Adding Assignments
Assignments can be added to a class by typing, by copying from another class or by importing from a class in another gradebook. This section explains how to add assignments by typing.
1 Open the Records window to the first empty assignment record. There are three ways to do this: 1) select Add Assignment from the Tool menu, 2) click the large Add Assignment button in the score or assignment charts or 3) click the Add Assignment tool.
Add Assignment tool
2 Type the assignment Name and press tab.
3 Type the assignment's Maximum Score and press tab. Type the assignment's Points. Ignore these fields if the assignment is being used for extra credit or is a nongraded item. For a thorough discussion of Maximum Score and Points, be sure to take a look at the FAQs that follow.

FAQ: What are maximum score and points? How should I set them?
By definition, an assignment's maximum score is the score that is worth 100%. It's the score that is given when everything is correct (ignoring extra credit).

Perhaps you like to score papers using percents (scores between 0 and 100). In this case, as a percents-grader, you should keep the maximum score at 100. Perhaps you count the number of problems the student has correct to get the score. In this case, as a problems-grader, you should set the maximum score to the total number of problems. Perhaps you apply differing amounts of points to problems based on difficulty and then sum the points the student has earned to get the score. In this case, as a points-grader, you should set the maximum score to the number of points possible on the assignment.

Easy Grade Pro uses the maximum score to do one thing only: calculate a student's percent on the assignment. If a student's score is 15 and the maximum score is 20, Easy Grade Pro calculates (15/20) x 100 and gets 75%.

Notice that the maximum score has nothing to do with the value of an assignment. A student can have a 15 out of 20 on a small assignment as well as on a huge semester project. How is one assignment given more value than another? It is done through the use of assignment points!

By definition, an assignment's points is the number of points to be earned when a student's score is equal to the maximum score. Using the example above in which the student's score is 15 out of 20, the student will get 75% of whatever value is set for points. The student will receive 15 points if there are 20 points possible, 75 points if there are 100 points possible, 150 if there are 200 points possible and so on.

So, how should you set an assignment's points? The answer depends on your grading style. If you are a points-grader, you should use the same number for maximum score and points. When you do this, the student's score, whatever it is, will be equal to the number of points earned. If you are a percents-grader or a problems-grader, simply keep the points set at 100 for a typical assignment, 200 for an assignment worth double, 50 for an assignment worth half and so on.

Be sure to see the related How is a student's overall grade calculated?

FAQ: If I use category weighting, does it matter how I set assignment points?
If you use category weighting (i.e. Quiz 30%, Homework 50%, Final Exam 20%) and you want all assignments in a category to have the same value, simply set points on all of them to 100, or to 10 or to anything -- as long as they are all the same. However, if you want one assignment to be worth more than another assignment in the same category, then follow the guidelines in the prior FAQ.
4 Select the assignment's due date. The calendar is initially set to the current date. If the date showing is not the current date, the computer's clock may be improperly set or its clock battery may be dead.
5 Select the assignment's category. The category is used in summaries, reports and in grading (if categories are weighted). To edit your categories, choose Class Options from the Edit menu and select the Category tab.
6 Select the Special Status option. Special status options include the following:
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 Normal. No special action is taken.
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 Extra credit. Any score entered for a student will increase the number of points the student has earned without increasing the number of points possible. In other words, the student's average will go up. Students without scores are unaffected.
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 Can be dropped. Easy Grade Pro will drop this assignment for a student if, by dropping it, the student's overall percent is improved more than by dropping any other assignment that can be dropped. A letter d is drawn next to a dropped score.
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 Not for grade. The assignment will not be included when determining grades. It can be used for recording items such as whether a progress report has been returned. It can also be used to temporarily turn off a group of assignments so that they do not influence the overall grades.
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 (-)Negative Points. A score entered for a student will decrease the number of points the student has earned without decreasing the number of points possible, causing the average to go down. Students without scores are unaffected.
7 Select the Display Scores option. Use this to set whether the scores will appear as scores, percents or grades in the score chart. A pop up menu in the score chart (see Customizing the Display of your Data) can override this setting.
8 Select the Progress Report option. Progress report options include the following items:
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 Include Assignment. The assignment will be included on every progress report whether the student has a score or not.
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 Include if Student has Score. The assignment will be included only if the student has a score. This option allows you to add columns to your score chart that only apply to one or some students. It also allows you to enter assignments in advance and prevent them from appearing too soon in progress reports.
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 Exclude Assignment. The assignment will not be included in any progress report.
9 (Optional) Enter text in the Note field. Text could include the assignment objective or purpose. It can also be used in conjunction with custom filters to allow you to show or hide the assignment based on any criteria that you choose.
10 Select Next Assignment >> to move to the next assignment or select Done.

FAQ: Why are the dates wrong on the calendars and in the charts?
This problem indicates that the computer's clock is not set properly or the clock's battery is dead. Use the computer's Date and Time control panel to set the clock. Refer to your computer's user manual for help in replacing a dead clock battery.