COM 690 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview

COM 690 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a campaign plan with accompanying presentation and reflection. As the final stop in your journey toward your
Master of Arts in Communication, you will complete a capstone that will allow you to demonstrate the knowledge and experience you have gained during your
time at SNHU. Over the course of the term, you will immerse yourself in integrating what you have learned in your coursework and practice to create an
authentic demonstration of your abilities as a communication practitioner. The three components of the campaign plan, presentation, and professional reflection
will serve as evidence and a sample of various types of creative expression and skills. The project will exemplify your professional identity and represent the skills
and abilities you can bring to a potential employer.
The campaign report component is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and
ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Two, and Five. The final components are due in Modules Eight, Nine, and
Ten.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
ï‚· COM-690-01: Apply moral reasoning to make ethically sound and socially responsible choices that are consistent with a cogent personal framework and
accepted standards in the field of communication
ï‚· COM-690-02: Utilize multiple appropriate, strategic approaches in making decisions, formulating solutions, and solving problems that reflect creativity
and versatility of thought
ï‚· COM-690-03: Engage diverse audiences effectively through an open-minded, empathetic treatment of different cultural perspectives and an awareness
of self and one’s impact in a global, interdependent age
ï‚· COM-690-04: Integrate multiple communication technologies and collaborate in communities of practice to carefully curate shared messages while
generating new meaning
ï‚· COM-690-05: Create, manage, and grow an authentic, personal brand with purpose and savvy using innovative communication strategies, professional
networks, and relevant tools and technology
ï‚· COM-690-06: Employ a broad, contemporary knowledge base, self-directed learning skills, and a practiced adaptability to remain on the cutting edge of
the communication field as an empowered agent of change
Prompt
Working individually and with feedback from peers and your instructor, you will identify, research, and analyze a real communication issue or opportunity and
then plan an appropriate response. You will build this campaign throughout the term, completing various milestone assignments, meeting deadlines, and refining
your plan. You will accompany this written plan with an audience-targeted presentation and a reflection on your professional journey through the MA-COM
program.
You will first create an appropriate, well-researched, insightful, and creative communications plan. Upon completion, this campaign will serve as evidence,
documentation, and a sample of various types of creative expression and skills learning. It will be exemplary of your professional identity and should be
considered a representation of the skills and abilities you bring to a potential employer. For this reason, the communication challenge or opportunity you choose
should be relevant to the business goal of the selected company/organization, attainable, measurable, current, and sufficiently complicated to encourage
multiple creative communication strategies and tactics. Generally, challenges, issues, and business opportunities that would be encountered in a specific
company or organization are preferable.
Your campaign should be situated in your chosen concentration. For example, if you are pursuing the New Media & Marketing concentration, you might, among
other options, create a marketing campaign for a new product launch. If you are pursuing the Public Relations concentration, you might, among other options,
choose to create a brand image campaign for a company dealing with the repercussions of a crisis. If you are pursuing the Health Communication concentration,
you might, among other options, create an awareness campaign for a particular heath issue. Students with no declared concentration may choose to complete a
campaign matching one of these concentrations or propose an alternative campaign type.
Your instructor will be available to brainstorm ideas and will act as an advisor throughout this process. You will additionally participate in discussion board peer
review sessions, providing feedback to your classmates and receiving feedback on your project.
This capstone will be assessed somewhat differently than other courses you have taken online at SNHU. There are three separate components which will be
submitted at different times during the course; however, they all operate together to compose the whole capstone experience and are not assessed separately.
You will be evaluated on all three of them as a unit in determining whether you have achieved proficiency in each outcome. All three components must be
completed at the highest levels, as the strengths of one cannot make up for the weaknesses of another. Your instructor will guide you through this process,
keeping a running narrative of your strengths and weaknesses in relation to the outcomes as you progress through the class. Your work is expected to meet the
highest professional standards. Remember, you are selling yourself as much as you are selling your ideas.
Capstone Component One: Campaign Report
The first of three capstone components, this comprehensive and professional campaign report should have five primary sections and showcase the knowledge
and skills you have honed throughout the MA-COM program:
1. Professional Cover: Elements such as company logo, report title, contact name and information, etc.
2. Executive Summary: 1–2-page overview of your company and the campaign
3. Situation Analysis: Revised version of Milestone Three
4. Campaign Proposal: Demonstrate the use of multiple appropriate, strategic, creative, and versatile approaches to decision making and problem solving.
