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2 January 18, 2013
Table of Contents
Description of the Capstone Project .................................................................................. 3
Capstone Project Policies ........................................................................................... 3
Capstone Project Timeline .......................................................................................... 4-6
Graduation/Commencement ....................................................................................... 6
Qualifying Review Process .......................................................................................... 7
Project Matching Process ............................................................................................ 7-8
Institutional Review Board (IRB) .................................................................................. 8
Research Proposal ...................................................................................................... 9-10
Project Expectations.................................................................................................... 10-11
The Juried Review Committee .................................................................................... 11-12
Defense and Presentation of the Project ..................................................................... 12
Project Extensions ...................................................................................................... 12
Project Restarts ........................................................................................................... 12
Elements and Style of the Written Capstone Manuscript ................................................... 13
Margins ....................................................................................................................... 13
Justification ................................................................................................................. 13
Pagination ................................................................................................................... 13
Person......................................................................................................................... 13
Tense .......................................................................................................................... 13
Figures and Tables ..................................................................................................... 13-14
Sections ...................................................................................................................... 14
The Final Manuscript ................................................................................................... 14
Alternative Manuscript Format for Client ...................................................................... 15
Style and Voice ........................................................................................................... 15
Technical Review ........................................................................................................ 15
Organization of the Final Manuscript ........................................................................... 16-17
Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 18
Sample Approval Page ................................................................................................ 18
Author’s Permission Statement ................................................................................... 19
Author’s Address/Mailing Form ................................................................................... 20
Office of the Provost Approval Signature Page ............................................................ 21
3 January 18, 2013
Description of the Capstone Project
The completion of a quality capstone project is a requirement for an Ed.D. degree from the College of Education at Lipscomb University. During the second year of the Ed.D. Program students register for The Capstone Project (EG 8013, 8023, and 8033). Students working in teams of two to four will undertake an original capstone project that will extend throughout the year, culminating with an original formal written and oral presentation to the client and to a juried review committee.
The project, established and monitored by program staff, involves research and analysis of an issue currently being experienced by a local educational, governmental or non-profit entity. The project will be designed and implemented in coordination with the client and will include the following:
1) analysis of the issue and thorough examination of the related research literature;
2) design of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodology to collect data to be used in formulation of a proposed solution to the issue;
3) administration of the selected methodology and collection of data;
4) analysis of the collected data using appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods;
5) development of recommendations that might assist the educational entity with the issue being addressed;
6) formal presentation of the research and recommendations to the client and a juried review committee;
EG 8013 and 8023 will be graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S or U) by the Ed.D. Faculty Capstone Advisor. EG 8033 will be graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S or U) by a juried review committee (see capstone project presentation).
Capstone Project Policies
The Capstone Project timeline and policies contained in this manual apply to the capstone project and are designed to help guide students through the research process, although it is understood from the outset that no manual can account for all the contingencies that can arise in research and in partnerships with clients. Therefore, this manual is intended to establish guidelines that will assist students through the process as they closely coordinate with their capstone advisor and the Ed.D. faculty.
4 January 18, 2013
Capstone Project Timeline
The following timeline shows ‘target dates’ and is a guide and represents approximate
‘target’ dates for progression of the Capstone Project activities. Actual dates for completion of
each stage of the project may require adjustment and flexibility with agreement of the Capstone
Faculty Advisor and client, depending upon the readiness of the team and actual progression of
the project itself.
Please note that as you consider the dates reflected below that at no point should a capstone
team submit a research proposal to any third party (with the exception of your client), including
Lipscomb’s IRB or any other entity such as MNPS’ Research/Survey Evaluation Committee
(http://www.mnps.org/Page66332.aspx), without first receiving approval of that submission from
your Juried Review Committee and Capstone Faculty Advisor.
Please pay special attention to the submission dates to the Juried Review Committees.
Throughout the capstone process, drafts of individual chapters may be submitted to the
Capstone Faculty Advisor for review and periodic meetings between the teams and the advisor
will be scheduled. However, submissions to the entire Juried Review Committee should take
place only on or about the dates indicated.
