Data Collection
1 INTRODUCTION
capstone project
• culminating experience that allows
students to integrate and apply the
knowledge and skills they have gained
throughout their academic program
• can take many forms, such as research
papers, creative projects, or practical
applications of skills learned in a
particular field. In this lecture
Project Proposal
first step in a capstone project: develop a
proposal
proposal
• outlines the scope, objectives, and
methodology of the project
• should include a literature review
(summarizes existing research on the
topic and identifies gaps that the project
will address)
• A clear and well-organized proposal is
essential for securing approval from the
faculty advisor and other stakeholders.
Research and Data Collection
next step: conduct research and collect data
to inform the project
primary data collection: surveys, interviews,
or experiments
secondary data collection: literature reviews
and analysis of existing data sources
It is important to ensure that the data collected
is relevant and reliable, and that ethical
considerations are taken into account in the
research process.
Data Gathering/ Data Collection
Data collection
• not simply recording numbers
• these data will lead you to the answer
to the research questions
• organized data adds beauty to your
research report
Data collection
• process of gathering and measuring
information on variables of interest, in
an established systematic fashion
that enables one to answer the stated
research questions, test hypotheses,
and evaluate outcomes
• procedure of collecting, measuring
and analyzing accurate insights for
research using standard validated
techniques
• systematic procedure of gathering
and measuring accurate information
or insights on variables of interest
using standard validated techniques
to answer stated research questions
or to test hypothesis.
Primary Data
• data collected for the first time by the
researcher for a specific purpose
• ‘pure’ in the sense that no statistical
manipulations have been performed
on them and they are original
Secondary Data
• data that are sourced from somebody
that has originally collected it
• already been collected by some
researchers or investigators in the
past and is available either in
published or unpublished form
• information is raw as statistical
manipulations may have been
performed on them already
Categories of Data
1. Qualitative Data
• characteristics or attributes
• depict descriptions that may be
observed but cannot be computed or
calculated.
For example:
data on attributes: intelligence,
honesty, wisdom, cleanliness, and
creativity
• more exploratory than conclusive in
nature
2. Quantitative data
• can be measured and not simply
observed
• numerically represented and
calculations can be performed on
them
 Types of Data 2 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1. Nominal Data analyze and interpret the findings

• naming or labeling things
• exclusive in nature that the scale does • statistical analysis, content analysis,
not overlap or other methods depending on the
• no numerical significance nature of the project
Examples:
- name, gender, address, religion, • analysis should be thorough and
and many more characteristics or rigorous and should be guided by the
attributes research questions and objectives
identified in the proposal.
2. Ordinal data
• order or sequence.
• order of values is important and
significant but the difference between
each scale is not known
examples:
- rank like first, second, third and
so on
- Likert scale like very happy,
happy, sad, and very sad
• Sometimes a number can be
assigned to each level but the
numbers do not really reflect the value
of each datum
Example:
- 7 for Very satisfied, 6 for
Satisfied, 5 for Somewhat
satisfied, 4 for Neutral, 3 for
Somewhat dissatisfied, 2 for
Dissatisfied, and 1 for Very
Dissatisfied.

3. Interval
• no absolute zero value
• Interval scale: numeric which has an
order and known exact difference
between values
Example:
- body temperature: can be
express in degree Celsius or
degree Fahrenheit. Notice that
the zero of Celsius scale does not
coincide with the zero of
Fahrenheit
- grading system of schools:
Students who passed his/her
subject with a grade of 75 are
rejoicing out loud while in other
school a grade of 75 is a shame

4. Ratio
• has absolute zero, has order, and has
exact difference between values
• can be treated using both descriptive
and inferential statistics.

