Senior Capstone Project: The Final Steps

 
 
 

 

 

 
 

Senior ​Capstone ​Project: 

The Final Steps 
 

IMPORTANT DUE DATES 

Essay:​  
Friday, April 22 

 
Presentations​:  
Monday, April 25­Friday, April 29 
Monday, May 2­ Tuesday, May 3 

 
Website​:  
Tuesday, May 3 

 

 
 
 

Step 1.

Complete and revise the I​ntroduction​and M​oves 1-4​with ​correct formatting.​

Note: A​ll text throughout should be 12 pt Times New Roman, including page numbers (in header) and
footnotes (if used).

Title Page Table of Contents

❏ Centered​horizontally/vertically. ❏ Replace [page #] with a​ctual numbers.​
❏ Bolded​and c​apitalized​title and subtitle. ❏ Align on the right​as best as possible.
❏ Pages should be n​umbered with your last

name first.​Select the top right option in

Insert > Page number:

  Introduction
 
 

About the Author (optional)

❏ Centered​horizontally/vertically. ❏ Bolded​and c​entered t​itle.
Introduction (cont’d) ❏ Here and throughout, all text should be

double spaced,​with no extra spaces between
titles or paragraphs.

HAVE YOU . . .

❏ consistently ​italicized​all book, magazine,
website, and movie titles? Included a​uthors​?

❏ consistently used ​double quotes​for all
chapter and article titles?

❏ consistently used a ​correct parenthetical
citation or footnotes style?​
❏ Parenthetical: Either​integrate the
quotation or introduce it​with a
speaker, the quotation, and the page
number and end punctuation. For
example: Smith writes, “_____” (154).
❏ Footnotes: Traditional M​LA
bibliographic citation​is fine, or you
can use C​hicago style​like you did for
the Junior Thesis. Either way, be
consistent.

  Conclusion
 
  ❏ Begin on a ​new page​, with ​centered​title.
❏ Ask yourself, “How would I summarize the
Moves 1-4
story of my Capstone research?”
❏ Each move begins on a​new page​. ❏ Consider where you were in your
❏ Bolded​title and subtitle, c​apitalized ​and ​left knowledge, thinking, viewpoints, etc.,
before​t​his year​and why you decided
justified.​ to pursue what you did (remind us).
❏ Per usual, everything ​double spaced.​ ❏ Consider how your ​summer reading
❏ Note: If you completed more than four added​to it.
❏ Consider ​who or what helped​you out
moves, obviously include those, too! the most. Refer to s​pecific sources.​
Works Cited ❏ Consider any ​highs and lows​,
climaxes or obstacles, turning points,
❏ Separate page​. detours, sticky points, unsticking
❏ Centered​and ​bolded​title. strategies, etc.
❏ Alphabetized.​
❏ All entries ​double spaced​. ❏ Consider where you’ve ended up:
❏ Second lines ​indented​. ❏ What is the ​#1 thing​(or ​top things)​
❏ Note: If you included images in your essay, you’ve learned? In other what’s your
thesis?​
create a separate​Image Credits​page. ❏ What is the #1 ​question​you’re still left
with? (there can be more!)
❏ So what?​How is what you’ve learned
relevant--to you, to others?
❏ Now what? ​What will you do with
your new-found understanding?
What should ​we​do?

PRINT!
❏ Print​and ​staple​your finished essay (some of

you may need an industrial stapler).

PDF!
❏ Get your essay ready to be linked on your

website:

❏ First, create a PDF of the e​ntire essay.​
❏ Second, create a ​new document for

each section​, copy and paste from
your original document, then PDF
those n​ew​documents (title them
appropriately):

❏ Introduction
❏ Move 1
❏ Move 2
❏ Move 3
❏ Move 4
❏ Conclusion
❏ Works Cited/Image Credits

 
 
 

Step 2.

Create a ​website​to present your research. The objective of this website is to h​ighlight​and s​howcase
your research, ​transforming​it from the boring, double-spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman into a v​isually
appealing a​nd ​long-lasting​website that c​ommunicates to an audience​who is interested in knowing
more about the subject matter and problem that you were trying to solve--and even how t​hey​might
get involved or help.

2a. ​BEFORE YOU BEGIN.​

Before you join Wix, ​brainstorm​!​Create l​ists of key elements already present in your research​and,
perhaps, u​seful resources you could find/create and add.​These will give you (and me) a sense of
what’s going to be worthwhile featuring on your website. The bullet points below were created by
examining the Introduction and first few moves of a Capstone Project from 2015:

People/organizations to feature and perhaps provide Ideas/events/quotations/etc. to feature
profiles of and links to additional resources, etc.

