|
Gradebook Plus FAQs
PC |
Mac
This section provides answers to some of the most common questions asked by our customers. If you have a question not answered on this page, please call us at 1-888-892-3484, and we will assist you in any way we can.
PC
If I have the same students for more than one class, do I have to type in their names for each class?
No, you do not. Once you have typed the student information into one class, go to the file menu and select REPLICATE CLASS ROSTER. This option allows you to set up the class without having to type the student information again.
I have made a mistake, and I have an extra set of scores in my historical data. What do I do?
Don't panic! This is easy to fix and is a very common problem. From the alter menu, choose the option edit historical data. Once you are in the historical data screen, simply remove the extra set of scores.
I teach at a high school, and we have several grades that figure the semester grade. How do I handle this?
Let's say that you have two quarters that make up a semester and a final exam at the end of the second quarter. All of these grades need to become part of the semester grade. At the end of each quarter, be sure that you subtotal or remove your scores and save them for the final report. After the second quarter has been saved for the final report and the percentage has been removed, enter your final exam as a grade all by itself and then close out just as you did in prior marking periods. Then, simply run a final report, and you will have your grades done.
It's the end of the grading period. How do I remove the scores?
Answer 1: If you don't need the percentages saved for the final report:
From the Alter menu, choose remove a set of scores. Once in the remove scores menu, simply put an X in the box next to remove all scores and then remove.
Answer 2: If you do need to save the percentages for the final report:
You can do this from either the remove a set of scores option in the alter menu or use the subtotal scores option found in the special menu. If you choose to use the subtotal scores option, you will also need to use the remove a set of scores option, as well, so that your percentages will not be added into the next marking period's grades. Removing the subtotal does not take it out of the final report.
It's the end of the school year. What do I do now?
Save your files either on a disk or as text files on your hard drive. Once you have run your final report, all you need to do is from the alter menu choose the remove a class and delete the classes. If you have any historical data saved, be sure you also clean that out before the next school year.
Will I have enough space for all my grades?
Most people don't run out of space if they follow this very simple, very important rule. If an assignment, test, quiz, etc., has only 15 questions, the total points that you enter when you first enter the set of scores should only be 15. So, if John Q. Student had only 2 wrong out of the 15, you should enter a score of 13. If you do this, the grades will be correct, and you don't use up so much space in the program.
Why can't I see all of my grades on the screen?
Your computer screen can only accommodate so much information; if you scroll down or left to right, you will see the rest of your information.
I am running Gradebook Plus for Windows, and I have saved my information on a disk. However, now I can't seem to get the program to retrieve the information from the disk. What do I do?
Many people, when saving to a disk to back up their information, change the name of the file from CLASFILE.GPW. If you change the file name, the program cannot recognize the file. CLASFILE.GPW is where the program saves all of your class information. It is the only file where Gradebook Plus will be able to find data.
I would like 100% and above to equal an A+. What do I do?
Set your grading scale cutoff to 99.99%.
How do I add entries that don't average into the student's grade?
Set up a weighted category that is equal to 1%. All of your other categories should equal 100% by themselves. Then, any entry with the same name as your weighted category name will not count toward the student's grade. This can only be accomplished if you are using weighting.
Why does my student's grade appear to be wrong?
You can be assured that Gradebook Plus will always calculate your students' grades correctly! However, if there is a discrepancy, check to see if any of the following special situations apply:
- Make sure all of your weighted categories have at least one entry in them. Remember that your weighted categories must add up to 100% of your student's grade. If one of the categories has no entry, ( ), then Gradebook Plus has to calculate the grade by splitting that category's percentage among the remaining categories.
- Make sure that each of your entry titles begin with the weighted category name for that particular category.
- Print a Gradebook of the Entire Class and look for any discrepancies between each student's entry points and the possible points for that entry. Also, check the student's total points versus the total possible points for the class. Correct any entry mistakes you may find.
- Check all of the set ups to be sure that they all have the same information. Check the following for consistency: program set up, class set up, grading scale, and weighting scale. Before you print a report, be sure that you have the correct information checked in the reports menu.
How do I setup a 4.0 grading scale?
Since Gradebook Plus is set up on a 100% scale, it is nearly impossible to set up a 4.0 grading scale. If you figure out a way, please give us a call.
MAC
If I have the same students for more than one class, do I have to type in their names for each class?
No, you do not. Once you have typed the student information into one class, go to the file menu and select REPLICATE CLASS ROSTER. This option allows you to set up the class without having to type the student information again.
I have made a mistake, and I have an extra set of scores in my historical data What do I do?
Don't panic. This is easy to fix and is a very common problem. From the alter menu, choose the option edit historical data. Once you are in the historical data screen, simply remove the extra set of scores.
