There is no end-of-course written exam for AP Research. Instead, you’ll be assessed on performance tasks you complete that are based on your yearlong research project: an academic paper (which you’ll submit online for scoring through the AP Digital Portfolio), a presentation, and an oral defense of your research. These components all contribute to your final AP score on a scale of 1–5.

AP Research Course Syllabus 

2022-2023

Hamilton High School  

 

Contact Information: 

Instructor:  Dawn Berkshire 

Email:  berkshire.dawn@cusd80.com 

Phone:  480-883-5141 

Tutoring: available by appointment 

 

Course Description: 

“AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of  individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan, and conduct a year-long research-based investigation to address a research question. In the AP Research course, students further their skills acquired in the AP Seminar course by understanding research methodology; employing ethical research practices; and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information as they address a research question. Students explore their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of the development of their scholarly work in [the Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP)]. The course culminates in an academic paper of approximately 4000–5000 words (accompanied by a performance or exhibition of product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.” 

– AP Research Course and Exam Description Overview 

 

Course Goals: 

By the conclusion of the course students will master the use of the College Board’s QUEST 

framework to explore, analyze and discuss sophisticated concepts.

• Question and Explore: Challenge and expand the boundaries of their current knowledge 

• Understand and Analyze Arguments: Contextualize and comprehend authors claims 

• Evaluate Multiple Perspective: Consider multiple perspectives and the larger conversation of varied points of view 

• Synthesize Ideas: Combine knowledge, ideas and their own perspective in an argument 

• Team, Transform, and Transmit: Collaborate and communicate your argument in a method suited to your audience  

 

Required Materials: 

• There is no textbook for this class, resources will include but are limited to teacher and student selected journal articles, videos, websites etc.  

Classroom Policies: 

  

Community Minded Behavior 

 

Collaboration is one of the most important aspects of this course. That includes collaboration between students, as well as collaboration between students and the instructor. 

  

The foundation of this class is respect for yourself, your peers and the instructor. Students should demonstrate that respect through, among other ways, courteous interactions between course participants, attendance to course responsibilities and the development of a classroom environment conducive to learning. Infractions according to the Parent/Student Handbook will result in a verbal warning and/or further action. 

  

PREP 

  

Your Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP) is the primary way that you will document your progress as you proceed on your research QUEST. In it you will include your project brainstorming, experimentation with methods, monthly reflections, copies of your communication with consultants, peer review worksheets, data and much more.Our PREP notebook will be digital on OneNote.

 

AP Capstone Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information

 

Students will be informed of the consequences of plagiarism and instruct students to ethically use and acknowledge the ideas and work of others throughout their coursework. The students individual voice should be clearly evident, and the ideas of others must be acknowledged, attributed and/or cited.

 

Curricular Requirements:  

