Students of M.S. Data Analytics undertake the supervised Capstone Project once they have completed all core and specialization courses in the program. Capstone Projects are done in teams of two or three students enrolled in the capstone classes ANA 699A/B.

Capstone Projects are intensive experiences in critical analysis, designed to broaden students’ perspectives and provide an opportunity for integration of coursework in the area of specialization. The Capstone Project requires careful planning and implementation.

Students enrolled in the Capstone Project Course take it as the last two classes before graduation. ANA 699A runs for one instructional month (with classes that meet two times per week) and ANA699 B runs for two instructional months (with classes that meet once per week). A presentation of the Capstone Project Proposal to a team of academics and subject matter experts is required prior to final implementation of the project.

The Capstone Project is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to carry out independent scholarly research, to draw logical conclusions from data gathered, and to present the results in a clear, intelligible, and consistent form, in keeping with the established convention of the scholastic community.

The need for each team to have a topic and sponsor/advisor identified at the beginning of the capstone project course is essential to a timely completion of the capstone. This resource guide presents information designed to assist the student in understanding the requirements of the capstone project. Please read this document carefully and follow the instructions and methodologies described.

2. Learning Outcomes

Typically, projects focus on the application of materials learned throughout the program to solve multi-faceted problems such as those they would encounter in the students’ post-academic future employment. In these projects, students select project topics under the guidance of a faculty advisor, analyze the problem and formulate a detailed plan to reach a solution, perform necessary evaluations and/or experiments, identify and/or propose meaningful results and solutions, test the proposal to the extent possible, and prepare a detailed report.

The learning outcomes for the first part of the capstone process, ANA 699A, are as follows:

· Apply contemporary leadership methods in data analytics to strategically design project, construct hypothesis, and propose timeline for implementation of the analytic project.

· Conduct literature review and assess human and material resources essential to successful project outcomes.

· Develop methods of team building, conflict resolution, and team collaboration.

· Propose the correct methodology to solving a complex problem in business intelligence or the computer-aided technical support for business intelligence.

· Formally present the plan and timeline to project advisors and stakeholders orally and in a project proposal.

The learning outcomes for the second part of the capstone process, ANA 699B, are as follows:

· Apply contemporary leadership methods in data analytics to ethically implement and present the final analytic project to project advisors and stakeholders both orally and in writing.

· Demonstrate methods of team building, conflict resolution, and team collaboration.

· Implement the correct methodology to solving a complex problem in business intelligence or the computer-aided technical support for business intelligence.

· Formally present a complete project to advisors and stakeholders orally and in a project report.

3. Process

Since the capstone project occurs in a short three month timeframe, National University has a detailed and specific capstone process with weekly milestones and deliverables. ANA 699A/B are conducted by National University professors; they are in charge of the capstone process including student progress and grading. The following sections describe the steps in the capstone process.

a. Selection of Team Members

Teams of two to three students comprise each capstone project team. Team members should have similar interests and work styles, and all are expected to contribute equally to the capstone project. It is the responsibility of the student team to manage any conflict that might arise, quickly and professionally. If the conflict cannot be resolved, please contact the instructor as soon as possible since projects may be delayed or fail if team conflict is not resolved. In the case of very small or very large classes, the team size may be adjusted by the instructor.

b. Selection of Project Sponsor

A capstone project can offer corporate or industrial sponsors a low cost, high quality research opportunity to investigate actual issues confronting local, state, federal governments as well as private industry and nonprofit organizations. Projects can be proposed by corporate sponsors, employers of the students, or university faculty.

c. Selection of Project Advisor

Project advising is done by the project advisor, who is a subject matter expert in the field of the project. The Advisor is separate from, but hopefully complementary to, the Sponsor.

d. Selection of Capstone Project Topic

Students are encouraged to pick a topic that fits their goals for the program. Since most of the students in National University are working adults, students often pick their current employer as a sponsor for their capstone project. If a student is interested in entering into a new area of specialty, s/he is encouraged to select another organization, which could be a prospective employer or one that is representative of an industry that s/he would like to explore. Since the goal of the capstone project is to demonstrate a student’s mastery over aspects of data analytics including problem identification, technology selection and integration, and solution implementation, the student is advised to pick a discipline emphasis that aligns to his/her interests.

e. Selection of Capstone Project Committee Members

Each capstone project has a committee comprising subject matter experts and academics. Three committee members are mandatory; five members are the maximum. The committee members will certify that the final capstone project is satisfactory in scope and quality as the thesis for the degree.