3 RESULTS , CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the analysis, the project should
present clear and concise results that address
the research questions and objectives.
These results should be supported by the data
and analysis, and should be presented in a
format that is accessible to the intended
audience.
The project should also draw conclusions
based on the results, and should identify any
implications or recommendations for future
research or practice.
What is a results section?
results
• objectively present the data or
information that you gathered through
your project
• will point readers to your figures and
tables that present your relevant data
• Keep in mind that you may be able to
include more of your data in an online
journal supplement or research data
repository
What makes a good results section?
good results section
• not the same as the discussion
• Present the facts in the results, saving
the interpretation for the discussion
section
• should be written in past tense
- Make figures and tables clearly
labelled and easy to read. If you
include a figure or table, explain it
in the results section.
- Present representative data
rather than endlessly repetitive
data.
- Discuss variables only if they had
an effect (positive or negative)
- Use meaningful statistics.
- Describe statistical analyses you
ran on the data
What is a discussion section?
discussion section
• answer to the question(s) you posed
in the introduction section
• where you interpret your results
• You have a lot of flexibility in this
section.
• In addition to your main findings or
conclusions, consider:
- Limitations and strengths of your
project.
- Directions for future research.
What makes a good discussion
section?
good discussion section
• should read very differently than the
results section
• discussion: where you interpret the
project as a whole
- Present principles, relationships
and generalizations shown by the
results.
- Discuss the significance or
importance of the results.
- Discuss the theoretical
implications of your work as well
as practical applications
- Show how your results agree or
disagree with previously
published works.
How to write a Summary,
Conclusions and Recommendations
Section
Where does it fit?
The summary, conclusions, and
recommendations are at the end of a
document following results and discussion.
IMRaD process: would include the summary
and conclusions as part of the Results and
Discussion but typically the summary and
conclusions section is independent of results
and discussion.
The summary and the conclusions are two
distinctly different sets of information.
summary
• condensed version of previous facts
conclusion
• deduction or inference based on
those facts
 • This portion of a document does not
introduce new facts or arguments, it
simply reviews and lists facts and
arguments previously presented and
then draws conclusions based on
those facts
• In this sense there may be very little
new material in this section of a
document but the reader should be
able to obtain a condensed version of
what was learned by reading only this
section
Before Writing – Review graphs, tables,
and data.
• List - numerical values, peak values, and
trends that support a conclusion
• List – conclusion that can be drawn from the
results
• List - agreement or disagreement with
previous results or hypothesis
utilize the conclusions, and areas where
work is still needed.
• List actions that should be taken as a
result of the conclusions
• List additional activities that should be
done to improve reduce uncertainty or
add additional important information.
After Writing
Always check to make sure the conclusions
are supported by data and logical arguments.
• Will the accuracy and uncertainty
allow the conclusion to be made?
• Does the conclusion address the
objective?
• Are the recommendations based on
and supported by sound conclusions?
• Are the recommendations for
additional work worthwhile or
justifiable?

While Writing
• summary and conclusion section:
narrative but may contain lists for both
the summary and the conclusion
• Conclusions: often reported as a bullet
list.
• Carefully select words that are as
accurate as possible to convey the
conclusion
• Avoid absolutes, extremes, and
superlatives. For example words like
clearly, unquestionably, absolutely,
definitely, indisputably, etc. should only
be used if they can be supported by
data.
• Do not focus on the negative while
ignoring the positive results.
• There are always results that are difficult
to explain or contain a lot of uncertainty.
It can be difficult not to focus on the
results that are difficult to explain and
draw attention away from the results and
conclusions that can be made.

• Make sure to reference specific data

with numerical values and uncertainties.
• Summarize the work completed and the
context of the work to previous results
• List conclusions that can be drawn from
the work.
• Provide implications of the conclusion
drawn
• List recommendations for: improving
results, additional experiments, how to

4 REFERENCES (APA STYLE)
good abstract
Final Presentation and Dissemination
final step: present and disseminate the
findings
• Involve a written report, a poster
presentation, or an oral presentation
to an audience of peers, faculty, or
stakeholders
• It is important to tailor the
presentation to the intended audience
and to use appropriate media and
formats to effectively communicate
the findings
What makes a good abstract?
• specific and selective
• Try summarizing each of the sections
of your paper in a sentence two.
• Do the abstract last, so you know
exactly what you want to write.
- Use 1 or more well developed
paragraphs.
- Use introduction/body/conclusion
structure.
- Present purpose, results,
conclusions and
recommendations in that order.
- Make it understandable to a wide
audience.

