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Capstone Project

Capstone Project Overview

Four people sitting around a table looking at and working on a PV panel
Education and Training, Energy Analysis.
Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Photographic Information exchange [1]

EGEE 401 Capstone Project

My Views on This Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to give you free rein to delve deeper into areas of interest to you related to the content of this course. Three alternative project types are available to you: Letters to the Editor, Research Paper, and Lesson Plan (this option is only for teachers, let me know if you have questions). These options are described in detail on the following page. You are asked to complete one project of any of these three types.

Before completing your project, you will need to submit your chosen project type, topic and other details in advance for review and approval. The description on the following page provides details of the information that needs to be provided in advance for each project type. This information is called the Project Definition. Please refer to the Calendar in Canvas for due dates for Project Definition and Completed Project due dates.

What is due for the Capstone Project?

The table below provides an overview of the requirements for your project. For details regarding the assignment, refer to the page(s) noted in the table.

Please refer to the Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates.

Capstone Requirements
REQUIREMENT LOCATION SUBMITTED FOR GRADING?

Project Definition

  • Project type and topic, and other details depending on project type

Page 2

Submitted for Approval and Comment, not graded. However, late submission of Project Definition will result in 10% penalty on project grade.

Submit to "Capstone Project Definition." (It's in CANVAS, under Capstone Project)

Capstone Project

  • Completed Project
Page 3 Yes. Submit to "Capstone Project." (It's in CANVAS, under Capstone Project)

Questions about EGEE 401?

If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions about EGEE 401? Discussion in Canvas. Use this Discussion for general questions about course content and administration. I will check it daily to respond. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate or have a related question.

 

Capstone Project Options

Pick the type of project you would like to do from the three options listed below. Please note that a Project Definition must be submitted for all projects. I will approve or provide guidance for revisions. This pre-approval step is very important for successful and meaningful projects. If Project Definition is submitted late, a 10% penalty will apply to full project grade.

Academic Integrity

If you use the words of others, you must indicate them as such and provide the reference source. This is true in this class, as well as every other class you take at Penn State. Failure to do so can have serious consequences.

Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting other's work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other student's papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include forfeited assignments, course failure, or disqualification from a degree or certificate program. For more information, please see the “Academic Integrity Guide” [2] for this class, listed in the menu under “Resources.”

Option 1. Letters to the Editor

Write a Letter to the Editor to print or online publications in direct response to three specific articles of your choosing. (You do not need to actually submit your Letter to the publications, but feel free to do so!) Choose one article related to each of these three categories:

  • alternative energy sources for electricity or issues related to electricity grid operation (for example, smart grid, storage, microgrids)
  • alternative fuel sources for transportation
  • climate change

You can interpret these categories broadly. Please be sure the articles are current (published within the last 3 months).

Each letter should be at least 600 words.

Address each letter, "Dear Editor," or use article author's name if available. In your letter, address issues raised in the article and stay focused. Clearly present your point of view. Use data and facts to support your position.

Provide citations for any text, data or ideas you use from other sources. Follow the Academic Integrity Guide [3] listed in the Resources box for this course. Use in-line citations with full references at the end of each letter. The in-line citations can count as part of you word count, but the references are not part of the word count. Please see Academic Integrity note at the bottom of this Lesson page.

REQUIRED FOR PROJECT DEFINITION: Project Type ("Letters to the Editor") and the three articles you have selected (one for each category, clearly specified). Include links to full articles.

REQUIRED FOR COMPLETED PROJECT: Three letters (with references) and the three articles (or working links to articles).

GRADING CRITERIA: Level of research and quality of information presented (50%). Organization and quality of writing (40%). Format, presentation, references (10%). Overall, a successful letter will have a clear point and be well organized. It will present facts and data to support your point of view. Each letter will directly address the referenced article.

Option 2. Research Paper

Write a paper on a topic of your choice related to the material in this course. I suggest you write either an "Argumentative Paper" or "Definition Paper," as described below by Personal Writer [4].

  • An argumentative paper presents two sides of a controversial issue in the one paper. A good argumentative paper will include in-text citations that present logical facts from both sides of an issue, and will conclude with the author analyzing the pros and cons of each argument. The author is expected to favor one side more than the other on an issue, but the research and analysis must be un-emotive and factual and include both sides of the argument.
  • A definition paper describes a topic from a factual standpoint that is usually devoid of emotion or the opinion of the author. Although the definition research paper will include facts from a variety of sources, this information is left unanalyzed and contains only actual facts found in another's research paper findings.

Choose a topic that is related to the course content and of genuine interest to you. Your paper should add to the material covered in this class. Branch out, consider new or emerging topics of current relevance. Your topic may be technology related (for example: light rail, microhydro, large scale concentrating solar, algae-based fuels) or policy related (for example: personal carbon tax, pending federal climate change legislation, environmentalists who now support nuclear).

