C769 Resources#

Examples#

These examples are on-par with average passing tasks. Use them as a guideline for what evaluators accept in fulfillment of the requirements.

Excellence Archive#

The Capstone Excellence Archive includes a wide range of completed conclusion reports (task 3). When reviewing archived capstones, keep in mind that they all are, by definition, above and beyond the requirements. Therefore, do not use these as examples of what’s needed to meet the requirements. For a more down-to-earth example of what’s required, see the above Examples section. Note that the archive has all recognized C769 capstones are categorized as BS Information Technology regardless of degree emphasis.

Task 1 Resources#

Topic Approval Form Template#

Thumbnail of the Topic Approval Form

Waiver Form#

Thumbnail of the Waiver Form

Overview Video#

Task 1 Examples#

See the Examples and Excellence Archive sections.

Task 2 Resources#

Task 2 Template#

Write your proposal following Task 2: The Proposal template:

Task 2: the Proposal template

Task 2 Examples#

See the Examples and Excellence Archive sections.

Task 2 Videos#

Tasks 1-3 Accelerated Plan#

Nearing the end of your term? Plan accordingly:

Sections A1, A2, and A3#

Sections B and B1#

Sections C and D#

Sections E and F#

e3d9d9d5-03c9-425f-abff-ac4c015c1410

Sections G and H#

Task 3#

Completing task 3#

Video#

Podcast#

IT Audio Series podcast Converting Task 2 to Task 3; view the transcript.

Task 3 Template#

Write your proposal following Task 3: The Conclusion template:

Thumbnail of Task 3: the conclusion template

Task 3 Examples#

See the Examples and Excellence Archive sections.

Grammar, Sources, and APA#

WGU Coaching Center Writing Help#

Grammar#

Check your grammar using Grammarly.com grammarly_icon (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.

Get the best writing help from the writing experts: WGU Writing Center. While Writing Center Instructors cannot say whether a task will pass, they can help you revise your paper to meet WGU competency standards for professional communication, sources, and APA formatting. The Writing Center also offers live Q & A sessions covering a variety of topics which include general writing and grammar help. See a list of upcoming events here: Writing Center Live Events

Sources and APA formatting#

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 and APA guide for missing reference information.

Avoid reference errors by using a referencing tool:

General Resources#

Student Resources#

Webinars and Cohorts#

5 days to Finish C769 Task 2 Challenge Cohort#

Keep an eye out for the 5 Days to Finish Task 2 Challenge Cohort. You will usually see the enrollment on Mondays in the course of study in the section Labeled Explore Cohort. The Explore Cohort section will not be seen once enrollment is closed. It will start on Wednesdays and will kick off with a live webinar at 7 PM ET. Each day of the cohort I will email support for a section or 2 of the proposal (task 2) to help you finish within 5-10 days. Most tend to finish in 10 days.

Email Candice Allen ugcapstoneit@wgu.edu for more information or questions.

WGU Academic Coaching Center Live Events#

Libraries#

Tip

You can search WGU’s library and other open-source libraries using google.scholar.com Go to >’Google.scholar>setting>libraires>’ and then add WGU and other libraries.

short moive demonstraiting how to use google.scholar.com.

Welcome Email#

We’ve tried to provide everything you need here on this website as a more complete and readily available resource than the “welcome email,” i.e., the non-automated introductory email from your assigned course instructor containing the tips and resources needed to get started in the right direction. However, we often get asked for the email, and I suppose this website would be incomplete without it. So here is an example of a “welcome email.”

A Welcome Email

Welcome to C769! See the C769 IT Capstone website for almost everything you need. To understand what the capstone requires (and does not require), start here and watch these videos: Project Idea and Task 2: Proposal Overview. Your first step is choosing a topic; we recommend a topic proposing a technical solution to a problem -avoiding those that deliver only information (i.e., assessments, policies, plans, training, etc.). Though they often need reframing to fit the capstone requirements, past or present work projects make great capstone topics. The capstone project can be very similar to your C850 Emerging Technologies project -only here you get to choose the client and problem to solve.

Any IT project is allowable provided it has the following:

  1. A specific client and IT problem (you can fabricate a client whose problem needs your chosen solution.)

  2. The implementation of a hard IT deliverable (software or hardware) that helps solve that problem. This is a wholly written exercise (an actual project is not required), but fabricated projects must be written as realistically as possible from reality. While it may need some revising, you can reuse any of your professional or academic work.

Task 1

  1. Understand what the project requires and doesn’t require! Watch Project Idea and all the Task 2 Videos (they are short). Then review these examples of actual passing projects.

  2. Write the topic approval (task 1) following the Approval Form Template. This document only needs to be an outline of your proposed project. Changes from task 1 to task 2 are allowed and typical; evaluators will not rigorously compare tasks 1 and 2.

  3. Check the IRB statement and email the completed form to your assigned course instructor for signature. Appointments before approval are not required but are encouraged if you have concerns.

Afterward, you can start working on Task 2.

Pacing Guide#

Normal

Accelerated

Instructions/Steps

Week 1

Days 2-3

Follow the steps in the Task 1 Guide.

  1. Watch the welcome video.
  2. Having trouble defining a topic? Contact your course intructor.
  3. Email your completed topic approval form to your course intructor.
  4. Submit your signed approval form to Assessments, and get started on the next step!

Week 2

Days 4-8

Follow the steps in the Task 2 Guide.

  1. Watch all the Task 2 Videos.
  2. Watch the sections G and H video, review the corresponding sections in the Task 2 examples, and then write sections G and H.
  3. Watch the sections E and F video, review the corresponding sections in the Task 2 examples, and then write sections E and F.

Week 3

Days 9-13

Continue following the Task 2 Guide.

  1. Watch the sections C and D video, review the corresponding sections in the Task 2 examples, and then write sections C and D.
  2. Watch the section A video, review the corresponding section in the Task 2 examples, and then write section A (review and reuse content from C, D, and E).
  3. Watch the section B video, review the corresponding section in the Task 2 examples, and then write section B.
  4. Check grammar, sources, APA formatting, and submit! Immediately move on to task 3.

Week 4

Day 14+

Follow the steps in the Task 3 Guide.

  1. Watch the Task 3 Video.
  2. Using the Task 3 template, follow instructions for how to modify task 2 sections to fit the task 3 requirements.
  3. Check grammar, sources, APA formatting, and submit!

Warning

Be aware that task 2 and 3 evaluations often take the full three days. Therefore, if you are approaching the end of your term, don’t wait on task 2 to start task 3 and submit task 3 early enough to have it returned, revised, and resubmitted.

Accelerated Plan#

Nearing the end of your term? Plan accordingly: