There are multiple ways to add extra credit in D2L, but it's important to determine whether the item, category, or final grade can exceed 100%. For example, you can enter a score higher than the maximum value of an item, but only if the “Can Exceed” option is selected in the item settings. To make the entire assignment extra credit, you can mark it as a “Bonus Item.” However, you must also select "Can Exceed" in the category settings, as well as in the Final Calculated Grade item, if you want the overall score to exceed 100%.
Note: You can click on the Final Calculated Grade item to edit the settings, or use Bulk Edit in Manage Grades, to allow the final grade to exceed 100%. Checking "can exceed" for all items doesn't change anything other than allowing for items, categories, and the overall grade to go over 100%.
Extra credit above the value possible for an assignment: (i.e., Give 105 points to an exam worth 100 points.) Select the box "Can Exceed" in the item settings.
Extra credit assignment (Bonus item): All points given for the assignment are treated as extra credit. Select the box "Bonus" in the item settings.
Note: If you place only “Bonus” items in a category, be certain to check the box “Can Exceed” for the category or no points will be added to the overall score.
Allow a category to exceed 100%: Select the box "Can Exceed" in the category settings. Click on the category title in “Manage Grades” to edit the settings.
If you allow an item to exceed 100% or include Bonus items, but do not check the box "Can Exceed" in the category and/or “Final Calculated Grade” settings, then extra credit will count but it will be limited to no more than 100% for the category or “Final Calculated Grade.”
For a Weighted Grading System, extra credit points and Bonus items within a category are weighted using both the item and category weight (i.e., a bonus item with a weight of 10, within a category having a weight of 50, yields up to a 5% increase in the overall grade, 10% of 50%).
If you use a “Bonus” item with no category, limit its weight to the most you wish to add to the final course percentage. For example, if you do not want to add more than 4% to any given final grade, limit the Bonus item’s weight to 4. The points can be any amount as it is the weight that makes the difference in the overall percent.
To make a Bonus item in weighted grades act like extra credit points, weight the item relative to the total points. For example, if a Bonus item is worth 10 points and there are 500 points in the category (not including bonus pts), then weight the item at 10/500 = 0.02 or 2%.
Alternate method: Solve the weight value by making it proportional with an existing item. If a 100 pt exam has a weight of 25%, then a 4 pt bonus item is given a weight of 1% (25/100 = x/4 or x = 4 * 25/100 = 1).
Formula: (bonus weight) = (bonus points)*(existing item weight) / (existing item points)