Ongoing Ed.D. staff engage in recruitment, receipt, and acceptance of Requests For Assistance (RFA) from potential clients
June 28 Capstone Qualifying Review/Self Assessment due
July 19 Capstone Qualifying Review Assessments due from faculty committee
July 22 Approval notifications for participation in Capstone Projects to be sent
July 27 Client Presentation Day
July 31 Student rank-order of projects due
Aug 9 Team matches, client matches, Capstone Faculty Advisor and Juried Review Committees to be determined by the Ed.D. Director and communicated to the students (see project matching process section below)
Teams should begin aggressively reading previous literature and research on
their topic and previous methodological research approaches used
Aug 23 Teams should have had first face-to-face meeting with their Capstone Faculty
Advisor and clients by this date
Aug 20-22 EG 7173 Applied Research Seminar course begins (1st class meeting)
EG 8013 Capstone Project course begins
Sept 30 Team should submit a draft of their research proposal to their Client to
ensure that the direction of the project aligns with project goals
5 January 18, 2013
Oct 10 EG 7173 Applied Research Seminar ends (last class meeting)
Oct 11 Team submits Research Proposal, including drafts of research instruments (questionnaires, interview questions, focus group questions, etc.) to their Juried Review Committee Chapter 2, the Literature Review, will likely not be complete, but should focus
upon previous research that may inform the project’s research methodology
Oct 18 The Juried Review Committee will have reviewed the research proposal and draft instruments and made comments/suggestions to the team
Oct 18 – Dec 14 Once edits/adjustments have been made based on feedback provided by
the Juried Review Committee, and upon approval from the Capstone Faculty Advisor, the team will submit the Research Proposal to Lipscomb’s IRB following the IRB submission guidelines (see IRB and Research Proposal section below)
Upon approval from the Juried Review Committee and the Capstone
Faculty Advisor, the team may submit the Research Proposal to other
entities such as MNPS’ Research/Survey Evaluation Committee if
required (may happen simultaneously with Lipscomb IRB submission)
Pilot Testing Instruments: Upon approval from the Juried Review Committee
and the Capstone Faculty Advisor, teams may pilot test and refine research
instrument(s). Instrument(s) that receive “substantive change” (not including
stylistic changes) between a draft that is submitted to the IRB and the finalized
version may require additional review by the IRB
NO ACTUAL DATA MAY BE COLLECTED WITHOUT IRB APPROVAL AND
APPROVAL OF YOUR JURIED REVIEW COMMITTEE AND CAPSTONE
FACULTY ADVISOR
Dec 13 EG 8013 Capstone Project course ends – project continues…
Jan 7 EG 8023 Capstone Project course begins
Jan 17 Team submits a draft of the first three chapters of their research
manuscript and any applicable research instruments to their Juried
Review Committee
Chapter two (literature review) will likely not be 100% completed, but
should be substantially completed by this stage
Chapter three should include a description of pilot testing of research
instruments if applicable
Jan 24 Juried Review Committee will have read, made suggestions, and granted
approval to proceed with data collection after concerns are addressed
6 January 18, 2013
Once the Juried Review Committee, including the Capstone Faculty
Advisor and The Client have approved the research methodology and final
pilot-tested research instrument(s), then official data collection may begin
Feb – May Data collection and analysis
May 2 EG 8023 Capstone Project Course ends – project continues…
May 5 EG 8033 Capstone Project course begins
Target deadline for research and data analysis to be concluded
May 30 Submission of completed written draft of Capstone Project (Chapters 1 – 5) to Juried Review Committee
June 13 Review and Revision requirements (if any) due from Juried Review
Committee
June 23 Submission of revised drafts to the Juried Review Committee requesting
permission to defend and present research to the client
June 30 Approval due from Juried Review Committee for team to defend the capstone
project and present research to the client
NOTE: A manuscript draft may be released to the client after the Juried
Review Committee has granted approval to defend and present the project
July 21 – 31 Projected date range for defense and presentation of the capstone project
to the Juried Review Committee and Clients
Technical Review of Final Manuscripts begins after the presentation: Note: The technical review is a lengthy but necessary stage of the capstone process and it is a requirement for graduation. Technical review of projects will take place in the order received and teams are required to be responsive to revision requests (generally revisions should be made within one week of the request from the technical reviewer). Students should anticipate that it will take many weeks for all capstone manuscript revisions to be completed and finalized. Incomplete technical revisions could result in a delay in graduation for the capstone team.