· The minimum committee is usually the ANA 699 course instructor, project sponsor, and project advisor.

· The ANA 699 course instructor is usually the committee chair and is a required committee member as their approval and signature on all phases of the project are required.

· The project sponsor may be from academia or industry.

· The project advisor may be from academia or industry.

· Additional subject matter experts in the field of the selected capstone project may be included on the committee

· Preferably at least one committee member (besides the course instructor) should be from academia.

f. Oral Project Proposal in ANA 699A

On the Friday of the last week of the ANA 699A class, each student team will give an oral presentation to their instructor, classmates, committee members, and other National University faculty. This oral presentation is a project proposal that defines the goal, scope (master’s level depth and breadth), deliverables, methodology, and literature review to show that the proposed project is unique compared to research conducted by others in data analytics. The committee will decide if the proposed project is sufficient to continue the project in ANA 699B. If the proposal fails, students will not be able to continue with ANA 699B and will have to re-take ANA 699A with a new project in the next scheduled timeframe.

g. Written Project Report in ANA 699B

The main deliverable in ANA 699B is a written project document, either a master’s thesis or a project report based on industrial sponsor requirements. The written documents will be evaluated using the rubrics described in your course materials in Blackboard. In weeks 2, 4, and 6, sections of the draft document will be reviewed by the course instructor as well as peer-reviewed by your classmates. Revisions should be made to the document based on the comments and edits provided. The final version of the written document should be electronically delivered in Word or PDF format to the project committee by the end of week 8 for approval. Additional edits or revisions may be required by the committee. A grade of “IP” for “In Progress” may be given if committee approval is not received within ten business days after the end of ANA 699B. The “IP” grade is valid for up to six months after the end of the course. If committee approval is not received, the grade will change to “U” for “Unsatisfactory” and the ANA 699B course will need to be re-taken. If a new project is needed, the student will need to re-take both ANA 699A and ANA 699B with a new team.

4. Responsibilities and Expectations

a. Students

1. Find and consult with a sponsor/project advisor and select a topic in which the sponsor/project advisor is a subject matter expert. (Typically, the sponsor/project advisor could be from either a student’s workplace or from an organization with which he/she may have some contact).

2. Develop a proposal that defines the focus and scope of the project in consultation with the project advisor and capstone course instructor for the capstone class.

3. Obtain a detailed letter of support from the external organization project sponsor/project advisor.

4. Develop the project collaboratively with other students from the class.

5. Review and provide written comments to another team on their draft written capstone project.

6. Utilize the NU Writing Center for review of Capstone Project prior to final draft submission. Students must make an appointment on line with the Writing Center. The Writing Center is not an editor, but rather comprises professionals who will assist you in improving your writing.

b. Capstone Course Instructor

1. Ensure that the project selected is relevant to the student’s area of specialization, has academic relevance, and will produce learning outcomes relevant to the program.

2. Review that the project selected is feasible within the timeframe allotted.

3. Help refine the project goals and outcomes as needed.

4. Consult with the project sponsor/project advisor with regard to all issues including project goals, access to data, confidentiality, and project details

5. Provide a clear assessment system for each stage of the project.

6. Monitor the students’ progress on a weekly basis to ensure a successful capstone experience.

7. Ensure that the project is the student's original work.

c. Project Advisor

1. Let the students know whether the project selected is in their field of expertise and whether they are interested in supervising the work.

2. Review that the project selected is feasible within the timeframe allotted.

3. Help refine the project goals and outcomes by working with students, project sponsor, and capstone course instructor.

4. Assist as needed with project goals, access to data, confidentiality, and project details.

5. Review the capstone project deliverables for technical accuracy.

d. Project Sponsor

1. Provide topic area that sponsor’s organization has an interest in being researched and analyzed.

2. Provide letter of support from the sponsoring organization that lays out the terms of the project along with mutual expectations.

