Capstone Project Overview and Checklist

The Capstone Project is your opportunity to integrate, synthesize, and apply a health or healthcare topic of choice to your Program Learning Outcomes to demonstrate your mastery of your Program of Study. This Capstone Project will challenge you to integrate ideas presented in all your previous courses. The Capstone Project should also push you beyond the boundaries of your prior work. You will creatively explore and apply the knowledge and experiences gained from your core courses, concentration, and electives, professional organizations, and additional resources and research. Blending these experiences and resources will help you to complete a Bibliography, Mini Literature Review, and a final Capstone Project Presentation.

 

In Weeks 1–5, you will have Capstone Assignments to complete. Each of these Assignments contributes to your Final Capstone Project Presentation. Please note that this process is cumulative and will require revision and refinement until the final Project submission in Week 6. You are strongly encouraged to plan ahead for the completion of your Capstone Project Presentation, and the following checklist can serve as a guide: Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900

 

Assignment	When Should I Start Working?	When is it Due?	Completed?
#1: Topic Selection	Week 1	Day 7 Week 1
#2: Annotated Bibliography	Week 2	Day 4 Week 3
#3: Draft Mini Literature Review	Week 3	Day 7 Week 4
#4: Mini Literature Review Peer Feedback	Week 4	Day 2 Week 5
#5: Mini Literature Review Final Submission	Week 5	Day 7 Week 5
#6: Capstone Project Presentation	Throughout the Course	Day 2 Week 6
#7: Capstone Project Presentation Peer Feedback	Week 6	Day 7 Week 7

Capstone Project: Assignment #1—Topic Selection

For your first Capstone Assignment, you will develop a topic for the Capstone Project that will allow you to synthesize and apply your Program Learning Outcomes. The topic for the Project should be personally tailored to suit your unique perspective and career path. Your topic must be able to address each item in the Capstone Project Template specific to your Program of Study (found in weekly learning resources). In addition, your topic must be a health or healthcare issue.  Please contact your Instructor with specific questions related to an appropriate topic.

 

To prepare for this Capstone Project Assignment:

• Review your Program Learning Outcomes document (located in the Course Information-Program of Studyarea).
• Review the Capstone Project Template specific to your Program of Study (located in weekly learning resources)
• Review the full Capstone Project Guide (this document).
• Refer to this week’s Learning Resources for ideas for possible topics. In particular, you are encouraged to review the Program Resource List found on course page

 

To complete this Capstone Project Assignment, write a 4- to 5-sentence summary of your topic. Be sure to include a title and a rationale for your project. The Instructor will provide guidance on and approval of your topic by Day 3 of Week 2. Take into account the feedback that your Instructor offers you and revise your topic as needed.

 

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from supporting scholarly resources. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

 

Submit your Capstone Topic Assignment by Day 7 of Week 1.

Capstone Project: Assignment #2—Annotated Bibliography

 

Gathering credible resources from a variety of sources can help you to build a solid foundation for your Capstone Project. For this Capstone Project Assignment, you will build an Annotated Bibliography that will help to inform your literature review. The resources that you choose should be from high-quality, reputable sources and must have direct bearing on your topics. In addition, each resource should address at least one Program Learning Outcome.

 

To prepare for this Capstone Project Assignment:

• Review Chapter 6, “Citing Books and Other Separately Published Materials” in the course text, Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students. This chapter will help you reference in APA as you develop your Bibliography (which will inform your literature review later in the course).
• Review the online articles listed in the Learning Resources and pay special attention to the articles in the Walden Writing Center for tips and extended explanations on how to organize a reference list.
• Investigate literature from a variety of sources, such as the Walden Library, books, professional magazines, and newspapers for insights that describe and support your Capstone Project topic.
  • What scholarly knowledge is available that has produced insights into your Capstone Project topic?
  • What other knowledge or knowledge formations are available that have produced insights into your Capstone Project topic? Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900

 

To complete this Capstone Project Assignment:

• Create an Annotated Bibliography of 8–12 resources you are considering for your Mini Literature Review.
• Each reference (APA formatted) should be followed by two paragraphs; a summary of the article and the rationale for using this specific reference to address requirements for your final project (see Capstone Project Template for the requirements). The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the quality, accuracy, and relevance of the resource to the topic.
• The resources for your Annotated Bibliography need to address your health or healthcare topic and the Program Learning Outcomes. For example, you could search for “HIV” (a possible topic) AND “program planning” (a Program Learning Outcome) to find articles on both.
• You should have at least one resource for each Program Learning Outcome. This will provide you with information and support for each Program Learning Outcome and each aspect of the Capstone Final Project requirements.

