AP Research Course Curriculum and Assessment Notes

AP Capstone Diploma Requirements

• The AP Capstone Diploma is granted to students who successfully complete the AP Research course in addition to $4$ other Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

The QUEST Framework

• The acronym QUEST represents the five core pillars of the curriculum:

  • Question and Explore: Initial inquiry and investigative processes.

  • Understand and Analyze: Deeply comprehending and breaking down information.

  • Evaluate Multiple Perspectives: Considering various viewpoints and arguments.

  • Synthesize Ideas: Combining information to form new understandings.

  • Team, Transform, and Transmit: Working collaboratively, evolving ideas, and communicating findings.

• Core student actions throughout the course include:

  • Situating the research within a specific context.

  • Making informed choices regarding the research process.

  • Defending own work and academic decisions.

  • Connecting different ideas to build a cohesive narrative.

Academic Paper Requirements and Structure

• The core component is an academic paper consisting of $4000$-$5000$ words.

• The paper must include the following specific sections:

  • Introduction and Literature Review.

  • Method, Process, and Approach.

  • Results, Products, and Findings.

  • Discussion, Analysis, and Evaluation.

  • Conclusion and Future Directions.

  • Bibliography.

Presentation and Oral Defense (POD)

• The Presentation and Oral Defense constitutes $25\%$ of the final grade.

• The process involves a presentation lasting between $15$ and $20$ minutes.

• Following the presentation, students must respond to $3$-$4$ oral defense questions.

• The scoring of the presentation and the oral defense is performed by the teacher.

Research Timeline and Milestones

• Until September: The primary focus is to finalize the research question and the initial bibliography.

• September to October: This period is dedicated to communication regarding the project.

• By November: The research method and the formal proposal must be finalized.

Roles, Ethics, and Documentation

• Expert Advisors: Research is guided by discipline-specific expert advisors who provide specialized subject-matter guidance.

• Ethical Review Boards: These boards are utilized to ensure that all research practices are ethical.

• Ethical Approval: A mandatory requirement for the course is that all research proposals must be officially approved for ethicality before proceeding.

• Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP):

  • The PREP is used to document the entire development process of the research.

  • It serves as a tool for teachers to verify the authenticity and progress of a student's work.

  • It must include documentation of all meetings with expert advisors.

  • It captures virtually all aspects of the research journey.

Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration

• AI tools can be utilized to assist students in several specific areas:

  • Identifying potential research topics.

  • Finding specific authors or relevant recommendations for literature.

  • Clarifying complex sources.

  • Summarizing various research methods.

  • Creating charts and data visualizations using data provided by the student.

  • Seeking general guidance through the research process.

  • Performing spell checks.

  • Providing guidance on proper citations.