capstone research project

CAPSTONE PROJECT: Parts of a Capstone Project

• Parts of a Capstone Project
• Voice in the Capstone Project
• Analysis of Qualitative Data

What a Table of Contents Could Contain

I      Introduction        A     Statement Of Problem/Opportunity (Research Question)        B     Background, Context, And Significance Of Study        C     Project Researcher Identification II     Literature Review        A     Subheadings (Themes Discovered In Review)        B     Notice Of Gaps In Knowledge III    Methods        A     Subjects/Participants        B     Data Collection Approaches/Strategies              1     Advantage Of Strategy              2     Limitation Of Strategy              3     Potential Risk              4     Ethical Issues About Collection Upon The Subjects/Participants        C     Data Analysis Approaches And/Or Software (NOT The Results Themselves, Just How You Are Going To Analyze The Data – Coding Method, Analysis Of Interviews/Recordings, Mathematics And Stats Analysis) IV     Results, Findings, Interpretation, And Discussion V      Recommendations, Application, And Conclusion VI     Reference Pages

What Goes Into Each Section

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Capstone research project course, ac297r, fall 2022 weiwei pan, founded by the institute for applied computational science (iacs)'s  scientific program director,  pavlos protopapas , the capstone research course is a group-based research experience where students work directly with a partner from industry, government, academia, or an ngo to solve a real-world data science/ computation problem. students will create a solution in the form of a software package, which will require varying levels of research. upon completion of this challenging project, students will be better equipped to conduct research and enter the professional world. every class session includes a guest lecture concerning various essential skills for one's career -- from public speaking, reading and writing research papers, how to work remotely on a team, everything about start-ups, and more..

Capstone Projects

Education is one of the pillars of the data science institute..

Through educational activities, we strive to create a community in Data Science at Columbia. The capstone project is one of the most lauded elements of our MS in Data Science program. As a final step during their study at Columbia, our MS students work on a project sponsored by a DSI industry affiliate or a faculty member over the course of a semester.

Faculty-Sponsored Capstone Projects

A DSI faculty member proposes a research project and advises a team of students working on this project. This is a great way to run a research project with enthusiastic students, eager to try out their newly acquired data science skills in a research setting. This is especially a good opportunity for developing and accelerating interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Capstone Research Projects

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A capstone is an end-of-program applied research project where students will spend twenty hours per week, for fifteen weeks, investigating a research problem alongside an industry stakeholder. Most research capstone projects are related to machine learning, computer vision, networking, HCI, cloud computing, AI, NLP, speech recognition, or DevOps.

Depending on the problem, the project scope will include a literature review of related work, identification of methodologies to solve the problem, an exploratory set of experiments with results, a final analysis, and future work. Students will work in teams of three or four. Stakeholders can meet with students virtually or in person, typically every two weeks.

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What is a Capstone Project in College?

The capstone project in college is the apogee, or completion marker, of a student’s coursework leading to the culmination of their program with a degree in their chosen field of study.

The original definition of a capstone focuses on the actual stone placed at the top of a wall or building, marking the successful completion of the structure. It is a significant and celebrated piece of architecture, considered to be the most important of an entire construction project.

Similarly, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Associate Dean of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences Dr. Jeff Czarnec called the academic capstone project, whether in an undergraduate or graduate program, “the apex of all a student’s work done throughout their college career.”

There is an expectation that they have all the necessary skills and knowledge coming into the capstone course to be successful. “At this point, students have managed to pass all their course work leading up to the capstone,” said Dr. Thomas MacCarty , associate dean of social sciences programs  at SNHU. “It is the culmination of everything that has happened to them as students.”

Students have the opportunity to pick a research topic that is of interest to them and run with it. “After having to write research papers in all of their courses prior to [the capstone], the task is not one to dread, but to enjoy. It is their time to shine as students and to enjoy the journey,” MacCarty said.

The capstone is much more important than a requirement and three credits. It can serve as an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge mastery and creative thinking, which may help a graduate stand out from others vying for the same job.

What is Involved in a Capstone Project?

“Students are expected to be ready to enter the world as professionals in their field upon completion of the capstone course,” said MacCarty.

As in many other university courses, the capstone is research-based; the difference being that the student chooses the topic early on, allowing them more freedom to conduct research on their own, unlike in other courses which are more guided. Capstone topics align with the specific discipline of program study. In the social sciences realm, “our focus is on human behavior and cognition, which may be different from a capstone course in business or STEM,” MacCarty said.  

In a nutshell, a rough outline of a capstone, according to Czarnec, looks something like this:

• Select a topic and have it approved by the instructor
• Evaluate relevance to the proposal
• Perform necessary research
• Present results in the agreed upon fashion

Are Capstone Projects Difficult?

“Not necessarily,” said Czarnec. “It does force you to be efficient and very specific to topic. No fluff. Straight forward. Razor sharp. The capstone is more of an opportunity to catch your breath, retrace and pull up what you have learned in a more stress-free environment. It helps validate students as learners.”

Depending upon the major and course requirements, there may be opportunities to match students with outside contacts, not only to assist with the capstone project research and problem statement, but to also provide a networking community.

“Not every research project is, nor should they be, the same,” Czarnec said. “Everyone has a different approach.”

What is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Capstone Project?

A capstone is similar to a thesis in that the starting point involves strengths that one needs for a thesis or dissertation work. A student needs to think about the skeletal structure of research and form their theory, hypothesis, and problem statement.

“While a capstone is certainly a scholarly piece of work and does share some aspects of a thesis,” said MacCarty. “The time and detail that is required of a master’s thesis is greater.”

A capstone paper may be 25 pages, where a thesis could be 100 or more, and is a more demanding research paper. If an undergraduate student chooses to further their education and enter into a doctoral program, the capstone project could be an invaluable tool in preparing for a thesis.

It’s All About Student Success

According to Czarnec, capstones of all programs are leading students to the end game. The goal is to develop well-rounded thinkers who can pull their work together in a coherent, articulate, well-organized fashion, while considering the demands of the profession or vocation in which they are interested.

The focus and intent of a capstone should be to create an effective device to assess and measure all that the students have learned throughout their program in an aggregate fashion so they can demonstrate their life-long vocational skills in a nice, neat package. “My goal is for students to leave the program confident about their skills and abilities,” said Czarnec.

According to MacCarty, capstone courses should be structured to support student success in fulfilling program requirements and allow them the opportunity to showcase their academic abilities and skills gained throughout their degree program.

Laurie Smith '14   is a writer, editor and communications specialist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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Capstone Project

Each M-TRAM student pursues a capstone project (TRIP: Translational Research Individual Project) requiring  a minimum of 10 hours per week from the second through the fourth quarters. It is an enriching opportunity for each student to pursue a deeper analysis and understanding of a topic of personal interest. TRIP gives students the opportunity to test a hypothesis, develop an experimental plan, interpret results, and understand the future research plan. The completion of the M-TRAM degree includes a final capstone presentation that demonstrates a full and complete understanding of the student's work in the program. 

Capstone Project Requirements

Areas of focus: Capstone projects should focus on therapeutics and/or diagnostics involving drug therapy and delivery, vaccines, immune measurements and therapy, or gene measurements and therapy, and can include a range of translational research activities from early-stage clinical translation (T0/T1) to preclinical optimization and validation (T2) to clinical validation and integration (T3) to implementation and dissemination in real-world settings (T4). The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape of biomedical innovation and translation. The capstone project research may be conducted in a wide variety of settings, including academic research labs and local drug or biotech companies.range of translational research activities . Research must involve the analysis and interpretation of data. Students are encouraged but not required to conduct primary data collection.

Initiating a project: Students develop their capstone proposal in the first quarter while completing their course work. Project ideas can be initiated by students, suggested by M-TRAM faculty advisors, or arise from experiential learning (Industry and Clinical).

During their research and clinical rotation (MED399M), students are exposed to various areas of translational and clinical research, making it easier to identify project ideas. By the end of the first quarter (part of MED399M rotation requirements), students are required to write a two-page capstone project proposal draft outlining their project idea, including hypothesis and research aims, and will designate a Capstone Committee.

The proposal and research mentors must be approved by the M-TRAM Directors prior to the onset of the project.  

The project proposal: The Capstone proposal must describe the nature of the research, with a clear statement of the research question or hypothesis, aims, and clinical significance. The specific primary outcome measure that will be used to answer the study question should be clearly described. A brief description of the planned statistical analyses is required. The proposal should conclude with a description of the student’s role in the Capstone research. The minimum role is formulating and conducting the analysis and interpreting and writing up the results. For more details, see Capstone Project Proposal Guidelines below.  

Capstone Committee: At the end of the first quarter, students designate a Capstone Committee composed of at least four individuals: M-TRAM Director or Co-Director, M-TRAM Executive Director, capstone primary advisor faculty mentor, and a technology advisor (this could be another faculty mentor or staff mentor, such as a core director or a postdoctoral project mentor).  

Project timeline and progress: The student, M-TRAM directors and the Capstone Committee agree on a proposed timeline for completion. The Committee will review the proposal and offer guidance and monitoring throughout the project. During quarters two through four (Winter, Spring, Summer), students will meet regularly with their capstone primary advisor and technology advisor to discuss their progress. They will meet with the rest of the Capstone Committee at least once per quarter.  

Capstone completion: Upon completion of the project, students will formally present their final results at the student research showcase in the fourth quarter (summer). In addition to the talk, students will be required to prepare a final written report summarizing their project’s aims, hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusions.

Capstone Project Proposal Guidelines

• Title Page:  Master's in Translational Research and Applied Medicine (M-TRAM) TRIP Project Proposal 2023-2024 Project Title Applicant: name, title, email address Capstone Committee mentors: names, titles, department, address, email address
• Research Proposal: Maximum two pages, not including figures and references. Format: single-spaced, 1/2 margin, Arial or Helvetica Font Size 11 or larger. The proposal will include: a ) Background b) Hypothesis c) Aims d) Research Methods e) Statement of direct clinical relevance
• Budget justification (one page):  Please note: MTRAM will support each student's research with a research stipend of $3,500 (reagents, consumables, kits, services).
• Description of other funding support, if any:  Please note: if your capstone mentor agrees to support your research project with additional funding, please provide a statement from your mentor with the amount of support)
• Faculty letter of support:  Each application must include a letter of nomination from your Capstone Committee advisor addressed to the M-TRAM Directors Committee. This letter must state that: a) Student will regularly meet with the advisor to monitor progress of their project and to provide advice and feedback. b) Student will provide a progress report of the findings at the M-TRAM Student Research Showcase in the summer of 2023 (date to be confirmed), and c) Student will mention M-TRAM funding in all presentations, abstracts, and publications.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS 2023/24

• “ AI/machine learning enabled structure-based drug discovery. ”
• Capstone advisor: Russ Altman, MD, Ph.D ., Kenneth Fong Professor of Bioengineering, Genetics, Medicine, Biomedical Data Science and (by courtesy) Computer Science), past chairman of the Bioengineering Department
• “Pharmacological validation of clinically relevant cancer targets “
• Capstone advisor: Nathanael Gray, MD, Ph.D ., Krishnan Shah Family Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology, Co-Lead of Medicinal Chemistry (IMA: Innovative Medicines Accelerator)

ANANYA JAIN

• “Developing therapeutics for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).”
• Capstone advisor: Vinicio de Jesus Perez, MD , Associate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

MAXIMILIAN NISSLEIN

• “Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for solid tumors (melanoma)”
• Capstone advisor: Allison Betof Warner, MD, PhD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Oncology), Director of the Melanoma Program and Faculty Leader of the Melanoma|Cutaneous Oncology Clinical Research Group in the SCI-Cancer Clinical Trials Office

ADRIANA CHU

• “Glycoproteomics based early cancer detection.”
• Capstone advisor: Carolyn Bertozzi, PhD , Baker Family Director of Stanford Sarafan ChEM-H, Anne T. and Robert K. Bass Professor, School of Humanities and Sciences
• Industry collaboration with InterVenn Biosciences (company)

JESSICA LAYNE

• "Anti-Myc cancer therapeutics"
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD, PhD , Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, TRAM Director, M-TRAM Faculty Director, Co-Director Cancer Nanotechnology Program, Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Director of Admissions/Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program, Director of Advanced Residency Training Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Co-Director of Spectrum KL2 Mentored Development Program, Stanford University, School of Medicine
• "AI enabled drug discovery for breast cancer"
• Capstone advisor: Christina Curtis, MD, PhD , Professor of Medicine, Genetics and Biomedical Data Science, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Cancer Genomics, Director - Breast Cancer Translational Research (Stanford Cancer Institute), Co-Director - Molecular Tumor Board, Stanford Cancer Institut

ZAIN DIBIAN

• "T-reg cell immunotherapy for graft vs. host disease"
• Capstone advisor: Everett Meyer, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

SHONA ALLEN

• " Developing a therapeutic for SMA (spital muscular atrophy) neurological disorder: computational analysis of clinical trial data"
• Capstone advisor: Jacinda Sampson, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciencies

PETER CAROLINE

• "Immunotherapy for IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)"
• Capstone advisor: Sidhartha Sinha, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology), Director of Digital Health and Innovation, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology   

CHLOE GERUNGAN

• "Developing a therapeutic for infectious disease (malaria)"
• Capstone advisor: Prasanna Jagannathan, MD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology

JOEY OLSHAUSEN

• "Drug repurposing for treatment of cardio valve disease"
• Capstone advisor: Ian Chen, MD , Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Disease) and of Radiology (Veterans Affairs), Director, Translational Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Director, VA/PAVIR Summer Research Program

Capstone Projects 2022-23

Chris aboujudom.

• “ Development of Novel MYC-directed Anti-cancer Therapeutics ”
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD Ph.D ., Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, M-TRAM Program Director,

McKAY GOHAZRUA BUTLER

• “Developing protocols for isolation and purification of MYC-derived cancer extracellular vesicles (EVs) for improved diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.“
• Capstone advisor: Dean Felsher, MD Ph.D ., Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology, M-TRAM Program Director

NIRK E. QUISPE CALLA, MD

• “Development of a combined cancer vaccine and immunotherapy (anti-PD-L1) delivery using dendritic cell-based microbubbles against triple-negative breast cancer”
• Capstone advisor: Ramasamy Paulmurugan, PhD , Professor of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford
• “Investigate the roles and therapeutic value of human anti-phagocytotic genes in augmenting CAR-T cell therapy”
• Capstone advisor: Crystal Mackall, MD (Capstone Primary Advisor Faculty Mentor), Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine

JULIAN WOLF, MD

• "High-resolution proteomic profiling of aqueous humor liquid biopsies as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for choroidal melanoma"
• Capstone advisor: Vinit Mahajan, MD, PhD , Professor of Ophthalmology, Vice Chair for Research (Ophthalmology)
• Capstone advisor: Nima Aghaeepour, PhD , Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Pediatrics and Biomedical Science

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For the 2024/2025 academic year, we will be accepting applications for 2025/26, in the fall of 2024..

