1. Welcome to MSA699 TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
For more information, go to the tutorial at
Problems with Collaborate set up or your technology?
Call the CMU IT Help Desk extension 3662 or

2. INTRODUCTION - OVERVIEW
Capstone brings together all course learnings.
Demonstrate critical thinking and application.
Complete primary analysis of 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 testable research questions [not objectives] and then answer them 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
IRB is other institutional approval option. Less likely to be used.
Post course materials to BlackBoard, except for RRA package which may be sent to my personal .

6. INTRODUCTION cont’d
Pay attention to course schedule to assure timely grading for final grade submission. Target 14 days before course ends [July 31, 2015].
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.

7. INTRODUCTION cont’d
Incomplete grade is possible for an extension until November 4, 2015 if 50% of course requirements are met. No extension beyond that.
See two examples of reports in my collection at Global Campus Library Service [GCLS].

8. WRITING CONSIDERATIONS
Write at the graduate level
Follow Student Guide for the MSA699 Capstone Project for content, format, etc. This is a no-brainer!!!!

9. WRITING CONSIDERATIONS cont’d
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.

10. 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.

11. CHAPTER INSIGHTS Discussion of Frontpieces
Executive summary [not to exceed 2 pages; often written last].
Title page with conforming title, etc.
Table of contents, tables, etc.

12. CHAPTER INSIGHTS cont’d
Discussion of Ch 1 contents
Tell general story
State specific, testable research questions
Cite literature
Pagination

13. CHAPTER INSIGHTS cont’d
Discussion of Ch 2 contents
Must identify issues/variables, not critique articles.
Hint: link directly to specific, testable research questions from Ch 1.
Use section headers to identify issues/variables and focus reader’s attention.
Discuss what others have found in your subject area.
Discuss how others have conducted research in your subject area [direct tie to Ch 3].

14. CHAPTER INSIGHTS cont’d
Discussion of Ch 3 contents
Discuss variables from Ch 2.
Specifically indicate how you will answer your stated research questions.
Identify what statistical analysis you will use for EACH data element to be analyzed [with stats text reference].
Indicate any decision points necessary.
Cite reference from stats book.

15. CHAPTER INSIGHTS cont’d
Discussion of Ch 4 contents
In-depth discussion of the results of your data analysis.
Specific results from the analysis for each stated research question.
Discussion of Ch 5 contents
Summary, conclusions and recommendations as drawn from the literature review and your data analysis [DO NOT introduce new literature here].

16. CHAPTER INSIGHTS cont’d
Discussion of Appendices contents
Data collection instruments [survey, consent letter, etc.]
Raw data in table format
Collection of all responses to open-ended survey questions.

17. 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.

18. COURSE OPERATIONAL PLAN
See Timetable in course materials. Staged for successful completion.
Continuing communications and negotiation in Discussion Forums.
One Collaborate chat [TBD] to answer individual questions and assess progress.

19. RESULT Over the last two years: Student awareness of grading rubric.
Through continued interaction, a better product [85% achieve a grade between A and B-] and a higher completion rate [90-95% of my students complete this course].
Recognize that the student is ultimately responsible for meeting the course requirements and completion in a timely manner [course ends August 14, 2015].

20. TIME FOR QUESTIONS