Aug 4 EG 8033 Capstone Project course ends
December Graduation/Commencement: The conferral date of the Ed.D. degree will be in December (see academic calendar for
exact date and time of graduation/commencement)
7 January 18, 2013
Qualifying Review Process
Before beginning the capstone project course sequence (EG 8013, 8023, and 8033), students must pass the qualifying review process. The purpose of the qualifying review is to determine each student's demonstrated preparedness to succeed in the capstone project. The process consists of two levels of review:
1) Self-assessment: Each student will engage in a written self-assessment (a maximum of seven double-spaced pages of text; APA Style) related to criteria that indicate a probability of success in a capstone project. This is to be completed and submitted to the Ed.D. Director in accordance with the Capstone Project Timeline.
In completing the Self-Assessment students should evaluate themselves for each of the following competencies and provide sufficient rationale in the narrative supporting the assessment: a. Ability to complete the remaining coursework in the program while simultaneously
engaging in a major research project
b. Ability to successfully engage in qualitative research
c. Ability to successfully engage in quantitative research
d. Ability to successfully and effectively relate and work with a capstone team
e. Research writing abilities
f. Research presentation abilities
g. Managing and improving identified weaknesses (if any) The Self-Assessment paper should include headings for each competency listed above.
2) Review Committee: A Qualifying Review Committee comprised of Ed.D. faculty will engage in an assessment of each student related to the competencies listed above that indicate a probability of success in a capstone project. The process will include a review of each student’s self-assessment coupled with analysis of the student’s academic performance in the Ed.D. Program.
Students will receive notification the week prior to the Capstone Project Match Day of their eligibility to engage in a capstone project.
Students who do not pass the qualifying review will be required to complete a remediation plan approved by the Director of the Ed.D. Program and join a future cohort at the appropriate juncture or be dismissed from the program.
Project Matching Process
Following the successful completion of the qualifying review process, students become eligible for participation in the capstone project. Students are matched to a client and a project that have been screened by the Capstone Project Advisor and the Director of the Ed.D. Program. Students are not expected nor allowed to solicit their own projects, though they may refer potential clients to the Capstone Project Advisor for review and consideration for future matches.
8 January 18, 2013
The following framework applies to the matching process:
1) Clients are invited to submit project proposals to the university. These proposals are carefully screened before acceptance.
2) Students will be provided a written executive summary of each accepted project prior to Client Presentation Day.
3) The executive summaries and client presentations to be given on Client Presentation Day will detail the subject, problem, or question to be examined, potential methodology, and logistical considerations.
Students are NOT allowed to contact clients prior to Client Presentation Day but there will be a session during which students may ask questions and interact with clients for the purpose of getting to know them before providing rankings.
Students will have 5 days following Client Presentation Day to rank all of the projects in order of preference and submit his/her rankings to the Director of the Ed.D. Program, who will review the rank ordering of project preferences, consider all the information known about the students and their demonstrated abilities and assign students to teams and projects.
Students will NOT be matched to a client who is their employer and students will be responsible to describe “degrees of separation” they have from any project when they submit their rankings.
Students should take the team and project ranking process very seriously. Due to the number of projects and students involved, and the natural attraction of students toward certain projects and clients, the matching process can become very complex. Every effort will be made to match students to the highest available project on their rankings; however, students should understand that few can receive their top preference based on mathematics alone. Historically, we have been able to match students within the top half of their rankings but great care should be given to all of the rankings.
Capstone teams will be comprised of 2 to 4 students at the discretion of the Director.
4) Each capstone project will be matched with a Capstone Faculty Advisor and Juried Review Committee by the Director of the Ed.D. Program.
