AP Research
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AP Research
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Design, plan and conduct a year-long research-based investigation on a topic of
individual interest in any discipline
Demonstrate the ability to apply scholarly understanding to real-world problems
and issues
Learn and apply research methodologies and employing ethical research practices
Access, analyze, and synthesize information to build, present, and defend an
argument
Assessment Task (Scoring Method)
Academic Paper (Teacher-scored; College Board validated)
Weight
75%
(4,000 - 5,000 words)
Presentation and Oral Defense; 15-20 mins. (Teacher-scored)
(Optional performance/exhibit shown prior to presentation; 3-4 questions from a
panel of three evaluators, one of whom is the AP Research teacher)
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AP Seminar is a prerequisite to AP Research.
25%
Core Skill Area - This year you are supposed to be….
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Identifying and Refining Research Questions
Narrowing a scope of interest into a
research question to serve as the foundation of a long-term
investigation or inquiry.
Seeking and Synthesizing Background Information
Becoming familiar with and synthesizing what others have
discovered about the topic so that the scholar can verify the
existence of a problem or gap in the knowledge base to form the
basis of a long-term investigation.
Aligning Study Design
Identifying an aligned, feasible research or inquiry design to
accomplish the purpose of the research question and/or project
goal while taking into consideration time constraints, availability
of resources, participant accessibility, and paperwork due to
ethics guidelines.
Analyzing and Evaluating Findings
Interpreting the significance of the findings, results, or product
and exploring connections
to the original research question and project goal.
Engaging with Discipline-Specific Consultants
Communicating with experts in the discipline or field of study to
obtain guidance and feedback on one’s research question, study
purpose, interpretation of findings, or extended piece of
scholarly work.
Peer Review
Providing and receiving timely, constructive feedback according to
a set of guidelines in order to improve one’s critical eye and
scholarly work
Core Skill Areas
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Showcasing Scholarly Work
Conveying a clear message in a way that engages and appeals
to a specific audience.
Defending Inquiry Outcomes
Demonstrating the significance of one’s research by
explaining the research process, findings, conclusions, and
reflections to those in attendance.
Reflecting
Making learning goals, assessing one’s achievement toward
such goals, and identifying both challenges that hindered and
effective strategies that helped one achieve the goals.
Strengthening Self- Directedness and Time Management
Personally identifying tasks, setting deadlines, and holding
oneself accountable to achieve a learning goal or create a
scholarly product.
Elements of the Paper
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Required Components of the
Presentation and Oral Defense
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15–20 minute presentation (using appropriate media) delivered to an oral defense panel of
three evaluators.
Oral responses to three or four questions posed by the panel. Three of these questions must
be chosen from the oral defense question list (one from each category), which is provided to
students in advance:
student’s research or inquiry process,
► student’s depth of understanding,
► Student’s reflection throughout the inquiry process as evidenced in his or her process and reflection
portfolio (PREP).
The fourth question and any follow-up questions are at the discretion of the panel.
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Students’ responses to each question should be brief and concise (no more than a few
minutes).
The Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP)
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The PREP document should address all five big ideas in the curriculum framework (QUEST),
with specific attention paid to the following:
► Choice of the research question and interest in the subject matter
► Research process, including resources (documents, people, multimedia); analysis of
evidence; directions in which the inquiry or project seems to lead; changes to initial
assumptions
► Ways in which students have worked both on their own and as part of a larger community
► Challenges and solutions
The PREP is a curricular requirement used to guide the inquiry process and not formally
assessed by College Board
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Differences between AP Seminar and AP
Research Paper
AP Seminar Paper
AP Research Paper
AP Research Instructional Strategy
Needed
* Just an
Introduction (Literature
Review)
Finding gap in knowledge base or
your understanding,& situating study
question/purpose into this gap.
