the letter grades including an E.  You may also enter "NC" for a score that you do not want counted.  If a student joins the class late or has an excused absence, assigning an "NC" score will prevent the student from being penalized for the missing score.  Make sure you click the Add button or press the Enter key after you enter the last score.  When complete, click on the Done button.

Perfect Box

The Perfect Box displays the perfect score for the currently selected task.

Random Entry Check Box

The Random Entry Check Box is used to control where the focus is shifted after you press the Enter key to add a score.  If it is checked the focus will shift to the Student Drop Down List Box where you may select the next student.  If it is not checked, the focus will stay at the Score Edit Box where you may enter the score for the next student.

Search By ID Check Box

The Search By ID Check Box is used to select whether you want to search for a students name or ID number.  If it is not checked, the search will be based on a student's name.  If it is checked, the search will be based on the ID number.

One Student, Several Tasks Check Box

The One Student, Several Tasks Check Box is used to select whether the student or task increments every time you add a score.  If checked, the task will increment and the student will stay the same.  If not checked the student will increment and the task will stay the same.

See Also

Adding Scores

Report Window

Score Add Menu

Grade Input Equivalents Dialog Box

Selecting Students

Student Reorder Menu

Reorder Students Dialog Box

Misc Final Weights Menu

Final Category Weights Dialog Box


Add Previous Average Dialog Box

The Add Previous Average Dialog Box is used to add the average scores from a previous class to an existing task in the current class.  This allows term grades to be easily calculated if the term consists of more than one period and also allows several terms to be combined.  For example, you may have 2 ten week periods in the term.  Each period would be a different class such as Math 1st hour - Period 1 and Math 1st hour - Period 2.  Grades for period 1 and 2 may be calculated normally.  To calculate the term grade you would add a summary class such as Math 1st hour - Overall.  You could then add Mid Term tasks named Period 1 and Period 2.  You could also add a Final task if desired.  You can then add the previous period 1 averages to the first Mid Term task and the previous period 2 averages to the second Mid Term task.  The overall term grade may then be calculated.  If you include a final you may specify the desired weights.  You could weight the two periods for 80% and the final for 20%.  You may also give different weights to the two periods by giving them different task categories such as Mid Term 1 and Mid Term 2.  When adding new period classes and the overall class, GRADEBOOK will automatically enter the existing student names.

Combining terms is similar.  For example, you may have 4 terms in the school year that you need to average to calculate the year grade.  To do this, add a summary class for the entire year such as Math 1st hour - Year Average.  Grades for each term may be calculated normally.  Add a task to the summary class for each term.  Then use the Score, Add Previous Average menu to transfer each terms average to the summary class.  You may also include a final if desired.   The dialog box has the following controls.

Add Button

Clicking the Add Button will add the previous average score to the selected task.  The average score will be calculated based on your selections for selected tasks, final weights and grading method for the previous class.  If a student already has a score for that task you will be asked if you want to overwrite it.  Only students that exist in the current class will have scores entered.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without adding previous averages.

Task To Add Previous Average To List Box

The Task To Add Previous Average To List Box is a drop down list box which you use to select the task you want to add the previous average to.  The last task is automatically the default task.  You should give this task a descriptive name such as Period 1 Averages.  The task category name would normally be Mid Term or something similar.

Previous Class List Box

The Previous Class List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the class you want to get the average scores from.  This class would normally be one of the period classes that you are importing into the overall term class or a term class that you are importing into the overall year class.

See Also

Select Previous Class Dialog Box

Score Add Previous Average Menu

Periods

Extracting Scores


Score Transfer Dialog Box

The Score Transfer Dialog Box is used to transfer tasks or scores and tasks from the current default class to another class in the same term.  The destination class may be a summary class that you have added using the same students or a similar class that you want to transfer tasks to.  You may transfer several tasks or scores and tasks at the same time.  For example, you might want to transfer all the test scores to a summary class so that you could calculate the score distribution for just the tests.  All the selected tasks are always transferred whether you do a Task, Transfer or Score, Transfer.  When doing a Score, Transfer, scores are only transferred if the same student is in both classes.  You could do the same thing using the Score, Add Previous Average menu but it would require you to manually enter in the tasks in the destination class, and to individually select each task using the Misc, Selected Task menu.  The Score, Add Previous Average menu is primarily intended to transfer a class average to a summary class.  You could transfer period 1 and period 2 averages to a summary class so that you could calculate a term average.  The Score, Transfer menu will only transfer individual scores and will not transfer averages.  The students do not need to be in the same order in the two classes.  After selecting the tasks using the Score Transfer Dialog Box, you select the destination class using the Select Destination Class Dialog Box.  The Task, Transfer menu is useful if you have several similar classes.  You can enter a task once into one of the classes and then transfer it to all the other similar classes.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Transfer Button

Clicking the Transfer Button will transfer the selected tasks or scores and tasks to the destination class.  The scores and tasks will not be deleted from the original class.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without transferring scores or tasks.

Select All The Scores You Want To Transfer List Box

The Select All The Scores You Want To Transfer List Box is a multiple selection list box which you use to select the tasks you want to transfer.  Use the mouse to click on each task you want to include or use the arrow keys and space bar to select tasks.

See Also

Select Destination Class Dialog Box

Score Transfer Menu

Extracting Scores


Score List Dialog Box

The Score List Dialog Box is used to input the tasks and students you want to list scores for.  It is accessed from the Score, List menu.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is checked, the scores will be listed horizontally in an abbreviated format.  Each task will be listed by its category abbreviation, sequence number and perfect score.  The task name will not be included.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is not checked, the scores will be listed in a vertical format with the complete task names and complete category names.  If the Include All Tasks check box is checked, all tasks will be listed.  If the check box is not checked then the Select Task List Box will be enabled and you may select the task you want from the list box.  If the List All Students Check Box is checked, scores for all students will be listed.  If the check box is not checked then the Student List Box will be enabled and you may select the single student whose score you want to list.  An instructor summary report lists all the students together.  An individual summary report lists each student separately and is intended to be passed out to the student.  If the Individual Option Button is on, the One Student Per Page Check Box will be enabled.  If checked, only one student will be listed per page.  GRADEBOOK will then fit as many tasks on one page as will fit.  If not checked, as many students as will fit on a page are listed on each page.  You would then need to cut the paper to separate the individual students.  The report will use either student names, ID numbers or both depending on how you select the Student ID option.  You may select if you want to list the students in their normal order or in order of their ID numbers.  The number of tasks or students that will fit on a page depends on the margins, page orientation and font size.  If the One Student Per Page Check Box is checked the Teacher Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will include the teacher note at the bottom of each individual summary report.  If the Teacher Note Check Box is enabled, the Custom Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will allow you to custom modify the teacher note for each student.  The dialog box has the following controls.

List Button

Clicking the List Button will produce the score list report in the Report Window using the options that you have selected.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Brief Task Listing Check Box

If the Brief Task Listing Check Box is checked, the tasks are listed in a brief horizontal format that only includes the category abbreviations.  If it is not checked, the complete task names and category names are listed in a vertical format.

Use Shaded Grid Check Box

If the Use Shaded Grid Check Box is checked, every other row is shaded on the printed report.  This makes it easier to follow student scores across the page.  You may only use a shaded grid for brief format instructor summaries.  The use of shading will increase the time required to print a report.  The shading level may be set from the Misc, Options menu.

Include All Tasks Check Box

If the Include All Tasks Check Box is checked, all tasks are included in the report.  Otherwise you select the desired task from the Select Task List Box.

List Scores By Option Buttons

If the Letter Grade option is selected, all scores are translated to letter grades in the report.  Note that GRADEBOOK stores all scores numerically.  If you enter a letter grade, it is converted to a numerical score using the grade curve midpoints or using the grade input equivalents you have assigned.  When the Letter Grade option is selected, the numerical scores are listed as grades using the existing grading curve for the class.  If you change your grading curve or switch to a different class with a different grading curve, you may get unexpected results when using this option.  It is intended to be used by instructors who want prepare reports that list the grade for each task instead of the score for each task.  The Percent option may be used by instructors who are required to turn in percentage scores.

List All Students Check Box

If the List All Students Check Box is checked, all students are included in the report.  Otherwise you select the desired student from the Student List Box.

Instructor Option Button

If the Instructor Option Button is on, an instructor summary report is produced.

Individual Option Button

If the Individual Option Button is on, an individual summary report is produced.

Select Task List Box

The Select Task List Box is used to select the single task you want in the score list report.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want listed in the report.  Just click on the desired student.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

One Student Per Page Check Box

Clicking the One Student Per Page Check Box will limit the score list report to a single student per page when printing individual reports.  This option will require more paper but will not require the individual reports to be cut apart.  The individual report may be positioned on the page using the File, Printer Margins menu.

Teacher Note Check Box

Clicking the Teacher Note Check Box will include your standard teacher note on the printout for each student.

Custom Note Check Box

Clicking the Custom Note Check Box will allow you to modify your standard teacher note for each student.

Student ID Option Buttons

You may select how you want the student to be listed.  You may use his name only, his ID number only or both.  If you elect his ID number only, the sort order will automatically default to ID order.