❏ From Intro: ❏ From Intro:
❏ Upton Sinclair ❏ definition of “vegan”
❏ Michael Pollan ❏ Paul McCartney: “If slaughterhouses
❏ Howard Lyman had glass walls, everyone would be a
❏ Russell Simmons/Farm Sanctuary vegetarian”
❏ Ingrid Newkirk/PETA ❏ Aviagen’s turkey factory farm scandal
❏ Daphna Nachminovitch/Chicago’s
Anti-Cruelty animal shelter ❏ From Move 1:
❏ John Robbins/EarthSave ❏ factory farming = “one of the most
deplorable inventions by humankind”
❏ From Move 1:
❏ Humane Farming Association
❏ Susan Donaldson
❏ Paul Solotaroff

❏ From Move 3:
❏ Ted Genoway

Possible images (photos, charts, infographics, etc.) Possible videos

❏ From Intro: ❏ From Intro:
❏ my pets and I growing up (photo?) ❏ Howard Lyman videos
❏ history of meat production/factory
farming (timeline?) ❏ From Move 2:
❏ 99% of 9 billion animals are raised on ❏ Earthlings
factory farms (chart?) ❏ Glass Walls
❏ Humane Meat: Taste the Happy!
❏ From Move 3:
❏ “thumping”?
❏ other gruesome images

  Choose a template
  (or start with a blank canvas).
 
 
2b. ​JOIN THE WEBSITE CREATOR.

Sign in to Wix.com.​

Use your ​school email to sign in,​then
reverse the first part of the email​as
your password (e.g., 16nscumaci*​​).

NOTE: Your password is important so  
that I can easily access your website  
and suggest design elements, content
You can see what any template looks by clicking VIEW.
additions, etc.
 

 

*​Y​our website’s address
will end up looking like
nscumaci16.wix.com/capstone 16.​

 
 

When you’ve found “the one,” click EDIT​.

You’re in!

 
 

  This is your workspace:
 
 

2c. ​CREATE. 

 

 

  Change the background:
 
These are your two main tools:
   
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  Add images:
   
 

Change the text style: 

 

 

 

Create a gallery if you’d like:
 

 

 

Add buttons with links to pages on your  

site or outside links: Use boxes to highlight text, images, etc.:
   

 

 

 
 

  Embed videos:
   
 

Add shapes:
 

   

Add a contact tool: Change | The | Menu :
   

 

 

AND MORE! PLAY AROUND . . . EXPERIMENT . . . MAKE MISTAKES . . . CLICK UNDO :)

 
 
 

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SAVING & PUBLISHING!

You can ​PREVIEW​your site at any time to see what it’ll look like live.
The first time you click ​SAVE,​it will ask you to name your website.

Please name it “​Capstone 2016​”.
If you were hasty or didn’t read these directions,
you can always change it later by clicking SITE in the menu bar,

Then SITE SETTINGS:

Once you click P​UBLISH​, your site will go live.
As you make changes, click S​AVE​often (but changes won’t go live until you click PUBLISH again).

(You’ll notice in the SITE menu above, there’s a SITE HISTORY option!
This will allow you to restore old versions if something goes awry!)

 
 
 

Bare-Minimum Required Features Suggested Features

Visitors to your website should be able to understand what the focus was ❏ Special features pages:
of each move in your process--and should be treated to something key stakeholders, books,
visually appealing. videos, etc.

❏ Home page ❏ Glossary​of terms
❏ Interesting t​itle​(not just “Anatomy” or “Homelessness”)
❏ Your n​ame ❏ Thank You​page
❏ Your major ​question​(s)
❏ Infographics​: charts,
❏ Menu bar​(that link to different web pages) tables, etc.
❏ Home | Capstone Essay (dropdown menu) | About Me ❏ Create yourself
❏ The Capstone Essay dropdown menu should or borrow/credit
include the following pages: ​Introduction | Move 1 | others’
Move 2 | Move 3 | Move 4 | Conclusion | Works
Cited ❏ Videos
❏ Options:
❏ Group adjacent moves (e.g., Moves 1 & 2) ❏ Call to Action
❏ Use your move s​ubtitles​instead (e.g., Elon
Musk) ❏ Comments Box​or
❏ Any ​additional pages​that can highlight your research. Contact Me

❏ Pages ❏ Other ideas? ​Not sure
❏ Each page should t​ell the story of that move​(or intro or how to make them
conclusion), highlighting the most interesting findings happen? Ask me!
❏ Each page in the dropdown menu should include a ​link to a
PDF​that corresponds to that tab/page
❏ To create a PDF from Google Docs: File > Download
As > PDF
❏ Option:
❏ Create “buttons” (+ADD > Button) and link them to
the PDFs

❏ Excerpts​from your essay (whether your own writing or quotations
from others) that will help tell the story of each move
❏ MINIMUM 18 (suggestion: 3 each per Introduction | Move
pages | Conclusion)

❏ Carefully chosen images​that will help tell the story of your intro,
moves, conclusion
❏ MINIMUM 18 (suggestion: 3 per page--avoid clutter!)