3. Assist as needed with project goals, access to data, confidentiality, and project details.

4. Review the capstone project deliverables to ensure that the project goals are met.

5. Capstone Project Written Paper Structure

a. Abstract

An abstract is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of the paper. It should be accurate, concise, specific, nonjudgmental, explicit, and readable. It should reflect the purpose and content of the research paper. It should not contain more than 150 words.

b. Chapter 1: Introduction

Answers the question “Why?” Establishes a statement of the problem and give background of why this problem needs to be studied.

i. Why am I studying this topic or question?

ii. Why does this project advance the field of Data Analytics?

c. Chapter 2: Literature Review

This section identifies work that has been conducted by others related to the proposed topic, including chronological research progress made to date. The literature review is key in distinguishing what others have done and how your project is unique and important.

d. Chapter 3: Methodology

Answers the question “How?”

i. How do you plan to study this problem?

ii. How do you plan to gather data?

iii. How do you plan to analyze the data?

e. Chapter 4: Findings

Answers the question “What?”

i. What were the actual results of the study?

ii. What were the results of any/all statistical analyses?

f. Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations

Answers the question “So what?”

i. So what does it all mean?

ii. So what do the industries and academic communities do with this information?

iii. So what other research needs to be done in this area?

iv. So what do you think about the implications of the research?

g. References

At least ten critical references must be from published peer reviewed documents published within the last 5-10 years.

6. Capstone Project Written Paper Format

The Capstone Project should follow the APA format as described below:

a. One-inch margins from top, bottom, and right side (except the manuscript page header)

b. One and one-half inch margins on the left side (required for binding)

c. Double-spaced

d. Courier or Times New Roman font in 12-point size

e. Justification only on left side of paper

f. Page numbers beginning with title page

g. Paragraphs indented

h. Separate paragraphs in a series identified by Arabic numerals followed by a period

7. Course Logistics

The ANA 699A/B capstone courses are three months in total duration. During the second week of ANA 699A, students will make a short presentation regarding their project ideas, their team members, project sponsor/advisor, and timeline of activities. After each presentation, the capstone course instructor along with other students will ask questions relating to the topic chosen and discuss possible obstacles in the project.

Drawing on the information obtained from this discussion, students may refine the scope, goals and outcomes of the selected project. Since the entire project has to be completed in three months, all details pertinent to the project including expected metrics on a weekly basis should be planned. Students will be expected to peer review other classmates’ projects and have their project peer reviewed by classmates. This peer review will follow a set rubric and be submitted to the capstone course instructor.

Teams will present weekly status updates in class. These are formal class meetings in which each team member will present a report on his/her particular activities and the status of his/her individual deliverables during the preceding week. Attendance at these meetings is mandatory unless specifically excused. Failure to attend the meeting or a show of chronic inactivity as determined from the weekly status report will significantly affect a team member's participation credit and may result in a failing grade in the course.

Teams are also expected to meet at least twice a month with their project sponsor to ensure that they continue to align with the sponsor’s vision and have not deviated from the sponsor’s expectations. Sponsors are viewed first as a customer and only secondly as a resource. Hence it is the team's responsibility to make sure that the work is proceeding as per the plan.

8. Grading Policies

Upon completion of the capstone courses, students will receive a grade designation of either “H” for “Honors” or “S” for “Satisfactory” or “U” for “Unsatisfactory”. Each course grade will be based on class participation, threaded discussion interaction, weekly presentations, and the final deliverables in each capstone class. Final grades in ANA 699B will be assigned after all requirements are met and one printed document and an electronic copy in Word and PDF format are delivered to the capstone course instructor.

Provided there is adequate progress on the capstone project, students may receive an “In Progress” (IP) grade until the final deliverable is approved by the committee, not to exceed six months from the end of the course. Incomplete ("I") grades will only be granted to students who meet National University’s requirements for an "Incomplete" designation ("due to uncontrollable and unforeseen circumstances") as described in the NU catalog. Any request for an "Incomplete" must be submitted in writing to the course instructor and must be approved by the program lead before the end of the course.

If students complete ANA 699A but then do not finish ANA 699B in a timely manner (six months), the student will have to repeat both ANA 699A and ANA 699B with a new team and a new project to finish the degree.

9. Length of Capstone Project

The expected length for a master’s thesis is 40,000 words, or approximately 100 pages. This does not typically include footnotes, references or appendices, equations, tables, diagrams and other illustrations.

Appendix A: Finding a Sponsor/Project Advisor

· Identify a potential sponsor/advisor with the help of faculty, colleagues, fellow students, employers, or other means.

· Ensure that the student and sponsor/advisor clearly understand the capstone project’s process, timelines, and guidelines.

· Develop a written list of questions about the organization and available potential projects.

· Provide potential sponsor/advisor information regarding the students’ qualifications.

· Meet face to face with the potential sponsor/advisor and discuss project details.

· Take careful notes about the potential sponsor/advisor’s project, including contact information, scope, completion dates, and relevant details.

