Automatic Zeros in the Gradebook for Unsubmitted Work

This guide pertains to Ultra Course View.

If your course is in Original Course View, see the Original Course View tutorial collection.

 

Automatic Zeros Overview

By default, unsubmitted, past-due work for a student is automatically marked in the Gradebook as a zero, saving the time it would take to manually enter zeros for missed work. Students and groups can still submit work after an automatic zero is assigned and instructors can grade as normal. 

An Automatic Zero is automatically assigned to a student once a due date has passed.  To clarify, if due dates are not configured into graded activities, the system will not be able to assign the automatic zero for missed work.  When a student submits after the due date, the automatic zero is removed. A late label appears with the submission date and time.  Use of Automatic Zeros provides students with a clearer, more concise picture of their academic standing in the course.   See also Importance of Automatic Zeros and Running Total:  Accuracy in Academic Standing.

Watch:  Gradebook Default Settings Explained

The Automatic Zero setting applies to these item types, with due dates and grading configured:

  • Assignments and group assignments
  • Tests and group tests
  • Graded individual and group discussions

Automatic Zeros Setting in Gradebook Settings

View of Automatic Zeros in the Gradebook

In List View, students' grade pills display "0" when no submissions exist and the due date has passed. The label Automatic Zero appears next to the grade pills. The label Complete also appears as you have nothing to grade. Automatic zeros post automatically.

This is how the automatic zeros function look like.

On the Gradebook page in Grid View, the column titles are in red when the due date has passed. In student cells, "0" and Automatic zero appear.

This is how automatic zeros look like in the Gradebook grid view.

Students can submit late to update their grades. You may want to include how late work is graded in item instructions or your syllabus. When a student submits after the due date, the automatic zero is removed. A late label appears with the submission date and time.

Example of a late submission.

Students with due date accommodations are not affected by this setting. You can add a due date accommodation to revoke an automatic zero. Automatic zeros are assigned to work that is past due when you add a new student or group to your course.

If a member of a group has a due date accommodation, the group inherits that accommodation. No one in the group receives an automatic zero after the due date passes.

Disable Automatic Zeros

You can disable the automatic zeros setting at any time. In the Gradebook Settings panel, clear the automatic zeros check box. Next, make a selection:

  • Keep existing automatic zeros
  • Clear existing automatic zeros

Automatic zeros will no longer be assigned. If you cleared the automatic zeros, affected students' point totals are updated.

Don't assign automatic zeros confirmation panel.

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