Student Order Option Buttons

You may select the order you want the students to be listed.  Normal order is the order the students are entered in the program.  You may use the Student, Reorder menu to order the students in any order you want or to alphabetize them.  If you elect ID number order, the students are listed in ID number order.  You would usually elect this option if you are using ID numbers to post scores.

See Also

Report Window

Score List Menu

Individual Reports

Teacher Note Procedure

Add Class Dialog Box

Selecting Students

File Printer Margins Menu


Grade List Dialog Box

The Grade List Dialog Box is used to input the students you want listed on a grade report and the type of grade report desired.  It is accessed from the Grade, List menu.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is checked, the scores will be listed horizontally in an abbreviated format.  Each task will be listed by its category abbreviation, sequence number and perfect score.  The task name will not be included.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is not checked, the scores will be listed in a vertical format with the complete task names and complete category names.  The tasks included in the report are selected from the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  The grading curve used for the report is set from the Misc, Grading Curve menu.  The type of scoring system used to calculate grades is set from the Misc, Final Weights menu.  If interim weights are being used they are controlled from the Misc, Interim Weights menu.  Revising any of these settings from the Misc menu will update a grade list report if it is the current report in the Report Window.  If the List All Students Check Box is checked, grades for all students will be listed.  If the check box is not checked then the Student List Box will be enabled and you may select the single student whose grade you want to list.  If the List All Students Check Box is checked, you may select the order you want the students listed.  If you elect rank order the students will be listed on the report in a top down order with the highest scoring students listed first.  If you elect rank order with percentiles each student's position and percentile will also be listed.  The scores, averages and grades option will list scores, averages and letter grades in the report.  The scores, averages option will not list the grades.  This is useful if you do not use letter grades.  The averages and grades option will not list the individual scores.  The grades only option will list letter grades only.  The averages only option will list averages only.  An instructor summary report lists all the students together.  An individual summary report lists each student separately and is intended to be passed out to the student.  If the Individual Option Button is on, the One Student Per Page Check Box will be enabled.  If checked, only one student will be listed per page.  GRADEBOOK will then fit as many tasks on one page as will fit.  If not checked, as many students as will fit on a page are listed on each page.  You would then need to cut the paper to separate the individual students.  The report will use either student names, ID numbers or both depending on how you select the Student ID option.  The number of tasks or students that will fit on a page depends on the margins, page orientation and font size.  If the One Student Per Page Check Box is checked the Teacher Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will include the teacher note at the bottom of each individual summary report.  If the Teacher Note Check Box is enabled, the Custom Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will allow you to custom modify the teacher note for each student.  If you are using total points, and are using regular extra credit weights or have no extra credit or are only listing one task, the Average option allows you to select whether you want the grading curve and student averages to be listed using percents or using points.  If the Include Cat Avgs check box is checked, the category averages will be included in the report.  The dialog box has the following controls.

List Button

Clicking the List Button will produce the grade list report in the Report Window using the options that you have selected.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Brief Task Listing Check Box

If the Brief Task Listing Check Box is checked, the tasks are listed in a brief horizontal format that only includes the category abbreviations.  If it is not checked, the complete task names and category names are listed in a vertical format.  This also disables the Scores and Grades and Grades Only option buttons.  If you want to print grades only, check the Brief Task Listing Check Box.

Use Shaded Grid Check Box

If the Use Shaded Grid Check Box is checked, every other row is shaded on the printed report.  This makes it easier to follow student scores across the page.  You may only use a shaded grid for brief format instructor summaries.  The use of shading will increase the time required to print a report.  The shading level may be set from the Misc, Options menu.

Include Cat Avgs Check Box

If the Include Cat Avgs Check Box is checked, the report will contain the category averages.  This option is only enabled if you are using category averages, or total points with category averages and you are doing a report for more than one task.

List Scores By Option Buttons

If the Letter Grade option is selected, all scores are translated to letter grades in the report.  Note that GRADEBOOK stores all scores numerically.  If you enter a letter grade, it is converted to a numerical score using the grade curve midpoints or using the grade input equivalents you have assigned.  When the Letter Grade option is selected, the numerical scores are listed as grades using the existing grading curve for the class.  If you change your grading curve or switch to a different class with a different grading curve, you may get unexpected results when using this option.  It is intended to be used by instructors who want prepare reports that list the grade for each task instead of the score for each task.  The Percent option may be used by instructors who are required to turn in percentage scores.

List All Students Check Box

If the List All Students Check Box is checked, all students are included in the report.  Otherwise you select the desired student from the Student List Box.  This option enables the Rank Order Check Box.

Scores, Avgs, Grades Option Button

If the Scores, Avgs, Grades Option Button is on, scores, averages and grades are listed in the report.

Scores, Averages Option Button

If the Scores, Averages Option Button is on, scores and averages will be listed but grades will not be listed in the report.

Averages, Grades Option Button

If the Averages, Grades Option Button is on, the averages and grades will be listed but the individual scores will not be listed in the report.

Grades Only Option Button

If the Grades Only Option Button is on, only letter grades are listed in the report.

Averages Only Option Button

If the Averages Only Option Button is on, only averages are listed in the report.

Instructor Option Button

If the Instructor Option Button is on, an instructor report is produced.

Individual Option Button

If the Individual Option Button is on, an individual report is produced.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want listed in the report.  Just click on the desired student.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

One Student Per Page Check Box

Clicking the One Student Per Page Check Box will limit the grade list report to a single student per page when printing individual reports.  This option will require more paper but will not require the individual reports to be cut apart.  The individual report may be positioned on the page using the File, Printer Margins menu.

Teacher Note Check Box

Clicking the Teacher Note Check Box will include your standard teacher note on the printout for each student.

Custom Note Check Box

Clicking the Custom Note Check Box will allow you to modify your standard teacher note for each student.

Averages Option Buttons

You may select how you want the averages to be listed.  If you list percents, the grading curve and student averages will be listed using percentages.  If you list points, the grading curve and student averages will be listed using points.  This has no effect on how the averages are calculated, only on how they are displayed.

Student ID Option Buttons

You may select how you want the student to be listed.  You may use his name only, his ID number only or both.  If you elect his ID number only, the sort order will automatically default to ID order.

Student Order Option Buttons

You may select the order you want the students to be listed.  Normal order is the order the students are entered in the program.  You may use the Student, Reorder menu to order the students in any order you want or to alphabetize them.  If you elect ID number order, the students are listed in ID number order.  You would usually elect this option if you are using ID numbers to post scores.  If you elect the rank order option, the students are listed in order of their averages.  If you elect rank order with percentiles each student's position and percentile will also be listed.  Percentile rankings are meaningless for students that have NA scores when NA scores are not treated as zeros.

See Also

Report Window

Grade List Menu

Misc Selected Tasks Menu

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Teacher Note Procedure

Grade Curve

Misc Grading Curve Menu

Grading Curve Dialog Box

Misc Final Weights Menu

Final Category Weights Dialog Box

Misc Interim Weights Menu

Interim Weights Dialog Box


Category Weights Dialog Box
Final Category Weights Dialog Box

The Final Category Weights Dialog Box is used to control the grading method and is accessed from the Misc, Final Weights menu.  If you select the Use Total Points Option Button, category weights are not used to calculate grades.  The term average is then determined by summing the individual point scores except for discarded scores, dividing by the total perfect score and then adding the extra credit.  If using total points, extra credit may be weighted or have a regular weight determined by the points of the extra credit.  If a student has an "NC" (not counted) score, his total perfect score is reduced by the perfect score for each not counted score.

Incomplete scores may be treated as zeros or incomplete.  If treated as zeros, they are included in score distributions and grade distributions.  If you want to know what the distribution of scores is without including the incomplete scores (to prevent skewing the average lower) you can select the Treat Incomplete Option Button.  Incomplete scores are then not counted in score distributions and receive an incomplete "NA" in grade lists and grade distributions.

If you select the Category Weights Option Button,  the term average is determined by averaging the percent scores for all tasks in a category except for discarded scores, and then adjusting each category by its category weight.  Extra credit is then added.  When using the Category Weights Option the category weights (except for extra credit) must add up to 100%.  If a student has an "NC" score it is discarded and his average score for that category is determined by the remaining scores in that category.

If you select the Use Total Points with Category Weights Option Button, the category averages are calculated using total points.  The term average is then determined by weighting the category averages.

The Final Category Weights Dialog Box is used to enter the category weights that you want to be in effect at the end of the term after you have entered scores for all the tasks.  However, if you are printing a progress report in the middle of a term, all the tasks will not yet be entered.  For example, you may want the final exam to be weighted at 20% at the end of the term, but you will not have a final score available in mid term.  The final category weights need to be adjusted when doing a progress report.  GRADEBOOK will do this automatically if you select the Misc, Interim Weights menu and select the Interim Weights Option Button on the Interim Category Weights Dialog Box.  Interim weights are not required when using total points alone.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button is only enabled when the Use Task Weights Option is selected.  Clicking the Revise Button will revise the category weight for the category you have selected in the Category Name List Box.  The Category Weight Summary Box will update with the new weight and will recalculate the current category weight total.  This total must be 100% if you want to use the Task Weights Option.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last weight you have entered.  GRADEBOOK will give you a message if your weights do not add up to 100% if you have selected the Use Task Weights Option.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  Score and grade distributions, score and grade charts and grade lists will automatically be updated with the revised grading method.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Category Name List Box

The Category Name List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the category you want to revise.  It is disabled if the Use Total Points Option Button is selected.  When you select a category, its current weight is displayed in the Weight% Edit Box.

