There are a number of ways to conduct research for your capstone topic, but everyone must start with the literature review in order to learn what has already been published on your topic. Because this step is so important, we've created an entire section on this topic (please see Choosing a Topic, Literature Reviews).
If your research methods will include the use of human subjects, please see the section on the Use of Human Subjects.
The following are research methods commonly used in capstone research:
Case studies. Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single individual (noteworthy sustainability leader), a group (activist), or event (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). Reading prior case studies is a must to inform your design. Reading case studies may also lead you to sustainability professionals who authored the published work. These experts could become part of your own exploration of the topic. Case study is a formal research method with a specific structure. For an introduction, visit Basics of Developing a Case Study from the Free Management Library and visit MIT Sloan Learning Edge and Harvard Kennedy School for examples of quality case studies.
Interviews. You may want to conduct interviews with experts in the field on a specific topic, such as wave energy or clean water regulation. Sustainability professionals have a wealth of information and are ordinarily happy to support beginning scholars. Your capstone reader and your capstone instructor can help make introductions through their own networks. Interviews are not simple tasks. You'll need to learn how to conduct interviews in such a way that avoids bias and elicits data that can be used for analysis. For an introduction, visit General Guidelines for Conducting Research Interviews from the Free Management Library.
Surveys. Conducting a survey is another way to gather research on your topic. Ordinarily, this method is chosen when you want to gather information from a large data set. Survey design is also not a straightforward task. For an introduction, visit the Harvard University Program on Survey Research.
Program evaluation. You may also consider in-depth and detailed evaluation of an aspect of a specific organization's sustainability project to understand if and how it met its intended goals. For an introduction, visit Evaluation Activities in Organization from the Free Management Library.
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment. As a sustainability student, it is very likely that this term is familiar to you. Understanding the environmental, social, and economic impact of our decisions is in essence what your degree is preparing you to do. Life cycle assessment is also a research method that you could employ in your capstone project. Visit the Life Cycle Initiative hosted by the UN environment for additional information.