COMING NEXT FALL…AP CAPSTONE!

What Is AP Capstone?

AP Capstone was developed in response to feedback from higher education. AP Capstone is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make logical, evidence-based decisions.

AP Capstone is comprised of two AP courses — AP Seminar and AP Research — and is designed to complement and enhance the discipline-specific study in other AP courses.

Benefits of AP Capstone

For Students:

Fosters the research, argumentation, and communication skills that are at the core of college readiness and essential for lifelong learning

Provides a setting to build on the knowledge and rigorous course work of AP in an interdisciplinary format

Offers students a unique opportunity to distinguish themselves to colleges and universities

For Colleges and Universities:

Helps identify students who are prepared to enter college with the research, writing, and collaboration skills necessary for successful college completion

Provides consistent, externally validated measures of student ability Demonstrates student research and writing abilities through a 5,000-word scholarly

research paper

The two AP Capstone courses, with their associated performance tasks, assessments, and application of research methodology, require students to:

Analyze topics through multiple lenses to construct meaning or gain understanding. Plan and conduct a study or investigation. Propose solutions to real-world problems. Plan and produce communication in various forms. Collaborate to solve a problem. Integrate, synthesize, and make cross-curricular connections.

AP Capstone at Tompkins High School

AP Capstone will be offered at Tompkins High School starting in the Fall of 2017. AP

Seminar will be offered to students entering the 10th or 11th grade in the fall. This will be

the only Capstone course offered with AP Research being offered during the 2017-2018

school year in order to satisfy the two-year program.

What graduation credit does it count towards?

AP Seminar and Research are elective credits

Do colleges and universities accept AP Capstone courses?

Click the link below to see the universities that either endorsing the rigorous program

and/or granting credit for a qualifying score in Seminar, Research, or both.

https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/ap-capstone/higher-education-support

Want to know more about AP Capstone?

AP Capstone Overview - http://tinyurl.com/gtorm8t

AP Seminar Info - http://tinyurl.com/hjogq89

AP Research Info - http://tinyurl.com/znx8euq

The College Board (www.collegeboard.org) also has an abundance of information regarding

Advanced Placement courses.

Why should my student take AP Capstone?

AP Capstone will teach the student how to effectively write research papers at the

collegiate level, how to be able to do extensive research on a topic of interest and how

to be able to present and orally defend a research inquiry. These skills are not only

important for post-secondary readiness, they are also real-life skills that all adults need

when entering the workforce. AP Seminar and Research allow students to research a

topic they are passionate about which can lead them to make a difference in their lives

or the lives of others.

AP SEMINAR – COURSE OVIERVIEW

This course will equip you with the skills to analyze and evaluate information with

accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.

You will have the opportunity to explore real-world issues from multiple perspectives

and consider varied points of view to develop deep understanding of complex issues

and topics in order to make connections between these issues and your everyday life.

Gain a rich appreciation and understanding of issues by reading articles, listening to

speeches or broadcasts, and experiencing artistic and literary works.

The primary goals of the AP Seminar course are to help you understand how to study

an issue from multiple perspectives, evaluate source information, and then develop and

communicate effectively a logical, evidence-based point of view. You will practice and

apply these skills through the exploration of the complex topics and by examining a

variety of and often divergent or competing perspectives.

Teachers have the flexibility to choose one or more themes that allow for deep

exploration based on:

Concepts or Issues from other AP courses

Student interests

Local and/or civic issues

Global or international topics

The course provides opportunities for you to:

Thoroughly explore different themes while considering diverse perspectives (e.g.,

cultural and social, artistic and philosophical, political and historical, environmental,

economic, and scientific).

Analyze a wide variety of source material to gain a rich appreciation and

understanding of issues, including: articles; research studies; foundational, literary,

and philosophical texts; speeches; broadcasts; personal accounts; artistic works;

and performances.

Work collaboratively with a team to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an

academic or real-world problem or issue. Consider options, alternatives, or solutions

and develop a multimedia presentation to communicate your conclusion or

recommendation.

Work independently to identify a research question based on provided source

material and then research that topic. Analyze, evaluate, and select evidence to

develop an argument that you will present and defend. Finally, produce a multimedia

presentation delivered to your classmates.

