Capstone Project – Public Administration

University Writing CenterFall 2011

Selecting the subject Identify topic

Find something interesting Find something know and/or care about

Consider what information is needed• Background information• Prior research• Related theory

Analytical and theoretical analysis of project at internship or work site

Study of organizational environment using theory to analyze situation

Traditional qualitative or quantitative study

Possible options

BackgroundWhat is your reason for doing the study and from what perspectives do you want us to look at it?

Specifically what are you going to investigate?TheoreticalPractical

Statement of problem

Significance of Study

Why is this study important within the academic realm?

DefinitionsTerms that will be essential to understanding the perspective from which you want us to read and evaluate your material

Theoretical Construct Foundation for study◦Organizational theory

Organization of study What does each of the sections contribute to the study?

Review of literatureReview of related literature

Situates current research in the existing field(s) to show its contribution, significance, etc.

Review of literature◦Blends the information from the sources

◦Does not rely on quotations, especially block quotations

◦Uses Chicago Documentation Style – footnotes or endnotes

Why Cite? Academic conversations and writing are based on research and on what people believed before

Challenge - must maintain your voice

Spreadsheet

Bibliographic Citation Funding for student needs Funding for staff needs Funding for facility needs

 Kathleen Johnson, Educational Funding (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication 2008).

Funding recommendations for high school programs

 Funding sources for faculty development

Funding sources for adding school space

Ryan  Newman, Uses of Funding. Journal of Education, 14 no. 2, (2007), 18-22.

 Funding recommendations for high school honors programs    Funding for new buildings

 Joshua Martin Smith, Dollars and education (Boston: Jossey-Bass, 2005).  

 faculty development to expand critical thinking  

       

Methodology What are you going to do?

◦ Type of study

How are you going to do it?◦ Participants◦ Data collection◦ Data analysis

THINK RECIPE!

Methodology Identify structure of study

◦Use sources to justify why you have selected a particular methodology

◦Be specific about what you are going to do and how long it will take Semi-structured interviews lasting 45-60 minutes

30 item survey that will take approximately 30 minutes to complete

FindingsPresent your data – organized logically◦Themes◦Research questions◦Statistical significance◦Visual representations

JUST THE FACTS – NO ANALYSIS AT THIS POINT

Conclusions/Discussion

Identify organizational pattern ◦Use headings to separate the information

◦Present only one point at a time (although you may need to reference previous points)

◦Briefly set up and wrap up each discussion section

Implications

Why are these conclusions important?

Recommendations

Based on what you found, what should be done to remedy the problem, etc.?

Bibliography Follow Chicago Documentation Style

◦Alphabetical, organizing all sources into one list

◦Hanging indent (set through format/paragraph)

◦Do not split reference from one page to the next

Appendices In order first presented in document

Lettered not numbered

Anything that is too large or complex or supplemental

Must be referenced and discussed within the document to justify being in the appendix

Sample

APPENDIX A

A CONCEPTUAL APPROACH TO ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY IN XYZ

How does it happen?

1” margins on all sides Times New Roman or Palatino 12 pt for text and 10 for footnotes Footnote/endnote numbers are

superscripted Double space except block quotations, table

titles, and individual bibliography entries Page numbers at bottom in center of page

beginning on 1st page (title page)

General Formatting

Writing Reality (L1)

Basic Rules (L2)

Run-on Sentences(L3)

Comma and conjunction(L4)

Coordinating conjunction: FANBOYS is the acronym for the coordinating conjunctions. (L5)

Headings

Draft Document◦Use plain language

◦Write in sections

◦Separate information

◦Use visuals to support and clarify

Revise Clarify and connect ideas Organize ideas in logical pattern Incorporate visuals Include all required components Meet usability Cite all sources

Edit Examine the overall aspects of the

document at sentence/word level◦Fragments, run-on sentences, comma

splices◦Incorrect word use (frequently happens

when using electronic thesaurus)◦Subject/pronoun agreement

Children – drive slowly.

Children drive slowly.

Review and approval of proposed research activities that involve the use of human subjects is required prior to the start of data collection.

Projects which are not reviewed and approved prior to the start of data collection cannot receive "retroactive" approval.

Institutional Review Board - IRB

http://www.orc.niu.edu/orc/human_research/applications/index.shtml

Be brief Use lay terms Focus on primary concern for human

subjects

Application

authorized departmental review is required signature of the student's faculty advisor submit to the Office of Research Compliance

(301 Lowden Hall)

Submission Process

Just Screening Form submission (rest of documents kept in department)

Administrative Review or Subcommittee Review do not need to wait for a convened IRB meeting (week to 10 days)

Full board Review (submit at least 10 days before committee – 2nd and 4th Wednesdays during semesters)

Levels of approval