· Communicate clearly with the potential sponsor/advisor about the goals for a capstone project, and seek to match students’ proposed solution with a problem faced by the prospective sponsoring organization.

· Evaluate the feasibility of completing the project through discussions with the potential sponsor/advisor, capstone course instructor, colleagues, fellow students, and lead faculty.

· Contact the potential sponsor/advisor on or before the agreed-upon date to convey students’ decisions.

It is important to make sure that the sponsor/advisor selected (or a designee) will be the principal contact for the entire duration of the project. Typically, a letter of support from the organization that lays out the terms of the project along with mutual expectations is obtained.

Appendix B: APA Style Guidelines - Organization of Thesis Contents

The following preliminary pages (numbered in lowercase Roman numerals) precede the body of the project in the following order:

· Title page

· Project approval page

· Copyright page (if you plan to register a copyright)

· Dedication page (optional)

· Acknowledgments (optional)

· Abstract

· Table of Contents

· List of tables (if appropriate)

· List of illustrations (charts, graphs, figures) (if appropriate)

· List of symbols (if appropriate)

Paginated in Arabic numerals are the text and other pages following the preliminary pages arranged in the following order:

· Text (chapters 1/2/3/4/5 of the thesis)

· Appendices

· References

Title Page (see example in Blackboard course)

All Capstone Projects must carry the following information on the title page:

A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the National University, School of Engineering & Computing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Data Analytics.

Project Approval Page (see example in Blackboard course)

Obtain original signature of all committee members. Electronic signatures are acceptable as long as they are legible.

Copyright Page

This page is necessary only if the Project is to be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office. The text appears immediately above the bottom margin of the page. This page is not numbered.

Dedication

Use discretion in making a dedication. The dedication should be consistent with the topic of the research.

Acknowledgments

Use discretion in making acknowledgments. It is customary to acknowledge special assistance from extramural agencies. There is no obligation that assistance received from the faculty advisor be acknowledged. Acknowledgments should be couched in terms consistent with the scholarly nature of the work. They must be on a separate page, cannot exceed one page, and should not exceed one paragraph in length, and should adopt a restrained tone. Your name and date should not appear on this page.

Abstract

All abstracts must be double-spaced and the title should simply be “Abstract.” The abstract should be no more than 150 words. It should present clearly and concisely the main objectives of the study, the results, and their significance. References are not included in the abstract.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is designed for the convenience of the reader. It should consist of the acknowledgment page, abstract, list of tables, list of illustrations, list of abbreviations or symbols, appendices and references as well as the major sections in the text. Do not list the “Title Page” or “Table of Contents” in the table of contents. Please note the following:

· You must have dot leaders between the end of a heading and its page number

· Headings in the table of contents should appear as they do in the text

List of Tables

The term “table” applies to numerical and statistical data set in vertical or horizontal alignment. If there are tables in your text/appendix, a list of tables must be included. The “List of Tables” is on a page by itself and arranged in the same general format as the Table of Contents. Type the table numbers in Arabic numerals, and the titles in capital and small letters, with period leaders extending from the last letter of the title to the page number. Please note:

· Titles may be shorter than they appear in the text as long as they are not misleading. Titles may not be longer than the titles in the text.

· Numbering of tables. You have two options: (a) You may begin by numbering the first table with the numeral “1” and continue to number your tables consecutively throughout the entire manuscript; or (b) you may number the first table in each chapter with the numeral “1” and continue to number your tables consecutively within each chapter. For example, if chapter four has three tables and chapter five has three tables, the numbering would be as follows: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3; 5.1, 5.2, 5.3.

· Single space within titles, which are longer than one line, but double space between each entry.

· Tables one page or less in length should never be divided. Tables must not exceed the usual margins of the page in the manuscript.

List of Illustrations (charts, graphs, figures)

This list is also placed on a page by itself and arranged in the same general format as the Table of Contents. Designate figure numbers with Arabic numerals.

List of Symbols

If symbols are needed in the text, a list should be provided to explain their definitions or meanings. The list should be placed on a separate page and included where specified by these instructions.

Text

The organization of the text varies somewhat depending on whether you are doing an academic master’s degree thesis or an industrial project report for your sponsor. The master’s thesis is usually divided into five chapters, each chapter titled and beginning on a new page. The contents of a master’s thesis is described in more detail below.

Chapter 1: Introduction

The first chapter provides an overview of the project. In general, the first chapter should include the following information:

Background: provide a brief history of the ideas and issues related to the research topic. This section should not be a review of the literature, but a description of the events leading up to this research.

