- Project 1 Part 1 – 5%
- Project 1 Part 2 – 20%
- Certificate Learnings (2) – 5%
- Project 2 – Alpha – 5%
- Project 2 – Final Solution – 30%
- Weekly quizzes (6) – 25%
- Discussion Board Participation Posts – 10%
Course Grading Scale | |||
94-100 | A | 73-76 | C |
90-93 | A- | 70-72 | C- |
87-89 | B+ | 67-69 | D+ |
83-86 | B | 63-66 | D |
80-82 | B- | 60-62 | D- |
77-79 | C+ | Below 60 | F |
All final course grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number, (i.e. 69.5 would be rounded to a 70, but a 69.49 would be a 69).
Grading Criteria
The following are the criteria used for evaluating assignments. You can roughly translate a letter grade as the midpoint in the scale (for example, an A- equates to a 91.5).
Criteria | Grade |
The assignment consistently exceeds expectations. It demonstrates originality of thought and creativity throughout. Beyond completing all of the required elements, new concepts and ideas are detailed that transcend general discussions along similar topic areas. There are no mechanical, grammatical, or organization issues that detract from the ideas. | A- or A |
The assignment consistently meets expectations. It contains all the information prescribed for the assignment and demonstrates a command of the subject matter. There is sufficient detail to cover the subject completely but not too much as to be distracting. There may be some procedural issues, such as grammar or organizational challenges, but these do not significantly detract from the intended assignment goals. | B-, B, B+ |
The assignment fails to consistently meet expectations. That is, the assignment is complete but contains problems that detract from the intended goals. These issues may be relating to content detail, be grammatical, or be a general lack of clarity. Other problems might include not fully following assignment directions. | C-, C, C+ |
The assignment constantly fails to meet expectations. It is incomplete or in some other way consistently fails to demonstrate a firm grasp of the assigned material. These issues may be relating to content detail, be grammatical, or be a general lack of clarity. Other problems might include not fully following assignment directions. | D-, D, D+ |
Missing or late assignment. | Below D- |
Extra Credit: There will be NO individual or team opportunities for extra credit beyond what is posted in canvas by the instructor, so please do not ask for additional extra credit assignments or opportunities.
Rubrics: All rubrics are located in canvas with their associated assignments
Late Assignment Policy
An assignment is considered late if it is turned in after the deadlines stated in the syllabus. No late assignments will be accepted without penalty. Due to the iterative nature of the assignment, there is no room for late assignments. The details:
- Please note that I may make onetime exceptions with penalties for late submissions if you contact me via email within two weeks of the late assignment. Late assignments may be accepted with a small, onetime 20-point deduction if you complete the assignment and submit it according to my response to your request.
- Equipment failure is not an acceptable reason for turning in an assignment late.
- You must submit all assignments, even if you’ve missed the window to receive credit. If you skip an assignment, an additional 10 points will be subtracted from your final grade in the course.
- The final project cannot be turned in late.
- There are no extensions or late submissions allowed for the Extra Credit opportunities.
Discussion Board Participation
Regular online Discussion Board Participation is expected and a core component of our course. This means that you need to continually check the Discussion Board to see if new discussion questions have been posted. Your Discussion Board grade is based on your activity on Discussion Board. This includes posting a response before the deadline, replying to one of my responses, or replying to another student’s response. Your initial response to the discussion prompt is due by 11:59 PM on Monday of the week it is assigned. Your follow up response is due by 11:59 PM on Friday of the week it is assigned. Please check Canvas daily. In general, each Discussion Board topic will be available for 1 week.
- Quantity: You will be required to post on the message board for every topic during the assigned time. It is my hope that we can create an asynchronous dialogue on the Discussion Board. Please check the message board daily. In addition to posting your original response, it is required that you read other student responses, my responses, and reply to at least 1 of these posts. These replies will simulate an in-class discussion on an online platform.
- Quality: You will be graded on the quantity of your posts on the message board, and on the quality of your responses. You are to respond not only to my question, but to each other. I expect several sentences of discussion related to the topic for each post.