AP SEMINAR – COURSE ASSESSMENT

You will be assessed using a combination of a team project and presentation, an individual

research-based essay and presentation, and an end-of-course exam. These three

assessments will be used to calculate a final AP score (using the 1-5 scale) for AP Seminar.

You must submit the team project and presentation and the individual research-based essay

and presentation performance tasks, and they must be scored by your teacher, no later than

April 30, 2017. See your AP Seminar teacher for specific deadlines. Note: AP Seminar is only

available to students whose school is participating in the AP Capstone program.

1. Team Project & Presentation – 20% of the AP Seminar score

Work in teams of three to five to identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate an academic or

real-world problem, question or issue. Your team will design and/or consider options,

alternatives, or solutions and develop a multimedia presentation to communicate your

conclusion or recommendations. The team project and presentation will be scored by your

teacher based on a rubric upon which they have received training by the College Board and will

be evaluated based on the following components:

Individual Research (1,200 words)

Team Multimedia Presentation and Defense (8-10 minutes)

2. Individual Research-Based Essay & Presentation – 35% of the AP Seminar score

The College Board will provide stimulus material (texts) representing a range of perspectives

focused on a single theme or topic. You will use these texts to identify a research question of

your own; research, analyze, evaluate, and select evidence to develop a written argument of

your own that you will present and then you will defend your conclusion. The Individual

Research-Based Essay and Presentation will be scored by your teacher based on a rubric upon

which they have received training by the College Board and will be evaluated based on the

following components:

Individual Written Argument (2,000 words)

Individual Multimedia Presentation (6-8 minutes)

Oral Defense (two questions from the teacher)

3. End-of-Course Exam (2 Hours) – 45% of AP Seminar score

During the AP Exam administration window, you will take a two-hour exam. The exam consists

of four questions (three short answer questions and one essay question). The exam will be

scored by College Board trained readers similar to other AP Exams.

Three Short-Answer Questions

o Argument comprehension and analysis – one source

One essay question

o Synthesizing and creating an evidence-based argument – four sources (varying

perspectives on one theme).

AP RESEARCH – COURSE OVERVIEW

AP Research is designed to allow you to dive into an academic topic, problem, or issue

of individual interest. You will further develop the skills you acquired in the AP Seminar

course by understanding research methods; employing ethical research practices; and

accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information as they address a research

question. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000-5,000 words and a

presentation with an oral defense during which you will answer questions about your

academic paper.

In the AP Research course, you will:

Employ research and inquiry methodology to develop, manage, and conduct an in-

depth study or investigation of an area of student’s own interest, culminating in a

4,000-5,000 word paper.

Present (using appropriate media), and defend the research design, approach, and

findings.

Document and reflect upon the research process and communication with mentor

using a research log.

While the topic of each research study will vary, the course requires you to plan and

conduct a study or investigation, including:

Investigating relevant topics, composing insightful problem statements, or

developing compelling research questions (considering scope) to extend thinking

Demonstrating perseverance through setting goals, managing time, and working

independently on a long-term project

Identifying, applying, and implementing appropriate methods for research and data

collection

Accessing information using effective strategies

Evaluating the relevance and credibility of information from sources and data

Reading a bibliography for the purpose of understanding that it is a source for other

research and for determining context, credibility, and scope

Attributing knowledge and ideas accurately and ethically, using an appropriate

citation style

Evaluating strengths and weaknesses of others’ inquiries and studies

AP RESEARCH – COURSE ASSESSEMENT

Rather than a written exam, you will be assessed on your academic paper, a

presentation, and an oral defense of your research. The academic paper is between

4,000-5,000 words in length, and the presentation and defense take 15-20 minutes. You

will also be required to answer 3-4 questions from a panel of trained evaluators and

your AP Research teacher.

Academic Paper (4,000- 5,000 words ) — 75% of score

You will be evaluated on the content, structure, format, and conclusions of the paper as

well as your ability to properly and accurately cite sources.

Presentation and Oral Defense — 25% of score

The culminating event of the AP Research course will be a presentation of your

research question, research methodology, and findings, including an oral defense that

addresses a set of questions about your research inquiry. Those students who elect to

investigate an artistic or other topic that lends itself to a performance, exhibit, or product

will arrange for the panelists to view their work prior to the presentation and oral

defense to provide additional context. This activity is not formally assessed.