3 Tips for MindTap for Marketing

In this video tutorial, you will learn three tips for using MindTap for Marketing.

Activity Icons

Icons displayed in the gradebook and learning path give you information about your activities and how they are scored.

Activity is Not Marked Practice or Counts Towards Grade

Activities in your learning path are often marked Practice if they do not count toward the final grade, or Counts Towards Grade if they do. If an activity is not marked as either Practice or Counts Towards Grade, it does not count toward the final grade.

Add a File to Your Bongo Assignment

Upload or link to a file for your Bongo assignment. For example, if you have an assignment to record a video of yourself giving a slide presentation, you can upload a slide deck or link to Google slides to use in the activity.

Add a Video to Your Bongo Assignment

Record or upload a video for your Bongo assignment.

Add Custom Foods in Diet & Wellness Plus

If you cannot find a food in the diet tracker, create a custom food and enter the information from the nutrition label so you can accurately track your diet.

Add Recipes in Diet & Wellness Plus

Save recipes that you make often so you don't have to add each individual ingredient to your diet tracker. The recipe will be saved as a new food item that you can find in the search results on the Track Diet page.

Allow Cookies in Chrome

Go to chrome://settings/cookies. Select Allow third-party cookies .

Allow Cookies in Microsoft Edge

Click ⋯ › Settings . Click Cookies and Site Permissions . Click Manage and delete cookies and site data . Turn on Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended) .

Allow Cookies in Safari

You can't allow cookies only for specific sites. Click Safari › Settings . Click the Advanced tab. Clear Block all cookies . Click the Privacy tab. Clear Prevent cross-site tracking .

Allow JavaScript in Chrome

Go to chrome://settings/content/javascript. Select Sites can use JavaScript .

Allow JavaScript in Microsoft Edge

In Microsoft Edge, JavaScript is always enabled and you cannot disable it.

Allow JavaScript in Safari

Click Safari › Settings . Click the Security tab. Select Enable JavaScript .

Allow Pop-Up Windows in Chrome

Go to chrome://settings/content/popups. Next to Allowed to send pop-ups or use redirects , click Add and add each of the following domains: The domain used by your Learning Management System (LMS), for example, ncsu.blackboard.com [*.]cengage.com Related information Chrome help: Block or allow pop-ups

Allow Pop-Up Windows in Microsoft Edge

Click ⋯ › Settings . Click Cookies and Site Permissions . Under Site permissions , click Pop-ups and redirects . Turn off Blocked (recommended) . Related information Microsoft Edge help: Block pop-ups

Allow Pop-Up Windows in Safari

If not open already, open MindTap in a browser tab. Click Safari › Settings . Click the Websites tab. Click Pop-up Windows . Select Allow for the following domains, if listed: The domain used by your Learning Management System (LMS), for example, ncsu.blackboard.com [*.]cengage.com Related information Safari help: Block pop-ups and unnecessary content

Automatic Submission

Most activities are automatically submitted if they are in progress when the due date passes, but some are not. Be sure to submit your activity to receive a grade.

Bongo Activities

Present to instructors and classmates with Bongo.

Browser Plugins

Some content and tools might require the following browser plugins.

Browser Settings

Configure the following settings in your web browser.

Can't Open Class or Submit Assignments

You can't open your class or submit assignments. Other problems might also be related to this issue.

Can't Start Live Virtual Machine Labs Virtual Machine

The Live Virtual Machine Labs activity does not start and displays An error occurred while attempting to start the selected virtual machine(s).

Can't View Instructions or Submit Lab

You cannot work on your lab because the Companion tab is not displayed.

Check Your System

Use the browser check tool to see if you need to update your browser or install missing plugins.

Classes

Purchase access to your course materials and open your MindTap course.

CNOW Activities Don't Open

When you try to open a CNOW activity, you see an error message that your computer clock is wrong.

Coding Lab is Missing Tools or Running Slowly

If your lab opens without certain tools, or runs slowly, you might need to rebuild your codespace to get the latest Coding Labs updates.