CR1a	Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 1: Question and Explore.   Students will review research methods that will help them transform topics of interest into problem statements and eventually research questions.  Students will be given information to define the criteria for good research questions and practice writing, evaluating and revising own.  Students will collaborate and use peer review to evaluate and revise research questions for their scope, focus, value and feasibility.    Annotated Bibliography: Inquiry Methods for the chosen field of study.  Students will identify the research question, variables, measurements and limitations within published qualitative, quantitative or mixed method research studies.  Students will differentiate between the purpose and components of the various of research papers.  Students will describe procedures used for analysis in sufficient detail to permit understanding of how the data were analyzed and the processes and assumptions underlying specific techniques; and evaluate the fit between the purpose and the proposal, in research design, and its data collection strategy as it pertains to their inquiry (at least 10 sources). This is done first quarter, prior to the Inquiry Proposal due date and the Performance Task.
CR1b	Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze. Students will conduct a search on the body of literature associated with their area of study.  Students will create annotated bibliographies for at least 10 keys articles found in their literature review.  Students will evaluate each article for its credibility and usefulness to their inquiry.  Students will construct an outline of their review of the relevant scholarly literature and identify where the works they have already read or otherwise engaged will be cited within that outline.  Student include a bibliography to help the reader identify the works cited throughout their outline.  This is done first quarter, prior to the Inquiry Proposal due date and Performance Task.
CR1c	Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives. To demonstrate their understanding that simply obtaining a large number of sources (“search quantity”) is less important than a careful an considered analysis of sources (“search quality”), students will evaluate the strength of a series of annotated bibliography entries as these pertain to the students’ questions and the AP Research course requirements.  Students will add additional sources to their initial annotated bibliography, indicating the value of each to the “comprehensive review” of the literature of the field, including its multiple perspectives.  This is done first and second quarter, before the Performance task.
CR1d	Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 4: Synthesize Ideas. Students review scholarly articles related to their areas of interest with a focus on how authors identify an area of inquiry, lay the foundation for their studies, and align their research methods.  This review process will lead to development of an annotated bibliography of the articles and culminate in an elevator pitch or poster presentation where the student gives a short, oral report on their line of inquiry in relation to the articles they reviewed. This is done first and second quarter, prior to the Performance Task.
CR1e	Students develop and apply collaboration skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit. Students will develop their methods in scheduled consultations with the AP Research teacher and expert advisors to ensure alignment between the question type and research method.  Students will also revisit ethics requirements to ensure that proper guidelines are followed in the process.  Students will also have formal and informal peer review opportunities.  This is done first and second quarter, prior to the Performance Task.
CR1f	Students develop and apply reflection skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 5: Team, Transform and Transmit. Students will use their PREP to reflect on the research process and the larger context of their scholarship.  This reflection will be based on instructor prompts, questions and activities.  Among other things, students will be expected to consider how their research contributes to the larger research community and the implication of their own research.
CR1g	Students develop and apply written and oral communication skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit.   Through the process of developing their Inquiry Proposal Form, students identify the topic of study, research question, preliminary research, methodological and ethical considerations, and disciplinary style.  Once approval has been granted by the AP Research teacher, the student may seek an expert advisor and begin the research process.   If the Inquiry Proposal requires more extensive consideration of ethics and potential harm (for example, involvement of human subjects), Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval will be required.    Students present a preliminary Inquiry Proposal via a poster presentation (via a single PowerPoint slide) for peer review, identify the type of expert advisor they will need and begin seeking such assistance, finalize and submit their proposals, and reflect on feedback provided.  Proposals will be further refined in subsequent presentations.    This will be done first and second quarter before the Performance Task.
CR2a	Students develop an understanding of ethical research practices.   Students will review background information on ethical research practices and IRB approval criteria.  Students will peer review each other’s inquiry proposal forms and provide feedback on how to transform their methods/questions to become IRB exempt or to gain IRB approval if necessary.    This will be done first quarter prior to the Inquiry Proposal.
CR2b	Students develop an understanding of the AP Capstone ™ Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information.   Students read and discuss the AP Capstone Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification of Information: A student who fails to acknowledge the source to acknowledge the source or author of any and all information or evidence taken from the work of someone else through citation, attribution or reference in the body of the work, or through a bibliographic entry, will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Research Performance Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that fails to properly acknowledge sources or authors on the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.    A student who incorporates falsified or fabricated information (e.g. evidence, data, sources, and/or authors) will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Research Performance Task.  In AP Seminar, a team of students that incorporates falsified or fabricated information in the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
CR3	In the classroom and independently (while possibly consulting any expert advisors), students learn and employ research and inquiry methods to develop, manage, and conduct an in-depth investigation of an area of personal interest, culminating in an academic paper of 4,000-5,000 words that includes the following elements: • Introduction • Method, Process, or Approach • Results, Product, or Findings • Discussion, Analysis, and/or Evaluation • Conclusion and Future Directions • Bibliography   After receiving teacher approval of their Inquiry Proposal, students will complete and submit their final research project.  During the process, they will go through an extensive peer and expert-in-the-field review process in addition to a rubric-based assessment of their own work.
CR4a	Students document their inquiry processes, communicate with their teachers and any expert advisors, and reflect on their thought processes.   Students will keep a binder for PREP and communications.  Students will meet with the AP Research teacher.  During these meetings, students will use the PREP to chart their engagement with the QUEST ideas, with special attention paid to the following: ·         Their choice of research question and what prompted their interest in the topic. ·         The research process, including important sources (documents, people, multimedia) ·         Analysis of evidence as it becomes available. ·         Ways in which students have worked on their own or as part of a larger intellectual community. ·         Challenges they have encountered, as a well as attempted solutions. ·         Conversations with the teacher and expert advisor(s).
CR4b	Students have regular work-in-progress interviews with their teachers to review their progress and to receive feedback on their scholarly work as evidenced by the PREP.   Bi-Weekly Work-In-Progess Interview:  Students maintain a research portfolio that records revisions, amendments, and reflections during the inquiry process.  Within this Prep, students also prepare and periodically update the project timetable or plan that clearly outlines what activates must be accomplished and the deadlines by which the objectives of the course must be achieved.  The teacher will review the PREP during scheduled conferences.
CR5	Students develop and deliver a presentation (using an appropriate medium) and an oral defense to a panel on their research processes, method, and findings.   Students will prepare their presentation using an appropriate medium.  They will familiarize themselves with the potential questions that may be posed during the Presentation and Oral Defense.  In small groups, students will rehearse and record their practice presentations.  They will then participate in peer review activities and assess their won presentation practice using the rubric guidelines.  Students’ assessment of their own practice presentation will be recorded in their PREP.  This practice will culminate in students’ final presentation and oral defense.