Questions? Contact us! [email protected]

Important Dates

September 2023 to January 2024:

• Applications accepted for 2024/25

December 8, 2023:

• M-TRAM info session webinar for prospective students (register here )

January 31, 2024:

• Applications are due for 2024/25

April, 2024:

• Admission Decisions

Sept. 9, 2024:

• M-TRAM research symposium and New Students Orientation (in person) - stay tuned for registration info

Sept. 23, 2024:

• First day of classes at Stanford (M-TRAM program starts)

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Guide to the ALM Capstone Project

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• Course Catalog
• Research Methods

There are a number of ways to conduct research for your capstone topic, but everyone must start with the literature review in order to learn what has already been published on your topic. Because this step is so important, we've created an entire section on this topic (please see Choosing a Topic, Literature Reviews ). 

If your research methods will include the use of human subjects, please see the section on the  Use of Human Subjects .

The following are research methods commonly used in capstone research:

Case studies. Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single individual (noteworthy sustainability leader), a group (activist), or event (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). Reading prior case studies is a must to inform your design. Reading case studies may also lead you to sustainability professionals who authored the published work. These experts could become part of your own exploration of the topic. Case study is a formal research method with a specific structure. For an introduction, visit Basics of Developing a Case Study from the Free Management Library and visit MIT Sloan Learning Edge and Harvard Kennedy School for examples of quality case studies.

Interviews . You may want to conduct interviews with experts in the field on a specific topic, such as wave energy or clean water regulation. Sustainability professionals have a wealth of information and are ordinarily happy to support beginning scholars. Your capstone reader and your capstone instructor can help make introductions through their own networks. Interviews are not simple tasks. You'll need to learn how to conduct interviews in such a way that avoids bias and elicits data that can be used for analysis. For an introduction, visit General Guidelines for Conducting Research Interviews from the Free Management Library.

Surveys . Conducting a survey is another way to gather research on your topic. Ordinarily, this method is chosen when you want to gather information from a large data set. Survey design is also not a straightforward task. For an introduction, visit the Harvard University Program on Survey Research.

Program evaluation . You may also consider in-depth and detailed evaluation of an aspect of a specific organization's sustainability project to understand if and how it met its intended goals. For an introduction, visit Evaluation Activities in Organization from the Free Management Library.

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment . As a sustainability student, it is very likely that this term is familiar to you. Understanding the environmental, social, and economic impact of our decisions is in essence what your degree is preparing you to do. Life cycle assessment is also a research method that you could employ in your capstone project. Visit the Life Cycle Initiative hosted by the UN environment for additional information.

• Course Sequencing and Timeline
• Precapstone Tutorial
• Choosing a Topic
• ENVR E-599 Past Capstone Titles and Examples
• Final Capstone Paper
• Use of Human Subjects
• ENVR 599A Consulting for Sustainability Solutions Capstone
• Frequently Asked Questions

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• What Is a Capstone Project & How to Write It: Definition, Outline, Steps
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What Is a Capstone Project & How to Write It: Definition, Outline, Steps

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A capstone project is a culminating academic project. It typically requires students to apply the skills they have gained during the course to a real-world problem. Capstone projects are common in undergraduate and graduate programs across a range of disciplines, including business, engineering, healthcare, and education.

Interesting fact, the first documented capstone project was completed in 1937 by Edgar F. Batten, who proposed to build an airport. It was considered a novel idea at that time, but it led to the development of Cleveland Municipal Airport. Today, they have come a long way, allowing students to showcase their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. In this guide, we will define a capstone project and state its purpose in academics. We will also delve into its significance and provide an outline of how to do a capstone project. So, get ready for an exciting journey to become a capstone pro! Remember that you can always buy a capstone project from our academic gurus if you strive for maximum output.

What Is a Capstone Project: Definition

Capstone projects are vital in every school. Then, what is a capstone project ? Generally, it is research designed to showcase students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities in specific fields of study. This task is challenging and time-consuming, but once completed, it is rewarding. Capstone project is interdisciplinary in nature and can be completed in various formats, such as a written report, research paper , term paper , or presentation. It often involves independent research and analysis by an individual college or university student or group. For example, you could be asked to explore one topic or social problem that interests you, do extensive research about it, assess findings, and propose a solution. Based on the definition of capstone project, it is a culminating academic experience that typically takes place at the end of students' college education. Other basics include:

• Use of academic knowledge Students apply knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their academic program to their papers.
• Collaboration with faculty members or industry professionals Students may work with faculty members or industry professionals to gain additional insight and guidance on their capstones.
• Presentation or defense Students may also be required to defend their capstone project in front of a panel of experts or live audience.
• Evaluation by committee A committee evaluates the student's paper to determine if they have met all academic requirements and project standards.

What Is the Capstone Project Purpose?

The main purpose of a capstone project is to assess your ability to integrate and apply knowledge acquired throughout your academic program. It gives you a chance to demonstrate mastery of a particular field of study, showcasing critical thinking, research, and communication skills. Capstone project serves several key goals:

• Demonstrate student’s learning abilities As an educational strategy, capstone project can be used to show if the learner has acquired knowledge gained over the entire course.
• Improve students’ self-perception and confidence Typically, capstone projects allow students to take on new responsibilities and show commitment all through. Completing them boosts their self-esteem, self-awareness, as well as confidence.
• Boost career aspirations Since capstone projects involve working on real-world problems, students gain practical experience and prepare them for their future careers.
• Foster motivation and engagement Creativity involved in senior capstone projects, especially since students select them based on their personal interests, can motivate them to learn, engaging others in that process.

Importance of Capstone Projects

The importance of capstone projects cannot be overstated. They supplement your academic journey, providing opportunities for you to demonstrate mastery of skills and knowledge, build real-world experience, and showcase your abilities to potential employers. Writing capstone paper can serve several important reasons, including:

• Preparing for future careers By working on real-world issues and engaging in independent capstone research project, you develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and presentation skills that are essential for successful careers.
• Encouraging innovation By providing you with an opportunity to tackle complex problems and come up with innovative solutions, capstone projects encourage creativity.
• Demonstrating mastery of a particular field By successfully completing a capstone project, you demonstrate mastery of a particular field, setting yourself apart from others in the academic program as well as enhancing your marketability in the job market.
• Building your CV Prospective employers want to know more than just your academic performance. What is the capstone project you undertook in school? Adding them to your CV will inform them of your additional skills you possess.
• Building a sense of accomplishment Completing capstone essays can be a significant accomplishment, giving you pride and satisfaction for your hard work.

Senior Capstone Project Structure

A capstone project structure plays a crucial role in helping you write a successful paper. It provides a clear, organized framework for the capstone project, helping you ensure that you include all necessary parts. It will also guide you in the right direction, helping you find the best approach to complete your paper. Before you begin writing a capstone project paper, it is important to carefully review all guidelines provided by your academic program to ensure that it meets all requirements and is structured clearly and effectively. Here is a general structure of senior capstone project:

• Abstract Brief summary of the capstone project, typically around 250-300 words. It provides a concise overview of background information, objectives, methodology, results, and conclusion. It is often the first section that readers view to better understand your study's purpose and findings.
• Introduction This section provides an overview of the paper and sets context for your study. It includes a background on the topic, a clear problem statement or issue being addressed, research questions, and objectives. It should also highlight how your paper will be structured.
• Literature Review It provides a comprehensive overview of relevant research on the topic, including an analysis of previous studies, gaps in literature, and theoretical framework that will guide your study. It is important to provide thorough and well-structured literature review to support your research questions.
• Methodology In this section, you outline research design types, data collection and analysis methods, and sampling procedures that will be used to address your research questions. It should also give detailed description of the research process, including rationale for methods chosen and procedures followed to ensure validity and reliability of data collected.
• Results Here you present your study findings, including statistical analyses, tables, graphs, and figures that illustrate the results. They should be presented in a well-organized manner, focusing on answering your research questions.
• Discussion This section provides an interpretation of results, connecting findings to literature and research questions, further discussing their implications. The discussion should give critical evaluation of results, considering the limitations for future research.
• Conclusion It summarizes the main study findings, providing recommendations for future research. This section should be a clear and concise summary of results, tying the findings to research questions and objectives.
• References This section provides a comprehensive list of all sources cited in the paper, formatted according to appropriate citation style (APA, MLA, etc.).
• Appendices If necessary, this section includes additional materials that support the main study findings, such as survey instruments, raw data, or transcripts of interviews.

Capstone Project Outline

A sample capstone project outline is a visual representation of the paper structure and organization. It acts as a roadmap for writing, helping ensure that the project stays on track. The purpose of the capstone project outline is to provide an overview of all main elements and order in which they will be presented. Here is a template example of an outline for a capstone project:

• Background of the topic
• Purpose of study
• Research questions
• Overview of paper structure
• Overview of relevant research
• Analysis of previous studies
• Gaps in literature
• Theoretical framework
• Research design
• Data collection and analysis methods
• Sampling procedures
• Rationale for methods chosen
• Procedures to ensure validity and reliability of data
• Presentation of study findings
• Statistical analyses
• Tables, graphs, and figures
• Focus on answering research questions
• Interpretation of results
• Connection of findings to literature and research questions
• Implications of findings
• Critical evaluation of results
• Study limitations
• Implications for future research
• Summary of main findings and conclusions
• Recommendations for future research
• Comprehensive list of all sources cited in paper
• Additional materials that support main study findings

How to Write a Capstone Project Paper?

A capstone project requires careful planning to show that you have a grasp of a particular discipline or subject. As such, it is important to understand the steps involved in the process and have a well-defined plan in place. The following subsections will guide you in writing a capstone project paper, from start to finish, giving you the roadmap to ensure a successful outcome. Each part is carefully detailed to help you understand what’s expected of you. Follow these steps to learn how to write a capstone paper:

1. Choose a Topic

Choosing a topic is an important step in writing a capstone project. It sets the foundation for your paper, determining how successful the final product will be. Always go for capstone project ideas that have not been extensively researched, allowing you to add new insights. Here are some steps to follow when choosing research topics :

• Identify area of interest Think about your interests, passions, and academic strengths. This will help you choose a topic that you are genuinely interested in or are well-suited to research.
• Consider the project scope Make sure the topic is manageable within a specified timeframe and resources available to you. In particular, it should be narrow enough to allow you to focus, but broad enough to provide enough material for a comprehensive analysis.
• Review the coursework Take a look at all courses you have taken so far and consider how they relate to your chosen topic. Remember the paper should be built on knowledge you have acquired throughout your academic journey.
• Consult your supervisor A capstone project advisor can provide valuable guidance and feedback on the topic. They can help you refine it, ensuring that it is relevant to the field of study.
• Research your topic Once you have a few potential topics, research each one to determine their feasibility, availability of resources, as well as scope of literature.
• Make a decision After you have conducted your research, choose one topic that you are most interested in and that you believe will be the most rewarding.

Choosing a topic that is relevant, manageable, and of personal interest to you will help you stay motivated throughout your capstone writing process.

2. Research Existing Literature

Conducting a thorough literature review is crucial in helping you understand the current state of knowledge on the topic, identifying gaps your capstone senior project can fill. Here's how to go about it:

• Start by brainstorming keywords or phrases related to the topic, using them to search databases, such as Google Scholar , JSTOR , and other relevant academic sources.
• Pay attention to relevant theories and studies as you research. This will help you get a sense of what has already been done, what questions remain unanswered, and what you can contribute to the field.
• Keep track of all sources, taking notes as you read. Organize them into categories, like creating an annotated bibliography that you can refer to later.
• Evaluate the quality of sources you found. Check if they are peer-reviewed or have been published in reputable academic journals.
• Synthesize the information you have gathered to identify themes or patterns. This will help you see the bigger picture and understand the research context.
• Use the synthesized information to refine the research question and hypothesis. Make sure that your research is original and adds to the existing body of knowledge.

By conducting a thorough literature review, you will write a capstone paper that is well-informed, grounded in latest research, and makes a meaningful contribution.

3. Define a Problem

Based on research, define the problem statement you aim to address in your capstone research paper. It should be well-defined and specific. The problem statement should be clear, concise, and align with the research question. It should also be justified, explaining why the problem is important, including how it relates to current literature. Here are some steps to follow when defining a problem for a capstone project:

• Review existing literature Conduct a thorough review of existing literature in your area of interest. This will help you identify any gaps in knowledge or areas that need further research.
• Identify the problem Based on literature review, identify a specific problem or issue that you would like to address. It should be relevant and of interest to you.
• Refine the problem Make it more specific and focused. Consider the project scope, available resources, and own abilities.
• Formulate a research question Based on the problem you have defined, formulate a research question that will guide your paper. It should be clear, concise, and answerable through research.
• Develop a hypothesis Develop a hypothesis that you will test through research. It should provide a potential answer to the research question.

Defining a problem is important because it provides focus and direction for research. A well-defined problem will ensure that your capstone project writing is of high quality.

4. Introduce Your Research Methods

This section should describe methods you will use to collect and analyze data, as well as the rationale behind your choice. They should be appropriate, accurate, and reliable for the capstone project. You should also explain any final capstone project limitations, including how you plan to address them. Here are some steps to follow when introducing graduate capstone research methods:

• Choose research methods that are appropriate for the research question and hypothesis. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of different methods, and select the ones that are most suitable.
• Provide a clear explanation of why you chose the methods you did. Explain how they will help you answer the research question and test your hypothesis.
• Give a detailed description of research methods, including how you will collect data and analyze it. Be specific about what steps you will take, tools you will use, and data you will collect.
• Consider any ethical issues that may arise from using those research methods. Explain how you will ensure that research is conducted in a responsible manner.
• Review previous research that has used similar methods, considering any lessons learned from that. Explain how you will apply these lessons to your own research.

Introducing research methods is important because it sets a foundation for your research. It will provide readers with a clear understanding of your methods, including rationale behind them.

5. Discuss Your Key Findings

This step involves presenting findings of the study and analyzing all data. When writing a capstone paper, provide a clear presentation of the results in addition to how they relate to the problem they aim to address. They should be presented in a logical, organized manner, and supported by evidence. In your capstone work, discuss their implications, including how they contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Here are some steps to follow when discussing key findings:

• Present results in a clear and concise manner. Use tables, graphs, and charts to help illustrate your findings.
• Interpret results based on your research question and hypothesis. Explain what the findings mean and why they are significant.
• Compare your results to those of previous research in similar fields. Explain how the results you got are similar or different from previous findings.
• Discuss research limitations and the strengths of methods used. Explain how they may impact the results.
• Discuss implications of the findings for your field of study or society as a whole. Explain how that research contributes to a broader understanding of the topic.
• Conclude your discussion of key findings by summarizing results and their significance. Highlight key takeaways while explaining why they are important.

