Syllabus for MLS-700

CAPSTONE PROJECT I


COURSE DESCRIPTION

Capstone Project I is the first of two courses needed to complete the Capstone Project for the MALS program. The proposal is not the project itself but the foundation on which you will create your Project. The Capstone Project represents new work and ideas. Although the idea may come from an issue or report previously undertaken, the Project gives you the opportunity to apply and interpret the ideas, practices, and/or skills learned during the MALS program.

 

The Capstone Project may take one of three forms: a research project, a creative project, or an applied project. The topic for the project should emerge from your individualized program of study and should bring together issues that you have been grappling with during your program. There is a direct connection between the Capstone Project and the Learner-Designed Area of Study (LDAS), the 12 elective credits. The LDAS electives give you the opportunity to focus on an area of interest and to formulate the Capstone Project based on this interest.

The proposal must be approved by your Capstone Advisor, who will then forward it to the Capstone Coordinator and the Office of the Dean. Once approved, you will then register and begin the MLS-710 Capstone Project II course.

 

Note: The MLS 700/710 Capstone Project is a 6-credit requirement of the MALS degree that is completed at the end of your degree program over two terms. The Capstone is a supervised, hands-on experience that displays your ability to go beyond the mere collection of information, into a synthesis of your accumulated knowledge and skills. By weaving examples from the humanities into the project and stressing the philosophical and historical context, your Capstone will reflect learning acquired during the program.

COURSE TOPICS

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, students will have:

COURSE STRUCTURE

MLS-700: CAPSTONE PROJECT I is a three-credit online course, consisting of ten modules. Modules include an overview and activities. Module titles are listed below.

Course objectives covered in this module include: 1

Course objectives covered in this module include: 2

Course objectives covered in this module include: 2, 3

Course objectives covered in this module include: 2, 3

Course objectives covered in this module include: 5, 6

Course objectives covered in this module include: 7

Course objectives covered in this module include: 8

Course objectives covered in this module: 1

Course objectives covered in this module: 9

Course objectives covered in this module: 10

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums and complete a Capstone Proposal and Outline. See below for more details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Discussion Forums

You are required to participate in eight graded discussion forums. Discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics folder on the course Web site is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussion assignments.

My Capstone Advisor

You are required to work with your selected capstone advisor within a section of the course Web site called My Capstone Advisor. Within this section is a private forum where you and your advisor will collaborate on building your Capstone Project Proposal. In all, you will be participate in eight activities associated with the different parts that will make up your finished proposal.  

Dr. Linda Holt will act as the second reader for all of the capstone students and will participate in the My Capstone Advisor Forum discussions when appropriate.

Note: Your advisor may have more than one student he or she is advising during this course.

Capstone Project Proposal

The Capstone Project Proposal should be 8–10 pages not including the literature review. You will work with your selected capstone advisor and second reader throughout this course to complete your proposal. The final version will be sent to the Capstone Review Committee for grading and feedback.

Note: Your official Capstone Review Committee includes your Capstone advisor, second reader, the Capstone Coordinator, and the Dean or Assistant Dean from the Heavin School of Arts and Sciences.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics folder of the course Web site is the Capstone Project Proposal Rubric used to aid in the grading of the proposal.

Consult the Course Calendar for the due date.

Capstone Project Outline

You will work with your selected capstone advisor and second reader throughout this course to complete your Capstone Project Outline. The final version will be sent to the Capstone Review Committee for grading and feedback. See Module 9 for more details.

Note: Your official Capstone Review Committee includes your Capstone advisor, second reader, the Capstone Coordinator, and the Dean or Assistant Dean from the Heavin School of Arts and Sciences.

Consult the Course Calendar for the due date.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A

=

93–100

B

=

83–87

A–

=

90–92

C

=

73–82

B+

=

88–89

F

=

Below 73

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., assignments, discussion postings, projects, etc.). Graduate students must maintain a B average overall to remain in good academic standing.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Thomas Edison State University is committed to maintaining academic quality, excellence, and honesty. The University expects all members of its community to share the commitment to academic integrity, an essential component of a quality academic experience.

Students at Thomas Edison State University are expected to exhibit the highest level of academic citizenship. In particular, students are expected to read and follow all policies, procedures, and program information guidelines contained in publications; pursue their learning goals with honesty and integrity; demonstrate that they are progressing satisfactorily and in a timely fashion by meeting course deadlines and following outlined procedures; observe a code of mutual respect in dealing with mentors, staff, and other students; behave in a manner consistent with the standards and codes of the profession in which they are practicing; keep official records updated regarding changes in name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address; and meet financial obligations in a timely manner. Students not practicing good academic citizenship may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension, dismissal, or financial holds on records.

All members of the University community are responsible for reviewing the Academic Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog and online at www.tesu.edu.

Academic Dishonesty

Thomas Edison State University expects all of its students to approach their education with academic integrity—the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception. All mentors and administrative staff members at the University insist on strict standards of academic honesty in all courses. Academic dishonesty undermines this objective. Academic dishonesty can take the following forms:

Plagiarism

Thomas Edison State University is committed to helping students understand the seriousness of plagiarism, which is defined as using the work and ideas of others without proper citation. The University takes a strong stance against plagiarism, and students found to be plagiarizing are subject to discipline under the academic code of conduct policy.

If you copy phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or whole documents word-for-word—or if you paraphrase by changing a word here and there—without identifying the author, or without identifying it as a direct quote, then you are plagiarizing. Please keep in mind that this type of identification applies to Internet sources as well as to print-based sources. Copying and pasting from the Internet, without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources, constitutes plagiarism. (For information about how to cite Internet sources, see Online Student Handbook > Academic Standards > “Citing Sources.”)

Accidentally copying the words and ideas of another writer does not excuse the charge of plagiarism. It is easy to jot down notes and ideas from many sources and then write your own paper without knowing which words are your own and which are someone else’s. It is more difficult to keep track of each and every source. However, the conscientious writer who wishes to avoid plagiarizing never fails to keep careful track of sources.

Always be aware that if you write without acknowledging the sources of your ideas, you run the risk of being charged with plagiarism.

Clearly, plagiarism, no matter the degree of intent to deceive, defeats the purpose of education. If you plagiarize deliberately, you are not educating yourself, and you are wasting your time on courses meant to improve your skills. If you plagiarize through carelessness, you are deceiving yourself.

For examples of unintentional plagiarism, advice on when to quote and when to paraphrase, and information about writing assistance and originality report checking, click the links provided below.

Examples of Unintentional Plagiarism

When to Quote and When to Paraphrase

Writing Assistance at Smarthinking

Originality Report Checking at Turnitin

Disciplinary Process for Plagiarism

Acts of both intentional and unintentional plagiarism violate the Academic Code of Conduct.

If an incident of plagiarism is an isolated minor oversight or an obvious result of ignorance of proper citation requirements, the mentor may handle the matter as a learning exercise. Appropriate consequences may include the completion of tutorials, assignment rewrites, or any other reasonable learning tool in addition to a lower grade for the assignment or course. The mentor will notify the student and appropriate dean of the consequence by e-mail.

If the plagiarism appears intentional and/or is more than an isolated incident, the mentor will refer the matter to the appropriate dean, who will gather information about the violation(s) from the mentor and student, as necessary. The dean will review the matter and notify the student in writing of the specifics of the charge and the sanction to be imposed.

Possible sanctions include:

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