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Students are required to gain approval from Lipscomb’s IRB prior to conducting research involving human subjects. Each capstone team will submit a research proposal to the IRB and receive IRB approval prior to collecting any data. Information about Lipscomb’s IRB and what is required for the IRB submission can be found at the following link: http://www.lipscomb.edu/research/IRB Teams are to send their electronic submission to the chair of the IRB at irb-submissions-only@lipscomb.edu with a cc. to their Capstone Faculty Advisor, Dr. Hebert, tshebert@lipscomb.edu, and Dr. Wiemers, roger.wiemers@lipscomb.edu. Research projects that involve research of Lipscomb University and/or its faculty, staff, or students must also receive approval from the Provost’s office by completing the Office of the
9 January 18, 2013
Provost Approval Signature Page (see appendix) and submitting it to the Ed.D. Director along with the research instrument, survey, questionnaire, or interview/focus group questions that are to be used. This is to be submitted after IRB approval has been granted. Research Proposal to the Juried Review Committee
(NOTE: This is NOT the same as the IRB guidelines. See the IRB website for specific instructions for IRB submissions: http://www.lipscomb.edu/research/IRB) The following outline may serve as a guide for students in building a research proposal for their Juried Review Committees. IRB Research Proposal Cover Sheet
Summary of Proposed Research (include summary of research methodology to be used; 1 to 2 pages maximum)
Title Page
Table of Contents
Chapters
1. Introduction - The research topic, history, and background - The research problem - The purpose of the study - Theoretical/conceptual framework/perspective guiding research - The research question(s) and hypotheses (if applicable) - Scope and Bounds - Significance of the study - Definitions, symbols, abbreviations, nomenclature - Summary
2. Literature Review - A review of previous research and research methodologies for approaching the topic - NOTE: The full literature review will develop and emerge over a period of many months,
including after the data has been collected and analyzed and gaps have been identified and addressed
3. Methodology - Research design - Purpose of the study - Research questions and hypotheses (if applicable) - Description of population, participants, sampling procedures used, description of risk,
voluntary participation, confidentiality, and anonymity - Description of Research Instrumentation (questionnaires, interviews, & focus groups)
and pilot testing (if applicable). Note: actual instruments will go in the appendix; instruments may continue to be refined over a period of several months
- Variables in the study (if applicable) - Procedures for data analysis
NOTE: Approval must also be obtained from your Faculty Advisor and Juried Review Committee before instruments may be used and data collected
Data Analysis (1 page)
- Describe how data will be analyzed - Describe disposition of the data after the study has concluded
10 January 18, 2013
References
Appendices (include all that is appropriate)
- Informed consent form/letter (if needed) - Informed assent form/letter (if needed) - Apparatus and/or instruments to be used (include questionnaire, interview questions, focus
group questions, etc.). - Documentation from client granting permission and access for research - Certificate for successful completion of the National Institutes of Health course on Protecting
Human Research Participants (http://phrp.nihtraining.com/index.php) for each team member
Note: If the proposed study is a survey or uses a questionnaire and is not experimental, then a signed informed consent is not necessary. Instead, the researcher must include the following statement at the beginning of the survey (clearly visible for each subject to read)
By completing this survey, I volunteer to participate in this research project. I understand there are minimal risks to my well being by completing this questionnaire. All data collected during the research process will only be reported as aggregate (group) data and my anonymity will be protected. I may withdraw from participating in this project at any time during the data collection period. I agree to voluntarily participate in this research project. If I have concerns or questions, I may contact: Chair of the Lipscomb IRB at irb-submissions-only@lipscomb.edu or 615-966-7167.
Interviews and/or focus groups require informed consent. Research involving under-age subjects require informed consent from parents. Project Expectations
Manuscript: The final manuscript or written report for the capstone project should be a minimum of 150 double-spaced pages of text (APA Style) plus preliminary and supplementary pages. Exceptions require review and approval of the Director of the Ed.D. Program and the Capstone Faculty Advisor. The final written product for the EG 8033 course will be assessed in accordance with doctoral level expectations.
Capstone Team: To be successful, it will be important for your capstone team to intentionally engage in substantive planning and team building activities. A high performance team embraces a common purpose, sets performance goals, becomes committed to a common approach, and develops mutual accountability with high levels of communication between team members. The very first capstone team meeting should include comprehensive discussion about these important elements of successful teams and begin forging the relationships and mutual trust and commitment necessary to achieve the group’s purpose. The team should establish group norms so that team members can know what to expect from each other. Tasks should be clearly assigned and fairly distributed among all team members. Tasks should have attainable deadlines that once agreed upon should be adhered to by each member. If adjustments become necessary then there should be appropriate and timely communication between team members. Members should quickly develop relationships that allow for constructive exchange of divergent views and to engage in effective conflict management strategies that lead to greater depth of discussion and understanding. It may be beneficial for the group to establish the role of team leader; however, it is encouraged that via mutual agreement that the role be filled by different team members during different stages of the project, with no one person dominating the leader role throughout the entire project.
11 January 18, 2013
Team members are expected to work out issues as a team but may seek assistance from the Capstone Faculty Advisor who has responsibility to monitor individual and group dynamics and performance. The Capstone Faculty Advisor will work closely with the team and facilitate frequent meetings and discussions about the group’s research, progress, issues, and performance. The Capstone Faculty Advisor will monitor individual performance and contributions of team members and may request evidence showing the level and quality of engagement by each team member; therefore, each team member should retain emails and drafts of files/documents that they submit to the group. Concerns within the team about individual engagement and performance should be brought to the attention of the Capstone Faculty Advisor in a timely manner. Persistent issues will be brought to the attention of the Director of the Ed.D. Program and will be addressed appropriately. Juried Review Committee
Each team will be assigned a Juried Review Committee that will be responsible for providing oversight, guidance, and final approval of the Capstone Project. Juried Review Committees are comprised of three to four faculty including the Capstone Faculty Advisor.