6. Present a Capstone Project

In this final step, you should present your capstone project in a clear, organized manner, highlighting key findings and significance of research conducted. This should be a well-structured, well-written paper or oral presentation that showcases your knowledge of how to do a capstone project on a specific subject. Capstone in college or university should be written in an academic style, following the guidelines set by the institution. The paper should also include an abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results section, discussion, and conclusion. For oral presentation, you may also be required to answer questions from the audience. So, it is important to be well-prepared and familiar with the paper content. It should effectively communicate your research findings to them. To make a successful presentation, here are a few suggestions:

• Plan your presentation carefully.
• Use visual aids, such as slides, charts, graphs, and images, to help you effectively communicate ideas or findings to the audience.
• Rehearse the presentation several times until you are confident and comfortable with its content and flow.
• Present only the most important information to avoid going into too much detail.
• Interact with the audience by asking questions or allowing for discussion.
• Be ready to answer questions from the audience, discussing your work in great detail.

Capstone Paper Format

A capstone project format can vary depending on the discipline or requirements set forth by your instructor or program. Most times, you may encounter the following common formats used in most capstone papers.

• APA paper format Mostly used in social sciences, education, and psychology. It contains a cover page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references, and appendices.
• MLA paper format Commonly used in humanities, such as literature and language. You must include in-text citations and the Works Cited page.
• Chicago format Often used in history, business, and other disciplines. It involves using either footnotes or in-text citations and a bibliography page.

Regardless of the chosen format, ensure that your capstone paper is well-organized, has proper grammar, and is easy to read.

Capstone Project Writing Tips

To ensure success in writing your capstone project, it is important to keep in mind some key practices. In this section, we will introduce you to common tips that can help you effectively plan, research, and write the paper. From choosing a suitable topic to proofreading the final draft, these tips on how to write a good capstone project will help you produce a successful paper that meets academic standards:

• Start early Give yourself enough time to research, write, and revise. Starting early will also give you enough time to address any obstacles that may arise when writing.
• Choose a suitable topic Pick a topic that interests you and is relevant to your field of study.
• Research thoroughly Gather as much information as possible from reliable sources. Conduct a comprehensive literature review to gain a deep understanding.
• Outline your ideas Organize ideas to create an outline for the capstone project. This will help you stay focused, ensuring the paper has a clear structure.
• Write clearly and concisely Use clear, concise language to communicate ideas. Avoid using technical jargon unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Cite your sources Properly cite all sources you use in the capstone project to avoid plagiarism. Follow the required citation style specified.
• Revise Take time to proofread the work. Check for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Also, ensure that ideas are presented well.
• Seek feedback Ask a friend, mentor, or academic advisor to review your capstone assignment and provide feedback. This will help you identify any mistakes.

Bottom Line on Capstone Project

In this guide, you have learned what’s a capstone project definition, its benefits in education, purpose, and structure. Before you embark on writing your paper, make sure you fully understand the meaning of a capstone project paper and what it entails. This means taking the time to carefully research a topic, identify a clear problem to address, and develop a research plan that will help you find answers. Remember that the final product should be well-written, well-organized, and effectively communicate your key research findings. Once you begin to write your capstone, keep in mind the following tips:

• Strictly follow the instructor’s guidelines.
• Only pick reliable sources for your capstone paper.
• Pay attention to the layout, format, and structure.
• Plan your time for completing the project wisely.
• Always seek feedback to ensure you are going the right way.

Feel free to check out our capstone project writing services and see how else we can assist you with this program! Our writers can always get you well-written texts before the deadline!

FAQ About Capstone Projects

1. what is a capstone project in college.

A capstone project in college is the final piece of stone needed to complete a degree program. It often involves significant research proposal, presentation, or practical application of skills and knowledge acquired during their program. By definition, it is a requirement for graduation and may be evaluated for grades or other forms of academic recognition.

2. What is capstone project significance?

Capstone projects are significant because:

• They provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their mastery of a particular subject area.
• They allow students to apply knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their college degree in a real-world setting.
• They provide students with a sense of completion and achievement, helping them demonstrate the value of their college performance to potential employers or other stakeholders.

3. How long should a capstone paper be?

The length of a capstone project paper varies depending on set guidelines by the academic institution or instructor. On average, they can be between 20-25 pages long, sometimes 35, including any supporting materials, such as appendices or references. However, check specific requirements from your institution as they can cap the number of pages.

4. What is the difference between a capstone project and a thesis?

A capstone project and thesis are both academic works, but they carry significant differences between them. A thesis is typically longer, and more in-depth than a capstone project. It is often required for graduate students and is based on original research. Its focus is narrower and more specialized. A capstone project is often required for undergraduate students, mostly based on research or practical application. It is more interdisciplinary in nature, involving solving world problems.

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Capstone Components

12 Research Design

The story continues….

“So, how do we go about answering our research questions?” asked Harry.

Physicus explained that they will have to analyze their questions to see what types of answers are required. Knowing this will guide their decisions about how to design the needs assessment to answer their questions.

“There are two basic types of answers to research questions, quantitative and qualitative. The types of answers the questions require tell us what type of research design we need,” said Physicus.

“I guess if I ask how we decide which type of research design we should choose, you will say, ‘It depends?'” uttered Harry.

Physicus’ face brightened as he blurted out, “Absolutely not! Negative!” Physicus continued, “If the research questions are stated well, there will only be two ways in which they can be answered. The research questions are king; they make all the decisions.”

“How come?” Harry appeared confused.

“Well, let us see. Think about our first question. How many mice will Pickles attack at one time? What type of answer does this question require? It requires a numeric answer, correct?” Physicus asked.

“Yes, that is correct,” Harry said.

Physicus continued, “Good. So, does our second question also require a numeric answer?”

“The second question is also answered with a number,” replied Harry

Physicus blurted, “Correct! This means we need to use a quantitative research design!”

Physicus continued, “Now if we had research questions that could not be answered with numbers, we would need to use a qualitative research design to answer our questions with words or phrases instead.”

Harry now appeared relieved, “I get it. So in designing a research project, we simply look for a way to answer the research questions. That’s easy!”

“Well, it depends,” answered Physicus smiling.

Interpreting the Story

There are qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, and applied research designs. Based on the research questions, the research design will be obvious. Physicus led Harry in determining their investigation would need a quantitative design, because they only needed numerical data to answer their research questions. If Harry’s questions could only be answered with words or phrases, then a qualitative design would be needed. If the friends had questions needing to be answered with numbers and phrases, then either a mixed methods or an applied research design would have been the choice.

Research Design

The Research Design explains what type of research is being conducted in the needs assessment. The writing in this heading also explains why this type of research is needed to obtain the answers to the research or guiding questions for the project. The design provides a blueprint for the methodology. Articulating the nature of the research design is critical for explaining the Methodology (see the next chapter).

There are four categories of research designs used in educational research and a variety of specific research designs in each category. The first step in determining which category to use is to identify what type of data will answer the research questions. As in our story, Harry and Physicus had research questions that required quantitative answers, so the category of their research design is quantitative.

The next step in finding the specific research design is to consider the purpose (goal) of the research project. The research design must support the purpose. In our story, Harry and Physicus need a quantitative research design that supports their goal of determining the effect of the number of mice Pickles encounters at one time on his behavior.  A causal-comparative or quasi-experimental research design is the best choice for the friends because these are specific quantitative designs used to find a cause-and-effect relationship.

Quantitative Research Designs

Quantitative research designs seek results based on statistical analyses of the collected numerical data. The primary quantitative designs used in educational research include descriptive, correlational, causal-comparative, and quasi-experimental designs. Numerical data are collected and analyzed using statistical calculations appropriate for the design. For example, analyses like mean, median, mode, range, etc. are used to describe or explain a phenomenon observed in a descriptive research design. A correlational research design uses statistics, such as correlation coefficient or regression analyses to explain how two phenomena are related. Causal-comparative and quasi-experimental designs use analyses needed to establish causal relationships, such as pre-post testing, or behavior change (like in our story).

The use of numerical data guides both the methodology and the analysis protocols. The design also guides and limits how the results are interpreted. Examples of quantitative data found in educational research include test scores, grade point averages, and dropout rates.

Qualitative Research Designs

Qualitative research designs involve obtaining verbal, perspective, and/or visual results using code-based analyses of collected data. Typical qualitative designs used in educational research include the case study, phenomenological, grounded theory, and ethnography. These designs involve exploring behaviors, perceptions/feelings, and social/cultural phenomena found in educational settings.

Qualitative designs result in a written description of the findings. Data collection strategies include observations, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and documentation reviews. The data are recorded as words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Data are then grouped together to form themes. The process of grouping data to form themes is called coding. The labeled themes become the “code” used to interpret the data. The coding can be determined ahead of time before data are collected, or the coding emerges from the collected data. Data collection strategies often include media such as video and audio recordings. These recordings are transcribed into words to allow for the coding analysis.

The use of qualitative data guides both the methodology and the analysis protocols. The “squishy” nature of qualitative data (words vs. numbers) and the data coding analysis limits the interpretation and conclusions made from the results. It is important to explain the coding analysis used to provide clear reasoning for the themes and how these relate to the research questions.

Mixed Method Designs

Mixed Methods research designs are used when the research questions must be answered with results that are both quantitative and qualitative. These designs integrate the data results to arrive at conclusions. A mixed method design is used when there are greater benefits to using multiple data types, sources, and analyses. Examples of typical mixed methods design approaches in education include convergent, explanatory, exploratory, and embedded designs. Using mixed methods approaches in educational research allows the researcher to triangulate, complement, or expand understanding using multiple types of data.

The use of mixed methods data guides the methodology, analysis, and interpretation of the results. Using both qualitative (quant) and quantitative (qual) data analyses provides a clearer or more balanced picture of the results. Data are analyzed sequentially or concurrently depending on the design. While the quantitative and qualitative data are analyzed independently, the results are interpreted integratively. The findings are a synthesis of the quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Applied Research Designs

Applied research designs seek both quantitative and qualitative results to address issues of educational practice. Applied research designs include evaluation, design and development, and action research. The purposes of applied research are to identify best practices, to innovate or improve current practices or policies, to test pedagogy, and to evaluate effectiveness. The results of applied research designs provide practical solutions to problems in educational practice.

Applied designs use both theoretical and empirical data. Theoretical data are collected from published theories or other research. Empirical data are obtained by conducting a needs assessment or other data collection methods. Data analyses include both quantitative and qualitative procedures. The findings are interpreted integratively as in mixed methods approaches, and then “applied” to the problem to form a solution.

Telling the research story

The Research Design in a research project tells the story of what direction the plot of the story will take.  The writing in this heading sets the stage for the rising action of the plot in the research story. The Research Design describes the journey that is about to take place. It functions to guide the reader in understanding the type of path the story will follow. The Research Design is the overall direction of the research story and is determined before deciding on the specific steps to take in obtaining and analyzing the data.

The Research Design heading appears in Chapter 2 of a capstone project. In the capstone project, the Research Design explains the type of design used for conducting the needs assessment.

Capstone Projects in Education: Learning the Research Story Copyright © 2023 by Kimberly Chappell and Greg I. Voykhansky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Capstone Project: Definition, Types, Structure, and Examples

by  Antony W

January 2, 2024

If you're reading this, chances are that you're in your final year of school and the words "capstone project" have come up somewhere in your first or second semester.

You're probably looking for a quick score on the topic - what it's about, a project template, or even a sample. If so, you're in the right place.

Before we get into it, you' need to know that you're in the hands of consummate capstone project experts.

Help for Assessment is composed of scholars at all levels of academic achievement including Masters and Ph.D., all inspired and motivated to help students like you achieve their academic goals. The expertise and experience we have spans years. Even better, this combined academic expertise is placed at your disposal. If your capstone research project is already giving you goosebumps, we will do it for you from scratch including the project proposal, research, write up, and final review before submission.

Remember, you can trust Help for Assessment to complete your capstone project successfully and earn you top grades. All you have to do is order the service here on our service page.

 In the meantime, let us explore the definition of the capstone project, types of projects for students, and a sample capstone project.

What Is a Capstone Project? 

A capstone project in college is a final independent project undertaken in a program of study designed to assess the skills, knowledge, and expertise acquired by the student.

As the name suggests, it is the capstone or crowning achievement of academic life and the last class taken before graduation. It gives you the final credits required to pass the course, which is why every student must take the project.

Since it is designed to assess knowledge and skills gained in a particular discipline, capstone projects vary from school to school and discipline to discipline.

Such a project might involve something as simple as research on a topic, an evaluation of a new technique or method, development of a health program, research into a historical figure or event, or even composing a skit or theatre presentation.

No matter what kind of project you choose to undertake, the result is the same. You get to showcase your understanding of the coursework material learned and display your readiness to enter the professional world to start your career. It is a rewarding experience if done right, but can mess up your final year and possibly your graduation if you manage to mess it up.

Do you know that a successful capstone project also helps to land you lucrative jobs? That’s right, capstone projects are one of the ways potential employers find out just how learned, resourceful, and talented you are. Think of it as a kind of thesis.

Capstone projects are also called culminating projects, experience, senior exhibition, or other similar names. The project is usually self-directed, and most students find it a challenge to even come up with the right capstone project topic. 

Capstone Project Vs. Thesis

A capstone project and a thesis are both very similar in that they represent a final effort from the student just before graduation.

They are done in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course being undertaken. The comprehensive approach and assessment involved are very similar, and sometimes the structure and methodology might overlap.

Both also have to be reviewed and approved by the institution and will remain in the public domain after publishing.

However, there are some important differences.

• A thesis is purely academic while a capstone project focuses more on the practical preparation of the student for the real world/job market.
• A thesis is guided by a research question resulting in the addition of new knowledge to the field, while a capstone project is guided by the practical importance of the project to the field.
• A thesis involves academic research and analysis, while a capstone project can be anything including a dance or film.
• A thesis is expected to be original and authentic, while a capstone project will have more loose requirements. You can borrow another person’s capstone project ideas , so long as you demonstrate your own advancement in the field.
• A capstone project will usually only have a brief write-up or report, while a thesis generates a detailed, extensive writeup.
• The final presentation of a thesis, called a defense, is meant to prove and show that you have mastered the subject. You are supposed to be a mini-expert in the field. A capstone project presentation comes off as a kind of exhibition where you showcase your project without having to defend it.

Types of Capstone Projects

Capstone projects vary not just in the type of project, also in the level at which they are done.

There are projects for juniors and seniors in college as well as for postgraduate students.

Here are some examples of the forms of projects depending on the academic level.

• In-depth research projects.
• Developing the concept of a product, tool, or service.
• Expositions.
• Experiments.

Capstone projects can be conducted either individually or in a group.

However, the key thing is to make sure that the project proposal has been reviewed and approved by the instructor/panel/institution in charge before proceeding.

Senior Capstone Project

Senior projects are so called because they are done by high school students in their senior year.

Just like other projects, they represent a culmination of the coursework with an interdisciplinary application of knowledge and skills gained so far.

The project usually takes the better part of the final academic year and will have different parts to it, depending on the type of project chosen.

It will also require a presentation where the student(s) explain and describe the project to an audience, including their classmates.

Sample Capstone Project Outline

The write up for a project consists of several parts. However, even before starting the write-up, you need to do a few things:

• Come up with an idea for your project. What will be your subject matter, topic, or premise?
• Find sources for the project and review them beforehand to ensure that they will be of help to you.
• Come up with a step-by-step methodology for your project.

