Make the avg_problem_grader just be the weighted grader.

[drgrice1]

The weighted grader really is just a more advanced version of the average problem grader that allows weights and "credit". If weights are not assigned then a weight of 1 is assumed for each answer. So if no weights are assigned then the weighted grader returns exactly the same thing as the previous average problem grader.

The weightedGrader.pl macro should be considered deprecated. The WEIGHTED_ANS, NAMED_WEIGHTED_ANS, and CREDIT_ANS methods should no longer be used (although they will still work even with the new average problem grader). Instead of calling WEIGHTED_ANS or NAMED_WEIGHTED_ANS, pass weight => n to the cmp method to assign a weight to an answer. Instead of calling CREDIT_ANS pass credit => $answer1 or credit => [ $answer1, $answer2, ... ] to the cmp method. That is effectively what those methods do anyway. Note that the other answers need to be assigned a name using the NEW_ANS_NAME method.

Note that if the weightedGrader.pl macro is loaded and install_weighted_grader is not called, then using the WEIGHTED_ANS, NAMED_WEIGHTED_ANS, and CREDIT_ANS methods will work with this since the implementation is completely compatible with the weighted_grader defined in the macro. Also if the macro is loaded and install_weighted_grader is called, then the macro will continue to work as before. The options can either be set using the macro method, or as described in the previous paragraph (except the credit option must be an array reference with the macro weighted grader).

There is one essential difference in this implementation from the previous weighted grader when the credit option is used. The previous weighted grader would mark optional answers correct, but not change their scores. This results in the feedback for those answers showing them as incorrect and the message shown above the problem stating that not all answers are correct, even though the overall problem score for the attempt is reported as 100%. The documentation in the weightedGrader.pl macro states that "When credit IS given, the blank answer is still marked as incorrect in the grey answer report at the top of the page, but the student gets awarded the points for that answer anyway (with no other indication). It is possible to cause the blank to be marked as correct, but this seemed confusing to the students." However, perhaps due to changes in feedback, it actually seemed much more confusing to me for the answers to be marked incorrect and have the red incorrect feedback and message above stating not all answers correct with the message way below that is often ignored by students stating that the score for the attempt is 100%. So this does what is suggested in the documentation and actually changes the scores for the optional answers. Furthermore, a message is added to those answers stating, "This answer was marked correct because the primary answer is correct." I am not sold on that wording, but this seems much clearer to me. Another option would be to not set the scores of the optional parts, but set the $problem_result{msg} informing the user what is going on. That message is displayed immediately below the problem as "Note: $problem_result{msg}". Since that is closer to the problem and not way down below all of the submit buttons that might be enough?

Both avg_problem_grader methods lib/WeBWorK/PG/Translator.pm and macros/core/PGanswermacros.pl were updated. However, only the one in macros/core/PGanswermacros.pl is actually used.

[somiaj]

Looking this over, and wondering why credit will only apply to optional parts if the answer is blank. To me this would seem odd if a student gets the main answer right, they could then get credit for the previous answers only if the go make them all blank again. I assume this comes from how this option was used before, but my initial thought is credit should be awarded even if the answer is not blank.

[drgrice1]

That is how the weightedGrader.pl macro works. I believe that the idea is that if a student answers a part, then it should be graded for correctness in any case. If a student answers the parts leading up to the credit answer incorrectly, then should that be ignored and the student be given full credit anyway? I don't think so.

[somiaj]

Tested everything and works as advertised.

[somiaj]

I can understand the original setup, but to me if a student can just blank out their answers to get full credit anyways, this could lead to undesirable behavior of students just blanking out answers to see if they can get credit on them. Though this really isn't a feature I use, so I have no strong opinion one way or the other.

I still think you should update the old macro to just install the new average problem grader and remove the grader from the macro.