Except for full-time Ed.D. faculty, no one may serve on more than two Juried Review Committees at a time, including the one for which they serve as a Capstone Faculty Advisor.
Committee members:
A. Review drafts of the capstone manuscript, B. Make edits and suggestions for improvement of the document, C. Advise students regarding methodological procedures, research instruments, and
analysis of data, D. Advise regarding conclusions, discussion, and recommendations for further research, E. Provide final review of the capstone project, including the defense.
Agreement to serve on a Juried Review Committee signifies acceptance that the research requested by the Client including the research questions, methodology, and data collection strategies have already been agreed upon and completed. Committee members are not empowered to require the team to redo those sections of the research project (except stylistic issues) or conduct additional research outside the bounds of what has been previously agreed upon with the Client, without unanimous agreement of the committee and the Client.
This committee will review manuscript drafts (see Capstone Project Timeline) and will be responsible for making the final determination of satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance in EG 8033. All of the members of the Juried Review Committee must approve the final project manuscript and each capstone team member’s performance as “satisfactory” in order for the students to have successfully completed EG 8033 and the Capstone Project requirement. If the final project manuscript and each team member’s performance is not approved by unanimous consent of the Juried Review Committee then this will necessitate that the student(s) involved complete modifications as directed by the committee, and/or complete a remediation plan approved by the Director of the Ed.D. Program, and/or join a future cohort at the appropriate juncture to engage in another Capstone Project, or be dismissed from the program.
Students may appeal to the Dean of the College of Education for a hearing and to request potential mediation in instances whereby the student feels that their Juried Review Committee and the Director of the Ed.D. Program is being unfair in their judgments and if the student believes that they have reached an impasse that cannot be resolved without mediation. The Dean will mediate the conflict between the student and the committee and/or Director and if
12 January 18, 2013
necessary will make the final decision on behalf of the College of Education. If the student is unsatisfied with the mediation and decision of the Dean then further appeal may be made to the Provost who will decide whether to hear the appeal, provide further mediation of the matter, or simply uphold the decision of the College of Education. The Provost is the final level of appeal. Defense and Presentation of the Capstone Project
The oral defense and presentation to the Juried Review Committee and Client will be scheduled by the Director of the Ed.D. Program on a selected date during the last two weeks of July of the final semester of the program. The date selected is contingent upon availability of all members of the Juried Review Committee and will be tentatively scheduled and announced many months in advance. The room where the defense will occur will seat up to 50 people and the capstone team may invite guests accordingly. It is advantageous for the Client to be present; however, if the Client is unavailable on the selected date, then it will be necessary for the capstone team to schedule an alternative date and time to present to the Client. It is required for at least one member of the Juried Review Committee (preferably the Capstone Faculty Advisor) to be present during a separate presentation to the Client.
Presentations should last between 30 to 45 minutes with each team member participating as equally as is feasible. All handouts, PowerPoints, and visuals used to display information should be reviewed thoroughly for technical accuracy before the presentation. Presentation documents will be held to scrutiny by the Juried Review Committee and should reflect the same high standards expected during the program.
Following the presentation, the Juried Review Committee will ask questions of the team and then the Client will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions and then the broader audience will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions.
Once the question and answer period is finished, the Juried Review Committee will excuse themselves from the room for a period of deliberation. Once finished, the committee will return to the room to discuss the outcomes of the deliberation along with any remaining work to be done by the capstone team. There will be additional work including the technical review and potentially parts of the manuscript that the committee would like the capstone team to edit or enhance, or to add additional information identified as gaps during the presentation. Project Extensions
The capstone project is designed to be completed over a 3-semester (12-month) time frame during the second year of the program. Students engaged in a project needing a longer period of time for completion (for whatever reason) must submit a written request for an extension to the Director of the Ed.D. Program. The maximum extension that may be granted is one calendar year (3 semesters). Additional extensions will require approval of the Dean of the College of Education. During any extension, students must register for EG 804V Special Topics, which carries variable credit between one to three hours per semester as determined by the Director of the Ed.D. Program. The result of extension requests will likely be that students involved in the project graduate after their cohort’s scheduled graduation date. Project Restarts
Students who receive an unsatisfactory grade in or drop a capstone course (EG 8013, 8023, or 8033) and/or stop-out of the program during the second year must submit a written request to the Director of the Ed.D. Program for reinstatement with a future cohort. If approval for reinstatement is granted, the student will be required to re-start the 9-credit hour capstone sequence with another cohort.
