<p>The teaching and learning activities (TLAs), such as a written report in the form of a research assignment, an introductory lecture, presentations, and discussion, help students practice and engage with their projects while developing crucial skills, including teamwork and collaboration. These TLAs support students in reaching higher levels of learning, beyond the basic remember level in Bloom’s taxonomy or the uni-structural level in the SOLO taxonomy. The aim of this study is to develop the research components for the capstone project in computer science, engineering and data science courses, which are commonly offered in bachelor’s or master’s programs in computer science, engineering, and data science. It also seeks to promote a deep learning approach while taking into account the diversity of students’ backgrounds and their prior experiences in computer science, engineering or data science. The structure presented in this study can help instructors responsible for capstone projects or similar courses in computer science, engineering, or data science to implement a project-based learning approach. By doing so, students can gain preliminary research experience during the course, better preparing them for their bachelor’s or master’s thesis.</p>