TECH8000 IT Capstone – Annotated Bibliography | ERP Implementation & Research Problem Identification | Complete Study Guide
INTRODUCTION
Welcome! This guide covers everything you need to tackle the Annotated Bibliography assessment for TECH8000 IT Capstone. I'll walk you through Part A - preparing your annotated bibliography - and Part B - delivering your 3-minute pitch. By following this guide, you'll understand how to identify a complex IT problem, research it effectively, and summarise your findings in a structured academic format.
You'll also get practical examples of solved content, tips for tackling common challenges, and guidance on referencing, formatting, and submitting your work. Think of this as your roadmap to completing the assessment with confidence and clarity.
ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
This assessment has two components: Part A - Annotated Bibliography, and Part B - 3-Minute Pitch. You're expected to produce an in-depth, scholarly analysis of an IT problem in a client's business scenario. Key requirements include:
- Conducting scholarly research with at least ten (10) sources.
- Summarising and evaluating relevant literature in an annotated bibliography.
- Developing research objectives, questions, and identifying your research community.
- Presenting your findings in a 3-minute in-class pitch using only one slide.
- Using APA 7 (or other acceptable styles) for references.
- Ensuring your report is well-structured, clearly written, and submitted as a Word document.
Your Task
This assessment is to be completed individually.
Part A - Annotated Bibliography:
In this assessment, you will compile an Introduction and annotated bibliography for the IT research problem that you have identified in the client's business. An annotated bibliography is a document you prepare to study and analyse relevant papers. The Annotated Bibliography will include detailed citations, summaries, relevance, evaluations, and reflections for each source, helping to study and analyse relevant papers. It helps you to identify the research challenges and sub-questions you will address in the future assessments.
Part B - The 3-Minute Pitch:
You will be required to present the following items in the presentation: identified problem in the case study, justification for choosing the problem, one challenge faced in completing the task, one strategy used in overcoming the challenge in week 5 during an in-class presentation. You will be given 3 minutes to pitch your case but only one slide can be used for the presentation.
Assessment Description
In this assessment, students will develop a comprehensive annotated bibliography focused on the complex IT problem in the case study (provided in a separate document). This annotated bibliography will include detailed summaries and analysis of relevant papers to understand the current state of research and methodologies related to the problem. Additionally, you are required to identify specific research problem(s) that you will address throughout the course. These research problems will be drawn from the insights gained during the creation of the annotated bibliography, ensuring that you have a clear and well-defined research agenda. By thoroughly analysing existing literature, you will be better equipped to propose innovative solutions and contribute to the field of IT. You are also required to present your finding in an in-class presentation in week 5.
This assessment aims to achieve the following subject learning outcomes:
- LO1 Design a plan for research that aims to identify the causes and potential solutions of a complex IT problem for a client.
Assessment Instructions
Students must conduct scholarly research and include appropriate references. You should use at least ten (10) sources of information and reference these in accordance with any acceptable referencing style. These may include websites, social media platforms, industry reports, census data, journal articles, conference proceedings and newspaper articles. These references should be presented as in-text citations and a referencing list at the end of your assessment in the form of Bibliography (not included in the word limit). Avoid using Wikipedia and other similar sites. Ensure that you use only articles published within the past seven years. You must submit your report in Word document. The report should be well-structured and organised. It should include the following details:
Part A:
1. Select the Case Study: Select one case study from the provided list for in-depth analysis. This involves thoroughly examining the scenario, identifying key challenges or issues, and applying relevant theoretical concepts or frameworks to propose solutions.
2. Introduction and Problem Statement: Begin by clearly stating the IT problem faced by the company indicated in the case study. Provide a concise overview of the problem and its significance for the company. Explain why it is crucial to identify the causes and potential solutions for this problem. Conduct scholarly research to gather additional insights into similar IT challenges faced by other companies in the industry.
3. Identify Domain: Consider the broader context within which your research problem exists. This includes societal, cultural, economic, political, and technological factors that may influence or be influenced by your research topic.
4. Annotated Bibliography: Conduct a thorough review of existing literature related to the IT problem faced by the company and prepare a small write up for each relevant article and should include the various items discussed in week 3. You will be using this section to complete your second assessment.
5. Research Objectives and Research Questions: Define clear and measurable research objectives aligned with the identified problem statement for the case study (as identified in step 2). Conduct comparative research to understand how other companies have addressed similar IT challenges and formulate relevant research questions based on your findings.
