Zero Floor Default

There are a number of ways your instructor can set up their class and gradebook in Quest. In response to a request from the UT Student Senate, the default setting for new Quest courses utilizes a Zero-Floor grading scheme (No Negative Points).

However, your professor still has the option to reinstate negative points for an assignment if they choose. Some instructors prefer this accrual of 'negative points' method of grading to dissuade students from answering a question by guessing. However, we realize how frustrating it can be to work through a problem and with each try a negative score builds up–please know you will never be given a negative score on an assignment. We highly recommend attending office hours, or seeking a study group to help check each other's work, in order to give each attempt the best possible chance of being correct.

Examples:

You can test various scenarios using this tool: Grading Style Tool

Multiple Choice questions depend on the number of choices

A multiple choice question worth 10 points that has 8 options will have 7 attempts to get the correct answer with the following possible grade outcomes based on the selected reduced score grading method:

Attempt	No Negative Points	Negative Points	One Free Try
1	10	10	10
2	8.57	7.14	10
3	7.14	4.29	8.33
4	5.71	1.43	6.67
5	4.29	-1.43	5
6	2.86	-4.29	3.33
7	1.43	-7.14	1.67
Never correct	0	-10	0

Free response questions are different as they do not have a provided list of suggested answers

Free response questions do not have listed options to limit the number of retries, so these questions allow you 7 attempts. The reduced score grading calculation is slightly different as negative points do not apply.

Attempt	Normal	One Free Try
1	10	10
2	9.3	10
3	8.65	9.3
4	8.04	8.65
5	7.48	8.04
6	6.96	7.48
7	6.47	6.96
Never correct	0	0

We recommend instructors notify students of their chosen grading scheme, but it is ultimately their decision. As always, please contact us if you have concerns at questhelp@austin.utexas.edu.