Virginia, For a whole course, I look to the objectives. Then I determine what the most important information a student leaving the class should possess. Next I look at how I can most accuraetly assess that information. Among the common categories of components are quizzes, projects, homework, and exams. There many others, depending on the type of class. Determining the right balance of component weight may take a little trial and error. In the end, we want to make sure we are measuring student learning, not the best way to assign a grade. What good is a grade if the student doesn't understand the material? Hope this gives some ideas to consider. Barry Westling