Task 3

Students starting C769 after 8/25/2024 will be automatically enrolled in the newest version, ROM3. The ROM3 requirements are very similar to ROM2. However, faculty could only review the new course after its release, and there may be some minor discrepancies between the latest course and our stated best practices. This website will be updated by 9/4.

Task 3#

Almost time to graduate!

Write your conclusion report following the template, Task 3: The Conclusion:

To gauge the level of detail evaluators typically expect, review these task 3 examples.

Writing Task 3#

Most of task 3 will update task 2 from the future to the past tense. As such, task 3 should be similar in length and detail to task 2. Review the task 3 examples to understand what evaluators expect. Differences between tasks 2 and 3 are highlighted in the task 3 template and discussed in the video. You must update task 2 as follows:

Update the title page, TOC, headers, and footers.

Rewrite corresponding sections from task 2 in the past tense adjusting as necessary following the task 3 rubric. All dates should be in the past.

Section B: Other Works must have three new sources different from those in section B of task 2.

Write section G: Unanticipated Requirements.

For section H: Conclusion, revise Outcomes from task 2, discussing the results and effectiveness of the completed project.

For section I: Project Deliverables](task3:I), add examples of deliverables to the appendices.

Following APA guidelines, check grammar and sources, export as a pdf, and submit.

Submit, pass, and graduate!

Warning

Submissions with missing sections are automatically returned. If everything went as planned, explain why. The narrative following the Timeline and an Unanticapted Requirements section is still required.

Section A: Overview#

Include an overview of the project’s client, setting, problem, proposed solution, and how the solution was carried out. The details should include all the major aspects that were accomplished.

You can combine and revise Task 2 sections A1, A2, and A3, adjusting for any variances and providing a summary of the completed project. In addition, you can reuse any content from related task 3 sections C and D. As this section often combines and revises Task 2 Sections A1, A2, and A3; it is typically of similar length.

Tip

Write this section last or return to it after writing the Conclusion.
The required depth of detail is up to the subjectivity of the evaluator. Though summaries are typically short, there is no penalty for too much detail.

Section B: Other Works#

The requirements for this section are identical to that of task 2 section B -only you must have three works different from those in task 2 cited following APA guidelines, e.g., (Author year).

Content from part B of task 2 can be included, but cannot satisfy the task 3 requirements. So cite the task 2 sources if needed elsewhere, but it is recommended to not include the task 2 sources in this section.

Section C: Changes to Project Environment#

Using task 2 sections D and E from task 2, describe how your project changed the client’s environment.

As a convenience to the evaluators, you may copy content from your Task 2 section D labeling it as Original Environment, and then add new material (a paragraph typically suffices) describing how the project changed the original environment. For example:

Original Environment:

Company X currently is using out-of-date Linksys WRT54GL wireless routers as Wi-Fi access points. As a result…

After the project was completed, the outdated Linksys WRT54G was replaced with…

Section D: Methodology#

Adding any variations, revise task 2 section E from task 2 from the future to the past tense.

Section E: Project Goals and Objectives#

Discuss how completed goals and objectives from task 2 section F were met. If any goals or objectives were not met, discuss why.

For this section,

Provide a table indicating which project goals and objectives were met.
Separate from the table, describe how each completed goal and objective were met. For those not met, describe why.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables Table

Goals Met Objectives Met

1. Goal 1
Yes
1. a. Objective 1.a
Yes

1. b. Objective 1.b
No

2. Goal 2
Yes
2.a. Objective 2.a
Yes

2.b. Objective 2.b
Yes

2.c. Objective 2.c
Yes

... ... ... ...

Goals and Objectives Descriptions

Goal 1: Description of how the goal was met.

Objective 1.a: ;Description of how the objective was met.

Objective 1.b: ;Explanation of why the objective was not met.

Goal 2: Description of the how the goal was met

Objective 2.a: Description of how the objective was met.
Objective 2.b: Description of how the objective was met.

...

Section F: Project Timeline#

Update the timeline table from task 2 section G with columns for Planned Duration, Actual Duration, Actual Start Date, and Actual End Date.

Milestone or Deliverable	Planned Duration	Actual Duration	Actual Start Date	Actual End date
Some milestones	7 days	7 days	7/23/2022	7/30/2022
Some deliverables	14 days	10 days	7/18/2022	7/28/2022
\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)

Note

All dates must be in the past. Task 3 is a conclusion report. Write as if you recently completed the project -even if the dates do not align with the task 2 projected end dates. Evaluators understand this is a written exercise, and academic timelines rarely sync with real-world timelines. See the FAQ for more details.

Following the updated timeline, write a narrative explaining any differences from the projected proposal timeline, task 2 section G. If there were no variances, explain why.

Warning

Do not leave this section blank. It is easy to overlook, but submissions with no timeline narrative will not be accepted.