Coding Labs

Coding Labs is a program in MindTap that helps students learn coding and computer programming. Coding Labs is integrated with GitHub Codespaces to simulate real-world coding environments so students can gain experience without downloading and installing large or expensive code compilers.

Coding Labs System Requirements

Coding Labs has system requirements in addition to the system requirements for MindTap.

Coding Labs Troubleshooting

Resolve common issues with Coding Labs.

Complete a Live Virtual Machine Labs Activity

Open, complete, and submit a Live Virtual Machine Labs activity.

Complete a Peer Review in Bongo

Reviewing classmates' work might count toward your grade.

Complete a Virtual Labs Activity

Complete and submit an activity on a virtual machine. After submitting, you will see your score and feedback on your work.

Complete Activities

Practice what you learn with MindTap activities. Each answer to a question is called an attempt. Some activities give you multiple attempts to answer correctly.

Complete Aplia Activities

Learn how to identify and complete Aplia activities in MindTap.

Complete CNOW Activities

Learn how to identify and complete CNOWv2 activities in MindTap.

Complete Coding Labs Assignment

Coding Labs use GitHub and an online code editor to complete coding activities. As you work on labs, run your code to check your results.

Complete Language Course Activities

You can practice what you learn with course activities.

Complete Pronounce Activities

You can practice pronunciation when completing audio recording activities.

Complete Reading Activities

You can complete assigned reading activities from the learning path.

Complete Report Assignments in Diet & Wellness Plus

Complete and submit reports assigned by your instructor.

Complete Web Link Activities

Web link activities link to content outside of MindTap.

Complete Write Experience Activities

When you open a Write Experience activity, a writing prompt is shown and you can enter an essay-type answer that can include text formatting. Write Experience activities display the Write Experience icon above the writing prompt.

Completed Lab Displays as In Progress

After completing a Live Virtual Machine Labs activity, the activity displays in the MindTap gradebook as still in progress.

Completed Lab Displays as In Progress

Condition After completing a Virtual Labs activity, the activity displays in the MindTap gradebook as still in progress. Cause If you close an activity without clicking Submit , your work is not saved. Remedy Complete the activity. Close your Virtual Labs tab or click Close Window on the survey.

Configure Browser Settings in Chrome

If needed, configure your browser settings in Chrome.

Configure Browser Settings in Microsoft Edge

If needed, configure your browser settings in Microsoft Edge.

Configure Browser Settings in Safari

If needed, configure your browser settings in Safari.

Contact Support

Contact customer support with additional questions.

Create an Audio Recording

For audio recording activities in language courses, you create audio recordings to practice pronunciation and speaking skills.

Create an Audiovisual Recording

For audiovisual recording activities in language courses, you make videos individually or with other students to practice conversation skills.

CSFI (College Success Factors Index) Activities

The College Success Factors Index (CSFI) is an online resource within MindTap's Learning Path that assesses students’ patterns of behavior and attitudes in 10 areas that have been proven to affect student outcomes for success in college.

Diet & Wellness Plus Reports

After you track food intake and daily activity, you can generate a wide range of nutrient reports and spreadsheets.

Diet and Wellness Plus

Diet & Wellness Plus is diet analysis software featuring over 100,000 foods and powered by ESHA/Trustwell research in 2025. The food and nutrient database includes global, brand-name, and custom foods, along with recipe features. You can track diet, activity, and healthy behaviors. Reports help students to understand how nutrition and lifestyle choices relate to personal health goals. Assignments and updated grading features guide students to apply their knowledge and assist instructors in their evaluation of student progress.

Disable Homework Help in Chrome

You can disable the Homework Help feature in Google Chrome that provides AI-generated answers to educational content.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Error Message Displays

A General Error message displays and the action you were attempting is not successful.

General Errors with Live Virtual Machine Labs

Errors happen when completing Live Virtual Machine Labs activities.

Get to Know MindTap

Explore the MindTap user interface.