 

All resources must be in proper APA format. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style, as well as the Walden Writing Center for guidance on what a quality annotated bibliography looks like.

 

Once you receive feedback from your Instructor, review the feedback and revise your Annotated Bibliography taking that feedback into account.

Submit your Bibliography by Day 4 of Week 3.

 

Capstone Project: Assignment #3—Draft Mini Literature Review

 

Literature reviews form the foundation for every academic product—from a paper for a course, to a paper for a publication in a journal. Now that you have gathered resources that pertain to both your health or healthcare topic and Program Learning Outcomes, you can start narrowing them down and considering how these resources can be helpful in your Capstone Project Presentation.

 

To prepare:

• Review your Annotated Bibliography Assignment and select 6–8 of the best resources for your Mini Literature Review.
• Review the sample mini literature review in your Learning Resources as a guide for writing your Mini Literature Review.

 

To complete this Capstone Project Assignment:

Construct the first draft of your 4- to 5-page Mini Literature Review. Your draft should include the following:

• A brief introduction that provides information about the scope and nature of the issue, at least 5–6 body paragraphs that provide sufficient detail, and a conclusion. Your paper should evidence the 6–8 resources from your Annotated Bibliography. You should include both parenthetical (in-text citations) as well as your references at the end of the document (i.e., your Annotated Bibliography sources that apply) in proper APA format.
• Use the remaining instructions in this Capstone Project Guide and Capstone Project Template to develop the subtopics of this Mini Literature Review, which form the body paragraphs of your Mini Literature Review. For example, in the Introduction, you can provide epidemiological and statistical data about your issue. You can also discuss how this issue transcends borders, etc. By organizing your Mini Literature Review using the Capstone Template (specific to your program), you will be better prepared to create your narrated Capstone Project Presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Summarize and analyze these resources. Paraphrase them in your own words. List the key arguments and findings, describing how you think they apply to your topic, and what the implications of the findings may be for your Capstone Project.
• You are also encouraged to use the Paper Review service through the Walden University Writing Center (see the Learning Resources). You can also find information on how the appointments work, what to expect, and how to get the most out of the Writing Center’s services.
• Run your Draft Mini Literature Review through Safe Assign prior to your final submission.
• This Assignment requires two submissions:
  • Submit to the Week 4/5 Discussion Board thread. Include your name and topic in your post title.
  • Submit to the Week 4 Assignment area. Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900

 

Tip for Writing Your Mini Literature Review: It’s best to create an outline prior to writing your paper to assist you with organization. In addition, tutors from the Writing Center can also help you create a thesis statement, organize your paper, and give you tips for using your resources, using APA, formatting your paper, and writing effective conclusions. Since you have time, you may plan to submit your draft to the Writing Center before the deadline in Week 4.

 

 

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and your additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

 

Submit your Draft Mini Literature Review by Day 7 of Week 4.

 

Capstone Project: Assignment #4—Mini Literature Review Peer Feedback

 

An important part of your Capstone Project is reviewing and giving feedback on your colleagues’ Draft Mini Literature Reviews and acquiring feedback on your own.

 

To prepare:

• Review your colleagues’ Draft Mini Literature Review drafts in the Week 4/5 Discussion thread.
• Select at least two Draft Mini Literature Reviews to review and offer feedback. Try to select colleagues who have not yet had any feedback or have few pieces of feedback.

 

To complete this Capstone Project Assignment:

Offer feedback to at least two colleagues. Respond to the prompts on the Peer Feedback template located in the Learning Resources.