❏ Links​that take visitors ​outside​your research to helpful
information, resources, etc.
❏ MINIMUM 18 (suggestion: 3 per page)

❏ Design elements​(e.g., boxes, borders, lines, buttons) to enhance
aesthetic, differentiate sections, and so on.

 
 
 

Web Design industry suggestions

Put visual hierarchy Homepage should On all pages, eliminate Create breathing room
to use. with white space.
eschew too much text. visual clutter.

Top → Down Use the homepage and You should use visuals Less is more, so make
Left → Right the menu bar as a and other tools (boxes, sure to include space
lines, etc.), of course, but between paragraphs and
Most important items are gateway to the meat and keep them clean and
in the top left. potatoes, so to speak. images​.
lined up.

Use color strategically. Choose fonts that are Create links within your Do website recon!
reader-friendly.​ pages that will bring
Begin with a neutral visitors to new What websites have you
color palette, then No more than 3 fonts that information and visited that are
employ dashes of color work together and are resources.
(for headlines, key used consistently. aesthetically pleasing
Use buttons feature. and easy to navigate for
graphics, etc.). Make headings larger you? How can you use
and/or bold (and Avoid just saying “click
Use no more than 3 here.” them as a model?
colors--and use them consider a clean sans
serif font like this one). Link nouns more than Here are ​examples​from
consistently. verbs (e.g., On the space Bellevue College.
Make regular text smaller
Choose colors that work and unbolded, but not shuttle, f​our rocket Better yet, see below for
together for easy too​small! (and consider boosters​propel the examples of last year’s
a serif font to astronauts upward.)
readability (e.g., avoid differentiate it from Senior Capstone
cream text on a white headings). Link only ​parts o​f websites!
background or white on sentences.

black).

Here are some examples of last year’s websites.
If you had to rate them on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best)

for aesthetics, informativeness, and navigability,
how would you rate them?

Note: There were different requirements the first year for what to include
on the website. While there are some “b​are minimum​” requirements, I’d also like this process to be ​flexible

and i​ndividualized​as to how you arrange your information and about how much to include. You and I

should determine together how much is enough for your particular project and website.

Olivia Karegeannes, '15 Manuel Reynoso, '15 Peter Kolanowski, '15 Celine Stichert, '15

Cassie Bote, '15 Sina Cape, '15 Jack Gentile, '15 Maria Hatem, '15

Maggie Michicich, '15 Nic Grotmol, '15 Garrison Priem, '15 Brandy Rabalais, '15

 
 
 

Step 3.

Create and deliver a ​3-minute presentation​showcasing and celebrating your research and your journey,
especially your big question and answer. Of course, the middle part should be about ​how​you got there.
It should include your​Big Q & A​a​nd y​our journey from ​Q → A. It should both ​inform​and e​ngage.​And
it should show evidence of ​practice​because it w​ill​be p​ublicly presented​!

Here are some options for you to use, beginning with my preference:

Options Requirements Resources/Samples
Pecha Kucha
10 slides ❏ Resources:
Prezi ❏ https://tweakyourslides.wordpress.com
Touchcast 20 seconds each /2011/12/13/storyboarding-a-pecha-kuc
ha/
Video Exactly 3 minutes ❏ https://tweakyourslides.wordpress.com
/2011/11/12/embrace-constraints-and-le
Created on Power Point or t-go-preparing-for-a-pecha-kucha/
Key Note or iMovie ❏ https://avoision.com/pechakucha
❏ http://blogs.cofc.edu/tlttutorials/2012/1
Slide transition 0/25/creating-a-pecha-kucha-presenta
automatically set at 20 tion-using-powerpoint/
❏ http://www.pechakucha.org/presentati
seconds per slide. ons/how-to-create-slides
❏ https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/how-to-
Limit amount of text on make-great-presentations-with-pecha-
each slide (or avoid it kucha

altogether) ❏ Samples:
❏ http://www.pechakucha.org/presentati
No more than 4 images per ons/how-public-art-can-save-the-worl
slide d
❏ http://www.pechakucha.org/presentati
Option: ons/drawing-tells-a-better-story
Recorded ❏ http://www.pechakucha.org/presentati
(like a visual podcast), ons/how-to-launch-a-rocket-from-you
although this is not r-smart-phone
as engaging as seeing ​you.​
Talk to me individually.

Exactly 3 minutes

Exactly 3 minutes

Exactly 3 minutes

STAY TUNED FOR AN OFFICIAL SCHEDULE AND PUBLICITY!

 
 
 

 
Grading Rubrics.