The proposal should include but not be limited to the following:
a) Strategies and tactics
b) Campaign goal(s)
c) Relevant publics and audiences
d) Media choices
e) Communication tools
f) Cost of campaign
g) Timeline
5. Evaluation Process: Since you will not execute the campaign, it cannot be measured, but you can still create the measurement plans in advance.
This report should be submitted in a professional and visually pleasing format. Consider your choice of fonts and use of images, charts and tables. You should
consider a minimum of four media elements. The final report should be in the range of 15–20 pages. Please do not make images or charts larger than necessary
to achieve a certain page count. Design and proper visual presentation are more important than page count. In the “real world,” there are usually not any page
length requirements. Therefore, the 15–20-page range is a suggestion, and you should use your best professional judgment regarding the length of your report.
Capstone Component Two: Campaign Presentation
The second of three capstone components, this comprehensive and professional presentation uses the information from your campaign report to demonstrate
your visual and oral communication skills.
You should envision yourself giving this presentation to your chosen company/organization. You need to demonstrate your understanding of the organization and
the situation(s) that established the need for your campaign. You then need to present your campaign in a well-organized and clear manner. You should use
innovative and creative methods that are reflective of your project’s goals. Remember that you are seeking support for your proposal, so knowing your audience
and tailoring your message to the audience is crucial.
Since you will not actually deliver this presentation in person, you must create a self-sustaining presentation with speaker notes or audio, either included or
submitted as a separate attachment. The presentation should adhere to the principles of an effective presentation, and all of your sources should be cited
properly. There is no minimum or maximum number of slides required. You should use your best judgment to create a presentation of appropriate length that
will convey all of your campaign information while keeping the attention of your audience.
Capstone Component Three: Professional Reflection
This essay is your chance to reveal and discuss your thoughts about the process and outcomes of this project, your journey through your master’s program, and
how you plan to position yourself professionally. Writing reflectively allows you to think deeply and consciously about your experiences. Your ability to selfanalyze in a business-appropriate manner to address areas of growth and to articulate goals and plans is invaluable to successful practice.
This succinct essay should address the following types of issues:
Thinking about the process you just completed:
ï‚· Why did you select this organization to plan a campaign for?
ï‚· How did you apply the theories you learned during your academic program to actual practices?
ï‚· Did you come across instances where you had to rely on practical experience rather than theory?
ï‚· If you had the opportunity to plan this campaign again, what would you do differently?
ï‚· What would you like to have done had you had more time?
ï‚· What connections do you see between your capstone and your academic program?
ï‚· How will you apply what you have learned to your future academic and/or professional life?
Milestones
Milestone One: Company/Organization Selection
In Module One, you will submit your company/organization selection. You will submit the name of the company or organization you selected for your final
campaign, along with a description of the company/organization and its activities, a brief explanation of the reasons for your selection, and the type of campaign
(New Media & Marketing, PR, Health Communication, or other) you will be completing. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Campaign Proposal
In Module Two, you will submit a campaign proposal. This document will specify the focus of your campaign. The purpose of this step is to make sure your
organization has a communication need, that you have an idea how to address that need, and that you have identified several initial resources to begin research
for your proposed campaign. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Situation Analysis
In Module Five, you will submit your situation analysis. This report will serve as your rationale for developing your campaign plan and will become part of your
final report. Through research and analysis, you will demonstrate your understanding of relevant publics—the various competitive, regulatory, political, or social
environments in which a client organization operates. The analysis should identify business and organizational opportunities as well as challenges to solving the
identified problem. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission Component One: Campaign Report
In Module Eight, you will submit your campaign report. This comprehensive and professional report is the first of three final deliverables for this course. The
campaign report will include a professional cover, executive summary, revised situation analysis, a campaign proposal, and a campaign evaluation process. It
should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained
throughout the course. This component is graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Final Submission Component Two: Campaign Presentation
In Module Nine, you will submit your campaign presentation. This comprehensive and professional presentation is the second of three final deliverables for this
course. This professional presentation is a formal presentation of your campaign report used to demonstrate your visual and oral communication skills. It should
be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the
course. This component is graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Final Submission Component Three: Professional Reflection
In Module Ten, you will submit your professional reflection. This comprehensive and professional reflection is the third of three final deliverables for this course.