- Questions asked will be related to the content of the week (i.e., class content, videos, and readings due).
- Your grade will be based on your message board responses. You should be active on the Discussion Board, and your responses should integrate course material with your own professional experiences.
- Conversation in the classroom is important too. When called on, respond to the instructor’s questions thoughtfully. Good classroom communication may compensate for below average online participation.
- Student participation grades are assigned at the sole discretion of the instructor. The instructor will create discussion questions on canvas. The instructor will monitor student interaction there. Students who consistently provide good answers, ask good questions, and are generally engaged in constructive dialog can expect full participation credit. Students with below average community involvement will get below average participation grades.
Quizzes
There will be six in-class quizzes during the semester. Missed quizzes can only be made up in the case of documented and verifiable extreme emergency situations.
Please note that I may make a onetime exception with penalty for a missed quiz if you contact me within twenty-four-hours of the missed quiz. Missed quizzes without proper documentation may be made up with a small penalty of a twenty-five-point deduction and must be taken within one day of the missed quiz.
Additional Grading Policies
MIS 3504 scores/grades are provided through canvas. Our course’s grading percentage breakdown is listed above for your reference.
Please note that it is against my policy to discuss grades on any test, graded assignment or any other direct component of your final grade via e-mail. If you would like to discuss how an assignment was graded, please see me during office hours. If you are not available during office hours, please make an appointment with me for another time.
Please note that two weeks after a grade has been posted, the grade will be considered “final.” If you have an issue with a grade you are required to meet with me or make an appointment to meet with me during this two-week period. After this two-week period, a grade will be considered “final” and is not up for discussion.
Individual scores may vary on team projects due to deficiencies in project engagement, team participation, and/or overall attendance. Teams will be asked to provide feedback on fellow team members. This feedback will be taken into consideration when calculating each teammates final project score.
- Note: Project team rosters are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
- A note about participation: Participation is not simply showing up for class. This grade is evaluated based upon your engagement in the classroom, in-class activities, your contribution to discussions, interaction with your teammates and feedback during studio sessions. Please do your best to be present and active in each and every class – it will improve your experience immensely!
Please make arrangements with your instructor via email and/or during office hours if you would like to discuss your assignment score in more detail.
Attendance Requirements/Grade Impact
Assure that you check-in during a specified time in class via your phone by downloading the Qwickly App. Try to be on time for each class and arrive 5 minutes before it starts. The Attendance System will allow you to check-in during class once it is turned on by the instructor. It could be at any time during class at the discretion of the instructor. If you are in class and unable to check in, you must see the instructor at the end of class.
Attendance will be tracked on Canvas under an Assignment Titled “Absences” and visible with your total absences that appear as points. Please understand that these points are “not” grade points. You can also access your attendance record via the Attendance link on the left side of our Canvas page. You are completely responsible for checking in. If you forget, you will be recorded as absent.
A second Assignment Titled “Absence Impact” will also be visible to you, and it “will” impact your grade according to the following policy.
- If you are absent for two or fewer class meeting(s), you earn 1 point of extra credit by the end of the semester. This 1 point is over and above what you can earn for assignments, quizzes, discussion posts and project work. (For example, your grade will be calculated out of 100 points, but you will be able to earn up to 101.)
- If you miss three class meeting (i.e., one cumulative weeks of classes), you do not earn the 1 extra credit point, and your grade is otherwise not impacted.
- If you miss four class meetings (i.e., more than one cumulative weeks of class), your overall final grade will be reduced -2.5 points (2.5%).
- If you miss five class meetings (i.e., more than one cumulative weeks of class), your overall grade will be reduced an additional -2.5 points (for a total of -5 points, or a 5% reduction).
I will continue to log absences, but penalties will be capped at -5 points (5% reduction), however if your absences continue, your participation in the course will come under review and additional grade point reductions may occur through lack of participation on graded in-class activities, team project work, class studio sessions and assignments.
Disability Resources and Services
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a documented disability, including special accommodations for access to technology resources and electronic instructional materials required for the course, should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation by the end of the second week of classes or as soon as practical. If you have not done so already, please contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to learn more about the resources available to you. I will work with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities.
