AP Seminar Study Guide: Key Terms and Concepts for the EOC Exam

line of reasoning

the logical sequence that connects claims and evidence to support the argument

claim

a position or assertion that forms the basis of an argument

evidence

information, data, or facts used to support a claim

warrant

the explanation that connects the evidence to the claim

counterargument

an opposing perspective acknowledged and addressed in the arguement

bias

a prejudice or predisposition toward a particular perspective, issue, or outcome

fallacy

an error in reasoning that undermines the logic of an argument (e.g., circular reasoning, ad hominem)

credibility

the trustworthiness and expertise of a source

scaffolding

instructional support provided to help students gradually increase independence in learning

lens

a specific perspective (such as cultural, political, ethical) used to examine an issue or problem

literature review

a synthesis of sources related to a research topic

stakeholder

a person or group affected by or invested in a particular issue

theme

a broad idea or issue that connects multiple perspectives and arguments

thesis statement

the central argument or position taken by the author in their writing

methodology

the process or approach used for collecting and analyzing research or data

implication

the possible impact, consequence, or significance of an argument or conclusion

refutation

a response that disproves or weakens an opposing argumentsy

synthesis

the process of combining ideas from multiple sources to create a new, coherent understanding

conclusion

a final paragraph that reinforces the main argument and explains its significance

relevance

the degree to which a source directly relates to the research question or topic

eoc part a objective

analyze an author’s argument and evaluate the effectiveness of their line of reasoning

eoc part b objective

construct a well-reasoned, evidence-based argument in response to a stimulus

source evaluation criteria

relevance, credibility, accuracy, and bias

ap seminar portfolio task

tmp, irr, iwa, and imp (team multimedia presentation, individual research report, individual written argument, and individual multimedia presentation)

logical fallacy examples

ad hominem, straw man, hasty generalization, circular reasoning