Using this information, you will then write a capstone project proposal for your project. It informs your instructor or review panel exactly what you intend to present so that they can approve or reject it.

Once approved, you can go on to the next stage. The final write-up has the following parts.

• A title page.
• Project outline.
• A description/abstract.
• Introduction
• Rationale/relevance/reason for doing the project.
• Objectives of the project.
• Procedures/methodology.
• Research and analysis.
• Evaluation of results and findings.
• Conclusion and future work/suggestions.
• Bibliography/works cited/reference list.

Note that the project is carried out in stages. Once approved, you will need to be submitting weekly or monthly status reports to your supervisor. After the project report is submitted, you will also have to make a presentation about the whole project.

This brief outline is only meant to be a rough guide. We have a much more detailed article detailing how you can do your capstone project, including a project template. 

Capstone Project Examples

Help for Assessment has extensive experience when it comes to capstone projects of all kinds.

Whether it’s a high school project, a college capstone, or a senior capstone project, you can trust us to carry it out successfully for you.

You can check out various project samples here . 

Get Help With Your Capstone Project

Capstone projects in every level of school are a make or break it deal. Given that they complete the graduation credits required, it makes sense to leave this important part of your coursework to experts.

We are proud to offer you a guide on how to write a capstone project here . If you need help, you can take advantage of our capstone project writing service at affordable, student-friendly rates with amazing discounts. 

Check it out here and make your order to experience excellence, peace of mind, and success thanks to our stellar services.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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Capstone Projects at CUSP

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NYU Tandon’s Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) is proud to host its annual Capstone Program to serve its mission of finding data-driven solutions to increasingly complex urban challenges.

Each year, graduate students in the MS in Applied Urban Science & Informatics degree partner with sponsors and CUSP faculty members to collaborate on a two-semester project that seeks to address a critical urban issue or research problem. Project proposal applications for the 2024-25 cycle are due April 12.

How Does it Work?

It all starts with a question. Do you have a research problem or data-driven project that you’d like a little help with? Do you need access to both data science skills and deep policy knowledge to find a scalable solution? CUSP accepts project proposals from sponsors such as government agencies, private companies, academic institutions, think tanks, startups, nonprofits, NYU faculty members–anyone who is also on a mission to make cities more equitable, efficient, livable, and technologically advanced. If accepted into the program, sponsors are paired with a team of three to five graduate students and a CUSP faculty advisor to embark on an intensive project spanning two semesters. Similar to CUSP's research activity, capstone projects must fit inside one of our main focus areas: urban health, urban environment, or urban infrastructure. 

Project Details

Capstone projects approach real-world urban challenges through problem identification and scoping, data collection, and applying data analytics and visualization techniques. Typical deliverables include urban data analytic reports, data visualizations including interactive applications, research websites, research publications, and prescriptive policy solutions.

The capstone program is the pinnacle of CUSP graduate students’ hands-on experience and is tied to required Urban Science Intensive I & II courses in the fall and spring semesters of their second year. Therefore, it is important that any potential sponsor is prepared to meet with their student team on a recurring basis and to provide support as needed.

The best capstone projects are impact-driven and include a coherent, well-defined urban problem. An effective capstone project:

• Ties directly to the needs of the sponsor organization as well as CUSP’s mission;
• Identifies a discrete, tangible, and deliverable end product that can provide actionable insight;
• Is quantitative and can be approached using a range of data science and informatics methodologies (e.g. network analysis, predictive modeling, machine learning, spatial analytics, etc.);
• Requires data that is available and in-hand prior to the start of a project; and
• Includes a supportive sponsor that will engage with the students, ensure access to necessary information, and assist with connecting student teams to appropriate experts and stakeholders.

Project Timeline

Dates listed below are estimated and are subject to change. 

• April 12, 2024:  Deadline for sponsors to  submit project proposals . 
• May 15, 2024:  2024-25 Capstone projects and sponsors announced.
• August 15, 2024:  Deadline for sponsors to submit data to be used in projects. 
• September 4, 2024:  First day of Urban Science Intensive I class.
• September 9-13, 2024:  Meet and greet events between project sponsors, mentors, and students (virtual meetings permitted). 
• September 13, 2024:  Deadline for students to submit preferences for project assignments.
• September 25, 2024:  Student team + sponsor matches to be announced. 
• December TBD, 2024:  Spring milestone updates/presentations.  
• April TBD, 2025:  Final deliverables due; Capstone presentations will be given at the Applied Urban Science Conference.

Faculty Mentors

Meet the faculty mentors who make our capstone projects possible. 

FAQ for CUSP Students

Students in their second year will enroll in USI I for their fall semester, and USI II in the spring semester. Both are required courses and must be taken consecutively. Course registration dates are announced via email. 

Students are able to submit up to 5 preferred projects after viewing the Capstone catalog and attending the Meet & Greet, but selection is not guaranteed.

Students teams are carefully selected to ensure that a variety of skills and experience are included in the working group. Requests may be made, but are not guaranteed.

Classes are scheduled for Thursdays 6pm-8:30pm, but at it’s the discretion of the instructors to set the meetings.

Students can expect to spend at least 75 hours on their research project outside of regularly scheduled class each semester.

FAQ for Potential Sponsors

We accept sponsor applications from all public, private sector, or academic organizations looking to address a critical urban issue or research problem. Our sponsors in the past have included city agencies across the US, international universities, and non-profits. Your organization does not need to be located in New York City or the United States, as long as you can provide regular communication with your capstone team.

New York University Community: Any NYU research center, faculty member, or researcher with a new or ongoing research project is welcome to apply!

A Project Agreement will be developed and executed, which describes the project purpose, scope, and expected outputs. This document will also outline data sharing protocols and any restrictions on shared data.

We seek project sponsors that are engaged and enthusiastic about the use of data science in improving city operations and planning. We expect project sponsors to identify a primary Point of Contact for the project who will ensure data sharing agreements are executed; will provide regular feedback on the students’ work, through periodic meetings and review of progress reports and presentations; and will be able to attend the final project presentations. The specific expectations and time commitment will vary by the needs of the project, but project sponsors should be able to commit 1-2 hours every two weeks to the above activities. Our student teams are very capable, and this level of engagement will help to ensure the final deliverables and output provide value for, and are of use to, the project sponsor.

Please review the  Capstone Sponsor Mutual Expectations .

The CUSP Data Facility is a secure research data environment with datasets, tools, and expert staff to provide research support services to students, faculty, and city agency employees.  The CUSP Data Facility (CDF) connects all of these users to relevant datasets for urban policy research. The CDF reduces the multiple technical, legal, bureaucratic, capacity, and cost barriers to data access, so that the full research, policy, and operational benefits of data products can be realized by academic researchers and students, City analysts and managers, and other key partners in urban science.

We recognize that much of the data we manage, from streaming sensor data to agency administrative data, is sensitive and we handle it accordingly. The CUSP Data Facility’s Safe Data Environment comprises a multi-faceted approach to maintain safe data, through safe people, projects, settings, and outputs.  This approach combines technical protocols, user policies, and user-centered design in order to ensure adherence to data governance requirements.

• Safe people: regular trainings on responsible data use and privacy & confidentiality,  combined with updated online resources on best practices in data management
• Safe projects: standards and protocols for managing access to datasets and databases at the project level
• Safe settings: a secure data environment with restricted data ingress and egress
• Safe outputs: a statistical disclosure limitation prior to any export of products derived from restricted data

The Data Facility and Student Capstone Projects  – CUSP students and faculty and host agencies are encouraged to perform all Capstone research within the Data Facility.  CUSP will process new project data and create project workspaces where designated team members can work with their project-specific datasets and collaborate on data analysis and visualization.  Other data facility users will not have access to the project workspace.

There is no fee associated with the Capstone projects.

We are not accepting proposals at this time. When the application opens, we will make the form available on this page. 

Capstone project group selection methods will be based on several criteria including students’ ranked preferences. Based on student interest, it is possible that an approved project may not be utilized. Demographics and competencies will also be considered in order to ensure group heterogeneity. Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed by project sponsors in advance. 

Project sponsors are able to provide input about what types of skills may be most useful to their project activities but will not be able to directly choose their student teams.

Please email  [email protected]  with any additional questions about the Capstone Program.

Apply to Sponsor a Project

Project proposals are due by April 12th. If you have further questions regarding the application or selection process, or the program at large, please contact Danielle Wright ( [email protected] ). Don't miss your chance to make an impact--for our CUSP students, for your organization, and for city dwellers around the world!

Previous Sponsors

55+ Creative Capstone Project Topics For Students In 2023

As a student, one of the most important tasks you’ll face is choosing a capstone project topic. A capstone project is a comprehensive assignment that requires you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained throughout your academic program.

It is a crucial aspect of your academic career as it can help you stand out in the job market, demonstrate your readiness for your profession, and showcase your ability to work independently. In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about capstone projects and provide you with 55+ capstone project topics to help get you started.

What is a Capstone Project?

Table of Contents

A capstone project is a culmination of your academic program. It requires you to integrate and apply the knowledge and skills you’ve gained throughout your academic journey. Capstone projects come in different forms and formats, including research papers, presentations, case studies, and hands-on projects.

Explain Significance of a Capstone Project

A Capstone project is a culminating academic project that is typically required of students nearing the end of their studies. The significance of a Capstone project lies in the fact that it provides an opportunity for students to integrate and apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their studies to solve a real-world problem or address a specific issue.

Here are some reasons why Capstone projects are significant:

1. Integration of Knowledge

Capstone projects require students to integrate and apply knowledge gained across multiple courses in their program. This integration of knowledge allows students to see the connections between different subject areas and to apply a holistic approach to problem-solving.

2. Real-world Experience

Capstone projects often involve working on a project for a real client or addressing a real-world issue. This provides students with valuable experience in working with real clients and stakeholders, conducting research, and applying theoretical concepts to practical problems.

3. Demonstration of Skills

Capstone projects provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the skills they have acquired over the course of their studies. This includes critical thinking, problem-solving, research, and communication skills.

Career Preparation

Capstone projects can help students prepare for their future careers by providing them with practical experience, networking opportunities, and a portfolio of work to showcase to potential employers.

In summary, Capstone projects are significant because they provide students with an opportunity to integrate and apply their knowledge, gain real-world experience, demonstrate their skills, and prepare for their future careers.

Elements of Capstone Project

Capstone projects can vary depending on the academic discipline, institution, and level of study. However, there are several common elements that are typically included in a Capstone project:

The Capstone project begins with the selection of a topic, which is often related to the student’s area of study or research interest. The topic should be significant, relevant, and feasible to research and complete within the given timeframe.

2. Proposal

The student is required to submit a proposal that outlines the problem or issue they aim to address, the research questions, methodology, and expected outcomes. The proposal is typically reviewed and approved by a faculty advisor or a Capstone committee.

3. Literature Review

Students are required to conduct a comprehensive literature review of existing research related to the chosen topic. This helps to provide a theoretical foundation for the project and identify gaps in existing research that the Capstone project aims to address.

4. Research Methodology

Students need to identify and apply appropriate research methods and techniques to collect data and analyze it. This could involve conducting surveys, interviews, experiments, or analyzing existing data sources.

5. Results And Analysis

Students need to present the results of their research in a clear and organized manner, including data analysis, graphs, and charts, which are used to support their findings.

6. Conclusion And Recommendations

Students need to provide a conclusion that summarizes the findings and recommendations for future research and practice. This is typically presented in a written report or a presentation to a Capstone committee.

7. Reflection

Finally, students are often required to reflect on the Capstone project experience, including the challenges and successes encountered during the project. This reflection allows students to critically evaluate their work and identify areas for improvement.

Here in this section we mentioned more than 55+ capstone project topics for students:

1. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Social Media On Mental Health

This Capstone project could explore how social media use affects mental health, such as depression and anxiety, and investigate possible solutions or interventions to minimize negative outcomes.

2. Investigating The Impact Of Climate Change On The Tourism Industry

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of climate change on the tourism industry, such as the impact on tourist destinations, transportation, and local economies, and propose potential solutions to mitigate the negative impacts.

3. Developing A Business Plan For A Start-Up Company In The Healthcare Industry

This Capstone project could involve developing a comprehensive business plan for a healthcare start-up, including market research, financial projections, and strategic planning.

4. An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Online Learning In Higher Education

This Capstone project could investigate the effectiveness of online learning in higher education, such as student engagement, retention, and learning outcomes, and propose strategies to improve online learning experiences.

5. Designing A Sustainable Housing Project For Low-Income Families

This Capstone project could involve designing a sustainable housing project that meets the needs of low-income families while promoting environmental sustainability, such as incorporating renewable energy sources, green roofs, and water conservation features.

6. Developing A Mental Health Intervention Program For High School Students

This Capstone project could involve developing a mental health intervention program for high school students that addresses common mental health issues and promotes positive coping strategies.

7. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Job Displacement

This Capstone project could explore how the use of artificial intelligence is affecting job displacement and propose solutions to minimize the negative impact on workers and the economy.

8. Investigating The Impact Of E-Commerce On Traditional Brick-And-Mortar Retail Stores

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of e-commerce on traditional retail stores, such as the impact on sales, employment, and consumer behavior, and propose potential solutions to mitigate the negative impacts.

9. Developing A Marketing Plan For A Non-Profit Organization

This Capstone project could involve developing a marketing plan for a non-profit organization, including market research, target audience identification, and promotional strategies.

10. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Immigration Policies On The Us Economy

This Capstone project could explore how changes in immigration policies are affecting the US economy, such as the impact on GDP, employment, and labor force participation, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

11. Develop A Website To Promote A Local Cultural Event

This Capstone project could involve designing and developing a website to promote a local cultural event, including information about the event, ticket sales, and promotional materials.

12. Investigating The Impact Of Technology On Sleep Patterns

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of technology on sleep patterns, such as the impact on sleep quality, duration, and sleep disorders, and propose potential solutions to promote healthy sleep habits.

13. Developing A Nutrition And Wellness Program For A Local School District

This Capstone project could involve developing a nutrition and wellness program for a local school district that promotes healthy eating habits, physical activity, and mental health.

14. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Cultural Diversity On Workplace Productivity

This Capstone project could explore how cultural diversity in the workplace affects productivity, teamwork, and innovation, and propose strategies to promote a diverse and inclusive work environment.

15. Investigating The Impact Of Ride-Sharing Services On Public Transportation

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of ride-sharing services on public transportation, such as the impact on ridership, revenues, and sustainability, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

16. Developing A Mobile Application For A Local Business

This Capstone project could involve designing and developing a mobile application for a local business that enhances the customer experience, such as online ordering, loyalty programs, and promotions.

17. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Social Media On Political Participation

This Capstone project could explore how social media use affects political participation, such as voter turnout, political engagement, and political polarization, and propose potential solutions to promote healthy political discourse.

18. Investigating The Impact Of Automation On The Manufacturing Industry

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of automation on the manufacturing industry, such as the impact on employment, productivity, and safety, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

19. Developing A Disaster Preparedness Plan For A Community

This Capstone project could involve developing a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan for a community that addresses natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.

20. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Gender Diversity On Corporate Performance

This Capstone project could explore how gender diversity in corporate leadership affects performance, such as profitability, innovation, and corporate social responsibility, and propose strategies to promote gender diversity in the workplace.

21. Investigating The Impact Of Renewable Energy On The Power Grid

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, on the power grid, such as the impact on grid stability, reliability, and cost, and propose potential solutions to address any challenges.

22. Developing A Cybersecurity Plan For A Small Business

This Capstone project could involve developing a cybersecurity plan for a small business that identifies potential threats and vulnerabilities, and proposes solutions to prevent cyberattacks and data breaches.

23. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Automation On The Service Industry

This Capstone project could explore how automation is affecting the service industry, such as the impact on customer service, employment, and job satisfaction, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

24. Investigating The Impact Of Music Therapy On Mental Health

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of music therapy on mental health, such as the impact on anxiety, depression, and cognitive function, and propose potential solutions to promote the integration of music therapy in mental healthcare.

25. Developing A Community-Based Recycling Program

This Capstone project could involve developing a community-based recycling program that promotes sustainable waste management and environmental stewardship.

26. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Healthcare

This Capstone project could explore how the use of artificial intelligence is affecting healthcare, such as the impact on patient outcomes, costs, and medical ethics, and propose potential solutions to optimize AI integration in healthcare.

27. Investigating The Impact Of Globalization On The Labor Market

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of globalization on the labor market, such as the impact on employment, wages, and labor rights, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

28. Developing A Disaster Response Plan For A Healthcare Facility

This Capstone project could involve developing a comprehensive disaster response plan for a healthcare facility that addresses natural disasters, pandemics, and other emergencies.

29. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices On Workplace Productivity

This Capstone project could explore how mindfulness practices, such as meditation and yoga, affect workplace productivity, employee engagement, and stress management, and propose strategies to promote healthy workplace practices.

30. Investigating The Impact Of Social Media On Political Polarization

This Capstone project could analyze how social media is affecting political polarization, such as the impact on political discourse, fake news, and political extremism, and propose potential solutions to promote healthy political dialogue.

31. Developing A Waste Reduction Plan For A Local Government

This Capstone project could involve developing a waste reduction plan for a local government that promotes sustainable waste management practices and reduces landfill waste.

32. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Automation On The Transportation Industry

This Capstone project could explore how automation is affecting the transportation industry, such as the impact on employment, safety, and efficiency, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

33. Investigating The Impact Of Social Media On Mental Health

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of social media on mental health, such as the impact on self-esteem, body image, and social anxiety, and propose potential solutions to promote healthy social media use.

34. Developing A Marketing Plan For A Non-Profit Organization

This Capstone project could involve developing a marketing plan for a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness and support for a social cause.

35. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Climate Change On Agriculture

This Capstone project could explore how climate change is affecting agriculture, such as the impact on crop yields, food security, and farm income, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

36. Investigating The Impact Of Virtual Reality On Education

This Capstone project could analyze how virtual reality is affecting education, such as the impact on student engagement, learning outcomes, and accessibility, and propose potential solutions to optimize VR integration in education.

37. Developing A Workplace Diversity And Inclusion Plan

This Capstone project could involve developing a workplace diversity and inclusion plan that promotes a culture of respect, equity, and inclusion, and addresses any systemic barriers to diversity.

38. An Analysis Of The Impact Of Telemedicine On Healthcare Access

This Capstone project could explore how telemedicine is affecting healthcare access, such as the impact on patient outcomes, cost savings, and healthcare disparities, and propose potential solutions to optimize telemedicine integration in healthcare.

39. Investigating The Impact Of Globalization On The Environment

This Capstone project could analyze the effects of globalization on the environment, such as the impact on climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural resource depletion, and propose potential solutions to address any negative impacts.

40. Developing A Mental Health Awareness Campaign For A College Campus

This Capstone project could involve developing a mental health awareness campaign for a college campus that promotes mental health resources and support, and reduces stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Some Other Capstone Project Topics Ideas For Students In 2023

Here are some other capstone project topics ideas for students in 2023 :

41. Sustainable Energy Solutions for Rural Communities

42. Enhancing Cybersecurity Measures in Small Businesses

43. Analyzing the Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

44. Designing an Automated Irrigation System for Agricultural Efficiency

45. Investigating the Effects of Virtual Reality in Education

46. Developing a Mobile App for Personal Finance Management

47. Exploring Machine Learning Algorithms for Predictive Maintenance in Manufacturing

48. Assessing the Effectiveness of E-Learning Platforms in Higher Education

49. Creating a Smart Home Automation System for Energy Conservation

50. Investigating the Use of Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management

51. Analyzing the Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Behavior

52. Designing a Medical Diagnosis Support System using Artificial Intelligence

53. Exploring the Applications of Augmented Reality in Retail Shopping

54. Developing a Smart Traffic Management System for Urban Areas

55. Evaluating the Efficiency of Renewable Energy Sources in Power Generation

56. Investigating the Effects of Gamification in Employee Training and Engagement

• Capstone Project Ideas for Civil Engineering
• Mini Project Ideas for ECE Students

How to find Capstone project topics?

Finding a Capstone project topic can be a challenging task. Here are some tips on how to find Capstone project topics:

1. Identify Your Interests

Start by identifying your interests and passions. Consider the courses that you have enjoyed in your program, the topics that have sparked your curiosity, and the issues that you are passionate about. This can help you narrow down your focus to a specific area of research.

2. Consult With Faculty

Talk to your faculty advisors or professors in your area of study. They can provide guidance on potential Capstone project topics, identify gaps in existing research, and suggest resources for your research.

3. Browse Academic Journals

Browse academic journals in your field to identify current research topics and areas that have not been fully explored. Look for research articles, case studies, and review articles related to your area of interest.

4. Attend Conferences And Seminars

Attend conferences and seminars in your field to learn about current research, trends, and challenges. You can network with other professionals, identify research gaps, and get feedback on potential Capstone project topics.

5. Look For Real-World Problems

Consider real-world problems or issues that you could address through your Capstone project. This could include issues in your local community, industry, or a global problem that you are passionate about.

6. Brainstorm With Peers

Brainstorm potential Capstone project topics with your peers or classmates. You can bounce ideas off each other and provide feedback on potential research questions, methodology, and expected outcomes.

Finding a Capstone project topic requires identifying your interests, consulting with faculty, browsing academic journals, attending conferences, looking for real-world problems, and brainstorming with peers.

Tips To Choose the Best Capstone Project Topics For Students In 2023

Here are some tips to choose the best capstone project topics for students in 2023 :

1. Choose A Topic According To Your Interest

This will make the project more enjoyable and less daunting. If you are not interested in the topic, you will be less likely to put in the hard work required to complete the project successfully.

2. Choose A Topic That Is Relevant To Your Subject

This will help you to develop your skills and knowledge in your chosen area. Your capstone project should be an opportunity for you to showcase your skills and knowledge in your field of study.

3. Choose A Topic That Is Challenging But Achievable

You should not choose a topic that is too difficult or too easy. A challenging topic will allow you to learn and grow, but it should not be so difficult that you become discouraged.

4. Talk To Your Professors And Advisors

They can help you to identify topics that are relevant to your field of study and that are within your skill level. Your professors and advisors can also provide guidance and support throughout the project.

5. Look At Previous Capstone Projects Completed By Students In Your Program

This can give you some ideas for your own project. You can also get a sense of the scope and complexity of previous projects.

6. Do Some Research Online

There are many websites that list capstone project ideas. You can also find information about specific topics and how to approach them.

7. Develop A Detailed Project Plan

This project plan will help you stay on track and make sure your project is completed on time. A project plan should include a timeline, a budget, and a list of tasks.

Significance Of Choosing The Right Capstone Project Topics

Choosing the right Capstone project topic is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it allows students to demonstrate their understanding and application of the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their program of study. 

Choosing a topic that is relevant to their field of study and interests can also motivate students to produce their best work and achieve their academic goals.

Secondly, a well-chosen Capstone project topic can provide students with valuable professional experience and skills. Many Capstone projects involve working with real-world clients, collaborating with professionals in their field, and conducting independent research. 

This can provide students with the opportunity to develop important skills such as project management , critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving, which are highly valued by employers.

Finally, a well-designed Capstone project can make a meaningful contribution to the student’s field of study or community. Choosing a topic that addresses a real-world problem or gap in knowledge can result in a project that has a positive impact beyond the academic setting. 

This can increase the student’s sense of purpose and contribute to their personal and professional development.

Overall, choosing the right Capstone project topic is important because it can motivate students to produce their best work, provide them with valuable professional experience and skills, and make a meaningful contribution to their field of study or community.

In conclusion, a Capstone project is a culminating academic experience that provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of knowledge and skills in their field of study. Choosing the right Capstone project topic is crucial for students to achieve their academic and professional goals, as well as contribute to their community. 

With the right capstone project  topic, students can develop valuable skills and experience, create a positive impact in their field of study, and make a meaningful contribution to their community. As such, it is important for students to carefully consider their Capstone project topic and select one that aligns with their interests and program learning outcomes.

Q1. What are some trending capstone project topics in the field of computer science?

Some trending capstone project topics in computer science include artificial intelligence in healthcare, blockchain technology applications, and cybersecurity advancements.

Q2. How can a capstone project in business management contribute to real-world success?

A capstone project in business management allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, develop problem-solving skills, and gain hands-on experience, thus contributing to real-world success by preparing them for the challenges of the business environment.

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Capstone & Thesis Research

Before you begin your research project, steps in doing a capstone paper or project, graduate thesis and dissertation general guidelines, find theses and dissertations, academic writing and research video, watch and learn with webster u. library online presentations, the research cycle.

• Thinking about your Project
• Selecting and Focusing Your Research Topic
• Start Searching
• Literature Review This link opens in a new window
• Doing Primary Research
• Presentation Skills This link opens in a new window
• Specific Graduate Programs
• Writing and Citing
• Mendeley Citation Manager This link opens in a new window

Need help? Ask a librarian or chat

Ask A Librarian  for help finding sources, narrowing or expanding your topic, and more!​

• Research Desk: 314-246-6950
• Toll-free: 800-985-4279
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• Search our FAQs or email us 

Make sure you understand what is required. Read your assignment carefully and talk with your instructor if you need clarification. Think about how much time and other resources you have and need to complete all parts of the research assignment within the course timetable.

Select a topic area. See the " Selecting and focusing your research topic " tab at left for suggestions on choosing a topic, narrowing your focus, and developing a thesis statement or research question.

Do a literature review. The " Literature Review " tab will link you to helpful resources for planning a search and organizing your results. The "Start Searching" tab gives some examples for using article databases effectively.

Doing primary research (for those students required to do so). Check the " Doing primary research " tab for resources on creating surveys, finding tests, designing studies, etc.

Present your results. The " Writing & Citing " tab brings together resources for writing the paper, citing your sources, and avoiding plagiarism. The " Presentation skills " tab will help you create effective visual aids and deliver a professional presentation.

Here you will find everything you need to know about the purpose of a dissertation or thesis and the steps to complete and submit your work.

The Guidelines were created by the Webster University Office of Academic Affairs and approved by Webster University Graduate Council. The most recent version of the Guidelines is the 2023 revision.

• Theses and Dissertation Guidelines
• Does the library have theses in the collection?
• Does the library keep graduate capstone (a.k.a. 6000) papers?
• How do I find a thesis or dissertation?

Academic writing and research: Top tips to transform your paper

• Academic Writing & Research: Top Tips to Transform Your Paper (Recorded on Apr. 3, 2019; 37 minutes) New to writing and research or just want to up your game? Join us! Learn simple and effective tips from Writing Center and Library staff to make your writing more polished and to find and integrate others’ ideas and research to strengthen your thesis and argument. Click here to watch specific parts of this video.

Watch  specific topics in this video

Visit our Library Training, Tutorials & Webinars  page to see tutorials that will sharpen your research skills and offer helpful guidance in doing a capstone, thesis or advanced research project. Recorded webinars may be watched at your convenience. Live webinars offer an interactive experience with Webster U. librarians present to answer your questions.

The Research Cycle is a circular process with the goal of identifying relevant and useful results.  The pieces of the process are:

• Define task: What is your assignment, problem or question?
• Identify options: What kinds of information do you need and where do you look?
• Select your sources: How do you search for them and which do you choose?
• Analyze content: What di you discover and what does it mean?
• Present findings: How do you organize and communicate what you have learned?

When you complete these steps you will need to evaluate your results.  Depending on your assignment you may need to refine or change your question and begin the process again.

 CMST 101: Introduction to Communications, Marian Lyles: Intro to Research. Seattle Central College Library.  Seattle Central College. 10 Feb. 2016. Web. 16 Jun 2016.

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MS in Business and Organizational Leadership

Capstone Research Projects

Integrity is a key leadership trait, msn.com article.

Warren Buffett Says You Can Spot a Great Leader by Simply Looking for This Trait

About the BOL Program

Disclaimer: Now formally known as the MS in Business and Organizational Leadership

Novelist Leo Tolstoy said: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” As Tolstoy wisely observed, change must begin from within. Personal transformation is the focus of the Master of Science in Business and Organizational Leadership program . The goal of the program is in keeping with Greek philosopher Plutarch, who said: “The purpose of education is not to filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” – a fire that ignites an unquenchable thirst for lifelong learning. And the light from that fire, is meant to be shared with others. Throughout the program, students connect coursework with personal development and professional practice, and are encouraged to choose research topics that benefit their companies, their communities, or the environment. This is consonant with the principles of Neumann’s Franciscan Tradition of social and ethical responsibility, stewardship, and servant leadership, which are embedded in the OSL program.

Student Scholarship: Capstone Research Projects

The Business and Organizational Leadership Capstone Research Project is a culminating experience designed to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the field of Business and Organizational Leadership. The Capstone Service Research Project (CSRP) is an action-based creative expression of leadership that includes a “deliverable” – or, “end product,” purpose, or intended use of the research data – to a sponsoring organization; or a realistic service template that represents a scholarly contribution to the leadership field of study. It may also involve: the creation of a business model or plan; a strategic plan or analysis; a clear set of recommendations; a social, educational, or public service; a financial scholarship program; or a public awareness campaign regarding a timely and compelling issue. But whatever the topic, it must have socially redeeming value in keeping with the Franciscan Principles and Tradition.

The strategic leadership program was just what I was looking for with the creation of this camp READ MORE Patricia Demiranda ’14 MS in Business and Organizational Leadership

Enhancing Inclusive Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Planning Through Community Inclusion: A Program Plan for the Delaware County Department of Emergency Services

Overcoming barriers to Disaster Preparedness and Recovery information and services is a core component for enhancing community resiliency. Traditional metrics for determining potential barriers to Disaster Preparedness and Recovery information and services, called Access and Functional Needs, within the fields of Emergency Management, Public Health, and Human Services have not been universally used in a coordinated manner at a national level and do not yet include lessons learned during the COVID-19 Pandemic response. Updating these metrics to develop a new system inclusive of themes from each independent field and the pandemic response will enhance capacity for Inclusive Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Planning (IDPRP) to better determine needs within communities targeted for planning and services. Incorporating members of the community will expand capability both to determine, and overcome barriers identified. Two proven methods for the incorporation of community leaders and do this work are Functional Assessment Service Teams and Community Ambassador Programs.

