Capstone Guidelines
Chapter I - Introduction
Background of the Study The background information provides sufficient content to the reader so they can understand the purpose of the experiment, the design and the interpretation of the results. The writer must research the background information and properly site all sources used. A brief summary of the purpose and the experimental deign should be included at the end. 1. Provides a general overview of the topic of study in the first paragraph to introduce the main idea(s) 2. Includes clear, focused, accurate and detailed information to understand the science investigated during the study in the middle paragraph(s) 3. Provides cited support from external resources 4. Previews the experiment in the last paragraph by summarizing the purpose and method for data collection. Your introduction must be consisting of 1-2 pages only. Remember not to use “I, our, we" use “The experiment", not “My experiment"!!!! Statement of the Problem The statement of the problem is the focal point of your research. It is just one sentence (with several paragraphs of elaboration). You are looking for something wrong. …or something that needs close attention …or existing methods that no longer seem to be working. Example of a problem statement: "The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management workers." While the problem statement itself is just one sentence, it is always accompanied by several paragraphs that elaborate on the problem. Present persuasive arguments why the problem is important enough to study. Include the opinions of others (politicians, futurists, other professionals). Explain how the problem relates to business, social or political trends by presenting data that demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem. Try to give dramatic and concrete illustrations of the problem. After writing this section, make sure you can easily identify the single sentence that is the problem statement.
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Background of the Study The background information provides sufficient content to the reader so they can understand the purpose of the experiment, the design and the interpretation of the results. The writer must research the background information and properly site all sources used. A brief summary of the purpose and the experimental deign should be included at the end. 1. Provides a general overview of the topic of study in the first paragraph to introduce the main idea(s) 2. Includes clear, focused, accurate and detailed information to understand the science investigated during the study in the middle paragraph(s) 3. Provides cited support from external resources 4. Previews the experiment in the last paragraph by summarizing the purpose and method for data collection. Your introduction must be consisting of 1-2 pages only. Remember not to use “I, our, we" use “The experiment", not “My experiment"!!!! Statement of the Problem The statement of the problem is the focal point of your research. It is just one sentence (with several paragraphs of elaboration). You are looking for something wrong. …or something that needs close attention …or existing methods that no longer seem to be working. Example of a problem statement: "The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management workers." While the problem statement itself is just one sentence, it is always accompanied by several paragraphs that elaborate on the problem. Present persuasive arguments why the problem is important enough to study. Include the opinions of others (politicians, futurists, other professionals). Explain how the problem relates to business, social or political trends by presenting data that demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem. Try to give dramatic and concrete illustrations of the problem. After writing this section, make sure you can easily identify the single sentence that is the problem statement.
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