13 January 18, 2013
Elements and Style of the Written Capstone Manuscript
In general, the writing style to be used for the final written manuscript of a Capstone Project follows guidelines laid out by the American Psychological Association (APA) Manual (6th Ed.). These guidelines should be followed throughout the manuscript unless indicated otherwise in this Capstone Manual. Some additional and alternative guidelines are detailed below.
Margins
The standard page size is 8 ½ by 11 inches. Margins should be 1 ½ inches wide on the left and right sides of the page and 1 inch at the top and bottom. All images must fit within these margins, including the page number.
Justification
In general, text is to be left-justified throughout the document.
Pagination
There are two types of pages and two numbering systems to be used. Use small Roman numerals for preliminary pages (approval page, copyright page, acknowledgements page, abstract, table of contents, list of tables and figures). The title page has no number; therefore, the first page following the title page starts with Roman numeral ii. For the pages of the text itself, including all supplemental pages (references, appendices, etc.), use Arabic numerals. Page numbers appear in the top right corner of the text per APA Style.
Person
Generally speaking, a research manuscript should avoid over-usage of first person pronouns and authors should be aware that many scholarly journals and certain elements of the traditional research community prefer it be completely avoided. Some journal editors treat the issue with zero-tolerance.
However, one of the primary objectives of any research manuscript is clarity and there are numerous examples of how avoidance of first person pronouns adds to confusion. This is not always easy to discern. It is not always correct or always wrong to use first person. With that in mind, use of first person is acceptable within the Capstone Project manuscript as long as the authors are being clear.
Research teams with multiple members may use “we” to describe themselves but they should be careful not to over-generalize the use of the pronoun “we” such that it could be interpreted to include the reader and/or professionals within a certain field in addition to the author(s). Clarity is the primary objective.
Tense
The author(s) should use care in correct usage of past and present tense throughout the manuscript. Generally, the manuscript through the analysis section should be past tense in reporting what was planned, what occurred, and what the findings were, while conclusions, implications, and recommendations are generally present and/or future tense.
Figures and Tables
Figures and tables should appear in the body of the text unless they are too lengthy or distracting, in which case they should be placed in the appendices. A table or figure less than one-half page in length in its entirety (including footnotes) may be incorporated into the text providing it follows the first specific mention in the text as soon as is practical and it is separated from the text by an extra space. If tables and figures are integrated with text, they should be placed such that they start at the top of a page or end at the bottom of a page (not placed in the
14 January 18, 2013
middle with text above and below on the same page). If these conditions cannot be met, the table or figure must be placed on the next page immediately following its first mention.
To accommodate large figures or tables, it is sometimes necessary to place them in the horizontal orientation on the page. In such instances the margins and page numbers must remain consistent with the rest of the manuscript. Tables that must appear on a page in horizontal format must be turned into a picture and rotated on a portrait oriented page. Proper formatting is essential for it to be approved by the printing house. Please consult the technical reviewer for further information.
Each figure or table must follow the text as soon as is practical after it is first mentioned and should be uniquely titled and referred to in the text with a numeric designation (i.e., “Table 1” and “Table 2” and so forth; avoid usage of statements such as “The following table shows…”). Establish a consecutive numbering system for the body of the manuscript and a different one for the appendix. Figures or tables that appear in the appendix should receive a title with a prefix such as, “Table A-1” “Table A-2” and so forth.
Careful use of lines will help the reader distinguish various parts of tables. Follow the APA Manual recommendations for line usage within tables. Footnotes to tables should include sources, notes about the table, notes about specific parts of the table, and notes regarding the level of probability (i.e. * for p < .05; ** for p < .01; *** for p < .001). The asterisk(s) appears next to the test statistic value used, and the explanation appears as a footnote to the table.
Each table and figure should be specifically introduced in the text while adhering to APA guidelines detailed on page 130 of the APA Manual (6th ed.). Discuss the highlights of the table/figure and avoid reproducing everything contained in the table/figure in the text.
