Your Kid has Graduated High School! Now What? Part VIII: What is a Capstone?

In high school, students are often required to complete a senior project in order to graduate and receive their high school diploma. Would you expect any less from a college or university? I hope not! The capstone is the crowning moment in your college career where you put all the pieces together to form a final project, professional paper, or in some cases, a thesis. 

But there is more to a capstone than just "work".

Some colleges require a capstone project regardless of whether you are enrolled in an actual capstone course or not. This isn't to make your life difficult. It is to allow you the opportunity to show what you know. Colleges and universities want to see their graduates develop their writing, public speaking, and critical thinking skills. What better way to do this than with a capstone. Typically, these projects come toward the end of your degree (just as they did in high school), and they are often described as a way to motivate you into becoming engaged with your field of study as a means of avoiding the "senior slump". It is called a capstone because it represents a level of marked achievement: the "crown" of your dedication and commitment to ​higher learning!

Depending on the type of degree you are seeking, a capstone course may be required, and may include not only the project, but a presentation as well. Other degrees may include an exam (similar to comps) which will evaluate your interdisciplinary skills such as mathematics, critical thinking skills, and writing. To this, a capstone is also likely to include a research paper on a topic closely related to your degree, that shows your ability to identify issues that are found within that particular field of study. This shows your commitment to the field and gives you the opportunity to express your knowledge and skills that you have obtained during your college career. 

Capstones also provide the opportunity for you to highlight your accomplishments for career advancement. Imagine you are applying for a job at a technology company. You have one opponent also vying for the position. Your education level, experience, and other qualifying factors are the same as your opponent. However, you have a capstone project listed on your resume which highlights your use of scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, demonstrates your ability to synthesize information, and of course, your writing skills. The other guy (or gal) does not. You are more likely to gain the job because of the capstone. That's a win! 

You should talk to your academic advisor no later than midway through your college career, regarding your capstone project. While each college or university is different, and may have different requirements, I'm including those I experienced while in college. The first should go without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway: A capstone/thesis should never be attempted to be completed in one semester. It is extremely difficult and can weigh you down so much, that your other classes will suffer. With that: 
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• Pick a topic and have it approved by your advisor (the sooner, the better).
• Determine whether you will need an IRB (your advisor or chair will help you determine this).
• If your university requires it, have your committee and chair selected as early as possible. 
• Create a timeline of due dates for the various stages of your work (Lit review, annotated bibliography, first draft, etc.).
• Set up reoccuring meetings with your chair and committee members to discuss progress, set-backs, and ideas.
• Plan for change. As much as we like to think that the world of research doesn't move, it does; But at a snails pace! Not only does it crawl, but if you are completing a thesis, those who have agreed to be a part of your research may change their mind. This can be detrimental to your accomplishments and in some cases, may cause you to be in school longer! Don't risk it! (However, a change in your project does not mean a fail for you: it simply means you have to start over with a new topic, or find a way to subsidize the topic you already have).  

• A capstone project or thesis takes time and commitment. Plan your time accordingly and be prepared to work harder and longer on this than any other project you have attempted. If your project requires an IRB, submit it early as approval time and corrections are time-consuming.
• Seek assistance from the university writing department or another student who has successfully completed a capstone project, as they may offer advice and tips on how to be successful with your project. 
• Read published capstone projects. Most universities have access to ProQuest. There, you can find multitudes of published theses in which to gain layout, formatting and other techniques. Just don't copy what they have written. You are an adult and know better! 
• If you are completing a thesis, be sure to check with your college thesis department for proper formatting guidelines - they usually have a check list for you to use. 
• If your capstone requires a presentation, be academic with your PowerPoint. Do not include whimsical images, themes, or items that detract from your work. 
• Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice. Did I mention practice? How can you expect your committee to approve of your work if you stumble through the presentation or fail to mention key points in your findings? Randomly scouring through your presentation for the sake of completion is  a surefire way to leave a bitter, lasting impression on faculty.
• Lastly, celebrate. I had a difficult time with this one, simply because I am a homebody, mom, and wife. But I know YOU can find a way to celebrate your accomplishments.

As with any of your college assignments, you should always do your very best. While none are perfect, there is nothing wrong with striving for perfection. Pefection comes not from being perfect, but from the inner drive you have to make it be the very best it can be! 

Ciao! 
LaVonda