Problem Statement: this is the heart of the research project - the question to be answered by the project. This subsection states the reason(s) why this research project is important. A good way to approach the problem statement is to address the following: Because of x and y, there is a problem in society (or the field of data analytics); if only we knew more about z, things might be better. The research project should be designed to answer z, which is the research hypothesis (anticipated outcomes/answer). Students first might want to pose a question to be answered, and then rephrase that question into the form of a statement.

Research Hypotheses: based on the purpose and objectives, what are the expected outcomes for the research? Hypotheses are fundamentally predictions about the answers to the research question and its component parts. The research hypotheses are a critical element of the research Project: they will guide the literature review; heavily influence the research methodology needed to obtain data that will either support or reject the hypotheses; and provide the focus for data analysis, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations.

Objectives: list the component parts of the research question. Rarely is a problem in data analytics one dimensional. This subsection should describe the specific elements of the problem being addressed by the research. It should also have at least three objectives. This section is written in the form of a discussion rather than just listing the objectives.

Limitations of the Study: describe self-imposed limits on the research, including those that relate to both the breadth and depth of the inquiry. Also include limitations that exist due to factors beyond your control. Describe the (potential) effects the specific limitations may have on your research. Do not include the time limitation of the three month capstone course since that is a given.

Definition of Terms: list definitions for only those terms which might be unfamiliar to the reader. Definitions should have references if they are of a technical nature.

Summary: briefly summarize chapter one in a paragraph or two and transition to the next chapter.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The second chapter should not be confused with the Introduction in Chapter I. The introduction provides a review of the topic; the literature review summarizes the research that others have done in your topic area. The literature review is not a series of book (or journal article) reports. A good literature review tells a story about the topic, using published works to support what is written. The chapter should be organized in such a way as to (a) bring together the most important writings about the research question in general, followed by (b) a closer examination of the writings related to the component parts detailed in the objectives subsection of Chapter 1. It is very helpful to the reader if the ideas are presented in the same order throughout the project.

This chapter will contain the greatest number of citations, so it is important that they be done correctly. Each citation must have a corresponding listing in the Reference section.

The Literature Review should not include data that will be used to answer the research question or test your research hypotheses. If the project is utilizing an analysis of published research to answer the research question, the Literature Review should provide the background and take the reader up to the point where those studies begin.

Chapter 3: Methodology

In general, this chapter describes how the data was collected that answers the research question and its component parts. It is important to utilize appropriate methods of data collection in order to be able to uphold or reject the research hypotheses. This chapter should begin with a description of the research methods used in the research, including a description of the dependent and independent variables, if any. Chapter 3 will most likely include the following subsections:

Description of the Subjects: depending on the type of data used in the project, this subsection can include either subjects involved in primary data collection, or those described in published research studies. If the project involves human subjects, it is necessary to first obtain IRB approval of the project.

Description of the Research Instrument(s): fully describe all questionnaires and tests, if appropriate. Include a copy of surveys in an Appendix.

Procedures: describe in full detail how data was collected. If different methods were used, each method must be described. This subsection should also include a description and rationales for any statistical procedures used to support or reject the research hypotheses. This subsection will also identify how you will analyze the data collected and establish the framework for drawing conclusions.

What it does not include: Students often want to put in the results while describing how the data was collected. This is incorrect. Leave the results for Chapter 4.

Chapter 4: Results and Analysis

This chapter includes a presentation and analysis of the data and results, not how the data was collected. The tone of the chapter should be objective. When presenting the results, stay away from words that are biased. See APA manual for examples of biased wording.

Following a summary of the research data, Chapter 4 should be organized in a manner consistent with the research hypotheses: first, present data related to the first hypotheses; and second, analyze those data to determine whether the first hypothesis can be supported or rejected. Follow this sequence for each part of hypothesis or for each part of the objective.

Tables are an effective way to present quantitative data. Qualitative data should be summarized, as opposed to verbatim transcriptions.

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations

This chapter involves (a) a discussion of the research project, including the findings, interpretation of the results, and problems and/or limitations; (b) a conclusion: what did the author find? What did the author learn?; and (c) recommendations for changes in policy or practice, future research, or anything else that will direct solutions to the problem(s) that were the focus of the research.

Appendices

The main purpose of appendices are to provide detailed information that would be distracting if presented in the text. For example, a survey instrument or questionnaire, a data collection form, SAS commands, SQL coding, or a list of variables would be appropriate for placement in an appendix.

