The Capstone Project must be related to the student's field of study, future employment, and/or scholastic goals and is carried out under faculty and/or industry supervision. The capstone project integrates theory and application from across the student's undergraduate educational experiences and presents an opportunity for the student to demonstrate mastery of curriculum content through a final project. It is the students’ signature statement highlighting the educational training they received. Capstone projects may be displayed in a college fair that is open to employers and the general public. Students must complete a capstone project which includes a 20-page paper, (including title and reference pages), a 10+ slide PowerPoint Presentation and a 10-15 minute video. Students must submit a proposal to the instructor using the Capstone Proposal Template. The proposal tells the instructor what you plan to research or produce and why, and how you plan to do it. Remember (In addition to submitting the proposal, students are required to submit a final paper and a 10+ slide PPT presentation. Your proposal tells the instructor what you plan to research or produce and why, and how you plan to do it. Submit your proposal using the attached Capstone Proposal Template for this assignment. Looking Ahead The Capstone Project includes a 20-page paper, a 10+ slide PowerPoint Presentation and a 10-15 minute video. Goals Complete a major project that clearly demonstrates the upper-level skills expected of graduates in their major. Demonstrate dependability, initiative, time-management, organization skills. Write a formal proposal describing the topic or project to be researched and describing how the research will be conducted or how the project will be completed. Work responsibly either independently or with a group of their peers in the design, implementation, and presentation of a capstone project. Resolve group communication concerns, personal/professional disagreements that may impede the completion of their project. Tasks Identify the subject or topic to be written about. Outline the steps in problem identification and problem-solving Identify a problem to be solved by a real employer, mock employer or the team itself, acting as an entrepreneur. Write a proposal regarding the solutions to be implemented and the implementation plan. Formulate design specifications of the plan. Finalize design specifications based on predetermined criteria and the customer’s needs. Create a budget for the plan. Present a marketing plan to a group of third-party observers. Write a concluding report on the plan. Present a follow-up report of the plan. Paper The final paper should be a minimum of 20 pages: An introduction that gauges the significance and value of the topic. A review of the literature pertaining to the topic so it’s clear that you researched existing knowledge (both theoretical and applied) to establish the context in which your paper is situated. A description of the methods or tools used in conducting your study, the process used to gather and evaluate information, and a narrative documenting the critical decisions made in crafting your argument. A reporting of results and a summary of the findings of your investigation. A conclusion that reviews how your paper speaks to the work that has already been done in the field, how it compares to works of others and any recommendations that you feel are needed. Up to 5 of these pages may include: Title page Table of contents Executive Summary--a description of the topic and its importance, the research question and how you have answered it, and what your results indicate. 250 words or less. A reference and appendices section citing all of the sources you used in your paper. References and Appendixes may exceed 1 pg and the 5 page total when doing so is a consequence of the volume of either. PowerPoint Presentation Presentation content will be customized to fit the content and goals of the project The presentation should include 10+ PowerPoint Slides Present for a minimum of 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes Slides should be professional in appearance The presentation should be designed with the assumption that the project is being presented to third parties who have not been involved in the project’s development during the term. Slides should include: Summary of the project proposal and goal (1 slide) Brief Summary of research (1 slide) A short overview of hypothesis/theory (1 slide) A detailed description of results/findings (3+ slides) Concentrate on practical applications This should be the bulk of your presentation A summary of possible outcomes (1 slide) Video Your video should be a minimum of 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes. You should be recording your slides visually while talking through the details of each slide. The presentation should be designed with the assumption that the project is being presented to third parties who have not been involved in the project’s development during the term.