1. Welcome to MSA699 WHAT I DO THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS….
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By Bob Weltzer, PhD

2. INTRODUCTION - OVERVIEW
Capstone brings together all course learnings.
Demonstrate critical thinking and application.
Complete primary analysis of primary and/or secondary data
Descriptive or inferential statistics
Can be financial analysis.

3. INTRODUCTION cont’d
KISS method [e.g., focused data collection, not multiple venues unless absolutely necessary].
Formulate in Ch1 specific, testable research questions [not objectives] and then answer them in Ch4 from the data.
This is the first of two ALL-students chats for this course. Both will be archived.
A separate one-on-one chat session will be scheduled.

4. INTRODUCTION cont’d
RRA process provides institutional approval. Must include RRA form. When not using publicly available secondary data, will include organizational permission letter, data collection form [e.g., survey, with separate CMU consent letter]. See Part 2 of Student Guide. ALL must do.
You must receive approval message from Main Campus before collecting primary data.

5. INTRODUCTION cont’d
Pay attention to course schedule to assure timely grading for final grade submission. Target 14 days before course ends.
Needs to be related to your area of concentration.
Note that there are 2 Parts to this course. In Part 1 we work together to reach agreement on what you are doing. In Part 2, you implement the agreement and finalize your research effort.
Incomplete grade is possible for an extension until 60 days from start of course if 50% of course requirements are met. No extension beyond that.

6. WRITING CONSIDERATIONS
Write at the graduate level
Follow Student Guide for the MSA699 Capstone Project for content, format, etc. This is a no-brainer!!!!
Strive for APA compliance, especially in-text reference citing. Use reference citing software in Word.
Support ALL factual statements in ALL chapters with an in-text APA compliant reference.

7. WRITING CONSIDERATIONS cont’d
Report title MUST identify one of seven research typologies from Student Guide. E.G., “A Program Evaluation of….”. This communicates your direction to yourself and your first and second readers, establishes an expectation for content, and increases likelihood of success [a.k.a., higher grade].
Chapters’ content MUST consolidate sections from chosen typology and 5 standard academic chapters. See the matrix and typology outlines in course materials.

8. CHAPTER INSIGHTS
Discussion of ….

9. HICCUPS
Inability to get written organizational permission to access data/resources.
Failure to follow specifications of Student Guide, including identifying one of 7 research typologies in report title and follow the associated research typology.
Lack of advanced detailed planning for completing primary analysis of primary or secondary data.
Failure to link research to area of concentration.
Failure to recognize that student is ultimately responsible for meeting the course requirements and completion in a timely manner.

10. TIME FOR QUESTIONS