 

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

 

Submit your Peer Feedback by Day 2 of Week 5.

 

Capstone Project: Assignment #5—Mini Literature Review Final Submission

Working as a health professional, you will need to collaborate with other individuals and groups both synchronously and asynchronously. You will grow accustomed to writing reports and having other members of your team review and critique your work before submitting to partners or organizations. In order to improve and finalize your Draft Mini Literature Review, you will consider all of the feedback that you have acquired from you colleagues and your Instructor.

To prepare:

• Review in depth the feedback that you acquired from your colleagues and Instructor.

To complete:

Revise and finalize your 4- to 5- page Mini Literature Review. Keep in mind that you can use the Walden Writing Center services (such as Grammarly) to help you with editing your Final Mini Literature Review.

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct. Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900

 

Submit your Final Mini Literature Review by Day 7 of Week 5.

 

Capstone Project: Assignment #6—Capstone Project Presentation

 

For this Assignment, you will create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation based off your Final Literature Review that analyzes a health-related topic or issue. Each slide of your presentation will address one of your Program Learning Outcomes per the outlines below.

 

To prepare:

• Review the requirements in the Capstone Project Guide (this document).
• Download the Capstone Presentation Template that aligns to your Program of Study (found in the weekly resource section).
• Review the Capstone Project Presentation Rubric.

To complete:

Create your Capstone Presentation using the Presentation template that applies to your program (B.S. in Health Studies, B.S. in Public Health, or B.S. in Healthcare Management). The requirements for each slide are detailed on that document. This Assignment requires two submissions:

 

• Submission 1: PowerPoint Document
  • Submitthe PowerPoint presentation by Day 2 to the Week 6 Project Note that this is the PPT document only, not the Kaltura narrated presentation.
• Submission 2: Narrated Presentation
  • Go to the Week 5/6 Capstone Project Discussion Forumand use the Kaltura Screen Recorder to create a narrated presentation for upload. For assistance in creating and uploading your narrated presentation, see the Kaltura Media Uploader area in the Blackboard navigation bar.

Your two submissions for the Capstone Project Presentation are due by Day 2 of Week 6.

Capstone Project: Assignment #7—Capstone Project Presentation Peer Feedback

To prepare:

• Return to the Weeks 5/6 Capstone Project Discussion Forum and listen to several of your colleagues’ presentations.
• Choose two presentations to reflect upon.

To complete:

• Complete the Capstone Project Presentation Peer Feedback template for two of your colleagues’ presentations.
• Be sure to support your reflections with examples and scholarly resources where appropriate.

Submit your Capstone Project Presentation Peer Feedback templates by Day 7.

Return to the Week 5/6 Capstone Project Presentation Discussion Forum to read the reflections on your initial presentation and the responses to your reflections on your classmates’ presentations. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of your colleagues’ comments. You are welcome to comment on these final insights in the Week 5/6 Capstone Project Presentation Discussion Forum. Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900

Program Learning Outcome (PLO)	In which course did you see this learning outcome addressed?	Which specific Assignments and/or Discussions addressed this learning outcome?	Choose 5 PLOs that are particularly meaningful to you. In what ways do you feel that you have applied the 5 learning outcomes? Give specific examples from both inside and outside the classroom.
Critically appraise the context and quality of healthcare delivery inside and outside of the United States.
Evaluate health-related research and research methods.
Analyze how population health impacts healthcare (including behavioral, demographic, and cultural factors).
Explain how different factors impact the delivery of healthcare services (including technology, legal, and ethical factors).
Evaluate the inter-professional approach to healthcare delivery.
Articulate critical issues in acute and long-term care from the perspective of patient and practitioner.
Analyze evidence-based factors that impact a health care organization’s performance, quality, and safety.
Apply foundational healthcare economic evaluation and financial management skills.
Apply strategic planning methods to healthcare organizations (including planning, implementing, and marketing).
Evaluate human resource methods of managing healthcare employees. Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900
Demonstrate an understanding of healthcare financial issues (including insurance, reimbursement, and prospective payment).

Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity HLTH 4900