CONCLUSION

• A capstone project is an important

opportunity for students to
demonstrate their knowledge and
skills and to make a meaningful
contribution to their field of study.
• A successful capstone project
requires careful planning and
execution, including developing a
clear proposal, conducting rigorous
research and analysis, and effectively
communicating the findings to an
appropriate audience.
• By following these steps and
dedicating sufficient time and effort,
students can create a capstone
project that showcases their
achievements and sets them up for
success in their future careers.

What is an abstract?

abstract
• miniature version of your paper
• should present the main story and a
few essential details of the paper for
readers who only look at the abstract
and should serve as a clear preview
for readers who read your whole
paper
• usually short (250 words or less)
• The goal is to communicate:
1. What was done?
2. Why was it done?
3. How was it done?
4. What was found?

GUIDELINES FOR CREATING AND
5 PRESENTING CAPSTONE
POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS
• Each student will make a presentation
of their capstone project using
POWERPOINT software.
• Students can use a maximum of 12
slides for their capstone
presentation. This should result in a
presentation of approximately 8
minutes, followed by a question and
answer exchange with attendees.
• The purpose of the following
guidelines is to help you make an
impressive, professional presentation
of your research in the time allotted.
Presentation Design
• Preparing a good presentation always
takes longer than you anticipate.
• The key is to start early and allow
enough time to adequately prepare.
• Knowing the material well and being
prepared are the best keys to success
in giving a presentation.
The following guidelines will assist you in
adequately designing a well done
presentation
Brainstorm
- What does the audience know about
the material?
- What do you want them to learn?
- Try starting with the last slide first. If
you do not know where you are going
it is highly unlikely that you will be able
to get there. Plan the conclusion first.
Know what you want to convey to the
audience, then make the rest of the
slides lead to and support your final
results.
- Write out an introduction. Start with a
15 word summary. If you can’t
summarize your idea in fifteen words,
rewrite it and try again until you can.
- Outline your story. You want your
presentation to have a logical flow.
You are telling a story that should
have a beginning, a middle, and an
end. Tell you audience what you are
going to tell them (beginning), tell it
(middle), and then summarize it
(end).
- Stick to the key concepts. Avoid
description of specifics and
unnecessary details.
- Strive for clarity. Are the words you
are using unfamiliar jargon or
acronyms? Are the words
unambiguous?
- Background: You need to give a
sufficient but not a comprehensive
background for your subject. Do not
get bogged down covering your
literature review, rather focus on your
research and findings.
Preparing Your Slides
- Use only one message per slide.
- Each slide should address a
single concept.
- Slides should follow a logical
progression, with each building
upon the other
Guidelines for Creating and
Presenting Capstone POWERPOINT
Presentations
• Use brevity: Your presentation should
contain no more than 12 slides. In
general, using a few powerful slides is
the aim.
• Do not overload your slides with too
much text or data. Too much text
makes a slide unreadable. Stick to a
few key words. If your audience is
reading the slides they are not paying
attention to you. Keep your
points/fragments short, usually 10 to
20 words.
• Maintain Parallelism: Use fragments
not full sentences.
• Use a font of 44 for titles, 28 to 34 for
subtitles, and 28 to 34 with a bold font
for text.
• Use no more than five lines of text on
any one slide and use both upper and
lower case text, not all caps.
• Use contrast: Light on dark
background or dark on light, and be
consistent. Colors appear lighter
when projected so look at on a
projection screen ahead of time.
• Use as few numbers as possible (they
are confusing to the audience).
Numbers should never be ultra-
precise. Revenues of $660,101.83
looks silly. Just say $660 thousand.
• If you use statistics, use the same
scale for numbers on a slide. Cite
 your source on the same slide as the
statistic, using a smaller size font.
• Maintain professionalism, do not use
animations or “cute” templates in your
presentation.
• Have all text appear at the same time
that the slide does. Do not have text
that appears as the speaker talks.
• Number each of your slides and give
them a title.
• If you use charts remember that
numbers in charts can be very hard to
read. Askmyourself, is there a better
way to present this information?
Clearly label all charts
• Be in control, save questions for the
end.
• Speak clearly with sufficient volume,
be loud and clear.
• Think about breathing. This limits the
“ums” and “aahs” of your
presentation.
• Make eye contact with the audience.
• Think SLOW! You are almost always
going faster than you realize.
• Have a conclusion and reiterate.
Stress again your value added (tell
the people what you told them), this is
why you are presenting. What do you
want your audience to do? What do
you want them to remember?