Getting Started

Related information CNOWv2 Smart Start Checklist CNOWv2 Essentials Slide Deck Get to Know

GitHub Notifications

When you run code in your coding lab, you receive an email from GitHub.

Grade Calculation

Understand how your activity scores and overall grade are calculated.

Grades and Scores

View your activity scores and overall course grade and understand how your work is graded.

Instructor Can't View Your Code

If you need to review your students' Coding Labs code for practice or unsubmitted assignments, you can ask them to either add you as a contributor in GitHub or download their workspace as a.zip file and share it with you.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be used in MindTap. The shortcuts cover various tasks for Windows and Mac functions.

Late Submission

Your instructor can choose to accept late submissions for a designated period of time, but you might receive a late penalty to your score.

Links to MindTap Courses or Activities Don't Work

When you click a link to a MindTap course or activity from your LMS, the link doesn't open a new browser window with the course or learning activity.

Listen to an Audio Recording

In language courses, you play recorded audio to learn correct pronunciation and practice your listening comprehension skills.

Live Virtual Machine Labs Activities

Live Virtual Machine Labs is an interactive learning environment in MindTap course activities where you can practice problem-solving skills, in real time, on live IT systems.

Live Virtual Machine Labs Connection Lost

When completing a Live Virtual Machine Labs activity, the virtual machine stops responding.

Live Virtual Machine Labs Prerequisite Assignment

Some learning paths include a Live Virtual Machine Labs prerequisite assignment, which shows you how to use Live Virtual Machine Labs.

Live Virtual Machine Labs System Requirements

Live Virtual Machine Labs has system requirements in addition to the system requirements for MindTap.

Live Virtual Machine Labs Troubleshooting

Resolve common issues with Live Virtual Machine Labs.

Lowest Score Dropped

Your instructor can automatically drop your lowest activity scores for each category or for uncategorized activities.

Mastery Training

Powered by Cerego, Mastery Training activities adapt to each student's performance to help them learn and apply concepts efficiently and effectively. Relying on the principle of distributed practice, these assignments require each student to follow a schedule and review core concepts in small chunks over time. Mastery Training refreshes your memory for each item just as it's about to fade by tracking your performance, measuring pace, response time, and accuracy to predict the best time to review. The result is a personalized experience that leads to long-term retention — and a learning engine that gets more effective the more you use it.

Microsoft Office

Cengage regularly updates MindTap to remain current with Microsoft updates and the evolving learning needs of students and instructors. SAM 365 and 365/2021 Projects Windows 10 or later Microsoft 365 subscription or Microsoft Office 2021 Home, Premium, or University macOS 10.14 or later Microsoft 365 Home/Premium subscription or Microsoft Office 2021 Home/Student Not compatible with Microsoft Office Online. Office Online files have a different structure than files created on the desktop version...

MindTap is Not Responding

If MindTap is not responding or working correctly, you can check its status at techcheck.cengage.com.

MindTap on iPad

Most MindTap features are available on iPad, but some features require a desktop or laptop computer.

MindTap Student Help

With engaging content to challenge you and build your confidence, MindTap gives you complete control over your coursework.

Missing Activities

Some of your activities are not displaying in your learning path.

More Information

See the following resources for more information or help with specific issues.

Multiple eBook Links

This is expected behavior. Your eBook is available in multiple formats, and all available formats are linked from your dashboard. Each format has the same content, but your notes and bookmarks do not transfer across formats. You can identify the format of your eBook by its title: eTextbook: Title Example: eTextbook: Calculus A reflowable eBook that adapts to fit different devices. This format provides the most accessible experience for people using assistive technology and conforms to ePUB...

Need Login Credentials to Start Live Virtual Machine Labs

When starting a Live Virtual Machine Labs activity, you are prompted to enter login information and a domain.

Need Sign-In Credentials for Virtual Labs

The sign-in information for virtual machines is located on the Resources tab of the Instructions pane.