This essay is an opportunity to think deeply and consciously about your experiences. It is your chance to reveal and discuss your thoughts about the process and
outcomes of this project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation
of feedback gained throughout the course. This component is graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverables Module Due Grading
1 Company/Organization Selection One Graded separately: Milestone One Rubric
2 Campaign Proposal Two Graded separately: Milestone Two Rubric
3 Situation Analysis Five Graded separately: Milestone Three Rubric
Final Submission Component One:
Campaign Report
Eight Graded comprehensively: Final Project Rubric
Final Submission Component Two:
Campaign Presentation
Nine Graded comprehensively: Final Project Rubric
Final Submission Component Three:
Professional Reflection
Ten Graded comprehensively: Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric
This rubric will be applied to all components as a whole, and no component will be assessed on its own. The “Possible Indicators of Success” are examples for you
and the instructor of the types of concepts to look for to demonstrate proficiency. They are neither exhaustive nor proscriptive and should be used as guides for
illustrating how your capstone embodies the outcome. All outcomes are weighted equally.
Guidelines for Submission: Written components of this project must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: 15 to 20 pages (not including the
References section), double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, discipline-appropriate citations, use of at least three sources, and a
professional cover page including a company logo, report title, and contact name and information.
COM-690-01: Apply moral reasoning to make ethically sound and socially responsible choices that are consistent with a
cogent personal framework and accepted standards in the field of communication
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s moral reasoning and ethical decision-making? Does it show racial, religious, ethnic, and cultural sensitivity? Does it consider the
potential implications of any decision on society and/or individuals’ well-being?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s knowledge and application of industry-specific expectations? Does it conform to accepted ethical standards (e.g., Journalists’ Code
of Ethics)? Does it adhere to all legal standards?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s professional and personal integrity by properly using citations, avoiding plagiarism, and submitting new and original work?
COM-690-02: Utilize multiple appropriate, strategic approaches in making decisions, formulating solutions, and solving
problems that reflect creativity and versatility of thought
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s creative, versatile problem-solving? Does it utilize multiple approaches and data sources (for instance, does the research utilize the
textbook, the instructor, peers, relevant professionals, etc.)?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s versatility of thought? Does it consider the vantage points of all parties involved? Does it illustrate this breadth of thought in
multiple areas of decision making?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s creativity beyond the standard textbook response?
Is the research from multiple reliable sources? If the sources are “unreliable,” is that taken into consideration? Does the research inform decisions when necessary?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to analyze business practices and develop reasonable, effective solutions?
COM-690-03: Engage diverse audiences effectively through an open-minded, empathetic treatment of different cultural
perspectives and an awareness of self and one’s impact in a global, interdependent age
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s open-mindedness and global awareness? Does it avoid the inclusion of personal bias in creation, execution, and measurement?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s sensitivity to various audiences, especially in the way work is approached and interpreted? Does it target the appropriate
audience(s) and align the response/content accurately?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s clear and insightful understanding of him/herself in the global community and among the diverse stakeholders involved in the
project?
COM-690-04: Integrate multiple communication technologies and collaborate in communities of practice to carefully curate
shared messages while generating new meaning
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to collaborate around messaging and meaning? Does it incorporate feedback from multiple sources, including dialogue with
peers? Does it reflect the student’s rich interactions with his or her peers?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to leverage appropriate technologies? Does it employ multiple appropriate communication technologies to advance
objectives?
Does the capstone employ multiple appropriate media tools to both advance objectives and position the student as a professional?
COM-690-05: Create, manage, and grow an authentic, personal brand with purpose and savvy using innovative
communication strategies, professional networks, and relevant tools and technology
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to develop a personal brand? Does it serve as a marketing/self-promotion tool? Does it convey information clearly and
professionally through multiple types of correct writing (including summary and analysis) and appropriate visual and oral presentations?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s self-awareness through the student’s choice of company/organization and its usefulness to future career aspirations?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to apply contemporary tools and technology for research, development, and presentation of the final campaign?
COM-690-06: Employ a broad, contemporary knowledge base, self-directed learning skills, and a practiced adaptability to
remain on the cutting edge of the communication field as an empowered agent of change
Proficient
100%
Not Proficient
0%
Possible Indicators of Success
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s adaptability? Does it show an adherence to time expectations? Does it demonstrate the student’s ability to independently problemsolve and create change?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s knowledge base? Does it employ specific, industry-appropriate terminology when describing and applying strategies and tactics?
Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to employ contemporary and creative strategies and tactics that position him or her on the leading edge of communication
practice?