Danielle Koerner

The Use of Stay Interviews to Curtail the Emergency Medical Services Staffing Crisis

Fred W. Wurster III

This Capstone will highlight the current staffing crisis that is impacting Emergency Medical Service (EMS) organizations across the United States. According to the Ambulance Association of America (AAA) and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), EMS organizations are facing some of the most challenging times as it relates to recruitment and more importantly, retention. Retention of personnel in an EMS organization is the critical structure that allows for ambulances to respond to and arrive at emergency situations in a timely fashion. Imagine calling 911 for a medical emergency and an ambulance takes hours to arrive or even worse an ambulance not showing up all. Unfortunately, one or both instances are occurring in areas across the United States today. Some areas such as North Carolina, are plagued with such shortages that they have requested ambulances from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) to simply staff ambulances for 911 calls (Donnelly-DeRoven, 2022).

Advancing Diversionary Programs to Maintain Low Level Juvenile Recidivism Rates

This Capstone Research Project was intended to enhance current juvenile diversionary programs to reduce juvenile crime and recidivism rates. After conducting research this Capstone Research Project focused on the need for advancing referrals to juvenile diversionary programs and minimizing out of home placements for juvenile delinquents. The research first examined the average number of times a juvenile delinquent has been arrested and the number of pre-determined risk factors the delinquent has been exposed to. The researcher then examined pre-determined risk factors that predominantly affect at risk youth.

Sara Howell

Community Paramedicine and Mobile Integrated Health: An Innovative Approach to Medicine to Provide Care for Patients With Social Determinants of Health

Elizabeth C. McCall

Community Paramedics provide healthcare for patients who suffer from various social determinants of health. According to Dr. Gina Agarwal, an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University, the patients typically include homeless persons, people living in poverty, those suffering from addiction and mental health disorders, patients seen as frequent users of both Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the emergency room (E.R.), and chronically ill persons who are considered high-risk for readmission to the hospital.

Keeping Low Income Families in Their Homes: by removing the burden of costly home repairs

For citizens living only just above the national poverty line, a simple home repair may become a large problem, especially when other stressors have occurred in their lives that may require an unforeseen financial burden. According to the Population Reference Bureau (2022), “The Census Bureau reported that 37.2 million people, or 11.4% of the U.S. population, were living in poverty in 2020, based on official poverty threshold.” In an article written by Susannah Snider and Emma Kerr for U. S. News publication, they refer to a study conducted in 2018 by the Pew Research Center located in Washington D.C., Pew defined the economic breakdown as follows; for a family of 3 an annual income of less than $40,100 was considered low income, $41,000 - $120,400 was considered middle and more than $120,400 was considered upper income varying by region and state. (Snider & Kerr, 2020) The researchers’ findings suggested that many people describe themselves as middle class, however, many of them may fall outside of this definition.

Jacquelyn Krom

Next Step Leadership Initiative: A Plan for Urban Youth

Connor Quealy

This Capstone will highlight several key issues impacting the lives of youth in lowincome/urban areas, such as the impacts of violence on youth and the current state of education and where it is failing, as well as poverty. Constant violence against or around youth leads to personal issues to trouble in school. Education has often been a way out of poverty for those less fortunate. Still, with recent budget cuts in schools across the United States, the cycle of poverty is continuing in these communities. Throughout the Capstone, the two cities to be examined will be Philadelphia, PA, and Camden, NJ, because both cities have been experiencing significant issues in the discussed areas. The year 2020 marked one of the deadliest years in Philadelphia. Camden also experiences, on average, a significantly higher number of murders for the size of the city. The Capstone will also examine two youth development programs in Camden and how they help lead youth to brighter and successful futures.

Improving Leadership and Communication within Government Organizations: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Effective, efficient, clear, and concise communication throughout any organizational leadership hierarchy is a quintessential component to sustainable long-term success. The purpose of this qualitative study, which consisted of a sample size of five total participants, was to discover where communicative deficiencies exist, what impact these deficiencies have on the dissemination of pertinent workplace knowledge and information, which leadership style(s) contribute to the deterioration, or improvement of, communicative solidarity, and to develop a communicative needs assessment and set of ethical communicative guidelines.

Steven Serrano

A Program Model to Recruit and Retain More Black Teachers into the Educator Pipeline to Accelerate Achievement for Black Students in Pennsylvania

Shayna Terrell

Substantial research has been conducted to measure the disproportionate rates of achievement gaps between Black and White students. Studies performed to investigate the existing gaps have measured Black teachers' impact on Black students and the impact the lack of teacher diversity has on student achievement. There is limited research that combines all three variables to make a case for building a focused strategy specifically for recruiting Black teachers into the profession. This analysis intends to highlight the benefits of having a Black teacher for Black students and address the lack of diversity in the teacher workforce, specifically in Pennsylvania. The researcher will use data collected and analyzed as evidence for the need to develop a focused strategy for recruiting more Black teachers into the teacher pipeline.

DISCOVERING THE TRUTH BEHIND THE NUMBERS

The research conducted in this Capstone is focused on Black American students and their college graduation rates to examine how tertiary institutions might better support and retain students of color. In 2018, 16,616,400 students enrolled in a 4-year degree granting institution 2,012,854 of those students graduated within 4 years and only 195,656 were Black students. The researcher analyzed other factors that could influence Black student graduation rates in the U.S. Those factors include but are not limited to the following: lack of sufficient financial assistance, a deficiency of Black diversity and cultural competency among instructors, administrators, and academic advisors, student under-achievement specifically among Black students. The researcher constructed a list of recommendations for administrators of undergraduate 4-year degree granting institutions in the U.S. to evaluate and implement to increase Black Student Graduation rates are as follows; increase Title IX funding for Black students, additional forms of financial assistance, increase academic support and increase Black instructors.

Discovering The Truth Behind The Numbers For More Equitable Education

Chadwick Johnson

Planning for the Future: The Importance of Leadership Development and Succession Planning

James V. Cartafalsa

Planning for the Future

Succession Planning and Leadership Development allow an organization to plan for the future. This paper will provide the steps needed to create an effective Leadership Development Plan. The researcher will identify the benefits of succession planning over outsourcing and other means of replacing leaders. Research on the importance of leadership development and succession planning is vital because, in the current climate of persistent and rapid change, insights are needed into established areas of successful organizational projections, such as longterm and short-term, financial, and staffing which is essential to the sustainable management of organizations.

Recommendations for State Representative Morgan Cephas and the Tustin Recreation Center

It is well documented throughout literature that poverty bestows a plethora of adverse effects on persons who endure it such as homelessness, food insecurity, toxic stress, and insufficient education, just to name a few. It is also well documented that poverty negatively affects the aesthetic of and infrastructures within a community in which it inhabits. Poverty, writes Psychologists Adamkovi and Martončik (2017) of the Institute of Psychology at the University of Prešov in Prešov, Slovakia, is a dangerous phenomenon because it fosters inequality by limiting opportunity.

Michaiah Young

Medical Care for the Homeless: Utilizing Convenient Care Clinics to Supplement Current Treatment Options

Anthony Brogno

Anthony Brogno on Reflections on Leadership Practice:

“As John Adair, an action-centered leadership thinker (2016) explained, leadership is broken down into three general functions: building and maintaining teams, motivating and developing individuals and achieving common tasks. This sums up the major components of leadership as they revolve around teams and people, and leadership is irrelevant if not for the human element. Numerous publications are available that discuss leadership and the qualities leaders should possess; however, I feel my leadership qualities are driven from within my heart and stems from the compassion I have for success and relationships.”

Richard Souders on Neumann University’s Business and Organizational Leadership (BOL)

“ Neumann University’s Business and Organizational Leadership (BOL) master’s degree program was very informative and educational. Throughout the OSL courses students were charged to reflect upon their own values and principles. Ethics and examples thereof were provided to clearly illustrate the conduct a professional should strive for. According to Neumann University’s website, the Franciscan tradition entails 'respect for individuals, concern for the environment and social responsibility.' These are good traits for an individual to possess regardless of their career or role. Since these traits are positive, humanitarian qualities they contain much value in any scenario. For this reason, it is effortless to relate these principles to strategic learning and a learning organization.”

Business Plan to Replace Hard Phones with Softphones for Ascensus for Cost-Effective and Efficient Communication

Rich Souders

Single-use Plastics: Personal and Corporate Behaviors and Attitudes towards Stewardship and Solving the Pollution Problem

Jose H. Paulino

Jose Paulino on Stewardship:

“Underlying the responsibility of caring for the environment, is the idea that as humans sharing the Earth with the vast ecosystems, we are charged with the tall and honorable task of caring for what we are borrowing on a temporary basis, and leaving the world not only inhabitable, but more suitable than we found it.”

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2024 UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Eligibility Criteria | Event | Theme | Prizes | Timeline | Proposal Submission Form | Proposal Guidelines & Selection Criteria | Preliminary Round | Past Winners | FAQs | Contact

UW 3MT® is a professional development competition that celebrates the exciting capstone and research experiences of master’s and doctoral students at the University of Washington from all three campuses. The competition supports graduate students’ capacity to effectively explain their research or capstone project in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a public audience. This event is a partnership between Graduate Student Affairs in The Graduate School and the UW Libraries Research Commons .

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition originally developed by the University of Queensland, Australia.

The online preliminary round will be held in early May, and the competition will be held in person on May 23, 2024, 3:00-4:30 p.m. , Seattle campus. First Place, Runner Up, and People’s Choice will be awarded.

Send questions to [email protected].

Watch past competitions: 2022 | 2023

The theme for this year’s competition is Impact. Impact can be defined as the positive outcome of a critical intervention, social policy, service provision model, legal framework, or technological innovation. How does your graduate research demonstrate impact for the public good? We’re excited to celebrate the influence our graduate students have on the world.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are a University of Washington master’s or doctoral student from any UW campus.
• You have a draft of your final project (e.g. capstone, thesis, or dissertation), including findings and conclusions.
• Only one member of a capstone project team may submit a proposal. If the proposal is selected, the same student who submitted the proposal must be the presenter.
• Your degree will be granted during AY 2023-2024.

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit a proposal to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

At the 3MT Competition on May 23, a panel of external judges will select winners for First Place and a Runner Up. A People’s Choice winner will be voted on by the audience.

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Proposal Guidelines for Online Preliminary Round

The proposal must address the following components:

Capstone or Research Project Summary

In 300 words or less, please describe your capstone or research project for a general reader (without a lot of discipline-specific jargon or technical language).

Your summary:

– Must be concise and coherent – Does not include a lot of disciplinary jargon – Is understandable to a general, public audience

Theme: Impact

Impact is the theme for this year’s UW Three Minute Thesis. Briefly (300 words) describe how your capstone or research project demonstrates impact.

Proposal Selection Criteria

Successful proposals for preliminary rounds are based on the following two components:

1. Capstone or Research Project Summary

– Is the capstone or research project summary concise and 300 words or less? – Does the summary include a lot of disciplinary jargon? – Is the summary understandable to a general, public audience?

2. Theme: Impact

Does the proposal include how the capstone or research project demonstrate impact in 300 words or less?

Submit Your Proposal

Access the proposal submission form. The deadline is April 23, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. (PDT).

Preliminary Round

If your proposal is selected, you will then have an opportunity to present your capstone or research project in a virtual preliminary round to be held in early May. Successful presenters will be selected to present at the in person 3MT Competition, scheduled for May 23.

Guidance on Preparing Your 3MT Presentation

Review the following tips and resources:

• Preparing for Your 3MT Presentation , University of Queensland
• Tips for Effective Design and Use of the 3MT Slide , Indiana University
• Time to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch , University of Pennsylvania
• How to Write a PhD Elevator Pitch , Academic Positions
• Communication: Two Minutes to Impress , Nature Jobs

Successful presenters will be selected to compete as finalists on competition day, based on the following guidelines:

3MT Competition Day

UW 3MT Competition May 23, 2024, 3:00–4:30 p.m. Seattle campus

In front of a general audience and an esteemed panel of judges, up to 15 graduate student presenters will each compete by doing three-minute presentations about their capstone or research projects.

Past Winners

• First Place – Mayuree Binjolkar , doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Runner Up – Ekta Samani , doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• People’s Choice – Megan Maerz, doctoral student in Molecular Medicine & Mechanisms of Disease
• First Place – Enrique Saldarriaga , doctoral student in Health Economics and Outcomes Research
• Runner Up – Julia Dreifus , doctoral student in Microbiology
• People’s Choice – Douglas Wagoner, master’s student in Public Administration
• First Place – Beth Halsne , doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science & master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
• Runner Up – Jackie Otting , master’s student in Education (Learning Science & Human Development)
• People’s Choice – Arianne Caudal , doctoral student in Biochemistry
• Event canceled due to COVID-19
• First Place – Barbara Rodriguez Droguett , doctoral student in Built Environment
• Runner Up – Junyue Cao , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• People’s Choice – Junyue Cao , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• First Place – Amey Khanolka r, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• Runner Up – Evan Schuster , master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
• People’s Choice – Amey Khanolkar , doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• First Place – Molly Grear , doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Runner Up – Gabby Barsh , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• People’s Choice – Zheng Li , doctoral student in Bioengineering

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens on 3MT Competition Day?

UW 3MT Competition May 23, 2024, 3:00-4:30 p.m. Seattle campus

In front of a general audience and a panel of judges, up to 15 graduate student presenters will each compete by doing three-minute presentations about their capstone or research projects.

Presenters will be competing for First Place, Runner Up, and People’s Choice Awards.

Who is eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT?

To be eligible to submit a proposal, you must meet the following criteria:

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit proposals to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

What is allowed on my 3MT slide?

One single static PowerPoint slide is permitted.

In preparing the slide, remember that ‘less is more.’ It does not have to include text. Visual cues are very effective in assisting the presenter’s explanation of their research. (No slide transitions, video, or animations are permitted).

Can I use sound or video files?

No additional electronic media (e.g. sound, music, animation, and video files) is permitted during the competition.

Can I have props (a 3D printed model, a soccer ball, a microscope, etc.)?

No. Is there a dress code?

Business formal or casual is suggested. Costumes are not allowed. Can I win in more than one category during the competition?

Yes, it is possible to win a place (First or Runner Up) and also win the People’s Choice Award.

Who will be in the audience during the competition?

The audience is often a mix of graduate students, faculty, staff, and University leadership. There will also be supporters of graduate education in attendance, as well as presenters’ family and community members.

[email protected]

Capstone Requirement

All undergraduates matriculating as first-year students in 2021-22 or later and graduating in AY 2024-25  or later  must  complete a Senior Capstone Experience. Transfer students who enter during AY 2022-23 or AY 2023-24 and plan to graduate in AY 2024-2025 or later will also be required to complete a capstone.

