IS 6641 Lab Grading Framework

Grading for the hands-on labs is based on three core areas, assessing not just task completion but also technical accuracy, conceptual understanding, and the professionalism of your work.

1. Technical Execution & Accuracy (50%)

This criterion measures your ability to correctly perform the hands-on tasks and produce a functional result. It focuses on the "what" and "how" of the lab.

• Completion of Steps: All required steps from the lab instructions were successfully completed.
• Correctness of Output: The final resources created (e.g., storage buckets, databases, public web pages) are configured correctly and work as expected.
• Troubleshooting: The written summary or reflection effectively describes any challenges encountered and the steps taken to solve them, demonstrating a critical problem-solving process.

2. Conceptual Understanding & Reflection (35%)

This criterion evaluates your grasp of the underlying cloud principles behind the lab exercises, focusing on the "why."

• Depth of Reflection: Answers to reflection questions go beyond simple, correct statements. They explain why a particular approach was used and connect it to the trade-offs discussed in the CARMA textbook (e.g., explaining the convenience of PaaS vs. the control of IaaS).
• Use of Terminology: You correctly use key terms from the course in your written responses (e.g., IaaS, PaaS, VPC, IAM, Principle of Least Privilege). This demonstrates a connection between practical lab work and the course's theoretical foundation.

3. Submission Quality & Professionalism (15%)

This criterion assesses the overall quality and presentation of your submitted work to ensure it meets a graduate-level standard.

• Clarity and Readability: The submission is well-organized and easy to follow. Screenshots are clear, legible, and cropped to show relevant information (e.g., a VM's public IP address or the output of a successful query).
• Adherence to Instructions: All submission guidelines have been followed, including the required naming conventions for cloud resources (e.g., fnamelnamelabbstep2).
• Professional Polish: Written responses are well-articulated and free from significant spelling or grammatical errors, presenting a polished and professional submission.