Sections
Each section of the manuscript (i.e. Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings and Analysis, Conclusion and Discussion, References, Appendicies) should begin on a new page and receive a Level One Heading per APA Style. Other headings should be level two, three, etc.
The Final Manuscript
The final manuscript for the capstone project will be a minimum of 150 pages of double-spaced text as measured by APA equivalent plus preliminary and supplementary pages. The final document file must be in MS Word Format (2007 or more recent) with all images at 300 PPI.
The final manuscript will be submitted by the university to an approved printing house. The final bound copies will be distributed as follows:
Two copies will be distributed to the Beaman Library to be shelved
One copy will be distributed to the College of Education
One copy will be distributed to the Capstone Client
One copy will be distributed to the Capstone Faculty Advisor
One bound copy will be distributed to each member of the capstone team that authored the manuscript
An Ed.D. Capstone Fee of $75 will be charged to each student’s account during the final semester in the program.
15 January 18, 2013
Alternative Manuscript Format for the Client
It is possible that the Client may request an alternative manuscript format for their purposes. Within reason, the capstone team is expected to meet the Client’s needs and produce a copy of the manuscript in the format requested. An alternative manuscript may be sent to the Client electronically or as a loosely bound hard copy but will not be included with the final manuscripts that are to be submitted to the Ed.D. Office for binding.
Style and Voice
One of the major challenges of a team-written project is to bring the final manuscript together avoiding multiple, distinctly different writing styles. Pre-planning and group consensus is important to align writing styles. Final editing should also align major differences in style.
Technical Review
Following the presentation of the capstone project to the Juried Review Committee (see Capstone Project Timeline) the team will electronically submit the committee approved manuscript (MS Word Format; 2010 or more recent, with all images at 300 PPI) for technical review to technical reviewer. The technical review is for the purpose of ensuring that the manuscript meets all formatting requirements for APA Style and The Capstone Manual and also meets all specifications for printing and binding.
The technical review is a lengthy but necessary stage of the capstone process and it is a requirement for graduation. Technical review of projects will take place in the order received and teams are required to be responsive to revision requests (generally revisions should be made within one week of the request from the technical reviewer).
It will likely take many weeks for all capstone manuscript revisions to be completed and finalized. Careful proofing before technical review submission will significantly improve a team’s progress.
Technical revisions completed after November 15th may result in a delay of printing until after the December graduation.
Additionally, incomplete technical revisions could result in a delay in graduation for the capstone team.
16 January 18, 2013
Organization of the Final Manuscript
A final manuscript should generally be organized as follows, although variations may be approved by the Capstone Faculty Advisor:
Title Page
Approval Page (Client and members of Juried Review Committee)
Author(s) Permission Statement Page
Acknowledgments Page
Abstract Page (150 to 250 words – see APA manual, p. 26. 6th Ed.)
Table of Contents Page
List of Figures/Tables Page
Chapters
1) Introduction
- Context - Purpose of the study - Theoretical/conceptual framework/perspective guiding research - Research question(s), objectives, hypotheses - Scope and bounds (delimitations) - Significance of the study - Definitions, symbols, abbreviations, nomenclature - Summary
2) Literature Review
3) Methodology
- Research design - Purpose of the study - Research questions and hypotheses (if applicable) - Description of population, participants, sampling procedures used, description of
risk, voluntary participation, confidentiality, anonymity, and IRB approvals. - Description of Research Instrumentation (questionnaires, interviews, & focus
groups) and pilot testing (if applicable). Note: actual instruments will go in the appendix
- Variables in the study (if applicable) - Procedures for data analysis
4) Findings and Analysis
- Reporting of what the data revealed - Describe results for each research question and hypothesis
5) Conclusions and Discussion
- Summary - Interpretation and conclusions (including conclusions about research questions,
objectives and purpose) - Relationship of conclusions to other research (tie back to literature review) - Discussion (inferences from the data; recommendations to the client) - Limitations of the study - Recommendation for further research
Supplementary Pages
- References,
17 January 18, 2013
- Appendices: - Informed consent form/letter (if needed) - Informed assent form/letter (if needed) - Apparatus and/or instruments to be used (include questionnaire, interview
questions, focus group questions, etc.). - Documentation from client granting permission and access for research
(Memorandum of Understanding, etc.) - Certificate for successful completion of the National Institutes of Health course on
Protecting Human Research Participants (http://phrp.nihtraining.com/index.php) for each team member
- IRB approval page - Team member bio’s (generally a 1 or 2 paragraphs)
18 January 18, 2013
Sample Approval Page
This Capstone Project, directed and approved by a Juried Review Committee, has been
accepted by the Doctor of Education Program of Lipscomb University’s College of Education in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree.