Practice with a Study Center Quiz

You can create practice quizzes for upcoming assessments with the Study Center in MindTap. In the Study Center app, you can customize the quizzes based on topics you want covered and the length of the quizzes.

proctoring-symbols

While Cengage supports our learning platform integrations with several Learning Management Systems, proctoring solutions are third party services that we do not directly support. The LMS and proctoring solution versions we have tested might not be the same versions you use. For this reason, your process and results might vary and Cengage cannot guarantee support for any third party proctoring service. Students should download the Proctorio extension ahead of time, or they will be prompted to do...

Received Partial Credit

You received partial credit for a CNOW activity containing a matching question.

Review Submissions in Blackboard

If your MindTap course is integrated with Blackboard, you can review MindTap activity submissions from the Blackboard gradebook.

Review Submissions in Canvas

If your MindTap course is integrated with Canvas, you can review MindTap activity submissions from the Canvas gradebook.

Review Turnitin Writing Activity Using PeerMark

Use PeerMark to review and provide feedback on another student's writing assignment.

Review Your Progress

To check your overall progress in a course, you can review certain metrics of course engagement such as number of logins.

September 30: Cengage eReader Redesign

The redesigned Cengage eReader, coming September 30, delivers a modern, responsive, and accessible reading experience across all devices. This update introduces performance enhancements, improved usability, and expanded accessibility features to support learning anytime, anywhere.

Session Data is Invalid

The Live Virtual Machine Labs activity displays a Session Data is Invalid warning.

Sites to Allow

To ensure that Cengage learning platforms work correctly, the following sites should not be blocked by firewalls. Browsers should also allow cookies and pop-up windows for these sites.

Special Character Toolbar

Language courses have a toolbar for applying accent marks or diacritics.

Student Assistant

The Student Assistant is a generative AI assistant that you can ask for help understanding course content. It will not reveal answers, but it can provide you with step-by-step help, study strategies and supplemental resources.

Student Assistant Doesn't Work

When you try to open the Student Assistant in Safari, it does not display.

Study with a Study Center Study Guide

You can study using a Study Guide provided by the Study Center.

Submit a Turnitin Activity

Submit a writing activity with the Turnitin tool.

Sync Zero Scores to LMS

By default, if a student has not attempted an activity when the due date passes, no score will be sent to the LMS gradebook. You can change the default setting to send a score of zero to the LMS gradebook. This will negatively affect students' final grades.

System Requirements

Supported Browsers Supported browsers for different activity types may vary. If you are using SAM in MindTap, see SAM in MindTap System Requirements . Windows Chrome 135 and 136 Edge 134 and 135 macOS Chrome 135 and 136 Safari 17 and 18 Chrome OS Chrome 135 and 136 iOS Safari 18 (iPad only) Other browsers and versions, such as Firefox, might also work but are not supported. If you have problems when using an unsupported browser version, try using a supported browser version before contacting...

Take Proctored Exams Through Your LMS

If you use an LMS like Blackboard, Canvas, or Moodle, your instructor can administer exams through the LMS with a proctoring service. Proctoring services ensure academic integrity in multiple ways and often block you from opening any new tabs while taking your test.

Track Activity in Diet & Wellness Plus

Enter your daily activities to keep track of your movement and habits.

Track Diet and Behaviors in Diet & Wellness Plus

Track your diet, activity, and other daily behaviors. The information you enter here will be used when you generate reports.

Track Diet in Diet & Wellness Plus

Keep track of your diet by entering the food you eat at different meal and snack times.

Track Screen Time in Diet & Wellness Plus

Track the amount of time you spend looking at screens throughout your day.

Track Sleep in Diet & Wellness Plus

Keep track of the amount of sleep you are getting per night.

Track Water Intake in Diet & Wellness Plus

Track the amount of water you drink throughout your day.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes, the unexpected happens. This could be the result of a technical problem, a limitation, or user error.

Turnitin Activities

Related information Submit a Turnitin Activity Review Turnitin Writing Activity Using PeerMark View Instructor Feedback View Peer Feedback Viewing Turnitin Similarity Report Turnitin Student Help