 

Course Activities: 

 

This first quarter will lead students to Question and Explore (Big Idea 1) a number of topics that may lead them to successfully identify an area of inquiry for their yearlong research project, while at the same time, continuing to develop and deepen their skills of Understanding and Analyzing (Big Idea 2) and Evaluating Multiple Perspectives (Big Idea 3). We will begin work on Synthesizing (Big Idea 4) initial research to inform question construction and the direction the research will go, as well as Team, Transform, and Transmit (Big Idea 5) throughout the quarter.

• AP Research students are introduced to the course goals, policies, procedures, grading scale, and specific task description.
• Students consider topics, problems, or ideas for inquiry and practice developing research questions.
• Students choose a topic/issue, carry out a preliminary search for other’s studies pertaining to their topic of inquiry, develop an annotated bibliography, and finalize a research question and proposal.
• Students present a preliminary inquiry proposal for peer review; identify the need for, recruit, and begin communication with expert advisors; finalize and submit a proposal; and reflect on feedback received from the instructor.
• Students complete the background component of their academic paper and finalize the choice and design of their inquiry method. If necessary, they submit a revised version of their proposal for final approval. Proposals will be submitted for instructor approval no later than November 1.

 

 

Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP) – A Required Instructional Component (based on Course and Exam Description) The primary purpose of the PREP is to document students’ development as they investigate their research questions, thereby providing evidence that they have demonstrated a sustained effort during the entire inquiry process. Throughout the inquiry process, students will document their research or processes, communication with their teachers and expert advisor, and reflections on their thought processes. The combined group of questions and tasks in the PREP document will address all five big ideas in the curriculum framework (QUEST), with specific attention paid to the following: [CR4a]

• 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 PREP activities, prompts, and questions will continue throughout the year to scaffold and support the various phases of the inquiry process and the skills necessary for success in this process. Students will maintain the PREP both in response to specific assignments and prompts generated by the instructor, AND independently as they move through the research process. [CR4a]

 

The PREP will be reviewed regularly (at least every other week) by the instructor, and the student and instructor will meet in conjunction with this review to discuss student progress. Feedback on the PREP may be verbal (in one-on-one conferences) or written (digitally or in the PREP itself). [CR4b] Students will receive both electronic and paper versions of the above information, and will go through an activity with the task description/requirements as well as the description of the PREP which will require students to annotate the task description/PREP guidelines, identify any questions they have about either element of the course, and explain specific components of the task to a peer as a check for understanding. [CR4a] — Students document their inquiry processes, communicate with their teachers and any expert advisors, and reflect on their thought processes. [CR4b] — Students have regular work-in-progress interviews with their teachers to review their progress and to receive feedback on their scholarly work as evidenced by the PREP.

 

 

 

Identifying a Topic of Interest and an Area of Inquiry - Question and Explore: Big Idea One Explore the possibilities:

 

• Students will read, watch, and/or listen to a series of sources to explore potential areas of inquiry. The beginning unit seeks to expose the students to many world issues, as well as many different possible formats and sources of information.
• A specific activity that will relate to learning objectives (LOs) or to essential knowledge statements (EKs) will accompany each of the various sources with which the students engage. This will, for example, move students toward a thoughtful and successful achievement of LO 1.1C as they explore many different areas to discover what issues and topics are of a personal interest to them (EK 1.1C1). Students will be working on the big ideas of the course framework through these activities, as they consider the sources and engage in questioning and exploring the topics, analyzing argument, and evaluating multiple perspectives.

 

 

Ethical Research Practices – Academic Honesty, Plagiarism, IRBs, and Turnitin

• Students will receive a handout and digital copy of the school’s academic honesty policy and the AP Capstone Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information (included at the end of the syllabus).
• We will have a class discussion about plagiarism, followed by example scenarios that students will identify as plagiarism, poor scholarship, or neither of these. This will help both students and instructor to identify students’ understanding of what does and does not constitute plagiarism. [CR2a]
• At this time, students will also receive a handout about Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and the purpose of an IRB. [CR2a] 5 AP® Research: Sample Syllabus 3
• Students will explore two provided websites to understand what research projects might require IRB approval and what will not. Similar to the plagiarism exercise, students will be given sample scenarios to identify as either needing IRB approval or not requiring it. [CR2a] [CR2a] — Students develop an understanding of ethical research practices

 

Annotated Bibliography

• Students will continue to collect research from a variety of appropriate sources and keep a properly formatted bibliography from the outset of the project. Sources should be recorded in the PREP, but a separate, digital version should exist as well.
• Students will be instructed on the value of an annotated bibliography, and explore how an annotated bibliography is distinctly different from a literature review.
• Students will learn how their annotated bibliography is an excellent tool to record the relevance, credibility, and value of a particular source in relation to their area of inquiry. [CR1b] •
• Students will use their annotated bibliography as a means of examining multiple and alternative perspectives about their topic. This analysis will help students recognized whether or not they are successfully considering multiple perspectives as they research to answer their question. [CR1c] •
• Additionally, students will be expected to use their annotated bibliographies as a tool to help create their literature review.