X
Method/Process/
Approach
Research Methods-overview and
rationale for using
X
Results/Product/Findings
How to report findings and connect
to research question
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Discussion/Analysis/
Evaluation
How to evaluate significance of
results
* Conclusion
Reflecting on future work
only
Conclusions/Future
Directions
*style not
Bibliography
*Using appropriate style associated
with discipline of inquiry
introduction of the
argument and topic
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prescribed
Transform a Topic of Interest into a Problem
Statement
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Identify a controversial issue
► Brainstorm all the components or variables within the issue (including time,
place, people, texts, sources, events)
► List two or three components or variables/components that you find
interesting about the issue.
► Use the problem statement format to transform the identified issue and
associated variables/components into a problem statement
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Transforming Topics/Problems into Research
Questions
► What
does it take to transform a topic of inquiry or a
problem into a well-defined research question capable of
yielding a long-term investigation?
► Let’s transform the bullying study excerpt into a problem
statement and then try to transform the problem statement
into a research question
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Finding Problem Statement Examples
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Look through existing scholarly, peer- reviewed articles to find the problem
statement.
► Within the problem statement you can see the author’s thought processes in
narrowing down the interest in a problem into a focused research question
and a method to find answers to the question with a research study.
► Look at the cyberbullying research article excerpt.
• Can you find the problem statement format embedded within?
• Can you see where the author is leading up to a research question and
method to collect data to answer the question?
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Problem Statements Can Lead to Effective
Research Questions
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There is a problem in or with middle school education.
Despite efforts to educate middle schoolers on appropriate, safe, and
effective uses of technology for learning, cyberbullying is occurring
which affects about ten million middle school students each year
(Beane, 2008).
This problem has negatively impacted 28% of middle school students
because many schools decline to discipline off campus behavior.
A possible cause of this problem is how to effectively address the ill
effects of cyberbullying are complex or unknown. Perhaps a study
which investigates the ill effects of cyberbullying and how they were
addressed by a mixed method, case study could remedy this
situation.
From Problem Statement to Research Question
► What
are the Ill-effects of Cyberbullying and Associated
Punitive Measures Implemented by Four Middle Schools
in District XYZ: A Case Study
► Approach-Exploratory
► Design: Non-Experimental
► Method: Qualitative (case study with interviews)
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Effective Research Question Criteria Emerge
from Problem Statement Elements
► Focused
Topic: A clear element of the problem or topic of inquiry
(cyberbullying, recurring themes of flowers)
► Context: population, place, time, genre (middle school males,
Emily Dickenson poetry from 1850-1865)
► Variables/components: components of focused topic to be
identified, counted, measured, etc. (punitive measures taken, text
used to describe women as flowers)
► Purpose: to explore, explain, or create
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Writing and Evaluating a Research Question
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Use the Student Proposal for Research in the Humanities provided on your worksheet to
identify the problem, create a problem statement, and generate a research question
associated with this student proposal.
Identify the criteria for effective research questions that are embedded in the question you
generated.
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a. Topic, Problem, or Issue:
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b. Problem Statement:
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i. Valuable
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ii. Feasible
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c. Research Question
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i. Focused topic
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ii. Purpose
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iii. Context (Proper Scope)
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iv. Variables (Proper Scope)
First Attempt: What is the impact of bottled water on the
environment?
Second Attempt: What is the local environmental impact of the
PET recycling habits of XYZ high school students?
Revising Research Questions
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Identify the strength of the question using the criteria discussed for effective
research questions.
Revise the question if necessary.
Provide rationale for why your revisions make the question more effective
than the original version. Be prepared to report your revised question and
rationale to the entire class.
Use your assigned research question (that your group revised) to develop an
associated problem statement.
Use the research question you developed for homework (and revised) to
develop a problem statement. What purpose does a problem statement
serve?
First Attempt: What are the causes of cyberbullying by
middle schoolers from 2010-2015?
Second Attempt: What were the ill-effects of
cyberbullying and the punitive measures taken to
address cyberbullying at XYZ Middle School from 20102015?
To what extent is embedding journalists an ethical and
effective way of reporting truth in wartime?
fought by American soldiers?
To what extent do embedded American journalists affect
accuracy of reporting truth of casualties and successes
in 21st century wars fought by American soldiers?