CAPSTONE PROJECT GUIDELINES
2022-2024 Batch
Capstone Project:
The project is based on Capstone project OR Master’s Thesis.
Students can choose wither one of the above Capstone.
What are you expected to do?
In order to successfully finish your PGDM program, you are required to either write a
master’s thesis or complete a capstone project. Capstone projects are usually more
“experiential” projects where students take what they’ve learned throughout the course of
their program and apply it to examine a specific idea.
Although the projects do showcase your educational accomplishments, they are more
about demonstrating that you know how to learn. They are intended to encourage
students to use the critical thinking skills they have acquired through their degree
programs to solve problems.
What Are the Goals of the iFEEL Capstone Project?
Defining an information problem or opportunity
Decide what techniques are required in order to master this information problem or
opportunity
Include all aspects of the information problem – using people, technology and
information
Make a positive difference for the organization or add to the body of knowledge in
management
Choose a topic or focus area you are enthusiastic about
Master’s thesis
Paper should aspire to provide original intellectual insight that contributes new
knowledge to the existing literature.
Student’s work should stand up to review during the final presentation.
Length
Capstone project: Length varies depending on the project but usually between 40 and 50
pages.
Thesis/academic research: For academic research approximately 75-100 pages. Length
varies with topic and research methods.
Basic types of written assignments
What are the elements of written assignments?
The typical structural elements are presented in the order or sequence that they might
normally appear in a written assignment, although no single assignment would have all
these elements.
Distinctive title
At more advanced levels of study involving independent research, the written outcomes
(final thesis dissertation, journal articles for publication, etc.) need to have a distinctive
title created by the researcher.
The research process: academic research
2.Literature review
A literature review essentially consists of critically reading, evaluating and organising
existing literature on the topic to assess the state of knowledge in the area.
During this stage you should aim to become an ‘expert’ in your field of research.
Generally done alongside the development of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks
(stage 3 of the research process).
As a manager you may critically review industry data
3.Development of theoretical and conceptual framework
As you read the literature, you should be continually developing and refining your
theoretical and conceptual frameworks.
Your theoretical framework refers to the underlying theoretical approach that you adopt
to underpin your study.
The conceptual framework defines and organises the concepts important within your
study.
4.Clarification of research question
Initial research questions are chosen, investigated and often rejected for a number of
reasons, for example:
The question lacks sufficient focus.
The conceptual framework has identified problems in either defining and/or measuring
the appropriate concepts.
There are too many moderating or intervening variables.
The project is unfeasible in terms of complexity, access, facilities or resources.
5.Research design
Who should participate in the research?
How will I gain access to them?
What are the exact procedures that I should adopt in my data collection to ensure
reliability and validity?
Are there any ethical issues associated with the research?
6. Data collection
You have to consider
which methodology to choose, and
which methods to utilise.
7.Data analysis and discussion of findings
The data you collect in stage 6 needs to be analysed to provide answers to your research
question.
In your discussion of the results, reference should also be made back to the literature
reviewed in stage 2, for example
How do the findings add to this literature?
Do they support the literature?
If not, what are the possible reasons why?
Stage 8: drawing conclusions
Conclusions should relate back to the focused research question.
You can evaluate how successful you have been in achieving your research objectives,
and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the research.
You may also want to make recommendations for further research.
Writing your research paper
1.Table of contents
A Table of Contents is usually needed when an assignment is quite long and complex, as
a guide to help the reader see the structure at a glance and find sections by their page
number. It is commonly used for reports, and sometimes discussion or position papers,
but not often for essays or short reports.
2.Acknowledgement section
An acknowledgements section would normally only be included in an assignment or
research report of substantial size, or in a thesis or article for publication. An
acknowledgements section can simply constitute a list of names of those who have
contributed in some way, or a brief summary of the nature of the contribution may also
be included.
Example
Organizations which have provided financial or other support (for example, a scholarship
or grant)
Your supervisor (for research higher degree students)
Individuals who have provided peer review
3a. Executive summary
‘Executive Summary’ is standard reporting practice and is meant to act as a guide to the
contents of the report and to highlight major conclusions and recommendations.
The Executive Summary derives its name from the practice of providing the executives
of an organization, that is, those responsible for making decisions and taking appropriate
action, with a concise outline of the major points in a report to save them time.
