CapstoneStyle

CapstoneStyle is a formal editorial and presentation approach designed to standardize the documentation and presentation of capstone projects. It aims to promote clarity, consistency, and reproducibility across final-year reports, portfolios, and supplementary materials. While not tied to a single institution, many universities and programs adopt templates and guidelines that embody CapstoneStyle principles, allowing students to meet common expectations for structure, formatting, and scholarly rigor.

Core features of CapstoneStyle include a defined structure, typographic guidance, and consistent citation practices. Typical project documents organized under CapstoneStyle follow a structured sequence such as title page, abstract, introduction, problem statement, methodology, results, discussion, conclusions, references, and appendices. A clear heading hierarchy, standardized margins, and legible typography—often a serif font for body text with larger sans-serif headings—facilitate readability. Figures and tables are accompanied by captions and are referenced systematically. CapstoneStyle also emphasizes consistent citation and referencing, accommodating disciplinary conventions (for example APA, IEEE, or Vancouver) while prioritizing uniformity within a project.

In practice, CapstoneStyle is supported by templates, checklists, and style guides that institutions provide for students. It is commonly implemented through word processor and typesetting templates (including LaTeX classes) and integrated into digital repositories and submission workflows. While it offers clear advantages in consistency and evaluability, some critics note that strict adherence can constrain disciplinary specificity, encouraging programs to allow adaptable elements for different fields while preserving core CapstoneStyle principles.