I teach at a high school, and we have several grades that figure the semester grade. How do I handle this?
Let's say that you have two quarters that make up a semester and a final exam at the end of the second quarter. All of these grades need to become part of the semester grade. At the end of each quarter, be sure that you subtotal or remove your scores and save them for the final report. After the second quarter has been saved for the final report and the percentage has been removed, enter your final exam as a grade all by itself, and then close out just as you did in prior marking periods. Then, simply run a final report, and you will have your grades done.
It's the end of the grading period. How do I remove the scores?
If you don't need the percentages saved for the final report, from the Alter menu choose remove a set of scores. Once in the remove scores menu, simply put an X in the box next to remove all scores and then remove.
If you do need to save the percentages for the final report, you can do this from either the remove a set of scores option in the alter menu or use the subtotal scores option found in the special menu. If you choose to use the subtotal scores option, you will also need to use the remove a set of scores option, as well, so that your percentages will not be added into the next marking period's grades. Removing the subtotal does not take it out of the final report.
It's the end of the school year. What do I do now?
Save your files either on a disk or as text files on your hard drive. Once you have run your final report, all you need to do is from the alter menu choose the remove a class and delete the classes. If you have any historical data saved, be sure you also clean that out before the next school year.
Will I have enough space for all my grades?
Most people don't run out of space if they follow this very simple, very important rule. If an assignment, test, quiz, etc., has only 15 questions, the total points that you enter when you first enter the set of scores should only be 15. So, if John Q. Student had only 2 wrong out of the 15, you should enter a score of 13. If you do this, the grades will be correct, and you don't use up so much space in the program.
I have been using Gradebook Plus for a year or more, but now I can't get it to print with my StyleWriter printer. What should I do?
If you are using a newer Macintosh computer, such as a Performa or a Power Mac, you will need to upgrade your program. The Gradebook Plus V6 was not designed to run with the newer computers.
Why can't I see all of my grades on the screen?
Your computer screen can only accommodate so much information. If you scroll down or left to right, you will see the rest of your information.
I have been using Gradebook Plus on my Mac at home and at school, and I'm having problems opening some of the classes. I am using a diskette to run the program. What can I do?
If, over a long period of time, you have been using several Macintosh computers to run the program, you may begin to have problems. Problems occur because each Mac reads a disk differently. It is always best to run the program on the hard drive of one computer to avoid any unfortunate "disk error" problems. Please read the next tip, which also deals with this type of situation.
Why do I get the error, "Could Not Access Class Parameter File Due to an Error 36"?
If you experience this error, your class data has become corrupted and cannot be recovered. Immediately save each of your classes as a text file, install a new Gradebook Plus from the master diskette, set up a new class, and import your text file by clicking on Import Scores. This error seems to occur intermittently only when running Gradebook Plus from the floppy disk (3.5" diskettes are floppy diskettes). If you are using a floppy diskette and are sharing it between different Macs, be sure to do frequent backups.
Why do I get the error, "Won't Print Due to a Lack of Free Disk Space"? (Version 6.1.1)
Again, this error seems to occur only when running Gradebook Plus from the floppy diskette. Shut down the Mac and turn off the power. Also, turn off the power to the printer. Wait a few seconds and turn on the printer and computer while holding down the shift key (this turns the extensions off). Immediately, open Gradebook Plus and go to print. If you still have problems, make a new Gradebook Plus from the master diskette and drag your current Gradebook Plus Files icon into the new Gradebook Plus. Try the above procedure again.
I would like 100% and above to equal an A+. What do I do?
Set your grading scale cutoff to 99.99%.
Why does my student's grade appear to be wrong?
You can be assured that Gradebook Plus will always calculate your students' grades correctly! However, if there is a discrepancy, check to see if any of the following special situations apply:
- Make sure all of your weighted categories have at least one entry in them. Remember that your weighted categories must add up to 100% of your student's grade. If one of the categories has no entry, ( ), then Gradebook Plus has to calculate the grade by splitting that category's percentage among the remaining categories.
- Make sure that each of your entry titles begin with the weighted category name for that particular category.
- Print a Gradebook of the Entire Class and look for any discrepancies between each student's entry points and the possible points for that entry. Also, check the student's total points versus the total possible points for the class. Correct any entry mistakes you may find.
- Check all of the set ups to be sure that they all have the same information. Check the following for consistency: program set up, class set up, grading scale, and weighting scale. Before you print a report, be sure that you have the correct information checked in the reports menu.
How do I setup a 4.0 grading scale?
Since Gradebook Plus is set up on a 100% scale, it is nearly impossible to set up a 4.0 grading scale. If you figure out a way, please give us a call.
|