Students can choose from the following capstone options:

• Honors Program in Biology
• The Senior Reflection in Biology
• The Independent Capstone in Biology

Capstone Outside of Biology

Honors program, honors program requirements.

• BIO 199/ 199X– 10 units of research in thesis lab completed during junior and senior years
• BIO199W –3 unit course during Winter quarter of senior year
• Engage deeply with and appreciate the process of scientific research
• Design and implement an independent research project that contributes to knowledge in Biology
• Describe the research project, findings, and significance to a broad scientific audience in a variety of ways

Students will need to submit their Honors thesis (approved by readers) and present their work (poster or oral presentation) at the Achauer Honors Symposium in May as well as on our Virtual Showcase website. Students will also need a 3.0 GPA by graduation

• Engage deeply in a biological research project
• Communicate scientific information and their research findings in a variety of ways 
• Drive an independent research project

Students will submit an application, please visit the Honors website for details on when to submit your Honors proposal.

• Students will be required to apply to the Honors program and craft a research proposal that will be submitted near the end of Winter quarter of their junior year (exact dates are posted on the Honors website )
• In the application, students will have identified their readers, their plan for research units, and share their proposed project for approval

For any questions, contact Dr. Jamie Imam at jamiec [at] stanford.edu ( jamiec[at]stanford[dot]edu )

The Senior Reflection

The senior reflection requirements.

• BIO 196A– 3 units completed during Autumn quarter of senior year
• BIO 196B –3 unit course during Winter quarter of senior year
• BIO 196C – 3 unit course during Spring quarter of senior year
• Explore passions for science and the arts and bring those passions together into a single in-depth creative project
• Develop creative projects with the support of peers, mentors and instructors in a workshop environment, and curate them for presentation at an end-of-the year symposium.
• Deepen and refine the ability to give and receive detailed, constructive feedback and support in a workshop setting among peers.
• Reflect deeply in their Stanford careers and capstone experience through the writing and revision of a reflective essay.
• By the end of fall quarter, each student will secure a scientific mentor and a creative mentor, and complete a detailed project proposal.
• By the end of the winter quarter, having worked on their projects throughout the quarter, each student will submit a genre-appropriate “snapshot” of their project close to completion.
• Near the end of the spring quarter, each student will curate and present their complete project at the end-of-the-year symposium.
• By the end of spring quarter, having presented their final projects in the symposium, students will submit a 10-12 page reflective essay in which they describe and reflect upon their capstone experience, and on their Stanford careers.

The Senior Reflection is designed for those students who wish to combine an area of scientific interest with an in-depth creative project of their choice, which they will complete in a weekly creative workshop format. The Senior Reflection is a collaborative workshop-based program, in which students work closely with instructors, peers, and mentors.

Students will enroll in BIO 196A, commit to all three courses in the track (BIO 196A, B, C), and inform course instructors of their intention to do so.

No preliminary materials are required to enroll in BIO 196A,B,C as the proposal, capstone project, and reflective essay are generated during the three courses, with support from fellow workshop participants, instructors, and mentors.

For any questions, contact Dr. Susan McConnell at suemcc [at] stanford.edu ( suemcc[at]stanford[dot]edu ) and Andrew Todhunter at andrew.todhunter [at] stanford.edu ( andrew[dot]todhunter[at]stanford[dot]edu )

Independent Capstone

Independent capstone requirements.

• BIO 199A– 3 units completed during Spring quarter of junior year
• BIO 199B –1-3 units course during Autumn quarter of senior year
• BIO 199C – 2 units course during Winter quarter of senior year
• Explore passions for science, education, technology, business, community services, or other fields, and bring all those passions together into a single in-depth independent project.
• Develop capstone projects independently with the support of advisors, mentors, and instructors.
• Curate and present their projects at an end-of-year symposium.
• By the end of spring quarter of junior year, each student will secure a project mentor and complete a detailed project proposal.
• By the end of the fall quarter of senior year, having worked on their projects independently throughout the quarter, each student will submit a genre-appropriate “snapshot” of their project close to completion.
• By the end of the winter quarter of senior year, having completed and revised their independent projects, students will submit their final projects
• By the end of spring quarter, students will curate and present their projects in an end-of-the-year symposium.

Students who wish to complete an independent capstone project must enroll in the Independent Capstone in Biology course series. Such projects might involve creative works, research or business internships, travel-based study, teaching, or community service. Examples include the production of a teaching or business plan, a film or podcast, or a public education campaign.

In Bio199A, taken in Spring quarter of their junior year, students will identify mentors and develop project proposals. Students will begin their projects through Bio 199B in Fall quarter of senior year. In Winter quarter of senior year, students will enroll in Bio 199C to complete their projects and prepare for their presentation in spring.

The Independent Capstone in Biology is best suited for those students who wish to complete their projects independently, without close peer support and collaboration, while continuing to benefit from project mentorship.

Students will enroll in Bio 199A, commit to all three courses in the track (199A,B,C), and inform the course instructors of their intention to do so.

No preliminary materials are required to enroll in Bio 199A, as the proposal will be generated during the course, with support from advisors, mentors and instructors.

For any questions, contact Dr. Ashby Morrison at  %20ashbym [at] stanford.edu (ashbym[at]stanford[dot]edu)  and Andrew Todhunter at  andrew.todhunter [at] stanford.edu (andrew[dot]todhunter[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Outside of Biology Capstone Options

Notation in Science Communication

The program typically runs application periods in the Fall (for Juniors and Sophomores) and Spring (for Sophomores and First-Year Students). See more details about the timeline and requirements in the link above.

Science, Technology, and Society Honors program

Begin the process during Autumn of junior year by talking to the STS Honors program director. See more details about the timeline and requirements in the link above.

Interdisciplinary Honors in the Arts

Applications accepted during Junior year. See more details about the timeline and requirements. A separate petition must be submitted to the Biology student services office to share how the project will be related to the Biology major.

Undergraduate Honors in Education

Prospective honors students apply to the program in early spring quarter of their junior year. Admitted students begin the program autumn quarter senior year. A separate petition must be submitted to the Biology student services office to share how the project will be related to the Biology major.

Text Description of Decision Tree

What Is The Difference Between Capstone Project And Research Project?

Introduction  

The word ‘capstone ‘ might seem confusing to you, but in simple words, capstone means ‘the high point’ or ‘completion marker’ in a student’s career. A capstone project is mainly a two-semester project that is conducted in the final year of graduation, where students are supposed to independently or collectively research their topic of interest and participate in debates on relevant topics to gain deep knowledge in the subject. The students typically complete it in their final year of graduation.  

A research project is completed through careful study conducted through scientific methods and a systematic approach.  

Both types of projects help the students expand their knowledge base in their respective disciplines during graduation. They also pave a path for students who want to improve their professional skills. Let’s understand the difference between a capstone project and a research project in detail.  

What Is the Key Difference Between a Capstone Project and a Research Project?  

To better understand the differences, you first need to know in detail what a Capstone project and a Research Project are. Read along to learn about them in detail –  

What is a Capstone Project?  

A capstone project focuses mainly on developing research skills in students . It helps to develop a student mindset to think critically, develop communication skills, induce feelings of the importance of teamwork in students, and many other skills that help the students to face real-world problems once they get out of college. Such skills help the students to analyze problems carefully and find solutions to them accordingly. A capstone project can be submitted in any form, i.e., it can be either a presentation or a demonstrative film, or just a file with handwritten notes in it. A capstone project acts as a final nail in the coffin that concludes a student’s academic career and helps them kickstart their professional career in a better way.  

What is the purpose of a Capstone Project?  

Institutions conduct capstone projects for the following reasons:  

• Prepare You for the Upcoming Challenges  When you participate in a capstone project, you learn about different challenges that arise in the professional world. Such projects help students to come ahead and show their decision-making and leadership skills. It helps them to come out as more responsible and well-rounded graduates.  
• Teaching the Importance of Teamwork Most capstone projects are based on the collaborative participation of students. It helps the students to incorporate the feeling of teamwork and respect towards everyone in themselves, which helps them to be better people in life. Such qualities help students to climb the corporate ladder faster in this competitive space.  
• Practical Experience When you step out of college and enter the professional world, recruiters first ask for work experience. Working on a capstone project provides many practical experiences which are required in the corporate world to be a successful person.   Participating in a capstone project allows you to gain knowledge and teaches you how to apply that knowledge in practical fields.  
• Choose the Right Profession A capstone project research is based on all the knowledge that they gain right from the start of their graduation program. This lets the students know about their interests, which helps them choose the right profession after college. It lets the learners sharpen their skills one last time before stepping out of the educational environment.  
• Increase in Self-confidence Among Aspirants Capstone projects demand the long-term involvement of students and require them to take responsibility and stay committed to a certain goal. Completing such projects, which require a great amount of hard work, helps boost confidence and helps to remove the false perceptions they have made towards themselves.  

What is a Research-oriented Project?  

A research project stresses developing or seeking theories or proposing a thesis about the relevant topic. The research project begins with a formal study of the hypothesis about the relevant topic. Then this hypothesis is studied and tested under various conditions. From this study, students get to know about the problems in the proposed hypothesis and what can be the solutions to it. A research project may include surveys or interviews which are conducted on relevant topics and persons. On the basis of the obtained outcomes, a new theory is given in the form of a result. Since students get a chance to demonstrate their skills fully, a research project can also be included in the employment portfolio.  

What is the purpose of a Research project?  

A research project is aimed to fulfill the following purposes –  

• Propose a Thesis on the Basis of Proper Facts and Data Research projects primarily focus on proving a hypothesis right or wrong on the basis of relevant data. This helps students to develop a research-oriented mindset.  
• Get a First-hand Experience of What It Takes to Prepare a Research Paper Students first come across a research paper when they get enrolled in their graduation course. Such projects aim at teaching the students the amount of effort and time that has been put into such research papers.  
• To Provide In-depth Knowledge of a Subject Research projects are generally conducted on subjects that require in-depth understanding, which helps the students better grasp the topic through self-thesis. Such projects help to develop curiosity among students regarding the subject.  
• To Develop Problem-solving Skills in Students. One of the aims of research-oriented projects is to find flaws in the given theory and find optimal solutions to them. It helps the students to develop skills to tackle any problem they come across.  
• Give a New Trajectory to Thinking Research projects aim to develop students’ thinking so they can learn to find multiple ways to look at any scenario they come across. This further helps in developing problem-solving skills.  

Difference Between A Capstone Project And A Mini Project  

Both project types have their own pros and cons. Let’s discuss!  

• Research projects focus more on developing or proposing theories, whereas capstone projects focus  more on achieving tangible or intangible results through research.  
• Since a capstone project is meant to be completed in the final year of graduation, it is much less time-consuming when compared to a Research oriented project. Research projects require students to put in greater amounts of knowledge, time, and effort in comparison to a capstone project.  
• A capstone project, though, is not a necessity for students who want to pursue their career in a related topic; it helps them to develop skills that can help them to build a good career in the subject . But to become an expert in the field , one must have done enough research on it, which can be done by accomplishing a research project on a suitable subject.  
• A research project tests the level of effort a student is ready to put into a particular topic. It tests their patience level as well as their hunger for knowledge in the particular subject, whereas a capstone project focuses primarily on developing skills in the relevant subject in students that would help them to face real-world scenarios after graduation.  

What are the Benefits of a Capstone Project?  

Capstone projects provide you with many benefits in academic as well as professional fields.  

Some of them are mentioned below:  

• Since topics for a capstone project are generally based on the curriculum of your graduation program, properly preparing a capstone project will help boost your college preparedness.  
• Capstone projects help to increase the skills and knowledge of learners. This gives you a competitive edge over other graduates who don’t participate in such projects in the corporate world.  
• Capstone projects prove to be setting stones in your professional career. They help you build your employment portfolio. These projects help you to understand your job skills better and let you know a deeper knowledge of these skills. A better knowledge of your skills helps you in choosing the right path for your career development.  
• It helps in improving research-making skills. Having good research-making skills makes you stand out from the crowd and open better opportunities for you in the future.  

What are the Benefits of a Research Project?  

Research projects aim at indulging qualities like patience, hard work, etc., in the learners, which prove to be beneficiary in the future. Apart from these, you can also avail many benefits through such projects.  

• Research helps expand your knowledge base, which can be super beneficial in your academics and the professional world.  
• When you work on a research project, you have a tendency to stay updated with the latest and most accurate information. This habit prevents you from lagging behind your competitors.  
• You need to be serious when you are working on a research project. These projects help to build up seriousness in you towards your goal. Also, it increases your credibility as a graduate among your colleagues.  
• When you have enough knowledge about anything, you get an inner boost of confidence. Research projects help you gain in-depth knowledge of a subject, which helps you present yourself properly in front of others.  

Conclusion  

We hope you understand capstone project meaning now. Such projects are conducted during the final year of graduate programs and focus on developing skills like research-making in a student, which would benefit them when they are ready to move out of college and face real-world challenges. Not all colleges conduct capstone projects. Some schools make them mandatory only at certain degree levels or majors.  

Research projects that are generally more time-consuming than capstone projects target the development of skills like open mindset and decision-making.   

Both types of projects help a student excel in their academics as well as in the professional world. These projects test a student in every aspect in such a manner that they can easily become part of anyone’s professional portfolio.  

These projects help students develop the necessary skills to survive in this competitive space. Undoubtedly, these projects require an individual to do a lot of hard work and research, and the benefits you can avail yourself through them are good enough to open immense opportunities for you in the future. For more information on projects, visit the UNext Jigsaw .  

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UC engineering student committed to improving education in STEM

Gibin raju is motivated by a desire to expand opportunities for underrepresented students.

At the University of Cincinnati, Gibin Raju was able to combine his passions for engineering and teaching. UC is home to a prolific engineering education program, one of the first of its kind.

As a doctoral student, Raju uses biomarkers like eye-tracking and electrodermal activity to understand how students go about solving problems in engineering. He was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science. 

Why did you choose UC?

Gibin Raju is a doctoral student in engineering education at UC. Photo/Provided

Choosing UC for my master's in aerospace engineering was influenced by a blend of things. Initially, the university's reputation for fostering engineering excellence caught my attention. Engaging conversations with current graduate students in the program provided me with invaluable insights into the supportive academic environment at CEAS. Their shared experiences highlighted the university's commitment to student success in the engineering field, making it an appealing choice. 

While finishing my aerospace engineering degree, my career aspirations shifted towards integrating my engineering expertise with my passion for education. This led me to join UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services as an adjunct faculty and start pursuing another master's degree in educational studies. UC's graduate program in engineering education presented a unique opportunity to venture into an emerging field that aligned perfectly with my interests and CEAS being among the first to offer such a program solidified my decision. This confluence of academic excellence, a supportive community, and innovative programs made the University of Cincinnati the ideal choice for my higher education journey. 

Why did you choose your field of study?