Category Weight Summary Box

The Category Weight Summary Box lists all the categories with the exception of extra credit, and their current weights.  The sum of the weights is also listed and must equal 100% when you are done revising weights.  The weights are updated every time the Revise Button is clicked.  It is disabled if the Use Total Points Option Button is selected.

Weight% Edit Box

The Weight% Edit Box is used to enter the revised weight for the category you have selected.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter and revise the weight.  Weights must be between 0 and 100%.  Fractional weight percentages such as 35.33 are allowed.  It is disabled if the Use Total Points Option Button is selected.

Extra Credit Weight% Edit Box

The Extra Credit Weight% Edit Box is used to enter the weight for extra credit.  The extra credit weight is not included in the sum of the weights since extra credit is in addition to the normal tasks.  It is possible for a student to get a term average higher than 100%.  If extra credit has a weight of 5%, a perfect student would have a 105% term average.  If using total points, the word "Regular" will appear in the Edit Box if you have checked the Regular Check Box.  Extra credit then has a regular weight determined only by the number of extra credit points.

Regular Check Box

The Regular Check Box is enabled when you select the Total Points Option Button.  If you are using total points, you may elect to weight the extra credit or just add the extra credit points to the regular points.

Use Category Weights Option Button

If the Use Category Weights Option Button is selected, category weights are used to calculate the term average.  This also enables the Misc, Interim Weights menu and disables the Regular Check Box.

Use Total Points with Category Weights Option Button

If the Use Total Points with Category Weights Option Button is selected, total points are used to calculate the category averages.  The category averages are then weighted to calculate the term average.  This also enables the Misc, Interim Weights menu and disables the Regular Check Box.

Use Total Points Option Button

If the Total Points Option Button is selected, the term average is determined by summing the individual scores times their task weights.  Using this option disables the Misc, Interim Weights menu and enables the Regular Check Box.

Treat As Zeros Option Button

If the Treat As Zeros Option Button is selected, incomplete or "NA" scores are treated the same as a "0" score for score and grade calculations.

Treat Incomplete Option Button

If the Treat Incomplete Option Button is selected, incomplete or "NA" scores are treated as incomplete.  The student is not included in score and grade calculations.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Final Weights Menu

Misc Interim Weights Menu

Interim Weights Dialog Box

Discarding Scores

Incomplete Scores

Extra Credit

Progress Reports


Select Tasks Dialog Box
Selected Tasks Dialog Box

The Selected Tasks Dialog Box is used to input which tasks you want to include in score and grade distributions, score and grade charts, and grade list reports and is accessed from the Misc, Selected Tasks menu.  It does not effect the scores that are listed in a score list report.  You may also specify the number of scores in each category that you would like to discard.  GRADEBOOK will discard the worst "n" scores in any category from score and grade calculations.  If the A Single Task Option is selected, no scores are discarded and the Category Name List Box , Discard Edit Box, Discard All Empty Tasks Button and Revise Button are disabled.  The Discard All Empty Tasks Button is also disabled if there are no students in the class.  You may then select the desired single task from the Selected Task List Box.  If the All Tasks Option Button is selected the Selected Task List Box is disabled.  You then use the Category Name List Box to select each category that you want to discard scores for and enter the number of scores you want to discard for that category in the Discard Edit Box.  Clicking the Revise Button updates the Category Discards Summary Box.  If you have entered all your tasks in ahead of time, the Discard All Empty Tasks Button may be used to automatically discard the tasks for which you have not yet entered scores for.  To be empty all the scores for a task must be all NA .  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button is only enabled when the All Tasks Option Button is selected.  Clicking the Revise Button will revise the number of scores you want to discard for the category you have selected in the Category Name List Box.  The Category Discards Summary Box will be updated.  You may not discard more scores in a category than you have on record.  If you are using the total point method of scoring, you may only discard scores if all tasks in a category have the same perfect score.  This is necessary to prevent discarding scores that have different weights.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last number of discards you have entered.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  Score and grade distributions, score and grade charts and grade lists will automatically be updated with the revised selected tasks information.

Discard All Empty Tasks Button

Clicking the Discard All Empty Tasks Button will automatically revise the number of discarded tasks to the current number of empty tasks for each category.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Selected Task List Box

The Selected Task List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the single task you want to include.  It is only enabled when the A Single Task Option Button is selected.

Category Name List Box

The Category Name List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the category you want to revise the number of discarded scores for.  It is only enabled when the All Tasks Option Button is selected.

Category Discards Summary Box

The Category Discards Summary Box lists all the categories and the number of scores that will be deleted for each category.  The discards are updated every time the Revise Button is clicked.  It is only enabled when the All Tasks Option Button is selected.

Discard Edit Box

The Discard Edit Box is used to enter the number of scores you want to discard for the category you have selected in the Category Name List Box.  You may not discard more scores in a category than you have on record.

All Tasks Option Button

If the All Tasks Option Button is selected, all tasks less the number of discards are included in score and grade calculations.

A Single Task Option Button

If the A Single Task Option Button is selected, only the task selected in the Selected Task List Box is included in score and grade calculations.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Selected Tasks Menu

Discarding Scores


Score Distribution Dialog Box

The Score Distribution Dialog Box is used to select the classes you want to include in a score distribution and is accessed from the Score, Distribution menu.  If you only have one class in a term, GRADEBOOK automatically includes the single class in a score distribution and skips the dialog box.  You may include from 1 to all the classes in a term in the score distribution.  Typically, you would include similar classes.  If you were teaching two Physics 221 classes, you could include both classes in the score distribution.  You could then use the combined score distribution to set your grade cutoffs.  After doing a score distribution, the Score, Chart Distribution menu item will be enabled and can be used to chart the distribution.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  The Report Window will now display the score distribution report.  The distribution will be calculated based on the options you have selected on the Final Weights Dialog Box, Interim Weights Dialog Box and Selected Tasks Dialog Box.  The distribution spacing used is set from the Add Class Dialog Box or Revise Class Dialog Box.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Classes To Include In Distribution List Box

The Classes To Include In Distribution List Box is a multiple selection list box that is used to select all the classes that will be included in the distribution.  Initially, the current class is the only selected class.  You may select additional classes by clicking on them or using the cursor keys to move the selection to them and then pressing the space bar.

See Also

Report Window

Score Distribution Menu

Final Weights Dialog Box

Interim Weights Dialog Box

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Score Chart Distribution Menu

Charting Distributions

Score Distributions


Grade Distribution Dialog Box

The Grade Distribution Dialog Box is used to select the classes you want to include in a grade distribution and is accessed from the Grades, Distribution menu.  If you only have one class in a term, GRADEBOOK automatically includes the single class in a grade distribution and skips the dialog box.  You may include from 1 to all the classes in a term in the grade distribution.  Typically, you would include similar classes.  If you were teaching two Physics 221 classes, you could include both classes in the grade distribution.  After doing a grade distribution, the Grade, Chart Distribution menu item will be enabled and can be used to chart the distribution.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  The Report Window will now display the grade distribution report.  The distribution will be calculated based on the options you have selected on the Final Weights Dialog Box, Interim Weights Dialog Box, Grading Curve Dialog Box and Selected Tasks Dialog Box.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Classes To Include In Distribution List Box

The Classes To Include In Distribution List Box is a multiple selection list box that is used to select all the classes that will be included in the distribution.  Initially, the current class is the only selected class.  You may select additional classes by clicking on them or using the cursor keys to move the selection to them and then pressing the space bar.

See Also

Report Window

Grades Distribution Menu

Final Weights Dialog Box

Interim Weights Dialog Box

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Grading Curve Dialog Box

Grade Chart Distribution Menu

Charting Distributions

Grade Curve


Grade Curve Dialog Box
Grading Curve Dialog Box

The Grading Curve Dialog Box is used to set the grade cutoffs used to calculate letter grades and is accessed from the Misc, Grading Curves menu.  You may set the cutoff points for the letter grades you have assigned using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  To set the cutoff points, first select the desired letter grade in the Letter Grade List Box.  Then set the cutoff in the Cutoff% Edit Box.  Click the Revise Button and the new cutoff will be listed in the Grade Cutoffs Box.  The cutoffs you enter must be in numerically increasing order.  However, you may set two consecutive cutoffs to the same value.  If you do not want any D- grades, just set the D- and D cutoffs to the same value.  The prefered method would be to use the Grades, Custom Grades menu and eliminate the D- grade entirely.  If you do not want any A+ grades, you can set the A+ cutoff to 100 or eliminate the grade entirely using the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the cutoff for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  The Grade Cutoffs Box is updated with the new value.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last cutoff you entered.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  Grade distributions, grade charts and grade lists will automatically be updated with the revised grading curve information.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Letter Grade List Box

The Letter Grade List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the Letter Grade you want to revise the cutoff for.

