› What additional questions emerged from your research? Why are these questions important?
› What are the implications of your findings to your community?
› How is your conclusion in conversation with the body of literature or other research sources you examined?
› How did you use the conclusions or questions of others to advance your own research?
Role of the Teacher in Performance Tasks
Performance Tasks in the AP Capstone courses are summative assessments and contribute to the AP score.
Submissions must be entirely the student’s own work.
Teachers (and other staff) must adhere to the following rules when students are working on these tasks. Teachers of the AP Capstone courses manage the assessment components and all related processes. Teachers should be transparent with students about the role of the teacher, other staff, and/or expert advisers in these courses and what individuals providing guidance to students should and should not do.
AP Seminar: Role of the Teacher
DO DO NOT
Make sure students are aware of the timeline, assessment
task components, and scoring criteria/rubrics. Assign, provide, distribute, or generate research questions for students.
Hold work-in-progress meetings with students to ask questions, monitor, discuss, and provide guidance on progress.
Direct the students to the areas of the rubrics where their work may need improvement.
Write, revise, amend, or correct anything that is part of, or contributes to, the final work submitted for assessment.
Engage in whole class teaching of skills pertinent to the performance tasks as students are working on their research and/or presentations.
Provide specific, directive feedback to individuals or groups (teachers must not tell students what to do).
Suggest possible resources that can help students further their research (e.g., additional data bases, local expert advisers, library assistance) – so that students are not disadvantaged in their exploration.
Conduct research or provide specific sources, articles or evidence for students.
Provide effective guidelines for peer-to-peer review and feedback.
Co-ordinate opportunities for students to engage in peer review.
Proofread or copyedit work for students.
Provide students with the list of possible oral defense
questions. Identify the exact questions a student will be asked prior
to his or her defense. Students should be prepared to answer every one of the oral defense questions.
Performance Task 2 Engage in class discussions with students to explore
issues, and discuss topics and perspectives emerging from the stimulus materials.
Release the stimulus materials to students without discussion or guidance.
Check AP deadline and monitor student submissions in the digital portfolio. Ensure students meet deadlines, work is submitted to the correct place for the individual written argument (IWA), and has been checked for plagiarism.
Leave students to submit work unsupervised.
Score Individual Multimedia Presentations (IMP) and Oral Release these scores to students.
AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam
Weight: 45% of the AP Seminar score (College Board scored) Date: May (in the AP Exam administration window)
Note: The end-of-course exam will be administered by the AP Coordinator following the same procedures and guidelines as all other Advanced Placement Exams.
TASK OVERVIEW
During the AP Exam administration window, students will take the AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam. The exam consists of four items (three short-answer and one essay question). The three short-answer questions assess analysis of an argument in a single source or document. The essay question assesses students’ skills in synthesizing and creating an evidence-based argument.
DESCRIPTION OF END-OF-COURSE EXAM
Five sources will be included with each end-of-course exam. Sources on the end-of-course exam will represent a range of disciplines and perspectives. The four prompts listed in the table below will remain the same on the end-of- course exam from year to year.
COMPONENTS
The following components are formally assessed:
Component Scoring Method Weight
Part A
Suggested time: 30 minutes One source provided
Students are asked to analyze an argument using evidence.
1. Identify the author’s argument, main idea, or thesis.
2. Explain the author’s line of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the connections between them.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author uses to support the claims made in the argument.
College Board scored 30% of 45%
Part B
Suggested time: 90 minutes Four sources provided
Students are asked to build their own arguments using at least two of the four provided sources. Each of the four sources will explore a common theme through a different perspective, allowing multiple entry points for students to approach the topic.
Directions: Read the four sources carefully, focusing on a theme or issue that connects them and the different perspective each represents. Then, write a logically organized, well-reasoned, and well- written argument that presents your own perspective on the theme or issue you identified. You must incorporate at least two of the sources provided and link the claims in your argument to supporting evidence.
You may also use the other provided sources or draw upon your own knowledge. In your response, refer to the provided sources as Source A, Source B, Source C, or Source D, or by the authors’ names.
College Board scored 70% of 45%
Reproducibles for Students
The following pages contain reproducible versions of the Performance Tasks, Sample End-of-Course Exam, stimulus material, and AP Capstone Tips for Students.