Course Overview
AP Research, the second course in the AP Capstone experience, allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest.
Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students reflect on their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of their scholarly work through a process and reflection portfolio.
The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000–5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.
Course and Exam Description
Course Resources
Course Content
Based on the Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe) model, the curriculum framework is intended to provide a clear and detailed description of the course requirements necessary for student success. This conceptualization will guide the development and organization of learning outcomes from general to specific, resulting in focused statements about content knowledge and skills needed for success in the course.
The AP Research curriculum is made up of five big ideas. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
- Big Idea 1: Question and Explore
- Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze
- Big Idea 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives
- Big Idea 4: Synthesize Ideas
- Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit
Skill Categories
The AP Research framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills, called transferrable skills and proficiencies, that students should practice throughout the year.
| Skill | Proficiencies |
|---|---|
| Produce Scholarly Work | Establish Argument Demonstrating the significance of one’s research by explaining the rationale behind the choices made in the research process and logically connecting the findings to one’s conclusions or new understandings Select and Use Evidence Evaluating the significance of the findings, results, or product to the purpose or goal of one’s inquiry and strategically choosing such evidence to effectively support claims |
| Employ Research Practices | Research Design Narrowing a focus of inquiry and identifying an aligned, ethical, feasible approach or method to accomplish the purpose of the research question and/or project goal |
| Analyze Sources and Evidence | Understand and Analyze Argument Analyzing evidence for what is known about one’s topic of inquiry to further focus and situate one’s research question or project goal Evaluate Sources and Evidence Evaluating the credibility, relevance, and significance of sources and evidence to the choices made in the inquiry process |
| Understand Context and Perspective | Understand and Analyze Context Contextualizing the purpose and significance of one’s topic of inquiry within a broader field or discipline |
| Communicate (interpersonal and intrapersonal) | Engage Audience Choosing and employing effective written and oral communication techniques, considering audience, context, and purpose to convey and defend conclusions or new understandings Apply Conventions Choosing and consistently applying an appropriate citation style and effective conventions of writing Collaborate Working constructively with others to accomplish a team goal or task Reflect Identifying challenges, successes, and moments of insight throughout one’s inquiry, which transformed one’s own thinking and reasoning |
AP and Higher Education
Higher education professionals play a key role in developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education section features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.
This chart shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the AP Credit Policy Search.
Meet the AP Research Development Committee
AP is unique in its reliance on development committees. These committees, made up of an equal number of college faculty and experienced secondary AP teachers from across the country, are essential to the preparation of AP course curricula and exams.