Using the Grid

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Just as the gradebook is the center piece of Grade Point, the scores grid is the center piece of the gradebook. This is the control where you will spend the most time. The scores grid has several special features that may not be apparent at first glance. The topics below explain how to use these features.

Selecting Text when Moving Through the Grid

When you use the arrow keys or the tab key to move through the grid, Grade Point can be set to select the contents of the cell you are moving to. The advantage of this feature is that it allows you to quickly replace scores, since all you need to do is type the desired score, and the selected characters will be replaced. The disadvantage is that if you accidentally touch a key, the selected score is replaced by the character you touch. This feature can be enabled or disabled by choosing Select text when moving on the Format menu.

Finding and Replacing Text



Select Replace from the Edit menu to display the Replace dialog box. This allows you to search for specific entries or blank cells and replace them with a designated entry. When checked, the Format menu item Prompt on replace will allow a prompt that asks you to confirm the replace operation.

Replacing Blanks with Scores

The figure above shows how you would configure the Replace dialog box to replace blanks with scores. In this case, blanks will be replaced with a notation of Mis. Notice that in order for this to work, the field Find what must be blank, there must be a check in Replace blanks with scores if blank, and the score you want to use in place of blanks appears in the field Replace with.

Replacing Scores with Blanks

To replace all of a certain score/notation with blanks, you would do the opposite of the above example. Find what would contain the score notation you want to replace, Replace with would be blank, and Replace scores with blanks if blank would be checked. It would also be a good idea to place a check in Ignore Case if there's a possibility that some of the notations are capitalized while others are not.

Filling Scores

You can fill all cells in a column or row with the same score by selecting Fill Down or Fill Across from the Edit menu. The contents of the currently selected cell will be copied into succeeding cells when a fill is performed. When checked, the Format menu item Prompt on fill will allow a prompt that asks you to confirm the fill operation.

Exporting the Grid

The contents of the grid can be exported to a file or to the clipboard. Select Export grid from the File menu, then select To file or To clipboard. If the grid is exported to the clipboard, it can be pasted directly into a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. If the grid is exported to a file, it is exported as a tab-delimited text file. Most spreadsheets and database programs can import files that have this structure.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Consider using keyboard shortcuts instead of relying on the mouse to perform an operation. You might find that your entry work goes faster when your hands remain on the keyboard. See the topic Keyboard Shortcuts for a list of helpful shortcuts.

Saving Student Scores

Grade Point automatically posts scores and assignments as you move from one cell to another. It also posts when the window is closed or you change to a different subject.

Updating the Average and Grade

When entering student scores, the areas that show class or student averages are updated after you move out of the cell you make an entry in. It is the move that prompts Grade Point to update its display.

If you change the subject's weighting methods or assignment weighting methods, a student's average and grade may not be updated to reflect the change until you add or edit a score.

Increasing Grid Responsiveness

To increase responsiveness when working on a slow machine, you can turn off the display of final averages and letter grades. To do so, remove the check marks from Student average, Student grade, and Class average on the View menu. You can also turn off the fractional display of scores to improve responsiveness.

Note that when average and grade display is turned off, current final averages and grades are not calculated and saved to the database. In this case, you should make sure that when you generate progress reports, you allow Grade Point to calculate averages and grades when reports are created.

Determining the Number of Decimal Places Displayed

You can select the number of decimal places displayed on class and student averages by selecting Decimal Places from the Format menu. You can choose from 0 to 2 from the menu. This is a program-wide setting and will affect the display of decimals in student averages in other reports as well.

If you change the number of decimal places to be displayed, a student's average and grade may not be updated to reflect the change until you add or edit a score.

Adjusting Column Widths

Normally the grid will automatically adjust to accommodate the contents of the widest entry in a column. There are two ways to force the adjustment of columns, as shown below. You can find additional adjustment options by right-clicking the grid and selecting Adjust Grid from the popup menu.

Manually

Move the mouse onto the right edge of the numbered heading of the column you wish to adjust. When the cursor changes to parallel vertical lines with a double-ended arrow, click and drag the column to the desired width.

Automatically

Click the Adjust button on the toolbar or select View, Adjust Columns from the menu. (This selection can also be found on a pop-up menu if you right-click anywhere on the Gradebook page.) Each column will be adjusted automatically to accommodate the widest score it contains.

Changing Student Order

To change the order that students appear in the gradebook, select Student Order from the View menu. The order you establish will be used throughout the program. You can order students in the following ways:

Order Choice What Grade Point Does Random Arranges students in a random order. Each time you select this option, a new random order is established. This option along with hiding the student name column can allow you to publicly post a gradebook page with only IDs showing. This provides a high degree of anonymity for students, while enabling them to see their grades (provided they know their IDs). Custom Arranges students in the custom order you've established on the Students tab. First Name Alphabetizes the student roster using students' first names. If you sort by first name, you may also want to select First name first from the Format menu to display students' first names first, e.g., Thomas A. Edison. Last Name Alphabetizes the student roster using students' last names. If you sort by last name, you may also want to deselect First name first from the Format menu to display students' last names first, e.g., Edison, Thomas A. ID Alphabetizes the student roster using students' IDs. Note that an ID of 11 will immediately follow an id of 1. If you have IDs in the range of 1-9, consider entering them as 01, 02, etc. Natural Arranges the student roster by the order in which they were originally entered.

You can also change the order of the student roster on the students setup tab.

Changing the Font

You can select Font from the Format menu to change the appearance of the font used in the grid. This feature is intended to be a visual aid for those who are have trouble reading the default font on the monitor. Note that the grid does not necessarily use the display font for printing. Rather, it uses a default setting.