AP Research Summer Reading

Hello Incoming AP Researchers!

I'm looking forward to an exciting year and I hope that you are eagerly anticipating it as well. Mr. Adams has already told me that you are all phenomenal students with some excellent ideas. I cannot wait to see you implement them in this course.

To prepare you for AP Research and to extend your knowledge and skills from AP Seminar, I have designed an introductory assignment for you below. While it is technically available over the summer, it does not require submission until the week of September 3rd. If you would prefer to complete the assignments prior to the start of the school year, feel free. If you would rather wait until August 27^th (our first day of school) to give it crack, that is fine as well. Much of the course centers on managing long term deadlines. With this in mind, I'll state your summer assignment more concisely: learn to plan ahead! 

If at any point you have questions about the course or the assignment, don't hesitate to contact me at trafferty@colonialsd.org. I will check my email periodically throughout the summer. 

Mr. Thomas Rafferty

 

Summer Reading and Reflection - Approximate Time Needed: 4 Hours

Directions: Complete the reading reflections below prior to the start of AP Research. These were designed to help you enter the course with a “researcher’s mindset.” You will upload the reflections electronically (they will be submitted during the first week of school - do not worry about submitting them over the summer) and refine them for your PREP, an organizational tool required by The College Board. Please include the question when providing your responses. The nature of your response is entirely up to you. Here are some suggested submission ideas:

Written Response: Responses should be a minimum of one paragraph per topic and should exhibit your ability to provide textual support  and experiential connections.

Video Recordings: If you would prefer to record a video that displays your understanding of the text, you may do so. You must still make reference to text specifics (although it doesn’t have to be a quote in this instance). These recordings should be between one to two minutes each.

Presentation with Accompanying Audio/Video: You might be the type of person who requires a little more structure and organization while you speak. If you would like to put together a slideshow and record a voiceover, you may do that. You must be sure to include textual evidence (cited), factor in slide design principles, and add new information through the voiceover. Do not simply recite the bullets from the slide itself.

Your Own Interpretation:  This class may feature some of the school’s most creative problem solvers. With this in mind, I am happy to allow you to slightly modify one of the options above. You can also propose your own idea that demonstrates your understanding of the text and your ability to manipulate evidence while doing so. 

Click here for a link to text. (If you are having trouble accessing this, email Mr. Rafferty ASAP. He can send it as a PDF.) 

Text Citation: Leedy, P.D., Ormrod, J.E. (2013). Practical Research: Planning and Design. (11th ed.). New York: Pearson.

 

Title of Reading	Pages	Questions for Reflection
"What Research is Not"	19-20	What surprised you in this section? Why? According to this section, how is AP Seminar different from AP Research?
"What Research is"	20-26	What part of this section interests you? Why? According to this section, how is AP Research an extension of AP Seminar?
"Tools of Research"	26-29	What methods have you used? Are they a strength? What seems like a method that you are not as adept with? Is it one that you might employ?
"The Human Mind"	35-40	Which subsection -Critical Thinking, Deductive Logic, Inductive Reasoning, Scientific Method, Theory Building, and Collaboration with Other Minds are you least familiar with? Which subsection -Critical Thinking, Deductive Logic, Inductive Reasoning, Scientific Method, Theory Building, and Collaboration with Other Minds is most critical for Research? Why?

 

 

Numerical Scoring	Textual Evidence	Experiential Connection	Adequate Length	Student Score
5	The responses demonstrate understanding of the assigned passages and specific examples are provided to support this. All responses (except video recordings) contain correctly cited quotes.* *For this assignment, use MLA format. In the future, you may use a different citation style.	The student brings up a specific example from their personal experience or elaborates on their course expectation, based on prior knowledge. The submission makes a clear connection with a textual excerpt.	Meets full length criteria as indicated above. Recordings are 1-2 minutes. Writing is at least 1 paragraph. Etc.
3-4	The responses demonstrate understanding of the assigned passages and examples are mostly specific. There may be a citation error or two in this instance.	The response does not make a clear connection to experience or the course. The student adds information beyond their example(s), but it is not clear what their message is and/or how they see its relevance in their own experience.	Most of the submissions are of adequate length. Perhaps one is a bit shorter than the stated requirements.
1-2	You submitted a response, but it lacks specificity. You may refer to the text; however, there isn’t really evidence.	There is not much of a conclusion drawn between the provided example and another relevant topic. Student speaks in generalities and does not meaningfully reflect on the reading.	All or almost all of the recordings/submissions are shorter than the stated requirements.

(Adapted/Credits to Emily Lott, AP Research Central)