Starting the Capstone Process – Choosing a Topic
It is time to begin your capstone project! Where do you start?
Go to the Capstone Readiness document on the NRES website at http://nres.illinois.edu/online-program/non-thesis . Fill out the form and send it to Piper Hodson (phodson@illinois.edu) and Renée Gracon (gracon1@illinois.edu) for initial consultation.
Choosing a Topic
Choosing a topic is challenging for online students. Opportunity for collegial discussion with peers, faculty and other professionals in the field is more limited for online students than for students located on campus. It is important for you to explore the wealth of available resources. Explore the current literature on topics that were mentioned in your coursework. For additional insight into current, relevant, and timely topics you can “attend” virtual meetings such as TED Talks, Solve for X, and other sustainability lectures (UC Berkley offers some of these). You may also choose to join the list server groups of professional and academic organizations that support your areas of interest. Linked-In groups offer networking capability for those interested in tuning in via social media. We encourage you to share your online resources with each other and with the department so that we can make these contacts available to other interested students.
Another very useful way to prepare for your capstone experience is to take NRES 500, the Graduate Seminar Series. In this course, you will be exposed to a variety of research topics and methods that may provide key insight to how you can model or structure your own project. NRES 500 can be taken two times for credit because each semester the NRES department hosts different guest lecturers.
Here is an abridged list of questions from the Guide to the Successful Thesis and Dissertation (Mauch and Park, 2003, pps 78-79) to ask yourself.
- “Is there current interest in this topic?”
- “Is there a gap of knowledge that work on this topic could help to fill?”
- “Can you envision a way to study the topic that will allow conclusions to be drawn with substantial objectivity?”
- “Do you have clear goals and objectives?”
- “Is there a [sufficient] body of available information relevant to the topic?”
- “Do you have a clear statement of the purpose, scope, objectives, procedures, and limitations of the study?”
- “Will financial assistance be required?”
- “How will the data be recorded and collated for optimum speed, accuracy, and reliability?”
Frequently, students have a difficult time narrowing the topic of interest and focusing on a manageable scope for the project. Your Academic Advisor, Research Director, and Committee Members can provide support and guidance. Reading the current literature is of vital importance as you narrow your topic. Finding financial resources for your project can also be challenging. Some ideas include checking with interest groups, local businesses, or regional or state services. You can find more about funding at http://nres.illinois.edu/current_graduate/research_funds .
No matter what topic you choose, it is important to find a project that is of personal as well as scientific interest. Sustaining your effort will be much easier if you are motivated and passionate about your topic. Choose something you can see yourself working on extensively for a sizable duration (over the next 6 – 12 months). The satisfaction you will receive from your efforts will be unparalleled. Good luck.
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Mauch and Park. 2003. Guide to the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: A Handbook for Students and Faculty, 5th edition. Marcel-Dekker press.
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