About the Course
The Capstone AP Research workshop is built on the foundational inquiry and analytic skills developed in AP Seminar. It allows participants to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest. The course focuses on mastering core academic skills such as research methodology and ethical research practices. Students design, plan, and implement a year-long investigation to address a specific research question. The primary purpose of 4-day AP Research workshop is to equip participants with tools and skills necessary for the subsequent phases in completing the academic paper and oral presentation. The course is governed by the QUEST framework.
- Identify a focused problem or gap in existing knowledge and developing an ethical, feasible, and aligned research question.
- Find, organize, and critically evaluate secondary sources to situate their new study.
- Comprehend and explain authors' arguments and lines of reasoning in complex academic texts.
- Synthesize diverse scholarly literature to identify the "gap" their own research will fill.
- Compare divergent perspectives and assess the implications and limitations of various arguments within a discipline.
- Use original findings and evidence to build a well-reasoned, defensible argument with clear claims and connections.
- Concisely communicate the research process and findings to an audience of non-experts.