| Course | PS498 Bachelor's Capstone in Applied Behavior Analysis |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 1 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post |
| Length | About 430 words, 2 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 discussion post |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Psychology |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PS498 Unit 1
Why My Capstone Is About Toilets: A PS498 Unit 1 Discussion Board Post
PS498 · Unit 1 Discussion Board Post
Posted by [Student Name]
The writer, the clinic, the families and the classmates are composite; the sources cited are real.
Initial Post
Hello, everyone. I am in my last term of the BS in Psychology with the applied behavior analysis concentration, and for three years I have worked as a registered behavior technician at a center-based autism clinic in Omaha, Nebraska. I work with children from two to seven, under the supervision of two board certified behavior analysts.
My capstone focus came from a parent meeting in August. Amara, five, has autism and speaks in short sentences. Her mother told us that the elementary school near their home would place her in a general kindergarten classroom with support, but only once she was using the toilet; until then, she would attend a separate room with a changing area. Another child on my caseload, Leo, four, uses a few signs and is also still in diapers, and his parents are worried about preschool.
Baer et al. (1968) described applied behavior analysis as applied when it addresses behavior important to the person and to society. Few skills open as many doors for a young child as using the toilet: classrooms, playgrounds, swimming lessons, sleepovers and dignity.
Amara's classroom placement depended on one skill, and that skill can be taught.
The project also draws on almost everything the program taught me: measurement and design, ethics and scope, assessment, intervention, generalization, caregiver training and evaluation. Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth (2009) surveyed toilet training studies with autistic and developmentally disabled learners and found the strongest support for intensive methods adapted from Azrin and Foxx's work, while noting that self-initiation, generalization and long-term maintenance were less well studied. Those gaps will shape how I plan to measure and evaluate the project.
My supervisor has agreed to oversee the project, and both families have given consent to the clinic's toilet training program and to my using composite descriptions in my coursework.
What part of your capstone draws on the course you expected to use least?
Reply to Grace
Grace, your focus on teaching a teenager to cross streets safely is a strong choice. I would be curious how you will measure it without putting him in real danger during baseline.
Reply to Tomas
Tomas, I like that your capstone is about staff training. Baer et al. (1968) would ask whether the staff skills you measure actually change outcomes for the clients they serve.
References
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1(1), 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1968.1-91
Kroeger, K., & Sorensen-Burnworth, R. (2009). Toilet training individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities: A critical review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3(3), 607-618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2009.01.005
The Purdue Global PS498 Unit 1 instructions
The opening PS498 board asks you to introduce your capstone focus and connect it to the program. Briefly introduce yourself and your work or interest in behavior analysis. Describe the capstone focus, real or composite, and why it matters to the people involved. Explain which program competencies the project will draw on. Cite a foundational source on what makes behavior analysis applied and a review of research on your topic, noting a gap your project might address. State who supervises the work and how consent was obtained if clients are involved. Ask a question at the end to start discussion. Aim for about 400 words and two replies that each raise a useful question.
Inside the PS498 Unit 1 example
The post opens with an introduction and three years as a technician at an Omaha clinic. A paragraph describes a parent meeting where Amara's classroom placement depended on toileting, and introduces Leo. Baer, Wolf and Risley's applied dimension comes next, under a highlighted line that the placement depended on one teachable skill. A paragraph lists program competencies the project uses and summarizes Kroeger and Sorensen-Burnworth's review and its gaps. A paragraph confirms supervision and consent. The closing question asks which course classmates expected to use least. Replies ask how a street-safety project will measure without danger and whether staff skills change client outcomes. The post stays close to two named children throughout.
Where the points sit in the PS498 Unit 1 rubric
Graders of this first capstone post look for a focus whose importance to real people is clear, with a direct link to the program's competencies. Citing a foundational source on applied behavior analysis and a review of research on the topic shows the project rests on evidence. Naming a gap in the literature that the project might address shows critical reading. Statements about supervision and consent show ethical awareness from the start. Replies should ask questions that would improve a classmate's project, such as how to measure safely. Use APA citations and composite clients. A one-sentence summary of the planned design often makes the post noticeably stronger for graders.
Common PS498 Unit 1 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Capstone focus posts often name a topic without saying why it matters to anyone. Others describe a project but never connect it to what the program taught. Students frequently skip supervision and consent, or describe work outside their role. Gaps in the research are commonly left out, so the project seems to repeat what is known. Replies tend to offer encouragement rather than questions. Before posting, write one sentence on who benefits from your project and how. List three courses whose skills you will use. Name your supervisor's role. Add a gap from a review. In replies, ask one question about measurement, scope or family fit. Keep clients composite. Then trim any jargon.
Get a PS498 Unit 1 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 1 prompt and the rubric. A custom post introduces a capstone focus and its link to the program. The first is free and comes back in 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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PS498 Unit 1 questions, answered
How should a capstone focus be chosen?
By its importance to clients, fit with the student's role and scope, and room to apply many program skills.
Why is toilet training a common ABA capstone topic?
It is socially significant, measurable and supported by a long line of research.
What should replies add?
A question about measurement, scope or family fit.
Where can I find a free PS498 Unit 1 sample paper?
This page holds the complete PS498 Unit 1 post introducing a composite technician's toilet training capstone, with two replies.
Why did the PS498 Unit 1 sample choose toilet training?
A child's general classroom placement depended on it, and it draws on nearly every competency in the program.