Public health

What is Capstone?
Capstone is almost exactly what it sounds like: a stone that caps something off.
However, over the course of time capstone has actually developed several different
meanings and uses.
What is the Capstone Project?
The capstone provides you with the opportunity to integrate your three
subjects/disciplines in a single extended project in order to give focus to your
MSC/PhD degree, and to act as the culminating experience of the Clinical
Research program.
What’s the purpose of the capstone?
The capstone is designed as a way for you to:
Integrate your three areas/subjects in a semester to give focus to your Public Health
degree. Take a significant step toward your educational and/or career goals. So
choose a topic that relates to your goals and will look great on your resume.
Research and work on a topic you care deeply about. Showcase your research
skills and academic interests in anticipation of higher studies or the job market.
Learn and hone leadership and organizational skills as you work through the
capstone process.
What are the essential ingredients of every capstone?
Every capstone must include:
A considerable amount of writing Evidence of research in all three areas
Substantial analysis, which can be quantitative and/or qualitative A synthesis of the
three areas/subjects of emphases into a single, focused project
How can I prepare myself for a smooth transition from course work into the
capstone?
As you combine your three subjects of emphasis, include classes from your three
disciplines that will prepare you for the capstone.
How do I choose a topic?
Choose a topic that:

Integrates your three subjects from one semester/trimester equally in a single
project Focuses on a topic about which you feel passionate and committed.
Demonstrates appropriate-to-the-subject research skills and methodologies Results
in a final project that will contribute to knowledge on the topic Acts as a stepping
stone toward your career or higher education goals
What will my capstone look like when it’s done?
Whatever form your project takes, whether you write a research paper or do a
hands-on service learning project, your final copy should include a formatted
version as prescribed.
How long should my capstone project be?
This is the question students ask most often, we suggest you think about the project
in terms of value.
• If you’re doing a research project, about 15 to 20 double-spaced pages are
required to earn the required score.
• If you’re doing a hands-on project, you’ll probably produce about the same
number of pages, 15 to 20.
What basic form does the capstone project take?
Capstones vary considerably, depending on the topic, but most of them follow
this basic form:
An introduction explaining what you’re doing and why What are the three subjects
involved in the Project The body, meat or substance of your project A conclusion
that acts as analysis or assessment of what you did. If you’re doing a research
project, you’ll answer your thesis question in your conclusion. For example, if you
are finding out how art therapy can help autistic children, you will end your paper
by giving your conclusions and explaining how you reached that opinion. If you’re
doing a hands-on project, you’ll try to answer questions like: What worked? What
didn’t? How can you tell?
What kind of capstone project can I do?
You can write a classic research paper, but don’t feel limited by that version of a
capstone project. Here are some choices:
1. PRIMARY RESEARCH

You start with a focused research question, and then create the primary data that
you analyze. Depending on your discipline, you could do a scientific experiment,
or a survey, or a series of interviews. If you choose this route, keep these
considerations in mind:
• Carefully design the instrument by which you gather your primary data.
• Gather your data in a thorough and systematic way.
• Analyze your data to answer your research question.
• The format below sets out the usual way such research is presented, especially in
the natural and social sciences:
Title Page: Include the author’s name and institutional affiliation.
Abstract: Summarize the main idea simply and clearly in about 150 words.
Introduction: The introduction accomplishes three things:
What: it introduces the problem being studied with the project.
How: it develops the theoretical background (which should draw upon and
integrate the three emphasis areas).
Why: it states the purpose and rationale for the project.
Method: Describes in detail how the project was completed. This information
allows the reader to evaluate the appropriateness of the methods used.
Table of Contents: All chapters and sections of the report are identified here.
Results: Describes what has been learned from the project. The Results section
may have multiple subdivisions that clearly organize and present the material.
Conclusions: An evaluation or interpretation of the results, in light of the original
problem statement and supporting theory, guided by these questions:
What contributions to your topic have been made by this project?
How has this project helped to resolve the original problem?
What conclusions and theoretical implications can be drawn?
Bibliography: All resources used to complete the project are listed here using
correct format (APA, or MLA, style sheet, depending on your disciplines).
2. SECONDARY RESEARCH
The knowledge you gather is not original, but you do something with it that hasn’t
been done before.
For example:
A workshop on nutrition for prevention of malnutrition (subjects involved are
Epidemiology, Nutrition, Behavioral Science)
If you choose this option, consider the following questions:
What problem or issue are you addressing?
Why are you addressing this problem?
How will you go about your project?

How will you measure your success? For example, a pre and post test could assess
whether the workshop you design has had any effect.
Who is your audience?
What is your final product? For example, if you’re writing a resource guide, you’ll
also need to provide a support paper, appropriate to your disciplines, and include a
complete bibliography citing your sources.
Your bibliography must use correct format (APA, or MLA, style sheet, depending
on your disciplines).
You can also choose to put together a literature review with synthesis of
knowledge. This means you answer your capstone question by reading,
summarizing and synthesizing other people’s research materials. Begin by writing
an introduction that explains what question you’re asking, why it’s an important
question to address and why a literature review is an appropriate approach.
Plan to read approximately 10 scholarly articles per emphasis area, two or three
recently published text, and no more than three creditable Web sites.
As you write your final paper, demonstrate what you learned from each article, text
and Web site by discussing similarities and differences in findings. Does there
seem to be a consensus regarding your topic or question? Are there conflicting
opinions or research results? Explain the significance of what you have learned
from the readings in terms of clarifying your topic or question.
Draw conclusions based on what you have learned. Discuss what you think is the
best answer to your capstone question based on what you learned from your
readings.
You will be expected to produce a 15 to 20 page paper with properly formatted
citations and reference list, using APA, MLA or Chicago style sheet.
3. SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT
This option blends academic study and community service. Through service
learning you make the connection between classroom instruction and real-life
situations in a reflective way. You will do a volunteer project for a non-profit
agency or educational institution, approved by the University, and then
demonstrate what you’ve learned by writing a reflective journal and a short
research paper.
If you do a service-learning project, you will be expected to:
Create and complete a particular project for your agency. It’s not enough just to put
in volunteer hours.
Write a clearly focused goal and plan for your service project as part of your
prospectus.
Sign a contract with the agency, clearly outlining expectations on both sides.

Work out a contract of hours per week with the agency, sufficient to satisfy the
agency and your capstone committee.
Write one single-spaced reflexive journal page for every hour you spend doing
volunteer work, showing what you actually did and how you responded to these
experiences.
Write a short (10 page) research paper in your three areas of emphasis. The
purpose of your paper is to show how you’ve used the theory you’ve learned in
your three areas of emphasis in this practical situation. Your paper will be
formatted appropriately to your disciplines and include a complete bibliography
citing your sources (APA, or MLA, style sheet, depending on your disciplines).