Presentation Guidelines • Always leave time at the end for a few

questions.
• Content and Timing – Practice your - If you have trouble answering a
presentation question you can always use
• Talk through your presentation to see statements such as, “that’s a
how much time you use for each slide. really good question,” or “I’m glad
It can be helpful to use the “timer” tool you asked me that,” to buy
in PowerPoint. yourself time to organize your
• Make a list of keywords/concepts for response.
each slide. - Do not be afraid to say “I don’t
• Do not attempt to memorize your text. know” or “give me your card and I
• Do not use PowerPoint or note cards will get back to you on that
as a “crutch”. Know the content of question.
your presentation.
• DO NOT READ YOUR SLIDES. Your
audience can read them much faster
than you can talk.
• Step out from behind the podium.
• Avoid distracting mannerisms in both
speech and movement (i.e. saying
“um” of shifting your weight from side
to side, etc.)
• Have a rehearsed opening statement
and use it. Do not attempt to
improvise at the last moment.
• Always have a prepared handout
when giving a POWERPOINT
presentation. You never know what
will happen.
• To end on time, you must PRACTICE!
When practicing try to end early.

Presentation Style

• Arrive early, do not fight an LCD

projector in front of an audience.
• Always stand, you are the expert on
this topic.
• Always introduce yourself whenever
you talk.
Directions:
Write TT if both statements are true and TF if
one is true while the other is false and FF is
both statements are false.
1. A - Experimental design allows
manipulation of independent variable.
B - Experimental design does not require
sampling procedure.

2. A - Quasi-experimental design is used when

population requires randomization.
B - Quasi-experimental design does not
require controlled condition in the laboratory.

3. A - Correlational design measures the effect

on dependent variable when independent
variable is manipulated.
B - Correlational design measures
relationship of independent and dependent
variables.

4. A–Research design is a plan how a

researcher can answer his/her research
questions
B–Method is a strategy to implement the plan.

5. A–Control group and control variables

ensure that only the independent variable
affects dependent variable.
B–Sampling method eliminates bias.

Select the correct answer/s inside the

parenthesis and underline the
word/s.
1. All data gathered during experimentation
are (primary, secondary).
2. Experimentation generates (qualitative,
quantitative) data.
3. Statistical analysis is appropriate in
(interval, ratio) data.
4. Data about effect and relationship of two
variables are obtained by
(experiments, observation).
5. Experiment is repeated to ensure data
(consistency, diversity)
 Research Methods
There are a number of ways to conduct
research for your capstone topic, but
everyone must start with the literature review
in order to learn what has already been
published on your topic.
The following are research methods
commonly used in capstone research:
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment
• Understanding the environmental,
social, and economic impact of our
decisions is in essence what your
degree is preparing you to do.
• Life cycle assessment is also a
research method that you could
employ in your capstone project.

Case studies
• in-depth investigations of a single
individual (noteworthy sustainability
leader), a group (activist), or event
(United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change).
• Reading prior case studies is a must
to inform your design. Reading case
studies may also lead you to
sustainability professionals who
authored the published work.
• These experts could become part of
your own exploration of the topic.
• formal research method with a
specific structure

Interviews
• You may want to conduct interviews
with experts in the field on a specific
topic, such as wave energy or clean
water regulation. Sustainability
professionals have a wealth of
information and are ordinarily happy
to support beginning scholars.
• Your capstone reader and your
capstone instructor can help make
introductions through their own
networks.
• Interviews are not simple tasks. You'll
need to learn how to conduct
interviews in such a way that avoids
bias and elicits data that can be used
for analysis.

Surveys
• chosen when you want to gather
information from a large data set
• Survey design is also not a
straightforward task.