Cutoff% Edit Box

The Cutoff% Edit Box is used to enter the cutoff for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  Fractional percent values are allowed.

Grade Cutoffs Box

The Grade Cutoffs Box list all the current grade cutoffs.  You may use it to determine if your cutoffs are numerically increasing.  If not GRADEBOOK will give you a message when you click the Done Button.  It is updated every time you click the Revise Button.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Grading Curves Menu

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Grade Curve


Grade Input Equivalents Dialog Box

The Grade Input Equivalents Dialog Box is used to select the method and the values that are used to translate letter grade input into numerical scores and is accessed from the Grade, Input Equivalents menu.  If you elect to use the grade curve midpoints, a letter grade is translated to a numerical score using the grading curve of the current class.  For example, if the current curve has a cutoff of 93% for an A and a cutoff of 90% for an A-, entering an A- letter grade will produce a numerical score equal to 91.5% of the perfect score.  When using the grade curve midpoints, the values used to translate letter grades to scores may vary when you revise your grading curve or switch to a different class with a different grading curve.

If you don't use the grade curve midpoints, you may input the numerical values you want to use for translating each letter grade.  These values would remain constant as you change classes or grading curves.  You would normally want to set the values somewhat higher than the grading curve cutoff.  For example, if the cutoff for an A is 90%, you might want to use 93% for translating an A into a numerical score.  If you used 90%, a student with all A scores and one B score would not make the A cutoff because his average would be less than 90%.  To set the values, first select the desired letter grade in the Letter Grade List Box.  Then set the value in the Equivalent% Edit Box.  Click the Revise Button and the new value will be listed in the Grade Equivalents Box.  The values you enter must be in numerically increasing order.  However, you may set two consecutive values to the same value.  If you are not using plus and minus grades, the values for the plus and minus grades are not used since you may not input plus and minus grades.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Use Grade Curve Midpoints Check Box

The Use Grade Curve Midpoints Check Box is used to determine the method used for translating input letter grades.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the equivalent value for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  The Grade Equivalents Box is updated with the new value.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last value you entered.  The changes will take effect the next time you enter scores.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The existing equivalents will remain unchanged.

Letter Grade List Box

The Letter Grade List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the Letter Grade you want to revise the value for.

Equivalent% Edit Box

The Equivalent% Edit Box is used to enter the value for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  Fractional percent values are allowed.

Grade Equivalents Box

The Grade Equivalents Box lists all the current grade equivalents.  You may use it to determine if your values are numerically increasing.  If not GRADEBOOK will give you a message when you click the Done Button.  It is updated every time you click the Revise Button.

See Also

Add Score Dialog Box

Grade Input Equivalents Menu


Score Chart Window

The Score Chart Window is used for displaying and modifying charts of score distributions.  The window is created from the Score, Chart Distribution menu on the Report Window.  You must first do a score distribution to enable the menu item.

The menu bar of the Score Chart Window contains the commands for charting score distributions.  The main commands are File, Edit, Options and Window.  A detailed description of each command may be found under COMMANDS from the Help Index.  The Score Chart Window displays the chart of the most recently calculated score distribution.  The Report Window and Score Chart Window (and Grade Chart Window) may be arranged manually or you may select the Window, Arrange All menu to automatically arrange the windows.

The fonts used in the Score Chart Window are selected from the Misc, Chart Fonts menu on the Report Window.  The Score Chart Window may be minimized to an icon using the minimize button or maximized by using the maximize button.  The window may be closed by double clicking the system menu, clicking the system menu and then clicking on Close or by selecting File, Exit from the menu.  Any chart in the window may be printed by selecting the File, Print menu.  The printer margins and orientation may be set from the File, Printer Setup and File, Printer Margins menus on the Report Window.  The chart is always printed full size.  Any chart in the window may also be copied to the Windows clipboard by using the Edit, Copy menu.  The chart is copied to the clipboard at its current size.  Thus, you should use the sizing borders to get the size of chart you want, before you do an Edit, Copy.  Once on the clipboard the chart may be pasted into other Windows applications such as Excel, Word for Windows, or Paint.  The options menu may be used to control the appearance of the chart.

The chart will automatically be updated when you revise the selected tasks, final category weights and interim category weights from the Misc menu on the Report Window.  Help on any command may be obtained by pressing Shift - F1 and then selecting the command you want help on.  Help on any dialog box that appears in the Score Chart Window may be obtained by pressing F1.

See Also

Commands

Score Chart Distribution Menu

Excel

Word for Windows

Clipboard

Fonts


Grade Chart Window

The Grade Chart Window is used for displaying and modifying charts of grade distributions.  The window is created from the Grade, Chart Distribution menu on the Report Window.  You must first do a grade distribution to enable the menu item.

The menu bar of the Grade Chart Window contains the commands for charting grade distributions.  The main commands are File, Edit, Options and Window.  A detailed description of each command may be found under COMMANDS from the Help Index.  The Grade Chart Window displays the chart of the most recently calculated grade distribution.  The Report Window and Grade Chart Window (and Score Chart Window) may be arranged manually or you may select the Window, Arrange All menu to automatically arrange the windows.

The fonts used in the Grade Chart Window are selected from the Misc, Chart Fonts menu on the Report Window.  The Grade Chart Window may be minimized to an icon using the minimize button or maximized by using the maximize button.  The window may be closed by double clicking the system menu, clicking the system menu and then clicking on Close or by selecting File, Exit from the menu.  Any chart in the window may be printed by selecting the File, Print menu.  The printer margins and orientation may be set from the File, Printer Setup and File, Printer Margins menus on the Report Window.  The chart is always printed full size.  Any chart in the window may also be copied to the Windows clipboard by using the Edit, Copy menu.  The chart is copied to the clipboard at its current size.  Thus, you should use the sizing borders to get the size of chart you want, before you do an Edit, Copy.  Once on the clipboard the chart may be pasted into other Windows applications such as Excel, Word for Windows, or Paint.  The options menu may be used to control the appearance of the chart.

The chart will automatically be updated when you revise the selected tasks, grading curve, final category weights and interim category weights from the Misc menu on the Report Window.  Help on any command may be obtained by pressing Shift - F1 and then selecting the command you want help on.  Help on any dialog box that appears in the Grade Chart Window may be obtained by pressing F1.

See Also

Commands

Grade Chart Distribution Menu

Excel

Word for Windows

Clipboard

Fonts


Score Chart Options Dialog Box

The Score Chart Options Dialog Box is used to control the appearance of the score distribution chart and is accessed from the Score Chart Window using the Options menu.  The minimum x-axis value may be set in the Minimum X Edit Box.  It must be less than or equal to the minimum student score.  The Maximum X Edit Box can be used to set the maximum x-axis value.  It must be greater than or equal to the maximum student score.  The number of x-axis divisions may be set using the Divisions Edit Box.  The fill style may be selected from the Fill Style List Box.  If you have a color monitor, you will probably prefer to use a solid fill.  If you are printing your chart on a black and white printer, you will probably want to use one of the hatching patterns.  The fill color may be set using the Fill Color List Box.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current chart shown in the Score Chart Window will be updated as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current chart shown in the Score Chart Window will be updated as appropriate.

Minimum X Edit Box

The Minimum X Edit Box is used to enter the minimum x-axis value.  If your lowest score is 65 you may not want to display an empty chart from 0 to 65.

Maximum X Edit Box

The Maximum X Edit Box is used to enter the maximum x-axis value.  If your highest score is 88 you may not want to display an empty chart from 90 to 100.

Divisions Edit Box

The Divisions Edit Box is used to set the number of divisions on the x-axis between the minimum x and maximum x.  Note that changing the minimum or maximum will not change the number of divisions but will change the size of a division.  If you have a large class or are using plus and minus grades you will probably prefer a larger number of divisions.

Fill Style List Box

The Fill Style List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the desired fill style.  All bars in the chart will use the same fill style.

Fill Color List Box

The Fill Color List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the desired fill color.  All bars in the chart will use the same fill color.

Title Edit Box

The Title Edit Box may be used to modify the chart title.

See Also

Score Chart Window

Chart Options Menu

Charting Distributions

Colors

Fill Styles


Chart Fonts Dialog Box
Select Chart Fonts Dialog Box

The Select Chart Fonts Dialog Box is used to select the fonts used on score and grade charts and is accessed from the Misc, Screen Fonts or Pinter Fonts menu.  You may select the fonts used for the title and for the legends for both the printer and the screen.  Note that you cannot input the font size.  GRADEBOOK will use an appropriate size font.  You may prefer to use the Windows Modern or Roman fonts for the screen fonts since they are scalable to very small sizes.  The dialog box has the following controls.

OK Button

Clicking the OK Button will close the dialog box.  The current chart shown in a Chart Window will be updated as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.

Help Button

The Help Button will provide help information on the dialog box.

Font List Box

Used to select the font used for chart titles or labels.

Font Style List Box

Used to select regular, italic, bold, or bold italic attributes.

Font Size List Box

The font size is not used for chart fonts.  However, you may select a size to be able to preview a sample.

Sample Picture Box

Displays a sample of the font selected if you have selected a size.