Here’s how each step will be graded:

E​ssay:​  
 

  A  B  C  D  F 

Essay All present & Missing 1+ component
components complete:​Intro,

Moves 1-4,
Conclusion, Works

Cited

Conclusion All elements present, 1 element not 2 elements not 3 elements not Missing
thorough, & addressed addressed addressed
OR OR OR
thoughtful: S​ummary
of research journey, 1 element not 2 elements​not 3 elements​not
addressed ​thoroughly addressed thoroughly addressed thoroughly
thesis, further
questions, So What?, or thoughtfully or thoughtfully or thoughtfully

Now What?

Essay design All formatting Some formatting Many formatting Significant formatting
correct:​Title page, issues ​that keep the issues​that keep the issues ​that show a

Table of Contents, essay design from design from being top lack of attention to

Essay being top notch notch instructions and detail

Citation design All formatting correct Some issues with Many issues with Significant issues Missing Works Cited
for internal citations internal citations internal citations (e.g., missing page
and/or Works Cited and/or Works Cited
(parentheticals or page​that keep this page​that keep this citations, missing
footnotes) and research essay from research essay from Works Cited entries,
being top notch being top notch etc.) that show a lack
Works Cited page of attention to detail

and academic
integrity

 

 
  

  Website:​  
   
 
A  B  C  D  F 
 
Contains:​Interesting Contains: I​nteresting Contains: G​eneric title Contains: G​eneric title Missing title, name,
Home page title, your name, your title, but may be and missing name or and missing name and question
Menu bar missing name or AND question Missing
Pages major question(s) question question
Excerpts Missing all PDFs
Contains: C​apstone Missing
Images Essay (with
Missing
Links dropdown menu) and
About Me tab Missing
Design
All pages contain: One page does not Two pages do not 3+ pages do not
Link to PDF contain a​link to PDF contain​a link to PDF contain​a link to PDF

At least 18 excerpts At least 18 excerpts,​ Fewer than 18 Significant dearth of
that help tell the story but some are not excerpts excerpts
AND/OR AND/OR
of each move in a clearly or engagingly
clear, engaging way linked to telling a Many excerpts do not Most excerpts seem
story clearly or engagingly randomly selected

tell a story and placed

At least 18 images At least 18 images,​but Fewer than 18 images Significant dearth of
that help tell the some are not clearly AND/OR images
story of each move or engagingly linked AND/OR
Many images do not
to telling a story clearly or engagingly Most images seem
randomly selected
tell a story
and placed

At least 18 links​(some One page does not Two pages do not 3+ pages do not
on each page) contain l​inks contain​links contain​links

that take visitors to
helpful information,

resources, etc.

Clean, uncluttered, Uncluttered, Cluttered and Appears hastily
balanced​(visual balanced​o​verall balanced​o​verall designed ​with little to
aesthetic​, but some aesthetic​, with poor no attention to detail
hierarchy, white
space)​overall choices regarding choices regarding regarding fonts,
aesthetic,​with colors, images, text,
fonts, colors, images, fonts, colors, images, and design elements
attention to detail
text, and design text, and design
regarding fonts,
elements, could have elements
colors, images, text,
been reconsidered
and design elements

 
 
  

  Presentations​:   F 
   
  Did not present
A  B  C  D 
  Did not present
Informative Informative Informative but Lacks specific
Informative presentation​that tells presentation​that tells straightforward and information or details Did not present
story generic​presentation Did not present
the​story of an the​story of an (“In Move 1, I __. In or story
Engaging
delivery original research original research Move 2, I __”).
journey​that leaves journey​but lacks the
Length audience with f​ood
“food for thought”
Design for thought
element

Engaging, confident, Engaging and Multiple issues with Appears hastily
confident,​with engagement:​too prepared and
demonstrably evident practice, but
volume, tone, pacing, quiet, too monotone, therefore
practiced and/or eye contact too slow or too fast, unpracticed.
presentation w​ith lack of eye contact
appropriate v​olume, could use
improvement
tone, pacing, and eye

contact

Exactly 3 minutes Slightly over or under Significantly over or Lacks consideration
3 minutes​(i.e., 30 under 3 minutes​(i.e., for time ​(over 4

seconds) 1 minute) minutes) OR ​lacks

practiced preparation

(under 2 minutes)

Pecha Kucha: 1​0 Some issues: Significant issues Lacks consideration
slides, 20 seconds for design (or
each, fewer than 4 instructions)
images per slide, and
limited text make for
a concise and visually

appealing
accompaniment to

your voice

Prezi:​Clean design
and clean transitions
make for a dynamic
and visually appealing
accompaniment to

your voice

Touchcast: ​Clean
design and practical
resources on screen
make for a visually

appealing
accompaniment to

your voice

Video: C​lear, clean,
steady shots, clean
transitions/cuts, and
clear volume work to

create a visually
appealing story of

your research