SENIOR CAPSTONE
PROJECT
PROJECT OUTLINE
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN OUTLINE
• Brief overview of Senior Project
• Background research needed to
complete project
• Scientific study/investigation summary
• Mentor information/requirements
• Project description
• Presentation summary
OVERVIEW
• Short paragraph (about 5 sentences) that
summarizes your senior project. Should not go into
any details.
• Example: My senior project is comparing regular
shingles to slate shingles in the construction of a
small barn. I will need to research how barns are
built and the differences between regular and slate
shingles. I will run various tests on both types of
shingles. I will use the information I acquired through
my research and experiments to create a small
model of my barn design.
BACKGROUND RESEARCH
• This could be in paragraph, table, or outline form
• List all of the information you will need to know in order
to complete the project
• Example
Both types of Shingles
Cost
What they are made of
Durability
Maintenance
How manufactured
Site preparation
How to install
Environmental factors
Aesthetic factors
Buyer’s preference
How used in past
Weather resistance
SCIENTIFIC STUDY/INVESTIGATION
• List the steps necessary to complete any
studies/investigations (NOTE: this could be
information acquired by a study found during
research)
• Example:
• I am going to test the durability of regular and slate shingles
by doing the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Place each shingle on the floor
Drop a ½” diameter wood ball from a height of 10 feet
Inspect shingles for any damage
Repeat with aluminum, steel, and lead balls
SCIENTIFIC STUDY/INVESTIGATION
• Example:
• I am going to test the weather resistance of regular and
slate shingles by doing the following:
1. Apply one 4’ x 4’ piece of plywood with regular shingles and
another 4’ x 4’ piece of plywood with slate shingles as you
would install them on a barn roof
2. Rest both pieces of plywood on sawhorses
3. Place a pan under each “roof sample” to catch any water
4. Simulate a rain shower by using a garden hose to squirt each
“roof sample” for 10 minutes on with hose nozzle set to “gentle
shower”
5. Observe, measure, and record any water that passed through
the shingles
6. Repeat ___ times
SCIENTIFIC STUDY/INVESTIGATION
• Example:
• I am going to determine which type of shingles is more
aesthetically pleasing by surveying students at the CCCTC
1. Take/find pictures of similar barns; some with slate roofing,
some with regular shingles.
2. I will go to the all of the labs and show each student 2 pictures
at a time, one with slate, one with regular (barns should be
similar). Students will pick which picture they like best.
3. I will record student preferences
4. After surveying at least 100 students, I will analyze my data to
see which students prefer.
MENTOR INFORMATION
• Compile a list of:
• People you know who may be able to help you with your
project (parents, coworkers, employers, teachers, etc.)
• People with certain jobs who may be able to help you
• Examples:
• My neighbor works construction for company XYZ and will
be able to help answer questions I have about roofing
• I will need to contact (email/call) an employee of ABC
shingle makers to get more information on how shingles are
manufactured.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
• Use information you have acquired to compile a
final project (write a description of that project)
• Example: After analyzing my research and
experimental data, I will use that information to
select the appropriate roofing material and make a
1/5 scale model of a barn. The barn will be used for
…
PRESENTATION SUMMARY
• What will your presentation include?
• What visual tools will you use? (Must have at least 2)
•
•
•
•
Power point can be 1 visual aid
Project could be 2nd
Can use poster with charts/graphs
Video/pictures of process/testing
• Example: I will make a power point highlighting the
research, experiments, and studies I performed. I
will include the pictures I presented to students and
pictures of the construction of my model. My
second visual aid will be my scale model of the
barn.