(Title of Capstone Project)
By
(Name of Student)
(Name of Student)
(Name of Student)
for the degree of
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Juried Review Committee
_________________________________________
Tracey S. Hebert, Ph.D.
Director, Doctor of Education
_________________________________________
Name, degree
Ed.D. Capstone Faculty Advisor
_________________________________________
Name, degree
Juried Review Committee Faculty Member
_________________________________________
Name, degree
Juried Review Committee Faculty Member
(This page should appear balanced although spacing may vary slightly from this sample.)
19 January 18, 2013
Capstone Project Author(s) Permission Statement
Title of Capstone Project
Name of 1st Author (alpha order by last name)
Name of 2nd
Author (alpha order by last name)
Name of 3rd
Author (alpha order by last name)
Doctor of Education
Print Reproduction Permission Granted
I understand that I must submit printed copies of my Capstone Project Manuscript (hereafter
referred to as “manuscript”) to the Lipscomb University Library, per current LU guidelines, for
the completion of my degree. I hereby grant to Lipscomb University and its agents the non-
exclusive license to archive and make accessible my manuscript in whole or in part in all forms
of media in perpetuity. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the manuscript. I
also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this
manuscript.
I hereby grant permission to Lipscomb University to reproduce my manuscript in whole or in
part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit.
I additionally grant to the Lipscomb University Library the nonexclusive license to archive and
provide electronic access to my manuscript in whole or in part in all forms of media in
perpetuity. I understand that my work, in addition to its bibliographic record and abstract, will
be available to the world-wide community of scholars and researchers throughout the LU
Library. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the manuscript. I am aware that
Lipscomb University does not require registration of copyright for the electronic manuscript.
I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached written permission statements
from the owners of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my manuscript. I
certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my committee.
Signatures below signify understanding, agreement, and permission to all the above by each
author:
Signature of 1st Author: ______________________________________ Date: __________
Signature of 2nd
Author: ______________________________________ Date: __________
Signature of 3rd
Author: ______________________________________ Date: __________
(This page should appear balanced although spacing may vary slightly from this sample.)
20 January 18, 2013
Capstone Manuscript Author’s Address / Mailing Form
A bound copy of the Capstone Manuscript will be mailed to the addresses provided below:
1st Manuscript Author’s Name: _________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
1st Author’s Mailing Address: __________________________________________________
(Street)
__________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip code)
1st Author’s Phone: ___________________________
2nd
Manuscript Author’s Name: ________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
2nd
Author’s Mailing Address: _________________________________________________
(Street)
_________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip code)
2nd
Author’s Phone: ___________________________
3rd
Manuscript Author’s Name: ________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
3rd
Author’s Mailing Address: _________________________________________________
(Street)
__________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip code)
3rd
Author’s Phone: ___________________________
21 January 18, 2013
Office of the Provost Approval Signature Page
Any study/survey involving Lipscomb students/employees must be approved by the Office of
the Provost prior to IRB approval. Include this form, signed by the Provost, with IRB
document.
Please Print
Student (Researcher) Name:____________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Student (Researcher) Contact Information:
Mailing address: _____________________________________________________________
Email address: _______________________ Phone: ______________________
Graduate Program (if applicable): ________________________________________________
University Name (or sponsoring agency): __________________________________________
Thesis (Project) Title: __________________________________________________________
Thesis Committee Chair/Project Director (print): ____________________________________
Email address: _______________________________________________________________
I am requesting that I be allowed to involve Lipscomb University employees/students in my
research. I understand that any participation by Lipscomb employees/students will be voluntary,
and I agree to protect the anonymity of the participants.
Student (Researcher) Signature: _____________________________ Date: _______
Please provide (1) a letter of introduction explaining why you are requesting approval, (2) a
brief description of the study and how Lipscomb University faculty, staff, administration, and/or
students will be involved in the study, and (3) a copy of any data collection instrument that will
be used to collect information
Provost remarks/requests for changes:
Approved _____ Approved subject to above changes _____ Not approved _____
Provost Signature: ___________________________________ Date:_____________
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