Writing a scientific review paper for your Capstone
Very Important
You must have prior permission to use this Capstone option, any proposals submitted without prior approval will be returned without review. In most cases you must be a Senior planning to graduate during your Capstone semester. We will drop anyone who has not completed their graduation application by the end of the first week. Complete your application early as it can take a bit of time to process and get it into the records. Other reasons for doing this type of Capstone may be considered with sufficient justification. The traditional Capstone pathways are still the best option for almost everyone’s career preparation. Please exhaust every option for finding a research or shadowing experience before using this path.
Contact the Capstone Coordinator with any questions before you fill out this proposal.
Please read and be sure that you understand these guidelines before submitting your proposal. In developing your project and filling out all forms, ensure that you are complete and descriptive to avoid delays. If you have any questions, contact the capstone coordinator:
Dr. Brian Antonsen
email: antonsenb@marshall.edu
Phone: 304-696-6496
Write an independent paper centered on a biological topic of your choice
You will write an open ended paper centered on some biological subject of interest to you. Capstone is supposed to be reflective, and the culmination of your time here (thus the name!). Therefore this paper will not only include a simple subject review. Rather it will discuss your subject in the context of your education and related experiences. What have you learned that helps you understand your subject? What is lacking? Have any of your classes, volunteer time, or other experiences given you any direct experience with this particular subject?
You should think carefully about your topic. You want it to be interesting and relevant to you as that will greatly ease writing. You should investigate the topic somewhat before submitting the proposal, as we will look for a basic understanding when I evaluating your proposal. For example, if your interest is cancer biology, and tell us that you plan to write a paper on cancer, that is too vague. If you say your interest is gastrointestinal cancer, in particular new therapies and outcomes (with real examples so we know you’ve read into it), then you are on the right track.
Copy the following project description (everything between the lines) into the Project Description box in the Special Capstone proposal form linked at the bottom of this page. The parts that say write this yourself should, obviously, be written yourself. Provide details, we want to see you have thought about this. Insufficient detail may lead to a rejection of your proposal. The rest of the description should be left as is.
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I will be taking the Capstone option to write an integrative paper on a biological topic of my choice.
For assessment, I will write a 15 page single spaced written paper and submit it by the due date specified in the syllabus. This paper will cover scientific aspects of my topic, and reflect on how my education and related experiences have helped me to understand this topic and prepare me for the next steps in my career. I will also submit a comprehensive outline, containing sufficient information to construct the entire paper, again by the due date specified in the syllabus. I agree to follow all aspects of the syllabus for the course, including those involving academic dishonesty.
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Evaluation
Your evaluation will be based solely on the outline and paper that you will write. More details on how to construct that paper will follow in the syllabus for the course and other handouts, once the course begins. It is critical that you start working on the paper early, and continue to refine it through the term. Papers written at the last second very rarely earn a good grade in a 400 level class.
Online Project Proposal
Once you have read and understood the above information, and developed your detailed project plan, click below to fill in the online form.