Program evaluation
• in-depth and detailed evaluation of an
aspect of a specific organization's
sustainability project to understand if
and how it met its intended goals

The Six Components of a Capstone
Paper
1. Introduction
• crucial part of the document that sets• Limitations
the tone for the entire project
• should cover the key points of the
paper, including the purpose, scope,
and significance of the research
• should provide a clear and concise
thesis statement that outlines the
central argument or focus of the paper
2. Literature Review
• provides an overview of the existing
research and knowledge on the topic
• covers key points related to the
research question or problem
statement and helps establish the
study’s overall context
• should be comprehensive, well-
organized, and focused on the most
relevant and recent sources
• should also identify gaps in the
literature and highlight the need for
further research
3. Methodology
• should provide a clear and detailed
description of the research methods
used in the capstone project and
should demonstrate that the research
was conducted in a rigorous and
ethical manner.
• Research design
- should describe the overall
approach to the research,
including the type of study (e.g.,
qualitative, quantitative, mixed-
methods), the research questions
or hypotheses, and the sampling
strategy.
Data collection
- should describe the methods
used to collect data, such as
surveys, interviews,
observational data sources
- should also consider
instruments or tools used to
collect data, such
questionnaires or interview
guides.
• Ethical considerations
- should examine any ethical
considerations related to the
research, such as confidentiality
and privacy
- should review any research
limitations. This involves
acknowledging any weaknesses
or shortcomings in the research
and discussing how they may
have affected the results, such as
sample size, data quality, or
financial resources
4. Discussion
• summarizes the findings of the research and
provides an analysis of the results.
• Key points include:
- Summary of findings
: brief summary of the main
findings of the research
: concise critique of the results
and their significance
- Interpretation of the results
: offer an analysis of the data and
clarify what it means in the
context of the original research
question
- Comparison with previous
research
: should also compare the
research results to prior studies in
the field
: helps to contextualize original
findings and identify any
similarities or differences
- Implications of the finding s
: impact of the findings on the field
of study
: classifying any practical
applications of the research and
examining how the results can be
used to inform future research
or
any
as
5. Conclusion
 • strives to objectively present the data
or information that you gathered
throughout the entire capstone
project.
• The story you tell will point readers to
any figures and tables that illustrate
relevant data and tie it back to the
general purpose of the research.
• The overall goal is to bring it all back
to the initial hypothesis.
6. Recommendations
• provides recommendations for future
research related to the topic
• involves identifying areas where
further research is needed and
suggesting potential avenues for
future study
• can be derived directly from the
research findings, providing readers
with concrete examples and
recommendations based on the data
and its implications
Capstone Project vs. Thesis Paper
Capstone projects and thesis papers are both
important academic assignments that
students may be required to complete in order
to graduate from their degree programs. While
they share some similarities, there are also
some key differences between the two.
capstone project
• final project that allows students to
showcase the knowledge and skills
they have gained throughout their
academic program and apply them to
real-world problems and issues
• take many forms, including research
papers, case studies, presentations,
or even creative projects like
portfolios
• often involve collaboration with other
students or professionals in the field
and may require the use of primary
research methods
• more practical and applied
• involve more collaboration and may
require students to work with external
stakeholders
thesis paper
• more traditional academic research
paper focusing on a specific research
question or hypothesis
• typically involves a thorough literature
review, data collection, and analysis,
as well as a detailed discussion of the
findings
• often written by students pursuing
graduate degrees and are intended to
contribute new knowledge to the field
• theoretical and research-focused
• typically completed independently
Both assignments can be valuable learning
experiences and can help students develop
important skills that will be useful in their future
careers
 WHY IS IT CALLED A CAPSTONE
PROJECT?
“capstone” project
• crowning achievement of an
academic program, as it combines all
the skills and knowledge gained into a
culminating conclusion
• final piece of work or project that
wraps up the entire academic
program and represents a significant
milestone in academic and
professional development
IS CAPSTONE PROJECT EASIER
THAN THESIS PAPER?
• Although they are similar, capstone
