Assessment of Draft Capstone Proposal &

Learning Contract

Student: ____________________________ Faculty Advisor: ___________________________

The guidelines for capstone proposals are attached to this form, as is information about the
Environmental Studies capstone program and the role of faculty advisors in that program. One of
the main responsibilities of the faculty advisor is to help the student craft a project that is
challenging yet manageable. To that end, please use this form to provide feedback on the student’s
draft proposal and learning contract. You should, of course, feel free to make additional comments
directly on the proposal and contract, but do not feel compelled to correct spelling, grammar, or
conventions; the capstone instructor reviews drafts and works with each student on such writing
issues. To ensure adequate time for revision, please return the form to the student (and cc
psean@uw.edu) by Wednesday, December 8th. It is generally advisable to go over your
comments in a face-to-face meeting to give the student an opportunity to ask questions and discuss
revision strategies.

In addition, please send a copy of this form to Capstone Instructor Sean McDonald
(e-mail: psean@uw.edu • fax: 206.616.2465 • campus mail: box 352802).

1) Please evaluate the context and background section of the capstone proposal.
Here are some questions you may wish to consider:
• Does the proposal adequately define the central environmental issue(s) addressed by the project?
• Does it demonstrate the student’s awareness of relevant scholarly literature about this/these issue(s)?
• How might the proposal do a better job of situating the project in a larger context?

2) Please assess the researchable questions.

Here are some questions you may wish to consider:
• Are the questions relevant to the context and background?
• Are the questions clear, focused, and manageable?

(continued on the reverse)

3) Comment on the proposal’s description of project responsibilities and methods.
Here are some questions you may wish to consider:
• Does the proposal clearly describe the hands-on work the student will be doing?
• Does the proposal explain what methods the student will use to answer his or her researchable questions?
• If relevant, does the proposal explain how the student will analyze information gathered?
• Should the student consider alternate or additional methods of gathering and/or analyzing information?

4) Evaluate the significance section of the proposal.

Here are some questions you may wish to consider:
• Does this section describe how the project will address the central environmental and/or scholarly issues
described in the context and background section?
• How might the student strengthen this section of the proposal?

5) Please examine the schedule of meetings found on page 3 of the learning contract. Is this
schedule appropriate and workable? _________ If not, how should the student modify the schedule?

6) Evaluate the list of deliverables found on page 4 of the learning contract.

• Does the contract describe the deliverables in sufficient detail (precise content, required length in # of pages,
etc.)?
• Is the list of deliverables too modest or too ambitious for a 150-hour project (240 hours for honors students)?
• Do the deliverables allow the student to address his or her researchable questions in a way that could form the
basis of an analytical paper written in ENVIR 492?

Feel free to include any other comments that might help the student revise the proposal and
contract. (You may attach additional sheets.)