3b.Abstract
An essay assignment sometimes requires a Synopsis or Abstract, in a similar way to the
use of an Executive Summary for a report . An abstract is often just a single paragraph.
Like an executive summary, a Synopsis or Abstract serves the purpose of helping the
reader to see in advance what the main points of the essay will be.
Used for academic research
4.Glossary
If your written assignment contains many specialist terms or ones whose definitions are
very particular to the assignment and therefore requiring special explanation, it may be
appropriate to list all such terms in a glossary, which should sit on a separate page.
5.List of tables/figures
If your written assignment makes use of a lot of tables, figures and other visual material,
it may be appropriate to collect together a list of these to sit on a separate page.
Such a list should include the number and title of each item as well as their page number
6.Introduction
An introduction is an essential element of any complete written assignment, whether it is
an essay, a report, an oral presentation, etc.
The introduction serves as a map for the reader to the whole assignment, and would
normally be no more than 10% – 15% of the total length of the assignment.
In longer assignments, the introduction may comprise multiple paragraphs, whilst in a
research thesis it would normally comprise an entire chapter.
7.The body
The body of an essay/report constitutes the major part (perhaps 80%) of the whole
assignment, and is made up of its own internal structure (series of paragraphs) which the
essay writer must develop.
This is usually the most challenging part of essay/report writing, since the structure and
sequence of ideas in the essay constitutes the student’s original way of looking at the
topic and developing their particular point of view about it. It is useful to remember that
each paragraph should ideally discuss/ analyze one controlling idea.
8.Methods & methodology section
A Methods or Methodology section typically occurs in formal reports of some original
research conducted by the author of the report.
For example, a marketing assignment that involves collecting some information about
people’s perceptions would probably have a standard report structure which would
include a Methods section.
9.Results/discussion section
Those reports which have a Results section would normally have a subsequent section for
the Discussion of those results. Otherwise, this section might normally be termed
Findings or Key Findings. Sometimes the Discussion or Findings section of a report may
also include the conclusion, or otherwise the conclusion can be a separate section.
10.Conclusion
No new information should be introduced. Everything in the conclusion must be related
in some way to what has already been included in the whole assignment. This could be in
the form of a consolidation of key points made, specific answers to questions asked at the
beginning, particular implications of matters raised in the assignment, and so on.
11.Recommendations
Recommendations for future actions may be required in certain types of written
assignments, and particularly in reports. These can be included as a separate section
before or after the conclusion, or they sometimes appear as a part of the conclusion
section. Recommendations should state what actions should be implemented based on the
findings of the report
12.Reference list: APA/Harvard
The Reference List provides the full bibliographical details of every source referred to in
the written assignment. Reference lists are arranged alphabetically by the author’s
Spiral bound
Pages should be A4 in portrait format
The left-hand margins should be approximately 4cm. The top, bottom and right-hand
margins of each page should be about 2.5cm
Line spacing should be 1.5 (or sometimes 2.0 lines apart) as a default. Between
paragraphs, double the spacing so that the paragraphs are visually distinct.
journal articles, web sites, online reports etc.) are listed together and not separated by
format.
13.Appendices
The Appendices are where other information which has been referred to in the main part
of your report is attached. The advantage of using Appendices is that the report itself does
not become cluttered with a large amount of detailed information but can concentrate on
the key messages and brief summaries of the full information.
Questionnaires /Answers to questionnaires
Interview transcripts
Consent forms
Maps / Articles/clippings
Data Charts/Tables / Diagrams
Submitting assignments
The type-face should be approximately 12-point in a standard font such as Times New
Roman or Arial.
Page numbering should be included at the bottom of every page, except the title page if
you are including one.
Printing of your assignments should be on white A4 paper and printed on one/both side
of the page.
Put your name and student number in the header or footer of each page for ‘hard copy’
submissions.
All visual information needs to be clearly related to the assignment topic and purpose,
and explicitly introduced and explained within your writing.
Submit an assignment cover sheet.
It may comprise of descriptive, analytical or exploratory methods. Case Studies, tactical problem
solving and experimental methods may also be followed.
Evaluation components:
Stage -1: Approval of Problem statement and Synopsys - 20 marks by Faculty Mentor
Stage -2 : Report submission and evaluation – 30 marks by Faculty Mentor
Stage -3 : VIVA / Presentation – 50 marks by Faculty Mentor
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