See Also

Grade Chart Window

Score Chart Window

Misc Printer Fonts Menu

Misc Screen Fonts Menu

Charting Distributions


Grade Chart Options Dialog Box

The Grade Chart Options Dialog Box is used to control the appearance of the grade distribution chart and is accessed form the Grade Chart Window using the Options menu.  You may set the fill style and fill color for the three different bar types.  If you have a color monitor, you will probably prefer to use a solid fill.  If you are printing your chart on a black and white printer, you will probably want to use one of the hatching patterns.  The plus and minus options are disabled if you are not using plus and minus grades or are not plotting a stacked bar chart.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  The current chart shown in the Grade Chart Window will be updated as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current chart shown in the Grade Chart Window will be updated as appropriate.

Fill Style List Boxes

The Fill Style List Boxes are drop down list boxes that are used to select the desired fill style.  If plotting a stacked bar chart, three different fill styles may be used.

Fill Color List Boxes

The Fill Color List Boxes are drop down list boxes that are used to select the desired fill color.  If plotting a stacked bar chart, three different fill colors may be used.

Title Edit Box

The Title Edit Box may be used to modify the chart title.

Stacked Bars Check Box

The Stacked Bars Check Box is enabled when you are using plus and minus grades.  The stacked bars option will stack all the students that have an A+, A or A- into one bar.  The B, C, and D grades will also be stacked.  If you are using a grading system that does not use letter grades or has a different number of cutoff points such as a 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0 system, you may prefer a separate bar for each grade.  To eliminate unnecessary cutoff points, you can assign the unused cutoff points to be equal to the last used cutoff point.  For example, the 4.0 system above would assign the cutoff points for a B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D and D- all to the same value.  The Grades, Custom menu could be used to assign a 4.0 to an A+, a 3.5 to an A, a 3.0 to an A-, a 2.5 to a B+, a 2.0 to a B and a 1.0 to a B- through D-.  A 0.0 would be assigned to an E.  The only letter grades that would then be assigned would be a 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, and 0.0.  The grade distribution chart will automatically not plot the unused categories.

See Also

Grade Chart Window

Chart Options Menu

Charting Distributions

Colors

Fill Styles


Interim Weights Dialog Box

The Interim Weights Dialog Box is used to control the grading method in mid term and is accessed from the Misc, Interim Weights menu.  The Misc, Interim Weights menu will be disabled if you have selected the total point scoring method.  It lists the interim count for the tasks currently on record that are not being discarded.  The interim count is the current number of tasks in a category currently on record less the number you want to discard.  The number you want to discard is set on the Selected Tasks Dialog Box.  When you are using category weights, you enter a final count for each category that you want to weight at the end of the term.  The final count is the number of tasks for a given category that you want counted at the end of the term.  It should not include the number that you want discarded at the end of the term.

When using category weights, GRADEBOOK will calculate the appropriate interim weights based on the ratios of the interim counts to the final counts.  If using total points with category weights, the final category weights are normalized if there are any empty categories to calculate the interim weights.  To use the interim weights, just select the Interim Weights Option Button.  Final category weights and interim category weights are not used if you are using the total point scoring method.

As you proceed through the term, the interim count is automatically updated and thus the interim weights are automatically updated as you add more tasks.  At the end of the term, the final counts would equal the interim counts and the final category weights would equal the interim category weights.  If you plan on doing progress reports, it is easier to enter your tasks as the term progresses, instead of entering them all at the beginning of the term.  This prevents having to discard a different number of tasks for each progress report or having to assign "NC" scores.  The Misc, Selected Tasks menu may be used to easily discard the empty tasks if they are entered in ahead of time.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

The Revise Button is only enabled when the Interim Weights Option Button is selected.  Clicking it will revise the final count for the category you have selected in the Category Name List box and will update the Category Weight Summary Box.  The new interim weights and their total will be displayed.  The total will be 100% plus whatever portion of the extra credit is currently being counted.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last count you have entered.  GRADEBOOK will give you a message if your final count is less than the interim count.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  Score and grade distributions, score and grade charts and grade lists will automatically be updated with the revised grading method.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Category Name List Box

The Category Name List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the category you want to revise the final count for.  It is disabled if the Use Final Weights Option Button is selected.  When you select a category, its current final count is displayed in the Final Count Edit Box.

Final Count Edit Box

The Final Count Edit Box is used to enter the final count for the category you have selected in the Category Name List Box.  You may use the normal Windows editing keys to enter or revise the final count.

Category Weight Summary Box

The Category Weight Summary Box lists all the categories, their interim and final counts, and their interim and final weights and weight totals.  It is updated when the Revise Button is clicked.  The total weights may not agree if some but not all of the extra credit tasks have been completed.  It is enabled when the Interim Weights Option Button is selected.

Final Weights Option Button

If the Final Weights Option Button is selected, final weights are used for score and grade calculations.

Interim Weights Option Button

If the Interim Weights Option Button is selected, interim weights are used for score and grade calculations.

Display Report Check Box

If the Display Report Check Box is checked, GRADEBOOK will display an interim weights report when you close out the dialog box.  This report may be printed using the File, Print menu and may then be passed out to the students.  The report summarizes how the interim weights are calculated for a progress report.  It is disabled if the Final Weights Option Button is selected.

See Also

Report Window

Misc Interim Weights Menu

Selected Tasks Dialog Box

Final Category Weights Dialog Box

File Print Menu

Progress Reports


Class File Backup Dialog Box
Backup Class Files Dialog Box

The Backup Class Files Dialog Box is used to make a backup copy of your class files on floppy disks.  It may also be used to backup to another drive or directory or to another drive on a network.  It is accessed from the File, Backup menu.  You select the drive you want to use from the Drive List Box and the subdirectory from the Directory List Box.  If you select a floppy drive, you are then prompted to insert your backup disk in the selected drive.  The backup disk must be previously formatted.  The backup disk may be same disk you used for the previous backup.  After inserting the disk, GRADEBOOK will make a backup copy of all the classes in the current default term that you have selected from the Select Classes to Backup list box.  If you are using a disk that was used for previous backups, you would normally elect to overwrite the existing backup files.  If you want to be able to use a school computer and a home computer both to work on your grades, you should backup and restore all the files to the other computer.  Then, all you need to do to transfer the latest version is to do a backup and overwrite the previous file on disk.  When you restore, you should also elect to overwrite your existing file (if you have the files have the same names on both computers).  You may then keep transferring the latest version from computer to computer as you make changes on either computer.  You may also want to backup your class files so that they may be included in an overall department or school score or grade distribution.  One floppy may be used to collect all the teachers class files.  When doing this, you should elect to use a unique file name so that one teachers files do not overwrite another teachers files.  After all the teachers class files have been collected, they may be restored on the master computer and score and grade distributions may be calculated for any combination of classes.  Alternatively, if all the computers are on a network, the files may just be backed up to the master computer directly.  The master computer may be used to prepare report cards for the entire school using the GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Backup Button

Clicking the Backup Button will start a backup to the drive you have selected in the Backup Drive List Box.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.

Backup Drive List Box

The Backup Drive List Box is used to select which drive you want to use for the backup.  It may be a floppy drive, a local hard disk or a remote hard disk on a network.

Backup Directory List Box

The Backup Directory List Box is used to select which the subdirectory you want to back up to.

Overwrite Existing Files Options

If the file you are backing up has the same file name as one of the files already backed up, you may elect to overwrite the existing backup or you may elect to give the new backup file a unique name..

Select Classes to Backup List Box

The Select Classes to Backup List Box is a multiple selection list box that contains all the class file names and class names for the classes in the current term.  It is used to select the classes you want to backup.

See Also

File Backup Menu

File Restore Menu


Class File Restore Dialog Box
Restore Class Files Dialog Box

The Restore Class Files Dialog Box is used to restore previously backed up class files and is accessed from the File, Restore menu.  If your hard disk should fail you may restore all the classes in any term that you have previously backed up.  You also have the option to restore any single class.  You would want to do this if you have only damaged or lost a single file.  You might also want to do this to restore a class from a previous term.  After a term is complete, you can backup the data and then delete the term from the GRADEBOOK program saving space on your hard disk using the Term, Delete menu.  If you need access to the class data in the future, you can first select the term you want from the Term, Select menu and then do a File, Restore.  When restoring a file, you have the option of overwriting an existing file if it has the same file name.  You would want to do this if the existing file was damaged.  If you elect to not overwrite the existing file, you can then examine both files and delete the one you want.  If you are transferring files from a school computer to a home computer, you would normally want to overwrite the existing files if they have the same file names on both computers.  You can assure that they have the same file names by adding all the classes to one computer and then backing them all up and restoring them on the other computer.  If you are restoring classes from several different teachers to a master computer so that you can calculate overall statistics for the department or entire school, you should elect to use unique file names.  This will prevent one teacher's file names from overwriting another teacher's files.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Restore Button

Clicking the Restore Button will restore the classes you have selected in the Select Classes To Restore List Box.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.

Restore Drive List Box

The Restore Drive List Box is used to select which drive you want to use for the restore.  It may be a floppy drive, a local hard disk or a remote hard disk on a network.

Restore Directory List Box

The Restore Directory List Box is used to select which the subdirectory you want to restore from.

