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About 'Override Grades'

Users with role of Instructor, Teaching Assistant, or Grader have the ability to change grades in a course. When a grade is changed, the new data is automatically incorporated into existing weighted columns, total columns, and/or calculated grade columns. Each time you change a grade, the new number is used for calculation and an entry is made in the grade history. Please see Blackboard's help page for more information about grade history.

Sometimes a grade change may be accomplished by overriding a grade. Overrides only apply to attempt-based Grade Center items, like Tests and Assignments. Grades for the interactive tools, like Journal and Blog entries, Wiki page saves, and Discussion posts are not attempt-based, but rather activity-based. Please see the 'Override a grade on the Grade Details page' section below for more information about overriding activity-based grades.

An overridden grade supersedes all other grades for that item, including attempts a student submits after an override grade is assigned. For example, a grade is based on the average of multiple assignment attempts. But, you want to add a grade for a certain student that is different from the average. For that student, you can assign an override grade that takes precedence over all other grades and future attempts.

Appearance in the Grade Center:

When you override a grade, the Override icon (orange triangle) will appear in the top-left corner of its cell.

When you assign a grade to a cell with no attempt for an assignment/test, it is still considered an 'override grade' and the override icon appears in its cell. When you assign a grade for an interactive tool's gradable activity when no activity exists, no icon appears in the grade cell. You also won't see an icon if you override a grade from a rubric.

Override a grade in a cell

You can type an override grade in a Grade Center cell for a test or assignment that allows students to submit multiple attempts.

Example: An assignment with two attempts allowed:

• You can assign a grade for the first attempt on the Grade Assignment page. Then, if/when you type in the second attempts cell, that is considered an override grade. If you go on to grade the second attempt from the Grade Assignment page, the override grade still supersedes the second attempt grade you assign. Therefore, you may wish to avoid assigning grades for assignments and tests with multiple attempts directly in their Grade Center cells.
• If you allowed only one attempt, you can type in the Grade Center cell, and that is not considered an override grade.
• If you type a grade in the Grade Center cell and want to add feedback for the user or notes for yourself, please see the next section.

Override a grade on the Grade Details page

We recommend that you assign an override grade from the Manual Override tab on the Grade Details page. Here, you may add feedback for the user and notes for yourself about the grade change. This will provide a record of why you chose to override any future attempts.

The only way to assign on override grade for gradable Journal and Blog entries, Wiki page saves, and Discussion posts is on the Manual Override tab. However, you can edit an override grade from the grading panel, and disallow its precedence.

1. In the Grade Center, locate the cell with the student's graded test or assignment grade to override and access its menu.
2. Select View Grade Details.
3. On the Grade Details page, select the Manual Override tab, and type a new grade in the Override Grade box.
4. Optionally, type Feedback to User (visible to student) and Grading Notes (only visible to instructor). Use the functions in the content editor to format the text and upload files, images, and multimedia, if desired.
5. Select Save.
6. Select Return to Grade Center to go back to the main Grade Center page.

Revert an override grade

You can use the 'Revert' function to clear an override grade, and display the previously assigned grade (if one exists — otherwise, the 'Needs Grading' icon appears).

1. In the Grade Center, locate the cell with the student's override grade that you would like to revert, and access its drop-down menu.
2. Select View Grade Details.
3. On the Grade Details page, in the Current Grade section, select Revert. Confirm the action.
4. Select OK. The override grade is cleared, and this action is recorded on the Grade History tab on this page.
5. Select Return to the Grade Center to go back to the main Grade Center page.

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