Citation Guidelines
If you use text, figures, and data in reports that was created by others you must identify the source and clearly differentiate your work from the material that you are referencing. If you fail to do so you are plagiarizing. There are many different acceptable formats that you can use to cite the work of others. The format is not as important as the intent. You must clearly show the reader what is your work and what is a reference to someone else’s work.
Academic Honesty
Learning is both an individual and a cooperative undertaking. Asking for and giving help freely in all appropriate setting helps you to learn. You should represent only your own work as your own. Personal integrity is the basis for intellectual and academic integrity. Academic integrity is the basis for academic freedom and the University’s position of influence and trust in our society. University and school rules and standards define and prohibit “academic misconduct” by all members of the academic community including students. You are asked and expected to be familiar with these standards and to abide by them. A link to Temple’s Policy on Academic Dishonesty can be found at the following link:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class. In cases of cheating, both parties will be held equally responsible, i.e. both the student who shares the work and the student who copies the work. Penalties for such actions are given at my discretion, and can range from a failing grade for the individual assignment, to a failing grade for the entire course.
Course Policies
Course Schedule/Syllabus/Policies – The Course Schedule, Syllabus and Policies are subject to change at any time, depending on progress in the classroom and other factors, including weather and unexpected events. All changes will be noted in class and posted on this class community site. Failure to learn about changes due to absence from class or not checking the community site regularly does not constitute an acceptable excuse for being unaware of any change or required activity.
Attendance – MIS3504 classes will involve lectures, videos, guest speakers, discussions, and many in-class activities. Students are expected to attend class regularly, arrive promptly, come prepared (readings completed, activity sheets and writing implements in hand, etc.), and participate actively (i.e., contribute to classroom discussions).
Absences – If an emergency arises requiring an absence from a session, it is your responsibility to inform me ahead of time and get notes and any other information covered in class from one of your colleagues. Because this course is largely interactive and participation based, missing more than 2 class sessions may have serious repercussions on your grade. Being absent, even when I have been notified beforehand, does not serve as an excuse for missing a quiz, exam, or turning in an assignment late. If you are not in class, all assignments must still be dropped off according to the published deadlines. Failure to do so will result in your receiving a zero (0) grade for the assignment.
Extra Credit – There are three extra credit assignment being offered to the entire section. Please refer to canvas for details. There will be NO team or additional individual opportunities for extra credit.
Curves – There will be NO opportunities for curves on any graded course component.
Retention Period – All completed class assignments are retained for two weeks after final grades are posted.
Classroom Policies
To maintain a positive atmosphere conducive to learning, it is important that students respect instructors and fellow classmates, and that behaviors do not disrupt class activities or interfere with the academic environment and free exchange of ideas. Students are expected to adhere to the following policies:
- Arriving/Leaving Class – Plan to arrive to class on time and to stay for the entire class period. Random arrivals and exits are distracting to both instructor and classmates. If you must arrive late, enter class quietly and take the first seat available to you. If you must leave early, sit as close to the door as possible so your exit is minimally disruptive.
- Cell Phones/Electronic Devices – All smart devices (smartphones, tablets etc.) must be on vibrate.
- Talking/Interrupting – This course is structured as predominantly discussion and activities, so small group interaction is expected. However, when another student is speaking to the class, or the instructor is lecturing, you are expected to refrain from interrupting or talking in private conversation with fellow classmates.
- Questions/Comments – Please raise your hand first as a courtesy to classmates and instructor. Remember, your questions and comments are welcome, and there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Chances are, if you have a question, someone else is also thinking the same thing. Asking questions results in you learning more, making the class interesting, and helping your classmates learn as well.
If a specific behavior has not been addressed here, but might negatively impact other students’ learning or class instruction, you are expected to exercise good judgement and refrain from such actions. In most cases, exhibiting disruptive behaviors will result in being asked to leave the classroom for the duration of that day’s session. If you have any difficulty adhering to these rules (I acknowledge there may be rare valid reasons), you may bring it to my attention after class, via email, or during office hours.