References

Only those works cited in the text appear in the reference section and, conversely, every work in the reference section must appear in the text. The reference page is always the last section of the manuscript. Appendices should come before the references. The last page of the references should be the last page of the manuscript. It is important to properly cite all references according to the APA manual. Further, students must properly cite tables, charts and so forth according to the APA manual.

Appendix C: APA Style Guidelines - Format for Text

Style

While there are a number of style manuals available, all Capstone Projects must conform to APA style as described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition). It is the responsibility for students to make sure their project conforms to the APA style. The title page is specific to National University, and therefore does not use running headers.

Margins

Standardized margins are required on every page to ensure that no part of the project is cut off when it is bound and trimmed. Copy machines and printers may shift text on a page. Therefore the following are minimum margins:

Left: 1.5 inches (this margin is wide for binding requirements)

Right: 1 inch

Top and Header: 1 inch measured from top of page to top of page number

Bottom and Footer: 1 inch measured from bottom of page to bottom of page number

Line and Word Spacing

Double spacing, left margins, is required except where the style calls for single spacing (refer to APA Manual). Widows (the last line of a paragraph as the first line of a page) or orphans (a heading or the first line of a paragraph as the last line on a page) are not acceptable. Words must not be divided in a way which leaves one letter of the word on either line or the past tense (ed) of a verb at the end of the first line. APA calls for only one space between words. Lengthy quotations (a prose quotation of two or more sentences which runs to five or more typewritten lines) must be in block form, single-spaced, intended five spaces from the margin on both sides, and not enclosed in quotation marks (see style manual for specific details) Care must also be taken to observe all rules for making omissions in the quotation, including omission of the beginning of the first sentence of a new paragraph in the quoted source.

Punctuation

Many common manuscript problems involve punctuation and grammar in addition to organization and APA style. Be sure to work with the NU Writing Center often during the capstone process.

Pagination

Every page must be counted in the numbering. With the exception of the title page and copyright page, a number must appear on every page. Placement of page numbers must be consistent throughout and fit within the margins. Page numbers for preliminary pages using lowercase Roman numerals (ii, iii, etc.) appear centered at the bottom of the page; pages using Arabic numerals ( 1,2, etc.) should also appear centered at the bottom of the page.

Chapters

Each chapter must begin on a new page. Chapters should be numbered. Refer to the APA Style Manual for different styles of headings.

Attachment D: APA Style Guidelines - Illustrations

The purpose of illustrations (drawings, photographs, diagrams, maps, tables, plates, etc.) is to present information more clearly than can be done with words. Legends or titles should be self-explanatory, concise, and consistent in form with APA. Refer to the APA Style Manual for specific details.

Tables

The term “table” applies to numerical and statistical data set in vertical and horizontal alignment. Tables over half a page in length should be placed on a separate page. Tables too wide to be accommodated on one page may be typed on two or more pages, pasted together, and either folded or reduced to page size by a suitable photographic process. Lengthy tables should be placed in the Appendix.

Footnotes for tables are to be indicated by standard symbols (*, etc.) or lowercase letters (a, b, etc.). Do not use numbers for footnotes to tables. Footnotes are placed at the bottom of the table, not the bottom of the page.

Figures

The term “figure” refers to illustrations such as graphs, charts, diagrams, photographs, and maps, but not statistical data presented in tables. Refer to the APA Style Manual for the various styles.

Attachment E: Sample Title Page

TITLE OF THESIS

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the

National University, School of Engineering & Computing

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Masters of Science in Data Analytics

Prepared By:

Student Name 1

Student Name 2

National University

July 2017

(No page number on your title page)

Attachment F: Sample Project Approval Page

MASTER’S THESIS APPROVAL FORM

We certify that we have read the project of Student 1 and Student 2 entitled TITLE IN ALL CAPS and that, in our opinion, it is satisfactory in scope and quality as the thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Data Analytics at National University.

Approved:

Dr. Tyler Smith, Capstone Project Sponsor Date

Associate Professor, School of Health and Human Services

Program Director, MS Health & Life Sciences Analytics

National University

Dr. Siamak Yousefi, Capstone Project Advisor Date

Adjunct Professor, School of Engineering and Computing

National University

Dr. Jodi Reeves, Capstone Instructor Date

Associate Professor, School of Engineering and Computing

Program Director, MS Data Analytics

National University

(This is the first page to show page numbers and will begin with lowercase Roman numeral ii) Attachment G – Sample Copyright Page (if planning to register copyright)