Your paper should be at least 2,750 words. (This may include in-line citations).

Provide citations for any text, data or ideas you use from other sources. Follow the Academic Integrity Guide [3] listed in the Resources box for this course. Use in-line citations with full references at the end of your paper. The in-line citations can count as part of you word count, but the references are not part of the word count. Please see Academic Integrity note at the bottom of this Lesson page.

REQUIRED FOR PROJECT DEFINITION: Project Type ("Research Paper"), type of paper (Argumentative or Definition), title of your paper, brief summary.

REQUIRED FOR COMPLETED PROJECT: Completed paper (with references).

GRADING CRITERIA: Level of research and quality of information presented (50%). Organization and quality of writing (40%). Format, presentation, references (10%). As either an Argumentation or Definition paper, it will follow the descriptions above. Overall, a winning research paper of either type will be well structured and present data and facts in an organized, objective manner. The opening of the paper will clearly state the purpose and structure of the paper. Subheads throughout the paper will organize the content for the reader.

Option 3. Lesson Plan (ONLY for those of you who are teachers)

THIS IS OPTION IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS. Develop a lesson plan on a topic of your choosing relative to the content of this class. The outline below is my recommended format, for purposes of this class. However, the very best case would be for you to develop a Lesson Plan to use with students in a program with which you are involved. I encourage you to do this! If your school or institution has its own guidelines or standards for Lesson Plan content, I will be happy to work with you so that the work you do for this project is directly applicable.

  • Title
  • Audience
    • grade level
    • size of group
    • setting and any other relevant specifics (e.g., face-to-face classroom or lab, online)
  • Length of Lesson
    • instructional time and independent work time, indicated separately
  • Learning Objectives
    • Open with the phrase, "After this completing this lesson, you will be able to…" then list a set of actions the student will be prepared to perform at the end of the lesson. Each one should begin with a verb and be as specific as possible. Examples of appropriate verbs include: list, identify, define, solve (quantify), compare and contrast. (For more information, see Writing Course Objectives [5]) .
    • Provide at least three objectives for this lesson.
  • Lesson/Procedures/Tasks
    • Provide the content of the lesson in whatever form you choose, as long as it is specific enough that another instructor could pick it up and deliver the lesson from your materials. You may want to submit a slide presentation with notes or written lecture notes, highlighting major concepts, key points, data, and examples.
    • If you are using resources such as a text book, online references or other 3rd party materials, provide full reference details.
    • How will you entice curiosity in the topic? (For example, opening with “big questions,” challenges, dilemmas, or a thought-provoking scenario.)
    • What activities will your students complete?

Provide citations for any text, data or ideas you use from other sources. Follow the Academic Integrity Guide [3] listed in the Resources box for this course. Use in-line citations with full references. Please see Academic Integrity note at the bottom of this Lesson page.

REQUIRED FOR PROJECT DEFINITION: Project Type ("Lesson Plan"), Title of your lesson plan, audience, length of lesson, and learning objectives (as described above)

REQUIRED FOR COMPLETED PROJECT: Complete Lesson plan, including all sections identified above.

GRADING CRITERIA: Title, Audience, Length of Lesson, Learning Objectives (15%), Lesson/Procedures/Tasks (85%). The sections will assessed based on the above descriptions, as well as technical accuracy and completeness. Overall, a winning Lesson Plan will present correct information and data and demonstrate that you have a sound understanding of the lesson content.

 

Submitting Your Work

Submitting your Project Definition

  • Use this naming convention for the file containing your work:  Definition_AccessAccountID_LastName.doc (or .pdf). For example, Definition_vjc12_Cole.doc
  • Upload your Project Definition. (It's in CANVAS, under Modules, in the Capstone Project folder.)
  • Check the Calendar in CANVAS for due date. Late submission of Project Definition will result in 10% penalty on project grade.

Submitting your completed Capstone Project

  • Use this naming convention for the file containing your work: Capstone _AccessAccountID_LastName.doc (or .pdf). For example,Capstone_vjc12_Cole.doc
  • Upload your complete Capstone Project. (It's in CANVAS, under Modules, in the Capstone Project folder.)
  • Check the Calendar in CANVAS for due date.

If you have questions, please contact me through Canvas e-mail. If your questions are general and may be useful to others, please post them in "Questions about EGEE 401?" discussion forum.


Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/content/p12.html

Links
[1] http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/searchpix.php?query=EDUCATION%20AND%20TRAINING%20and%20energy%20analysis&display_type=tiled&max_display=100&search_home=searchpix.html&search_reverse=1
[2] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/p3.html
[3] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/node/1613
[4] http://www.personal-writer.com/blog/7-most-popular-types-of-research-papers
[5] http://www.uwlax.edu/catl/instructionaldesign/Writing_Course_Objectives_HANDOUT_v2.pdf