It’s important to make a distinction between the grade identified in Canvas and the final grade for the course. For many instructors these are one in the same. I’m more of a fudgy person when it comes to finalizing grades. Now don’t get me wrong, I do not do any sweeping changes to grades but there always is a little push here.

This stems from MANY times in my undergraduate education I was at an 89.2 with 100% on homework and I got a B for the class. The difference between an 80.1 and an 89.2 is rather distinct and to get the same grades is unjust in my opinion. Now at ASU we do have the +/- system being standard now. However, I still don’t like border line cases. If we look at a given exam, this is the difference of maybe 1 multiple choice question which seems a bit harsh to determine a difference in a grade.

Therefore my methodology at the end is to cover up all the names in my grade book. I then scan down and look at anyone with 90+% on homework and I find out what % I can add to bump them up. I then determine what is the total % I need to add to bump EVERYONE up that had 90% + on their homework for the semester. I then apply it to everyone. It usually is somewhere around 2-2.5%. Now I don’t do extra credit. This is my equivalency for the extra credit that other instructors do. Does this mean someone may be at a 97.5 and pass the course despite having 60% on homework? Yes it does.

So you need to understand there is a big distinction between Canvas (no addition of anything) and your final grade in MyASU. Every semester I get countless emails from students asking to get preferential treatment relative to the rest of the class because they have a 79, 89, or 95 and they want the next higher grade. I cannot stand those emails, primarily because it is a reminder that they never came to class / paid attention / read the announcements in canvas to know that they didn’t need to do anything and it would happen anyway. So relax, goosfrabah, I am not hard core when it comes to finalizing grades.