All of the specified work is mandatory, unless extra credit is assigned to the class. Grading on coursework is as follows: Note that these are weighted grades. Your total grade will be higher than your actual course grade in Canvas. For that reason, I do not display total grades. Final grades are calculated using the weights shown below.

About grading MindTap homework - for students: 

MindTap graded assignments include Quizzes, Simulated labs, and Live Labs. They all have unlimited attempts, and the last attempt counts toward grade. There is a 10 % penalty for late submissions, for up to 60 days after due, or last day of class, whatever comes first. In each chapter is one quiz, one Lab Simulation and a different number of Live Virtual Machine Labs (25 total), that collect a total of 61 screenshots; or about two per lab on average. In addition, there is one pre-assessment and 3 post-assessment quizzes that are due at the end of class. Quizzes and Lab Simulations are automatically graded and the given grade counts as shown. The automatic grade of Live Virtual Machine Labs collecting screenshots can change after the instructor will review them for accuracy.

About MindTap Live Virtual Machine Labs: 

The MindTap Live labs automatically grade only the 3-5 included questions at the end and do not account for the collected screenshots. The instructor will manually regrade them after submitting. When the screenshots and all answers are correct, the instructor will change the grade to 101%. If the last lab attempt grade is 100%, but it only has correct answers to questions and incorrect or missing screenshots, the instructor will change the score from 100% to 9%, or to partial grade for incomplete work. The score of the reviewed submission will always have a score ending with a number other than zero. Labs ending with zero were NOT reviewed yet.

Tips: 

First open a new attempt, review the lab and go to the end to learn the answers to the questions. Then close the lab, restart it, clear the attempt, and now complete all the hands-on work and correctly answer the questions at the end. This way the last attempt will include the correct answers and screenshots showing the work. 

The specified collected screenshots are frequently not ideal evidence of the completed work. You could receive extra credit if you submit screenshots with additional or enhanced creative evidence of your work. For example, instead of maximizing the window of the last step, resize and arrange on the desktop any other windows with evidence of the steps leading to the results. 

Watch this video demonstrating the process: About MindTap Live Labs for Students - 13 min.

NOVA Online proctored or major assessments are required to maintain compliance with our accreditation standards and the Higher Education Act’s identity verification requirements for online courses. College-wide, proctored or major assessments must prove identity. To accomplish this in online courses, students must show overall passing levels on the proctored or major assessments in order to pass the course.

In this online course, if your average score on all proctored or major assessments is a passing percentage of 60 percent or higher, then your grade will be calculated according to the scale in the table below. Otherwise, a final grade of F will be assigned.

COURSE GRADING, ASSESSMENTS, & GRADES COMPOSITION

Grading will comprise of student discussions, quizzes, labs, projects, and assessments (Exam 1 & Exam 2).

COURSE GRADE	PERCENTAGE
Discussions	5%
Proctored Assessments* Midterm Exam Final Exam * 60% combined average required to pass the course	50%
Quizzes	5%
Live Labs	25%
Lab Simulations	15%
TOTAL	100%

Grade Scale

LETTER GRADE	A	B	C	D	F
PERCENTAGES	90 - 100	80 - 89	70 - 79	60 - 69	0 - 59