Section G: Unanticipated Requirements#

Describe any unanticipated requirements and how you dealt with them. You should repeat anything from the narrative section of Task 3 section F. If everything went as planned (which is a tad unrealistic), explain why. Do not leave this section blank.

Section H: Conclusion#

Summarize the results and potential effects of your completed project compared to the expected outcomes outlined in task 2 section H.

Deliverables#

Appendices#

In the appendices you must include at least two things you created that demonstrate the project’s completion. The included items need only be examples of actual deliverables. They can be fabricated entirely, examples, or parts of actual deliverables. This section should be included at the end of the document.

Tip

If reusing materials from an open source or actual project, mask any identifying information.

An animated GIF showing how to modify images.

Accepted items include the following:

Code or script samples
Screenshots of deliverable
Process diagrams such as flowcharts or UMLs
Visualizations such as charts, tables, or graphs
Network diagrams
Training certificates/questions
The technical IT product

Section I: Project deliverables#

Describe each deliverable in the appendices and how it demonstrates evidence of project completion. Refer directly to the corresponding items by its appendix, e.g., “under Appendix A”, so readers can easily identify which appendix is being described.

Grammar, Sources, and APA#

It’s easy to overlook them when focusing on content, but grammar, sources, and APA formatting are the most common reasons for rejected submissions! Check your grammar using Grammarly.com (it’s what the evaluators use). Style is not assessed (Grammarly marks these in blue, green, or purple), but even a few grammar errors (marked in red) will prevent competency in Professional Communication. The free side has been sufficient, but if using the online app, you sometimes need to wait before mistakes are caught.

Warning

Students have reported missed mistakes when using the Google doc Grammarly extension. Therefore, we advise copying content directly into the app or purchasing the premium version compatible with MS Word.

Sources and format should follow APA \(7^{\text{th}}\) edition guidelines. Outside of grammar mistakes, most APA errors involve formatting of the sources or in-text citations. In-text citations should be of the form, (Author, year). For more details, see APA guidelines for citations.

Avoid reference errors by using a referencing tool:

MS Word Reference Tool \(\leftarrow\) desktop version only.
JabRef \(\leftarrow\) free and works on most platforms.
LibreOffice Reference Tool. - Download LibreOffice for free.

Get the best help from the WGU Academic Coaching Center.

FAQ#

What are the most common reasons task 3 does not pass?#

The most common reasons for returned task 3’s:

Grammar
Sources
No narrative for part F, Project Timeline.
Insufficient details for section X.

1-3 is easily avoidable. Being cited for “insufficient details” is a matter of subjectivity, but it is also easy to fix -just add more details. Since task 3 mostly implements the already passed plan of task 2 -it is mostly already passed.

How long should task 3 be?#

Review the task 3 examples. As task 3 mainly rewrites task, task 3 is typically similar in length. They will assess task 3 independently of task 2. Don’t assume they’ll compare the two.

My capstone is not a real project. What do I do for the deliverables?#

See section I. You only need to provide examples of actual deliverables you might provide to clients demonstrating a project’s completion.

My task 2 timeline has projected end dates of 6 months (since this is what it would take), but I just submitted task 2 and need to complete task 3 now. What should I do?#

Evaluators understand this is a written exercise, and academic timelines rarely sync with real-world timelines. Write as if you recently completed the project -dates do not need to align with those in task 2, but the task 3 start and end dates must be in the past. For example, if task 2 had the following:

Milestone or Deliverable	Duration	Projected Start Date	Projected End date
Some milestones	7 days	7/23/2023	7/30/2023
Some deliverables	14 days	7/16/2023	7/30/2023
\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)

But task 3 was submitted on 4/28/2023, it might be adjusted by moving back dates such that the timeframes are preserved as follows:

Milestone or Deliverable	Planned Duration	Actual Duration	Actual Start Date	Actual End date
Some milestones	7 days	7 days	4/21/2023	4/28/2023
Some deliverables	14 days	14 days	4/14/2023	4/28/2023
\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)	\(\vdots\)

The narrative following the timeline can then explain that the project started earlier than expected (even if these dates preceded task 2’s submission).

I’ve completed task 3, but task 2 is still in the assessment queue. Should I wait until task 2 passes submitting task 3?#

If you’re nearing the end of your term, you should submit task 3 as soon as it’s ready. If task 2 gets returned, task 3 will also automatically be returned. However, if it passes, task 3 will keep its place in the assessment queue.

My task was returned for “In-text citations could not be found…”#

My task two was returned for sources stating:

“In-text citations could not be found for portions of the task that have been quoted or paraphrased… “ What does this comment mean?

This comment indicates they could not find a matching in-text citation for every source on your reference list. Check that each reference has a match following APA style, e.g., (Author, year), and remove any references without matches. Use a referencing tool to create, manage references, and avoid such errors. Follow the in-text citations and the reference page format of the tasks 2 and 3 examples.