AP Capstone Policies on Academic Integrity and Generative AI

Flashcards covering AP Capstone policies on plagiarism, falsification of information, acceptable/unacceptable generative AI use across different research phases, and required teacher checkpoints.

What score does a student receive on an AP Seminar or AP Research Performance Task component if they fail to acknowledge sources through citation, attribution, or bibliographic entry?

The student receives a score of 0 on that particular component (and in AP Seminar, a team that fails to properly acknowledge sources on the Team Multimedia Presentation receives a group score of 0).

What is the penalty for incorporating falsified or fabricated information (such as evidence, data, sources, or authors) into an AP Capstone performance task?

The student receives a score of 0 on that particular component (and a team in AP Seminar receives a group score of 0 for the Team Multimedia Presentation).

How does College Board define Generative AI tools in AP Capstone courses?

Tools that use predictive technology to produce new text, charts, images, audio, video, etc., including ChatGPT, Large Language Models (LLMs), and writing assistants or plug-ins built on AI technologies.

Is the use of generative AI tools mandatory for AP Capstone performance tasks?

No, the use of generative AI tools is optional and not mandatory, and tools must be used ethically, responsibly, and intentionally to support student learning.

What is considered acceptable use of generative AI during the phase of exploring ideas to develop and refine an area of inquiry?

Using generative AI tools to get a sense of existing debates on an issue, potential sub-topics, or what is generally already widely known about a topic.

What is an unacceptable use of generative AI when exploring ideas for research?

Taking the output of generative AI tools uncritically, such as using AI to generate a research question or thesis without engaging with actual research or relying solely on generative AI as a source of information.

How may a student acceptably use generative AI during the 'Finding sources' phase of work?

Using generative AI to find authors, organizations, publications, or sources pertinent to the inquiry so the student can locate and read them directly, or asking for recommendations on related sources to address research gaps.

What is unacceptable when using AI to find research sources?

Using a list of sources generated by AI without going to the original sources and reviewing the content directly.

What are acceptable uses of generative AI when trying to understand complex texts?

Requesting help with understanding complex vocabulary or sentence structures in a source, or asking for clarification on a confusing concept or passage in a source.

What AI practices are unacceptable when summarizing or interpreting sources?

Generating a summary or paraphrasing of the source instead of reading it, requesting direct quotes or citations to use as evidence without independently identifying them, or copying and pasting AI-generated source summaries into the final draft.

What is the policy on using generative AI to synthesize ideas and information into a literature review, report, or argument?

There is no acceptable use.

What specific actions are prohibited when using generative AI for synthesizing source information?

Asking generative AI to compare or contrast sources and/or generate a review of literature, synthesize common or contrasting elements from within/across sources, or develop statements or paragraphs putting sources in conversation.

How can an AP Research student acceptably use generative AI when developing a method?

Summarizing commonly used methods in discipline-specific fields or reviewing benefits and drawbacks of different generic methods or methodologies.

What is unacceptable regarding AI use when choosing a research method in AP Research?

Using generative AI to determine the appropriate method for an individual student's research and/or providing rationales for a specific method.

What is the policy on using generative AI to produce data in AP Research?

Using generative AI to generate data is unacceptable as it counts as falsified and/or fabricated data, unless the use of generative AI tools is itself the subject of the inquiry.

How may generative AI be used acceptably in developing displays of data in AP Research?

Using generative AI to create charts, graphs, or other representations of data collected and assembled by the student.

What is the acceptable use of generative AI when drafting or outlining a paper?

Seeking guidance on general best practices in how to structure a research paper, essay, or report.

What AI actions are unacceptable when drafting or writing an AP Capstone paper?

Asking generative AI to produce an outline or draft of a specific paper, requesting generative AI to write all or part of the paper, or using writing generated by AI in the final draft.

What are acceptable uses of generative AI when revising a written paper?

Using spell or grammar checkers, and asking for feedback on style and tone (while making deliberate choices on what feedback to incorporate).

What is required when a student uses AI to generate or format a bibliographic listing of citations?

The student must independently study the original sources and check the accuracy of the bibliography format.

What is the policy on using generative AI during preparation for the Oral Defense?

There is no acceptable use; using AI to generate possible answers to potential oral defense questions (and memorizing or reading them) is prohibited.

What happens if an AP Seminar or AP Research student fails to complete required interim checkpoints with their teacher?

Failure to complete the checkpoints will result in a score of zero on the associated performance task.

What must AP Seminar and AP Research teachers affirm in the AP Digital Portfolio?

Teachers must affirm, to the best of their knowledge, that students completed checkpoints authentically and that the student's final submission is authentic student work.