Select Classes To Restore List Box

The Select Classes To Restore List Box is a multiple selection list box that is used to select all the class you want to restore.  It lists the class file names and class names that you have previously backed up in the current default term.

Overwrite Existing Files Options

If the file you are restoring has the same file name as one of your existing class files, you may elect to overwrite the existing file or you may elect to give the restored file a unique name..

See Also

File Backup Menu

File Restore Menu

Term Delete Menu

Term Delete Menu

Backup Class Files Dialog Box


Select Dir Dialog Box
Select Current Dir Dialog Box

The  Select Dir Dialog Box is used to change the current directory.  Normally GRADEBOOK keeps its class data and default values in the same directory as the program.  This may be modified by using a command line switch so that GRADEBOOK will store its data on a different drive or subdirectory from the main program.  GRADEBOOK may also be used by one person to store several instructors class data and defaults in different subdirectories.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Directory List Box

The Directory List Box is used to select the desired directory you want to change to.  The currently selected directory is indicated above the list box.  To change a directory you may highlight it by clicking on it or by using the cursor keys.  Pressing the Enter key will then select the subdirectory.  You may also double click on a subdirectory to select it.  You may use the list box to move up and down through the directory branches.

Drive Drop Down List Box

The Drive Drop Down List Box is used to select desired drive.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box without changing the current subdirectory.

Select Button

The Select Button will change the current subdirectory to the one indicated above the Directory List Box.

See Also

File Select Dir Menu

Creating Multiple Directories


Custom Grades Dialog Box

The Custom Grades Dialog Box is used to select replacement letter grades for the default letter grades and is accessed from the Grades, Custom Grades menu.  Instead of using letter grades such as B+, B, B-, etc., you may use custom grades such as 7.0 or C1.  If you don't use letter grades at all, you may elect to not print them when you do a grade list report.  You may use up to three characters for a custom letter grade.  This option is typically used if your school uses a 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, etc., scheme or a 7.5, 7.0, 6.5, etc., scheme.  If you use plus and minus grades you need 13 grading levels.  If you don't use plus and minus grades, you only need 5 grading levels.  Plus and minus grades are selected on the Add Class Dialog Box or the Revise Class Dialog Box.  You may select one of the common grading systems by clicking one of the common grading systems options.  If you don't use one of the listed systems, then select the closest match and customize it as required.  To enter a custom letter grade, first select the input custom grade option and then select the desired letter grade you want to replace in the Letter Grade List Box.  Then input the custom grade in the Custom Edit Box.  Click the Revise Button and the custom grade will be listed in the Grades Box.  You may decrease the actual number of grading levels by assigning the same custom grade for two or more consecutive grades at the end of the scale.  For example, a 4.0, 3.5, etc., system requires 7 grading levels (6 cutoffs).  Using plus and minus grades gives you 13 levels.  To get 7 levels, just assign a 1.0 to the default grades B- through D-.  Set an A+ to 4.0, an A to 3.5, an A- to a 3.0, a B+ to a 2.5, and a B to a 2.0.  Assign a 0.0 to an E.   Your grade printouts, grade distributions and final score required reports will now only list 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.0, and 0.0 grades.  Note that this is done automatically for you if you select the 4.0, etc. system.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the custom grade for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  The Grades Box is updated with the new value.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last custom grade you entered.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  Grade distributions, grade charts and grade lists will automatically be updated with the revised custom grades information.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Letter Grade List Box

The Letter Grade List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the Letter Grade you want to revise the custom grade for.

Custom Edit Box

The Custom Edit Box is used to enter the custom grade for the letter grade you have selected in the Letter Grade List Box.  You may use up to 3 characters.

Common Grading Systems Option Buttons

The Common Grading Systems Option Buttons may be used to select one of the more common grading systems.  To customize the system further, select the Input Custom Grades option button.

Grades Box

The Grades Box lists all the current custom grades.  It is updated every time you click the Revise Button or select one of the common systems.

See Also

Report Window

Custom Grades Menu

Add Class Dialog Box

Revise Class Dialog Box

Customizing Grades


Custom Terms Dialog Box

The Custom Terms Dialog Box is used to rename the default terms and is accessed from the Term, Custom Terms menu.  Instead of using the default term names of Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter, you may use names such as Semester 1, Quarter 2, etc.  You may use up to ten characters.  This option is typically used if your school is on a quarter system.  To use a custom term name, first select the desired default term name you want to replace in the Term Name List Box.  Then input the custom term name in the Custom Edit Box.  Click the Revise Button and the custom term name will be listed in the Terms Box.

Revise Button

The Revise Button revises the custom term name for the default term name you have selected in the Term Name List Box.  The Terms Box is updated with the new value.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close the dialog box.  Make sure you have clicked the Revise Button for the last custom term name you entered.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Term Name List Box

The Term Name List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the term name you want to revise the custom term name for.

Custom Edit Box

The Custom Edit Box is used to enter the custom term name for the term name you have selected in the Term Name List Box.  You may use up to 10 characters.

Terms Box

The Terms Box lists all the current custom term names.  It is updated every time you click the Revise Button.

See Also

Custom Terms Menu

Custom Terms Procedure


Select Task Template Class Dialog Box

The Select Task Template Class dialog box is used to select a class in any term that you want to use as a task template for a new class.  This will automatically transfer all the existing task information such as task name, category and perfect scores to the new class.  The Select Task Template Class Dialog Box has the following controls.

Select Button

Clicking the select button will add the tasks from the class that is selected in the Existing Classes List Box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.  The new class will become the current default class and will appear in the title bar.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without adding any tasks.

Existing Classes List Box

The Existing Classes List Box lists all the classes in all the terms except the new class.  You may select a class by clicking on the class and then clicking the Select Button.  You may also double click the class to select it.

See Also

Add Class Dialog Box

Class Add Menu


Teacher Note Dialog Box

The Teacher Note Dialog Box is used to input teacher notes.  The window is accessed by clicking the Misc, Teacher Note menu.  The window is also accessed when you have selected the custom notes option on score and grade lists.

The menu bar of the Teacher Note Dialog Box contains the normal clipboard commands.  You may cut, copy or paste text to the teacher note.  If you wanted detailed custom notes, you could use the Windows Notepad or a word processor to prepare them.  When doing custom notes, you may manually revise the note for each student or you may paste each students note from another document.  The normal keyboard shortcuts may be used for cutting, copying or pasting.  When using custom notes, the standard teacher note is used as the default.  Custom notes for individual students are not saved but are only printed.

The font used in the window is the same font that you have selected for the screen report font.  The teacher note will print using the printer report font.  When the note is printed the lines will wrap if they are too wide for the page.  Just press the <Enter> key to manually start a new line.

Done Button

If you used the Misc, Teacher Note menu, clicking the Done button will add save the revised teacher note in the file named NOTE.TXT.  If you are revising a custom note, the revised note will be printed but will not be saved.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without revising the teacher note.

See Also

Teacher Note Procedure

Misc Teacher Note Menu

NOTE.TXT File


Password Dialog Box

The Password Dialog Box is used to input your password when starting the program.  If you have elected not to use a password, the Password Dialog Box does not appear.  You may change or cancel your password using the File, Password Menu.  When entering your password, X's will appear in the Password Text Box.  You are given 3 chances to enter the correct password.

OK Button

Clicking the OK button or pressing the <Enter> key will check the password you have entered.

Password Text Box

The Password Text Box is used to enter your password.

See Also

File Password Menu


Score Scale Dialog Box

The Score Scale dialog box is used to scale all the scores for a single task.  It may be used to adjust the average, mean or standard deviation to any desired value.  NC scores are not scaled.  NA scores are not scaled unless you have elected to treat incomplete scores as zero scores.  Scores can be scaled by multiplying them all by the same ratio, by incrementing them all by the same amount or by adjusting each one relative to the standard deviation.  If using a ratio, you may input the ratio factor or may input the desired mean and the required ratio factor will be used.  If incrementing all the scores, you may input a positive or negative increment or you may input the desired mean and the required increment factor will be used.  If a negative increment is used, scores will not be reduced to less than 0.  If adjusting the standard deviation, you can input the desired standard deviation.  If you increase the standard deviation, scores will not be reduced to less than 0.  Scores may be scaled so that they exceed the perfect score.  You may revise the perfect score from the Task, Revise menu.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Scale Button

Clicking the Scale Button will scale the scores for the selected task.  The Existing Statistics Picture Box will be updated to the new values.

Done Button

Clicking the Done Button will close out the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Scaling Method Option Buttons

Clicking one of the Scaling Method Option Buttons selects the scaling method.  You may ratio all the scores by a factor or ratio all the scores to get a desired mean.  You may increment all the scores by a factor or increment all the scores to get a desired mean.  You may also input the desired standard deviation.

Factor Text Box

The Factor Text Box is used to input the desired factor to use for the ratio or for the increment.  Ratio factors must be positive and may be fractional.  Increment factors may be positive or negative.  A ratio of 1 will not change any of the scores.  An increment of 0 will not change any of the scores.

New Mean Text Box

The New Mean Text Box is used to input the desired mean.  It may be greater or less than the existing mean.  If it is equal to the existing mean, the scores will not be changed.