 

[CR1b] — Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze.

 

[CR1c] — Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives.

 

Inquiry Proposal Form

• We will review the requirements of the Inquiry Proposal Form, and students will use some of the activities and prompts from the PREP, as well as the work they have done so far in the first quarter with research methods, analysis and evaluation of sources, and developing a research plan to complete the proposal.
• Prior to submitting their proposal forms, students will engage in peer review to analyze the inquiry proposal based on the course criteria, and then exchange constructive feedback. After considering feedback, students will revise, then submit their proposal for instructor approval. [CR3]
• Pending instructor feedback and approval, approval with proviso, or return for revision, students will either refine and resubmit, or proceed based on their outlined research plan. [CR3]

 

Literature Review

• With continued discussion of the AP Capstone Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information, students will begin to synthesize and write their review of literature. [CR2b]
• Through direct instruction, examples, and practice, students will learn what a literature review is, why it is important, and what role it will play in their research project. We will explore the scope of what a literature review can accomplish as well as common pitfalls of the literature review.
• Throughout the first, second, and third quarter, students will be expected to maintain a current review of the literature they have read/listened to/watched relating to their area of inquiry to ensure that their project is carried out within this context. [CR1b]
• Students will be expected to maintain this in their PREP and be prepared to discuss or explain it during regular (scheduled) peer feedback sessions, one-on-one conferences with the instructor, and/or interactions with the expert in the field with whom they may be consulting. [CR1b] — Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze.

Presentation Skills

• There will be a focus on elements of effective presentations that will build on skills initially learned in the AP Seminar course. The focus will move toward more in-depth presentations. [CR1g]
• Students will analyze exemplar presentations based on the rubric and identify areas of strength and areas of weakness. [CR1g]
• Students will receive peer and instructor feedback in addition to critiquing their own (recorded) presentations according to the rubric. [CR1g] [CR1g] — Students develop and apply written and oral communication skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit.

 

Performance Task and Final Paper Writing

• Students implement their inquiry methods while engaging in progress and reflection interviews with the teacher to ensure challenges with methods and time management are addressed. Students curate the inquiry process, writing, and reflection artifacts from September to March in their process and reflection portfolios (PREP). [CR4a]
• Students write, proofread, peer review, and submit their academic papers, ensuring all components are present and meet rubric criteria. Students finalize additional scholarly work or product if such was required as a result of their inquiry. [CR1g] [CR4a] — Students document their inquiry processes, communicate with their teachers and any expert advisors, and reflect on their thought processes. [CR1g] — Students develop and apply written and oral communication skills identified in the learning objectives within the Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit.

 

Submitting Final Paper and Presentations

• Students will complete and submit their final research project, having gone through an extensive peer and expert-in-the-field review process (description follows) in addition to their own rubric-based assessment of their work.
• We will discuss appropriate forms of media for their presentations and view a variety of examples of use of media for presentations. In small groups they will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches/methods identified in the examples. Students will explore what is appropriate media for their specific area of inquiry.

 

• Students will then prepare their presentation and associated media and will familiarize themselves with the potential questions that may be asked of them during the presentation and oral defense. (These can be found in the Course and Exam Description along with the Task Instructions. Students will have access to these when they receive the official Task Instructions.) In small groups, students will practice presenting their project, and will record their practice presentation. They will then participate in peer review activities, as well as being required to assess their own presentation practice using the rubric guidelines. Their assessment of their own practice presentation will be recorded in their PREP. [CR5]

 

• Students will finish a full draft of their paper by March 1st, and go through a peer review process with class mates, in addition to meeting with (virtually or actually) their expert in the field for feedback on the draft, each of who will use the course rubric to assess the effectiveness of the paper and offer general feedback. Students will continue to apply the QUEST skills as well as the feedback from peer and expert advisor review to develop and hone their paper throughout third quarter in preparation for their due date in the last week of March. [CR3]

 

• Prior to submitting their final draft, students will use the course task descriptions and the rubric to assess their own paper. Using a color-coding system, they will annotate their own work based on the rubric elements, noting where there is clear, consistent evidence of each of the assessed learning objectives.

Important Due Dates:

 

Inquiry Proposal Form:  11/1/2022

Synthesis Essay: Final Exam

Data Collection Due : 3/1/2023

Final Paper Due: 4/15/2023

 

Diversity Statement

All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As members of the Hamilton High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from participating in acts of harassment that are designed to demean another student’s race, gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation.

Acceptable Use Policy

Students will be required to adhere to school district acceptable use policy for technology.  Please refer to the student handbook.