Resources and Support for Theses and Capstone Projects
Resources and Support for Theses and Capstone Projects
The main source of support for doing a thesis or capstone project will be the student's committee chair. However, additional support and a variety of resources are also available for every student.
Suggestions and Tips
Style Guide Resources
Frank E. Gannett Memorial Library
Office of Graduate Studies
Writing Center
Smarthinking
Academic Support Services Center
Style Guide Resources
Frank E. Gannett Memorial Library
Office of Graduate Studies
Writing Center
Smarthinking
Academic Support Services Center
- Choose a topic that you are passionate about. A thesis or capstone project is a significant time commitment, so you want to ensure that it is something that will keep you motivated.
- If an option, choose a committee advisor that has some expertise in the area that your thesis or capstone project will explore.
- Start writing in the appropriate format and style guide requirements from the outset; it's much easier than stressing about it at the end when you're up against a deadline. Actually, starting to write all papers in the appropriate format and style guide requirements from the time you start graduate school is even better!
- Your thesis or capstone project might change along the way, and there is nothing wrong with that. Reshaping your ideas based on your research will only improve your paper. Please keep in mind that, depending on the changes, additional time/courses may be needed.
- Set a time limit on your research. Do not exhaust the research and only leave a short amount of time for the writing process.
- Try to write some every day - at least 30 minutes a day.
- Find the time of day when you are at your best for writing and try to write during that time.
- Having writer's block? Pick a section or topic within your paper and just start writing. Sometimes starting in the middle of a section or topic can help. Sometimes starting with words or phrases that come to mind rather than trying to write complete sentences works. Before long, you'll find that coherent sentences and entire paragraphs start forming!
- If you're struggling with the appropriate format and style guide requirements, it's OK to hire a professional editor.
Style Guide Resources
Each graduate program determines which style guide or style manual (e.g., APA, MLA, AMA) must be followed when writing a thesis or capstone project. A style guide is used to ensure consistency throughout a document and provides guidance on formatting, organization, and how to cite references, but it also may go further and provide guidance on ethical writing and how to write clearly.
APA
Official APA Style Guide site - provides the basics and quick answers from the source
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) - a wonderful secondary APA resource
MLA
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Official MLA Style Guide site
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) - a wonderful MLA resource
AMA
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Official AMA Style Guide site
Where better to start a thesis or capstone project than at the Library. The Utica College Library has an array of services that support both online and campus based students. To help get you started there is a Student Services page. Here you will learn how to find and distinguish articles, request a book, and even get one-on-one help from a Librarian. If you need help starting your research, check out the Research Guide.
The library also maintains a PDF version of theses/capstone projects since 2006 where the author submitted an electronic version and the requisite permissions. These PDF files are available online for anyone to view. You can search by title, author, program, or specific keywords. Here are the quick steps to searching for a UC thesis/capstone project (more detailed instructions available at either supporting link listed above):
The library also maintains a PDF version of theses/capstone projects since 2006 where the author submitted an electronic version and the requisite permissions. These PDF files are available online for anyone to view. You can search by title, author, program, or specific keywords. Here are the quick steps to searching for a UC thesis/capstone project (more detailed instructions available at either supporting link listed above):
- Go to utica.edu/library
- Click on the Find Books tab
- Click on Advanced Search
- In the subject box, enter: "dissertations" (without quotation marks)
- OPTIONAL - in the word or phrase box, enter a topical search term (from Fall 2012
forward, this will include the ability to search by UC graduate programs*)
- Click the Search button
- Click on the Find Books tab
- Click on Advanced Search
- In the subject box, enter: "dissertations" (without quotation marks)
- OPTIONAL - in the word or phrase box, enter a topical search term (from Fall 2012
forward, this will include the ability to search by UC graduate programs*)
- Click the Search button
* The following UC graduate programs can be searched for within the word or phrase box:
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Cybersecurity
- Economic Crime Management
- Education
- Health Care Administration
- Liberal Studies
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Cybersecurity
- Economic Crime Management
- Education
- Health Care Administration
- Liberal Studies
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
The Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) provides support to all graduate students from the time they are accepted and indicated that they will be attending UC until the time they graduate. The staff in OGS is available to assist students with any need they may have. If for some reason OGS is unable to provide the assistance needed, they will guide students where to go to get the proper assistance.
The Utica College Writing Center has a collection of manuals, handbooks and other written resources that may serve to guide you during a writing project. There are also three computers, one Windows machine and two Macs, available to the writers. They have a standard array of software, plus Dragonspeak (speech recognition software) is available on the Windows computer. They also have a printer, stapler, and three-hole punch available for your use.
Smarthinking is an online tutoring service that is available to Utica College students. It provides tutoring in a variety of subjects, some of which are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some of the services included are connecting and live interaction with a tutor, submit writing assignments to the Online Writing Lab, and submitting questions to be answered by a tutor.
Everyone needs a little help once in a while. Graduate school can be overwhelming especially when it gets toward the end and you have to finish that very important last paper or project. It can be very stressful, if you are feeling stressed and would like someone to talk to Utica College has counselors that can help. The Academic Support Services Center offers a wide variety of counseling services to help you succeed academically and personally.
If there are other services that you need that are not listed in the above links, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 315-792-3335 or by email at ogs@utica.edu