New StdDev Text Box

The New StdDev Text Box is used to input the desired standard deviation.  It may be greater or less than the existing standard deviation.  If it is equal to the existing standard deviation, the scores will not be changed.

Task to Scale List Box

The Task to Scale List Box is a drop down list box that lists all the tasks for the current class.  You may select a task by clicking on the task.  Selecting a different task will revise the existing statistics picture box.

Existing Statistics Picture Box

The Existing Statistics Picture Box shows the mean, median, max, min, standard deviation and number of students included for the selected task.

See Also

Scaling Scores

Score Scale Menu


Custom Tasks Dialog Box

The Custom Tasks dialog box is used to calculate scores for a task that are a function of scores of other tasks.  Scores may be calculated based on the sum of, the highest of, the average of, the lowest of, the reverse of, the difference of, the weighted average of, the number of NA or NC scores, or the category average of one or more existing tasks.  When calculating the scores, you may use the actual scores or the percentage scores.  You are warned if the new scores exceed the perfect score of the task you are adding the scores to.  You may want to also revise the perfect score or delete the source tasks after you have added a custom task.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Customize Button

Clicking the Customize button will calculate the scores for the task you are transferring to based on the scores for the existing tasks you have selected.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without customizing the scores.

Existing Tasks Option Buttons

Clicking one of the Existing Tasks Option Buttons selects the customization method.  You may sum existing scores, use the highest of existing scores, use the average of existing scores, use the weighted average of existing scores, use the lowest of existing scores, reverse a single score, use the difference of 2 scores, use the number of NA or NC scores, or use the category average of the selected tasks.

Use Option Buttons

The Use Option Buttons select how you want to treat the existing scores.  If you use actual scores, the existing score is used regardless of the perfect score for the task.  If you use percentage scores, the percentage score (actual score divided by perfect score) is used.  When using percentage scores, the destination task score is adjusted based on the perfect score for the destination task.  You would normally use actual scores if you are using total points and would use percentage scores if you are using category weights.

Transfer to Task List Box

The Transfer to Task List Box is a drop down list box that lists all the tasks for the current class.  You may select a task by clicking on the task.  If a task has existing scores, they will be overwritten by the calculated scores.

Select Existing Tasks List Box

The Select Existing Tasks List Box is a multiple selection list box that lists all the tasks for the current class.  You may select each task by clicking on the task or by pressing the spacebar.  You may not select the task you are transferring to as one of the source tasks.  The list box is disabled when you are doing category weights.

Select Existing Category List Box

The Select Existing Category List Box is a drop down list box that lists all the currently entered categories.  You may select the desired category by clicking on the category or by pressing the spacebar.  You may not select the same category type that you are using for a destination task.  If you are calculating the category average for tests, you might want to rename an unused category to "Test Average".  The list box is disabled when you are not doing category weights.

See Also

Customizing Tasks

Custom Tasks Menu


Attendance Grid Window

The Attendance Grid Window is accessed from the Student, Attendance Edit menu.  It displays student names, ID numbers and attendance in a spreadsheet grid.  The grid may be used to directly enter or edit attendance and attendance comments.  It may also be used to copy and paste attendance to and from other Windows programs using the clipboard.

See Also

Editing Attendance

Clipboard

Excel


Score Grid Window

The Score Grid Window is accessed from the Score, Edit menu.  It displays student names, ID numbers and scores in a spreadsheet grid.  The grid may be used to directly enter or edit scores.  It may also be used to copy and paste scores to and from other Windows programs using the clipboard.

See Also

Editing Scores

Clipboard

Excel


Options Dialog Box

The Options dialog box is used to change the default file names that GRADEBOOK uses when importing or exporting data.  It is also used to specify whether you want scores listed with the tenth decimal place on score and grade list reports, how much shading you want to use on your printouts and the value you want to use as a default score and how you want averages to appear on the Grade, List reports.

The import data file is used to input student names and ID numbers when adding students and may also be used to import student scores when doing a Score, Edit.  The export data file is used to export report data and is also used when exporting scores.  The statistics data file is used to store the raw numerical data when doing a score distribution.  The chart data file is used to store score and grade distribution charts.  You may want to rename the default files to make it easier to import or export data to other programs.  You may include a path in the file name.  For example, if you wanted to export data to Excel you could name the export data file \EXCEL\EXPORT.CSV.  You could then shift to Excel and load the EXPORT.CSV file.  Data may also be imported and exported to other Windows programs by using the clipboard.  You may also want to change a file name to prevent overwriting a previously exported file.

The default score is the score that a student is automatically given if you dont enter a score.  If you use an NA score as the default, you may treat the NA scores as incomplete scores resulting in an incomplete grade (NA), or as zero scores.  If you use an NC score as the default, it will not be counted when the average is calculated.  If you are using a category weights grading system, you must be careful that all the scores in a category are not NC because this will result in a category average of zero.  You might want to use default NC scores if you are using a total points system and want to enter all your tasks in ahead of time.

The average on a Grade, List printout may be the regular average not including the extra credit average or it may by the overall average which includes the regular average plus the extra credit average.

OK Button

Clicking the OK button will save the revised options.

Defaults Button

Clicking the Defaults button returns all the options to their initial default values.

Print Shading Test Button

Clicking the Print Shading Test button prints out a sample page that shows the different shading levels on your printer.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without changing any options.

Show Score Tenths Check Box

When the Show Score Tenths Check Box is checked, all scores on score and grade list reports will be listed to the nearest tenth.  If you only assign integer scores, you can elect to not show the unused tenth digit.

Default Score Options

Selecting the NA button will make the default score an NA score.  Selecting the NC button will make the default score an NC score.

Average Includes Options

Selecting the Regular option will cause the average listed on Grade, List reports to be just the regular average not including extra credit.  Selecting the Overall option will cause the average to include the sum of the regular average and extra credit average.

File Names Selection Buttons

The File Names selection buttons are used to enter the revised file names.  File names follow the normal DOS file naming conventions.

Shading Value Text Box

The Shading Value text box is used to specify the amount of grid shading you want on class data form printouts and on score and grade list report printouts.  You may specify a value between 1 and 96.  Values of 1 to 4 will result in an empty box with no shading.  Higher numbers result in darker shading.

See Also

EXPORT.DAT

IMPORT.DAT

STATS.DAT

CHART.BMP

Misc File Names Menu


Scores Included Data Dialog Box

The Scores Included Data dialog box is used to specify the data that you want to copy to the clipboard or export to a file.  If you are setting up a database program or spreadsheet you may only want to copy the student names.  If the database or spreadsheet is already setup, you may only want to transfer the score data.  If you are transferring the data to a word processor, you may want to include all the data.

OK Button

Clicking the OK button will copy or export the desired data.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without copying or exporting any data.

Include Check Boxes

The Include check boxes are used to select the data to include.  You may include the column headings only if you are including the scores.  You may include just the student names, just the student ID numbers, just the scores or any combination.  The data is delimited by tabs for easy pasting or importing into separate columns of a spreadsheet.  If you are including only the names or only the ID numbers, the names or ID numbers are enclosed in quotes.  This prevents the data from using two columns in a spreadsheet if it has a comma in it.

See Also

Editing Scores

Exporting Files

Clipboard


Attendance Included Data Dialog Box

The Attendance Included Data dialog box is used to specify the data that you want to copy to the clipboard or export to a file.  If you are setting up a database program or spreadsheet you may only want to copy the student names.  If the database or spreadsheet is already setup, you may only want to transfer the attendance data.  If you are transferring the data to a word processor, you may want to include all the data.

OK Button

Clicking the OK button will copy or export the desired data.

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button will close out the dialog box without copying or exporting any data.

Include Check Boxes

The Include check boxes are used to select the data to include.  You may include the column headings only if you are including the attendance.  You may include just the student names, just the student ID numbers, just the attendance or any combination.  The data is delimited by tabs for easy pasting or importing into separate columns of a spreadsheet.  If you are including only the names or only the ID numbers, the names or ID numbers are enclosed in quotes.  This prevents the data from using two columns in a spreadsheet if it has a comma in it.

See Also

Editing Attendance

Exporting Files

Clipboard


Grade Override Dialog Box

The Grade Override Dialog Box may be used to manually assign a letter grade to a student regardless of what his calculated grade might be.  This is useful for students that have dropped the class or who might be right on the edge of a grade point cutoff.  If a student has dropped the class he may be deleted from the class.  However, if you need to maintain his completed score information, you could extract him to a separate class.  You could also leave him in the class and manually assign him a grade such as "I" for incomplete, "W" for withdrawn, "WP" for withdraw passing, "WF" for withdraw failing, etc.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

Clicking the Revise Button will use the grade entered in the Letter Grade Override text box for the currently selected student in future grade list reports.

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box and the current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want to revise.  Just click on the student you want to revise.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.  Whenever a different student is selected the edit boxes will be updated with the current information for the selected student.

Last Name, First Name, MI, ID Number Edit Boxes

These edit boxes show the related information on the currently selected student.

