This document outlines the requirements for a capstone project that involves researching an information need. Students must identify a real person with a complex information need, develop a research question, and search for a variety of sources to address the need. The project requires an introductory paragraph describing the information need and question, a search strategy explaining the methods and tools used, a critique of the search strategy, five cited sources in MLA or APA format including individual evaluations, and application of the CRAAP test to evaluate source credibility and relevance. Examples of past successful information needs addressed family health, education, and mental health topics.

1. C P R G 1 0 5 C A P S T O N E P R O J E C T
Information Need Analysis and
Search

2. Information Need
 Identify a real-world person with an information
need
 Can be
 Your employer
 A relative
 A friend
 Even yourself
 Need must be complex and require research for a
variety of helpful, appropriate sources

3. Information Needs can be…
 Work or career related
 Health or safety related
 Real-world issue related (e.g., impact of fracking in
the area you live)
 Other complex issues that impact you or someone
you know

4. Past Information Need Examples
 How to sustain a healthy lifestyle after diagnosis of
diabetes for a mother
 Educational resources available for the autistic son
of a sister-in-law
 How Risperidone affects the mind of a schizophrenic
in a positive/negative manner (for a cousin with
schizophrenia)

5. Pieces of the Project
 Introductory paragraph
 Describe your info need
 Include your research question
 Why you want to research this info need
 Your Search Strategy
 Critique of Your Search Strategy
 Your 5 sources
 Citations in MLA (7th ed.) or APA (6th ed.) style
 Evaluations of each source

6. Introduction
 In this introductory paragraph, briefly convey your
information need, your research question, and why
you chose to research this topic.
 ~ 3-5 sentences

7. Search Strategy
 How did you go about searching for sources on your
topic?
 What search tools did you use [at least 3 different search tools]
 What terms / subject headings / keywords you searched
 What difficulties you faced

8. Critique of Search Strategy
 Explain what you did well and what you would
improve if you had time to do so

9. Source Choice
 Variety of sources, appropriate for college level
research:
 1 Web source (for background)
 2 scholarly journal
articles
 1 popular or trade article
 1 eBook (or section of
eBook)

10. Citation Format
 MLA 7th edition or APA 6th edition: CHOOSE ONE!
 Be consistent in the style you use
 Double space citations
 Don’t forget hanging indent!
 Citations should be in alphabetical order by author
last name (title, if no author).

11. Evaluation
 Evaluate each source using the CRAAP Test model
 Be sure to address ALL components of the CRAAP
Test
 Any source that you select MUST pass the CRAAP
Test and be appropriate for college level research