My journey into the field of engineering education is a testament to my passion for teaching and a curiosity that transcends boundaries. From tutoring my peers in middle school to navigating the rich tapestry of teaching as an international student at UC, my academic voyage has been extraordinary. The transition from an undergraduate degree in India to advanced studies in the U.S. illuminated the stark differences in educational approaches. 

The field of engineering education, with its noble aim of arming higher education faculty with innovative teaching tools, resonated with my belief in the transformative power of education. Engineering, a field where early careers are often research-heavy, traditionally leaves little room for pedagogical refinement. This realization propelled me into the heart of engineering education, driven by a mission to elevate teaching methodologies. Immersing myself in courses about learning theories, teaching strategies for engineering, and curriculum design for diverse student bodies has been exhilarating. 

As engineering education continues to evolve, I am thrilled by the prospect of discovering and implementing cutting-edge teaching techniques on optimal learning practices. My commitment to enhancing engineering education is not just a career choice — it's a lifelong journey fueled by passion, curiosity, and the desire to make a lasting impact. 

Describe your research work. What motivates you?

Gibin Raju researches the connection between spatial visualization and engineering design skills of students. Photo/provided

At the heart of my research lies a commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering. My dissertation delves into the connection between spatial visualization and engineering design skills of undergraduate students. My work aims to illuminate the relationship between these occurrences through a cognitive lens. This is done by employing advanced biomarkers like eye-tracking and electrodermal activity to understand how students solve problems, and if they were stressed during the solving process. The objective is to enhance students' spatial abilities during their formative years of undergraduate education to equip them with necessary design skills. 

Driven by a desire to expand opportunities for underrepresented and neurodiverse students in STEM, my efforts extend to developing innovative methodologies that amplify their engagement and access to resources. Recently, I have explored the impact of summer bridge programs and experiential learning opportunities on these students, showcasing the power of early exposure to STEM. 

I am dedicated to education and am passionate in the belief that no student should face learning barriers due to miscommunication with instructors. This conviction led me to focus on enhancing the teaching pedagogies of students, ensuring a better educational journey for all. Through my work, I aspire to dismantle obstacles and pave the way for a more diverse, skilled generation of engineers, ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. 

What are some of the most impactful experiences during your time at UC?

I had the privilege of collaborating with some of the most esteemed researchers in my domain. This experience equipped me with insights and skills that have become the cornerstone of my professional identity. Additionally, my involvement in community outreach initiatives to foster STEM interest among underrepresented groups was equally enriching. These endeavors not only enhanced my educational journey but deepened my understanding of engineers' critical role in society and the importance of making education accessible to all. 

What are a few of your accomplishments of which you are most proud?

My graduate journey at UC has been full of leadership, advocacy, and community building. The most transformative experience was during my tenure as President of the Graduate Student Government . In this role, I championed the academic and professional aspirations of our student community, achieving milestones that have a lasting mark on campus. 

Under my leadership, we achieved a very significant increase in research fellowship funding and the conference travel award budget. This expansion ensured our graduate students could showcase their research and enhance their professional development on a global stage. 

I successfully advocated for comprehensive health insurance for part-time students, which led to the funding of 50 applicants for the academic year. This initiative was representative of our commitment to ensuring the well-being and academic success of our students. We were also able to add resources and events tailored to supporting the mental health needs of graduate students. 

I founded the Graduate Student Association for the Department of Engineering and Computing Education and established the UC chapter of the American Society for Engineering Education . These organizations are dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive academic environment for students pursuing careers in STEM. 

Our group initiates mentorship programs for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, aiming to pave the way for future leaders in academia. We are also committed to raising awareness about critical issues such as mental health, accessibility, and diversity in engineering. I extend a heartfelt invitation to students passionate about these causes to join us in our mission to create a supportive community for all. 

When do you expect to graduate? What are your plans after earning your degree?

I'm thrilled to share that I will be donning my graduation cap in the spring of 2024! After receiving my degree, I'm excited to embark on my journey into academia as either a postdoctoral fellow or an assistant professor on the tenure track. This next chapter will enable me to dive deeper into my research interests, contributing groundbreaking insights to my field. The path ahead is brimming with potential, and I'm eager to explore the vast horizons of knowledge and innovation. 

Do you have any other hobbies, experiences, or involvements you want to share?

Outside of my academic and research pursuits, I enjoy photography, cooking, traveling, and volunteering at local schools. Being part of the university's administrative committee of UC has also been a highlight, allowing me to engage with leaders who help to advocate the needs of graduate students at UC. I also serve on the national chapter of the American Society for Engineering Education as a delegate working towards developing welcoming environments for all engineers to thrive. 

Interested in engineering graduate programs?

See what the College of Engineering and Applied Science has to offer. 

Featured image at top: Gibin Raju uses eye-tracking equipment to gather data on how students solve engineering problems. Photo/Provided

• Student Experience
• Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
• College of Engineering and Applied Science
• Engineering Education

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Institutional Repository Support

Open Scholarship is the institutional repository for Washington University in St. Louis. Maintained by the University Libraries, it provides free and open access to the scholarly and creative output of faculty, staff, and students by gathering it in one place.

Open Scholarship is intended for scholarly work authored by Washington University in St. Louis faculty, staff, researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students. The focus is on larger collections of material, such as electronic theses and dissertations, undergraduate honors theses, conference posters, and white papers and reports.

For more information about Open Scholarship, contact Repository Services Manager Emily Stenberg or email ScholPub at [email protected] .

For information about hosting data in the Washington University Research Data (WURD) repository, please reach out to Data Services .

Jump to: Doctoral Dissertation Submission Information | Master’s Thesis Submission Information | Binding Options | Finding WashU Dissertations and Theses | Submitting Undergraduate Honors Theses or Capstone Projects

Doctoral Dissertation Submission Information

Doctoral candidates on the Danforth campus submit their dissertations through their individual schools to ProQuest through an online form. If a guide is not listed below, contact your school’s registrar for more information.

• Office of Graduate Studies Guides (for Arts & Sciences)
• McKelvey School of Engineering Thesis & Dissertation Submission Procedures

After files for a given degree award period have been submitted to ProQuest and posted to their database, those files are then forwarded to Washington University Libraries, and library staff merge the files into the University Libraries institutional repository, Open Scholarship. This usually occurs 2-3 months after commencement.

Dissertation Access Options

Please expand the options below to learn more about the four ProQuest sections that deal with rights and access.

Select the “Traditional Publishing” option. Open Access is provided for free through the Washington University repository.

If you choose to delay the release of your work, access to the full text of the dissertation will be delayed for the period of time that is specified, though the citation and abstract of the work will be available. The University Libraries honor the embargo term selected through ProQuest for up to three years based on the University Libraries Open Scholarship Submission and Use Policy (please refer to the Embargoes section).

Embargoes expire automatically. Dissertation authors may extend or cancel an embargo, but once a dissertation is sent to the University Libraries, the author will need to contact Proquest and ScholPub ([email protected]) to make changes. One renewal for up to three years is allowed.

Reasons to request an embargo might include that the author pursuing a patent for the work, that the research sponsor requires a specified embargo period, or that the submission includes sensitive or proprietary content, such as work conducted with a corporate partner or a risk of research participants’ identity exposure.

If the option “I do not want my work to be discoverable in Proquest through Google Scholar and other major search engines” is selected when submitting a dissertation, Proquest will not make the work available for indexing until the embargo end date.

The University Libraries cannot prevent indexing of its repository site but will honor a dissertation’s embargo date.

Dissertation authors do not need to file for copyright (or ask Proquest to file on their behalf) in order to include a copyright page in their manuscript.

Please direct copyright questions to [email protected]

For more on this subject, please see the Copyright Registration on the Copyright Support page .

Master’s Thesis Submission Information

Master’s theses are submitted directly to the University Libraries repository and are reviewed by the appropriate school registrar. Anyone who submits a thesis will first need to create a free account using the following four steps:

• Create an account through bepress on Open Scholarship by selecting My Account / Sign up.
• You will need to provide an email address and your full name and create a password. You do not have to use your WUSTL email address, but you should use one you check regularly.
• After you sign up, you will receive an email confirmation with a link you must click in order to activate your account.
• If you have successfully created an account and logged in, Open Scholarship should take you to your My Account page. From here, you can submit your thesis to the appropriate collection (series).

Refer to the relevant school guide listed below or check with your school for instructions:

Thesis Submission Instructions by School

Master’s candidates in the Brown School should submit their theses to Open Scholarship’s Brown School Theses and Dissertations using the “Submit Research” option under Author Corner on the left-side menu.

Reviewers from the Brown School will approve the thesis and notify a candidate through the Open Scholarship system.

MFA in Visual Art candidates submit their approved theses to Open Scholarship’s MFA in Visual Art using the “Submit Research” option under Author Corner on the left-side menu.

MFA in Illustration and Visual Culture candidates submit their approved theses to Open Scholarship’s MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture using the “Submit Research” option under Author Corner on the left-side menu.

Master’s students in the Graduate School of Architecture are not required to submit a thesis electronically but are encouraged to do so. Please visit the Open Scholarship – Sam Fox School LibGuide for more information.

Master’s candidates in the McKelvey School of Engineering submit their theses electronically to Open Scholarship’s McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations using the “Submit Research” option under Author Corner on the left-side menu.

Reviewers from the McKelvey School of Engineering will approve the thesis and notify a candidate through the Open Scholarship system.

Students with a Master’s / MS project in Computer Science and Engineering should submit their projects directly to Open Scholarship’s All Computer Science and Engineering Research collection using the “Submit Research” option under Author Corner on the left-side menu.

Master’s candidates in Arts & Sciences should submit their theses electronically to Open Scholarship’s Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations using the “Submit Research” option under Arthur Corner on the left-side menu.

Reviewers from Arts & Sciences will approve the thesis and notify a candidate through the Open Scholarship system.

Binding Options

The University does not accept any paper copies for binding. Individuals may order a bound copy through Thesis on Demand. More information is available in the Dissertation Guide (page 15, “How to Acquire Bound Copies”).

If there are questions about using Thesis on Demand, please visit the Thesis on Demand FAQ page (enter “63130” as the zip code, even for students on the medical campus).

Finding WashU Dissertations and Theses

• WashU Open Scholarship (2009 – ) | Beginning in 2009, all theses and dissertations completed at Washington University were required to be submitted in electronic form. Dissertations are submitted directly to UMI / Proquest Dissertation Services; Master’s theses are locally submitted to the Washington University Open Scholarship Repository.
• Dissertations & Theses @ Washington University in St. Louis (1996-) | Full-text. Citations and abstracts of dissertations and theses submitted by Washington University and published in UMI’s Dissertation Abstracts database. View 24-page previews of dissertations and theses and download the full-text.
• WashU Classic Catalog | To limit to dissertations and theses, modify search and add title=theses and/or author=Washington University (Saint Louis, Mo.).
• Primo | Researchers may find dissertations when filtering the Resource Type by Dissertations.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I (1743-) | The complete range of academic subjects appearing in dissertations accepted at accredited institutions since 1743, updated monthly. View 24-page previews of dissertations and theses and download the full-text. Abstracts are included from July 1980; abstracts for master’s theses begin in Spring 1988. Not all universities require doctoral candidates to submit their dissertations to this database. For the most comprehensive search, include other sources. Learn more about the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database. Note: Researchers cannot request full-text dissertations or theses from within the ProQuest database. To request full-text dissertations or theses found on the ProQuest database, log in to ILLiad, select Request a Thesis, and complete the form.

Finding WashU Dissertations and Theses FAQs

• Are Washington University theses and dissertations available to users at other institutions through Interlibrary Loan?
• May I purchase a copy of a Washington University thesis or dissertation?
• How can I read a dissertation or thesis (an ETD) that is Embargoed in Open Scholarship?

Submitting Undergraduate Honors Theses or Capstone Projects

Undergraduate students at Washington University in St. Louis are encouraged to participate in research opportunities organized through the Office of Undergraduate Research or through department-specific honors courses. Undergraduate Honors Theses or Capstone Projects may be submitted to Open Scholarship’s Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses using the “Submit Research” option under Arthur Corner on the left-side menu.

Students may choose Restricted (campus-only) or Unrestricted (worldwide) access and may select an embargo if needed. Undergraduate students must consult with mentors and colleagues before sharing group work openly.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to read through the Submission Guidelines for Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses and the Policies for Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses.

Why Publish Papers Open Access?

• Students can include published papers on their resume(s) with a link to the full text.
• WashU departments, students, and future researchers will find it convenient to have your senior projects available.
• Open Access shares what you have learned or created with others worldwide.

When or Why Not Publish Your Paper Open Access?

• If the work contains data that was collected, processed, or arranged by third parties.
• If the work contains data that could risk the confidentiality of subjects from whom it was obtained.
• If the paper is part of a larger research project involving others and should not be publicly accessible yet.

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Schwarzman Scholars Capstone Showcase: The 2023 Winners Sinica Podcast

This week on Sinica, the winners of the 2023 Schwarzman Capstone Showcase. Two individuals and one team were selected as the best research projects after review of their projects and presentation of their findings. Their work is first-rate — and if you don’t factor in the very young age of the Schwarzman Scholars in competition. You’ll meet Shawn Haq, who won for his work on U.S. and Chinese expert perspectives on Taiwan; Corbin Duncan, who looked at the impact of the One Child Policy on the economic and social circumstances of only children in China; and the duo of Kelly Wu and Manthan Shah, part of a larger team that studied decarbonization efforts in Shandong province in steel, aluminum, chemical, and cement production. All three of these research efforts yielded fascinating insights. 2:15 – Introducing the Schwarzman Capstone Showcase: topics, judges, and process 4:41 – Self-introductions from Shawn Haq, Corbin Duncan, Kelly Wu, and Manthan Shah 15:07 – Shawn Haq: U.S.-China Expert Perspectives on Cross-Straits Relations 29:09 – Corbin Duncan: Only Children and Contemporary China 48:12 – Kelly Wu and Manthan Shah: Decarbonization of Shandong Province’s Materials Sector See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Advancing Practice-Oriented Education: Reflections from the SIAHDPC Project

The Erasmus+ Student-Run Interdisciplinary Allied Health Digital Practice Center (SIAHDPC) project, in collaboration with consortium partners Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle & Univations, Heimerer College, Klinika Digjitale, Kadri Zeka University, and RIT Kosovo (AUK), is a joint international project aimed at enhancing practice-oriented education in allied health sciences through virtual and mixed reality technologies.

As part of SIAHDPC project, RIT Kosovo (AUK) participated in a five-day reflection visit at the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland. This reflective seminar provided an opportunity to review our project achievements, assess remaining deliverables, and explore strategies for ensuring the sustainability of digital platforms, developed courses, and simulated learning experiences.

Throughout the seminar, our staff engaged in reflective discussions to identify best practices, received guidance from experts, and explored potential future applications of our project deliverables. The reflection also included the success of the “Applied Research Methods and Ethical Practices” workshop in collaboration with the Honors Capstone course and the use of Smart Boards and Virtual Reality headsets which are both aimed at advancing digital research competencies.

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