Letter Grade Override Edit Box

The Letter Grade Override Edit Box is used to enter the manual grade you want assigned to a student.  The edit box will normally be blank and the grades will be calculated using the normal grade cutoff curve.  Using an override grade does not change grade or score distributions.  If the student has a calculated grade he would be included in the grade distribution.  If the calculated grade is "NA" because you have elected to treat "NA" scores as NA, the student would not be included in the grade distribution.

See Also

Grade Override Menu


Attendance Settings Dialog Box

The Attendance Settings dialog box is used to specify the names and abbreviations of 10 different types of absences and grid preferences.  For each type of absence, you may also specify how many are allowed before the student's attendance score is penalized and the amount of the penalty.  The dialog box has the following controls.

Revise Button

Clicking the Revise Button will revise the currently selected absence type to the values input into the New text boxes..

Done Button

The Done Button will close the dialog box and the current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Old Attendance Desc List Box

The Old Attendance Desc List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the absence type you want to revise.  When you select a type, its current abbreviation, deduct percentage and allowed number of absences are listed in the New text boxes.

New Attendance Desc, New Abbr, New Deduct% & New Free# Text Boxes

These text boxes are used to input the desired new values.  The desired attendance description is entered in the New Attendance Desc text box.  The desired abbreviation is entered in the New Abbr text box.  The abbreviation is used on brief attendance reports.  The full description is used on long attendance reports.  The New Deduct% text box is used to enter the percentage penalty for each absence that exceeds the allowed maximum.  The New Free# text box is used to enter the maximum number of absences allowed before invoking a penalty.

Grid Colors Check Box

The Grid Colors Check Box is used to turn attendance grid colors on and off.  Different colors are used for weekdays, weekends and totals.  If you have a monochrome monitor or would like to speed up the loading of the attendance grid, you may disable this option.

Show Days Options

The Show Days Options are used to eliminate unused days from initially appearing on the attendance grid.  If you only have classes on M, W, F you may eliminate T & Th and the weekends from appearing on the attendance grid.  Note that even though a day may not initially appear on the grid, you can resize the column widths on the grid to uncover any of the hidden days.

See Also

Editing Attendance

Misc Attendance Settings Menu


Attendance List Dialog Box

The Attendance List Dialog Box is used to input the students you want listed on an attendance report and the type of attendance report desired.  It is accessed from the Student, Attendance List menu.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is checked, the attendance report will be listed horizontally in an abbreviated format.  Each student is listed with the number of absences in each category with an optional attendance score.  If the Brief Task Listing check box is not checked, the absences will be listed individually in a vertical format with the day of the week, date, complete attendance type name and optional comment.  The attendance abbreviations, the attendance names, the amount to deduct for each absence and the number of absences for each type that are allowed before penalty may be set from the Misc, Attendance Settings menu.  Revising any of these settings from the Misc menu will update an attendance list report if it is the current report in the Report Window.  If the List All Students Check Box is checked, the attendance for all students will be listed.  If the check box is not checked then the Student List Box will be enabled and you may select the single student whose attendance you want to list.  If the List All Students Check Box is checked, you may select the order you want the students listed.  The students may be listed in normal order or by student ID number.  An instructor summary report lists all the students together.  An individual summary report lists each student separately and is intended to be passed out to the student.  If the Individual Option Button is on, the One Student Per Page Check Box will be enabled.  If checked, only one student will be listed per page.  GRADEBOOK will then fit as many absences on one page as will fit.  If not checked, as many students as will fit on a page are listed on each page.  You would then need to cut the paper to separate the individual students.  The report will use either student names, ID numbers or both depending on how you select the Student ID option.  The number of students and absences that will fit on a page depends on the margins, page orientation and font size.  If the One Student Per Page Check Box is checked the Teacher Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will include the teacher note at the bottom of each individual summary report.  If the Teacher Note Check Box is enabled, the Custom Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will allow you to custom modify the teacher note for each student.  The dialog box has the following controls.

List Button

Clicking the List Button will produce the attendance list report in the Report Window using the options that you have selected.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Brief Task Listing Check Box

If the Brief Task Listing Check Box is checked, the absences are listed in a brief horizontal format that only includes the student names, absence summary and score.  If it is not checked, the week day, date, and complete type of each absence with optional comment is listed in a vertical format.

Use Shaded Grid Check Box

If the Use Shaded Grid Check Box is checked, every other row is shaded on the printed report.  This makes it easier to follow student absences across the page.  You may only use a shaded grid for brief format instructor summaries.  The use of shading will increase the time required to print a report.  The shading level may be set from the Misc, Options menu.

List All Students Check Box

If the List All Students Check Box is checked, all students are included in the report.  Otherwise you select the desired student from the Student List Box.

Include Score Check Box

If the Include Score Check Box is checked, the attendance score for each student will be listed in the report as well as the attendance settings used to calculate the score.

Instructor Option Button

If the Instructor Option Button is on, an instructor report is produced.

Individual Option Button

If the Individual Option Button is on, an individual report is produced.

Student List Box

The Student List Box is a drop down list box that is used to select the student you want listed in the report.  Just click on the desired student.  For large classes, you may find it easier to enter a search string to locate the desired student, especially if you do not keep your class in alphabetical order.  To enter a search string, just type the first letter of the last name when the Student List Box has the focus.  The highlight will advance to the first student who has a last name beginning with that letter.  You may continue to enter in more letters to narrow the search down to an individual student.  If there are no matches, the search string will not be updated.  You may erase an incorrectly entered search string by using the Backspace key.  Clicking on any student will reset the search string.

One Student Per Page Check Box

Clicking the One Student Per Page Check Box will limit the attendance list report to a single student per page when printing individual reports.  This option will require more paper but will not require the individual reports to be cut apart.  The individual report may be positioned on the page using the File, Printer Margins menu.

Teacher Note Check Box

Clicking the Teacher Note Check Box will include your standard teacher note on the printout for each student.

Custom Note Check Box

Clicking the Custom Note Check Box will allow you to modify your standard teacher note for each student.

Student ID Option Buttons

You may select how you want the student to be listed.  You may use his name only, his ID number only or both.  If you elect his ID number only, the sort order will automatically default to ID order.

Student Order Option Buttons

You may select the order you want the students to be listed.  Normal order is the order the students are entered in the program.  You may use the Student, Reorder menu to order the students in any order you want or to alphabetize them.  If you elect ID number order, the students are listed in ID number order.  You would usually elect this option if you are using ID numbers to post scores.

See Also

Teacher Note Procedure

Editing Attendance

Student Attendance List Menu


Master Grade List Dialog Box

The Master Grade List Dialog Box is used to input the classes and students you want listed on the master grade report and the type of report desired.  It produces a report card type report where grades for multiple subjects are listed.  The reports will contain multiple subjects for a single period.  The GRADEBOOK ASSISTANT may be used if you need multiple subject reports for multiple periods.  It is accessed from the Grade, Master List menu.  You may select any subset of classes (subjects) to include on the report and give the report any desired title.  You may also select and subset of students to include on the report.  In order for mulitple subjects to be included for a student, the students name must be entered the same in the different classes except for capitalization, punctuation and spaces.  If the One Student Per Page option is selected, each student will be listed on a separate printed page.  The report will use either student names, ID numbers or both depending on how you select the Student ID option.  The number of students that will fit on a page depends on the margins, page orientation and font size.  If the One Student Per Page Check Box is checked the Teacher Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will include the teacher note at the bottom of each individual master grade report.  If the Teacher Note Check Box is enabled, the Custom Note Check Box will be enabled.  Checking this box will allow you to custom modify the teacher note for each student.  You may include any combination of the regular average, extra credit average, overall average, letter grade, class rank and class percentile on the reports.  The reports may be easily exported or copied to the clipboard.  This allows custom report cards to be easily generated.  The dialog box has the following controls.

List Button

Clicking the List Button will produce the master grade list report in the Report Window using the options that you have selected.

Cancel Button

The Cancel Button will close the dialog box.  The current report shown in the Report Window will be updated or deleted as appropriate.

Report Title Text Box

The Report Title Text Box is used to entire the desired report title.

Select Classes to Include List Box

The Select Classes to Include List Box is used to select the classes (subjects) you want to include on the report.  You may use the Select All Button to select all the classes.

Select All Button

The Select All Button is used to select all the classes or all the students.

Select Button

The Select Button is used to select the classes or students that you have previously highlighted..

Select Students to Include List Box

The Select Students to Include List Box is used to select the students you want to include on the report.  You may use the Select All Button to select all the students.

One Student Per Page Check Box

Clicking the One Student Per Page Check Box will limit the master grade list report to a single student per page when printing reports.  This option will require more paper but will not require the individual reports to be cut apart.  The individual report may be positioned on the page using the File, Printer Margins menu.

Teacher Note Check Box

Clicking the Teacher Note Check Box will include your standard teacher note on the printout for each student.

Custom Note Check Box

Clicking the Custom Note Check Box will allow you to modify your standard teacher note for each student.

Include Option Buttons

You may include any combination of the regular average, extra credit average, overall average, letter grade, class rank and class percentile..

Student ID Option Buttons

You may list the students by name only, ID only, name followed by ID or ID followed by name.

See Also

Report Window

Master Grade List Menu

Teacher Note Procedure

Report Cards