Capstone

Catalog description

This course will help you prepare your Capstone Project by synthesizing previous Dynamics course ideas/materials and guiding you through the development phase of your final interdisciplinary research project. The course design involves active practice of writing to learn. In this process, you will learn how to: practice and improve your grasp of academic research conventions; plan to write a large research paper; narrow a topic and frame a research question; establish a Capstone committee; conduct interdisciplinary research that synthesizes ideas across multiple sources; develop a methodology that suits your research goals and timeline; read critically and write clearly for your specified audience. While many MSOD students take this course to draft their proposal, others may take it to work on completing their final interdisciplinary research project. For either aim, this Capstone seminar has been structured as a practical path and collaborative support group designed to refine your skills in researching, writing, and thinking as you undertake your Capstone thesis projects. Core lessons will include reviewing the literature; positioning and integrating interdisciplinary sources; and Framing or refining your research for your intended audience.