Capstone advisors/instructors: Every capstone project course has an assigned faculty advisor or instructor who is there to provide guidance and support to students. Students should meet regularly with their advisor, at minimum once a month, to discuss their project plan and progress, get feedback on their work, and seek help if encountering any challenges or roadblocks. The capstone advisor is the primary source of guidance and is invested in seeing their students succeed. Students should take full advantage of the knowledge and experience of their assigned advisor.

Librarians: College and university librarians are trained to help students with research for major projects like capstones. Students should visit the library reference desk or schedule a research consultation appointment with a librarian to learn about relevant databases, subject guides, and resources to support their particular topic area. Librarians can help students efficiently identify high quality sources and ensure they are finding the depth and breadth of information needed. Many libraries also offer research workshops covering topics like citation management and avoiding plagiarism.

Writing center consultants: On-campus writing centers are staffed by trained writing consultants who can provide feedback on drafts of a capstone paper or project report. While they generally will not proofread or edit papers, consultants can assist with organization, flow of ideas, clarity of writing, and adherence to formatting guidelines. They are also knowledgeable about scholarly writing conventions and can answer questions about integrating and citing sources. Meeting with a consultant is a great way to get an outside perspective on work-in-progress.

Faculty experts: Students should identify faculty members on campus who have expertise in their capstone topic area and consider setting up informational interviews or meetings. Faculty can point students towards additional resources, provide context and depth on theories or issues relevant to the project, suggest related research they may have conducted, and connect students to other professionals working in the field. They may also be willing to serve as a “second advisor” by reviewing a draft or discussing challenges.

Professional associations: Many career fields have associated professional membership organizations that students can join as students or access lower-cost membership rates. These associations often have conferences, journals, research databases, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities that can support capstone work. They frequently have sections or offerings targeted specifically at students and new professionals. Association involvement helps students plug into their chosen industry.

Peer support networks: Some colleges organize capstone-specific peer mentoring programs, success networks, or virtual discussion boards to connect students working on similar projects. Interacting with and learning from other students undertaking capstones provides a built-in source of shared knowledge and empathy during the process. Students can find commiseration as well as tips from their fellow students in navigating the capstone experience.

Online guides and tutorials: Many colleges have created online capstone handbooks, process guides, timelines, and How-To resources that students can access 24/7 on their own schedule via the academic department or institutional websites. Tutorials on project planning, literature reviews, proper citation techniques, and other helpful skills are also widely available on sites like YouTube or dedicated research support pages. These virtual supports allow independent learning.

Course partners: For capstone courses that involve paired internships or group projects, students gain an automatic support system in their project partner(s). They can encourage each other, hold each other accountable to deadlines, discuss challenges, do practice presentations together, and provide feedback on works-in-progress. Positive partnerships during capstones can last for years after graduation.

With dedication to capitalizing fully on all these abundant supports available on campus and online, students have every tool they need to achieve successful outcomes with their capstone projects, the culminating demonstrations of all they have learned during their academic careers. Proactively seeking guidance is key to conquering this challenge.