projects and thesis papers differ at
their core.
• The level of difficulty depends on
various factors, such as the project’s
topic, scope, and requirements.
• However, a capstone project may
generally be considered less
intensive than a thesis paper, as it
typically involves the practical
application of knowledge and skills,
while a thesis paper requires
extensive research and analysis of a
specific topic.
HOW LONG DOES A CAPSTONE
PROJECT TAKE TO COMPLETE?
• The length of time it takes to complete
a capstone project can vary
depending on the specific
requirements of the project and the
program.
• Capstone projects can take anywhere
from a few weeks to several months
to complete.
• Therefore, project planning and time
management are required to ensure
that you are able to complete the
project within the given timeframe.
Why is methodology important in the
capstone project?
• to inform the reader of your chosen
strategy to collect and analyze data in
a bid to answer your research
questions
Data interpretation
Data Interpretation
• process of understanding, organising,
and interpreting the given data, for
making sense of and getting a
meaningful conclusion.
• The basic concept of data
interpretation is to review the
collected data by means of analytical
methods and arrive at relevant
conclusions.
• There are two methods to interpret
the data:
1. Qualitative method
- used to analyse qualitative data
or categorical data
- qualitative data interpretation:
used texts instead of numbers or
patterns to represent the data.
- two types of qualitative data
1. Ordinal data interpretation
(easier)
2. nominal data interpretation
2. Quantitative method
- used to analyse quantitative data
or numerical data.
- uses numbers instead of texts to
represent the data
- types of quantitative data:
1. discrete
2. continuous data
- requires statistical methods and
techniques like mean, median,
standard deviation, etc. to
interpret the data.
Basic Concept of Data Interpretation
• refers to the procedures through
which data is reviewed by various
analytical methods to arrive at an
inference.
• The data to be interpreted can be
collected from various sources like
data from the running of industries,
census population etc.
• The importance of data interpretation
are:
- The well-analysed and well-
structured data help the
managing board to examine the
data before taking action to
implement new ideas
- It helps in predicting upcoming
trends and future competition
 - The process of data interpretation
provided the business with
various cost benefits
- The data interpretation mostly
helps in decision making
- Data interpretation helps you gain
knowledge to achieve a - These rectangular bars could be
competitive strategy
- The data interpretation helps to
manipulate information in order to
answer critical questions
- it helps to evaluate consumer
requirements
Steps for Interpreting Data
The step by step process for Interpreting Data
includes:
1. Collect The Information You’ll Need
To Interpret Data
• collect all the information you
will need to interpret the data.
• Put all this information into
easy to read tables, graphs,
charts etc.
2. Develop findings Of Your Data
• develop observations about
your data, summarise the
important points, and find the
conclusion because that will
help you form a more
accurate Interpretation
3. Development Of The Conclusion
• the conclusion is remarked
as an explanation of your
data. The conclusion should
relate to your data.
4. Develop The Recommendations Of
Your Data
• the recommendation of your
data should be based on
your conclusion and
findings.
Types Of Data Interpretation
• Bar Graphs
- we can interpret the relationship
between the variables in the form
of rectangular bars.
drawn either horizontally or
vertically. The different categories
of data are represented by bars
and the length of each bar
represents its value. Some types
of bar graphs include grouped
graphs, segmented graphs,
stacked graphs etc.
• Pie Chart
- circular graph used to represent
the percentage of a variable
- represent numbers as proportions
or percentages.
- Some types of pie charts are
simple pie charts, doughnut pie
charts, and 3D pie charts.
• Tables
- statistical data are represented by
tables
- placed in rows and columns
- Types of tables include simple
tables and complex tables.
• Line Graph
- charts or graphs that show
information in a series of points
are included in the line graphs.
- Line charts: are very good to
visualise continuous data or
sequence of values.
- Some of the type of line graphs
are simple line graphs, stacked
line graphs etc.
Conclusion
data interpretation
- The process of reviewing data
through some analytical methods
which will help assign some
meaning to the data and arrive at
a relevant conclusion
- focuses on statistical modelling
and knowledge in particular data
analysis
- importance lies in every field
- The collection of data provides
benefits to a wide range of
institutions and individuals.
two methods to interpret data: quantitative
method and qualitative method

Types of data interpretation: bar graphs, line

graphs, histograms, heat maps, tables,
scatter plots and pie charts.

Data Interpretation
- helps you gain knowledge to
achieve a competitive strategy