6. Identifying your research community: Begin by clearly defining the specific community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners who are working in the same or related field as your research topic. This community may encompass individuals from academic institutions, research organizations, industry, government agencies, or non-profit organizations.
Part B:
You are required to prepare a presentation which you will deliver in week 5 in an in-person presentation. You can use only one slide for your presentation. There should be three components of your presentation:
1. Introduce your problem
2. Justify why you choose the problem
3. What was one of your biggest challenges in solving this problem
4. What was your one strategy to address the challenge
The slides of the presentation should be uploaded by the end of week 4 as part of the assessment submission. You are not allowed to use or plug and play your own presentation slide during week 5 in-class presentation. Your facilitator will assist you in displaying the slide for your presentation.
Want the Full Solved Solution for TECH8000?
Get a complete breakdown of:
- Annotated bibliography with 10+ sources
- Research objectives and questions
- Reflections and analysis
- APA 7 reference list
Get the complete solved Assessment 1 - covering all Part A sections (Introduction, Domain, full 10-source Annotated Bibliography, Research Objectives & Questions, Research Community) plus the Part B pitch slide, formatted in APA 7 ready to submit.
How to Score High in This Assessment
- Introduction & Problem Statement: Don't just describe what ERP is - state the specific IT problem, its significance to Nestlé, and why it matters. Include the $200M cost and six-year timeline to show scale.
- Domain Identification: Address all five contextual factors explicitly - societal, cultural, economic, political, and technological. Each needs to connect back to ERP at Nestlé, not just be listed.
- Annotated Bibliography (the biggest section): Each entry must have three distinct components: a genuine Summary, a critical Evaluation, and a Reflection that explicitly links the paper to your case study context.
- Go beyond surface summaries: HD-level annotations show critical analysis - point out what a paper does NOT cover or what its limitations are, then explain why it's still relevant to your problem.
- Research Objectives: Write SMART objectives - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Each must directly align with your problem statement and be clearly answerable through research.
- Research Questions: Each question should open a genuine investigative direction. Avoid yes/no questions. Questions must be specific to the ERP problem at Nestlé, not generic IT questions.
- Research Community: Name specific types of researchers, organisations, and practitioners. Explain what each contributes and how their work connects to your study - don't just list job titles.
Why Students Struggle With This Assessment
- Weak reflection in annotated bibliography entries. Most students write three summaries instead of a genuine summary, evaluation, and reflection. The reflection must connect the source back to your specific case study - not just say 'this is useful.'
- Choosing the wrong case study. Picking a case you don't understand sets you back for all three assessments. Choose the one you can research most easily and that has the most available literature.
- Vague research objectives. Writing 'to improve ERP in Nestlé' is not a research objective - it's a goal. Objectives must be measurable and specific enough that another researcher could follow them.
- Missing the domain identification entirely. Many students skip societal or political factors because they focus only on technology. But the rubric explicitly asks for the broader context - and markers will check.
- Using sources older than 7 years. The assessment brief is explicit: only articles published within the past seven years. Using older sources will cost you marks even if the content is relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What exactly is an annotated bibliography and how is it different from a reference list?
A: A reference list just cites sources. An annotated bibliography adds a written analysis for each source - typically a summary of the main argument, a critical evaluation of its strengths and limitations, and a reflection on how it relates to your specific research problem. For this assessment, you need all three components per source.
Q: Can I use the same case study for all three TECH8000 assessments?
A: You must use the same case study for all three assessments. The assessment brief is explicit about this. Your annotated bibliography from Assessment 1 directly feeds into Assessment 2, so the case study you choose here matters for the entire subject. Choose carefully.
Q: Is Generative AI allowed for this assessment?
A: The GenAI Traffic Light for this assessment is Level 2 - optional use. You may use it for research and content generation, but any GenAI use must be appropriately referenced, and you must include an appendix documenting all prompts and responses used. Unapproved use may result in a zero.
Q: How many references do I need and what types are acceptable?
A: You need at least 10 references, all published within the past 7 years. Acceptable sources include journal articles, conference proceedings, industry reports, and reputable websites - but avoid Wikipedia. To score high (HD), most of your sources should be peer-reviewed journal articles or conference proceedings rather than general websites.