AP® Capstone Research Course Syllabus Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High 2021 - 2022

Instructor: Michael Portnoy Room: 325 E-mail: mportnoy@dadeschools.net Remind: @atmrsch22

Paper/Presentation Deadlines: Monday, May 2nd, 2022, 11:59 PM

Course Description

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

AP Research is not tied to a specific content area, rather it emphasizes and strives for competency in core academic skills. Students gain Essential Knowledge (EK; “What students will know...”) and develop and apply discrete skills identified in the Learning Objectives (LO; “What students will demonstrate...”) of the Enduring Understandings (EU; “What students will remember in the long term...”) within the five big ideas represented by the acronym QUEST introduced in the prerequisite AP Seminar course:

• Question and Explore: Read critically; pose questions and identify issues that compel you to want to explore further.

• Understand and Analyze: Use specific tools – such as re-reading, questioning in the text, and considering multiple perspectives – to break down an idea or argument into parts that make sense to you.

• Evaluate Multiple Perspectives: Identify a variety of perspectives, viewpoints, and/or arguments of an issue and consider any bias to determine the validity of that point of view.

• Synthesize Ideas: Create new perspectives after evaluating other varying perspectives and establishing a unique position or claim using a variety of resources designed for a specific audience.

• Team, Transform, and Transmit: Communicate the message clearly and

effectively so as to transform both participants and audience.

Course Outcomes/Curricular Requirements

• To engage and challenge the student through the in-depth consideration of a student-selected research question

• To empower students to join the conversation of scholars in a selected field of study

• To cultivate higher-level critical and creative thinking skills by making connections between and among a variety of types of sources

• To find and investigate a gap in information and to contribute to the research in the field

• To hone the craft of academic writing by selecting, synthesizing, and embedding researched information with academic integrity

• To develop college-level skills for a successful college and career future • To foster a love for learning

Textbooks: The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing John Rammage, et. al.: Pearson, 2015. The Everyday Writer Andrea Lunsford, Macmillian, 2020. Suggested: The Bedford Researcher 5th ed. Mike Palmquist. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2015. Practical Research 11th ed. Paul Leedy and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod. Boston: Pearson, 2016.

Materials and Supplies:

- laptop or access to a computer with camera/mic in case of filming from home - Highlighters, blue or black pens, #2 pencils, colored pencils or markers - A three-ring notebook with college ruled notebook paper and dividers. Please

bring a notebook, paper, and pens/pencils to class everyday. Some early year classes might require note taking or in class writing.

- A journal or scrapbook to maintain PREP Journal and assignments - Access to printer (provided in class with $10.00 class fee) - Flash drives for on-line research and group presentations - Access to on-line collaboration sites like One Drive or Google docs - Professional attire for formal presentations - Text(s) as required

Through the College Board’s digital portfolio—the space where all assessed work will be submitted—you will have access to both a university level research database/search engine (ebsco) and turnitin.com. To allow you to print copies of research articles and sources, as well as multiple drafts for editing of your final assessments, and the ability to

synthesize your group paper collaboratively each student will be charged a $10.00 class materials fee to cover the cost of paper and printer ink.

AP Research Course Assessment While the topic of each research study will vary, the course requires students to plan and conduct a study or investigation. The course provides opportunities (activities/assignments) for students to understand principles of discipline-specific research methods (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) to develop, manage, and conduct an in- depth study or investigation in an area of student’s own interest in order to fill a gap in the current field of knowledge. The final output of these efforts includes: A 4,000 – 5,000 word Academic Research Paper [75 percent of the score] that includes several components:

Introduction: This section introduces and contextualizes the research question and initial student assumptions and/or hypotheses. Additionally, it reviews the previous work in the field to synthesize information and a range of perspectives related to the research question (e.g., literature review) to allow for the student to identify the gap in the current field of knowledge to be addressed. Method, Process, or Approach: This section explains and provides justification for the chosen method, process, or approach.

Results, Products, or Findings: This section presents the findings, evidence, results, or product from the student’s work.

Discussion, Analysis, and/or Evaluation: This section interprets the significance of the findings, results, or product and explores connections to the original research question while discussing the implications and limitations of the research or creative work.

Conclusion and Future Directions: This section reflects on the process and how this project could impact the field while discussing the possible next steps and/or future directions.

Bibliography: This section provides a complete list of sources cited and consulted in the appropriate disciplinary style.

A 15-20 minute Presentation and Oral Defense [25 percent of the score]: This presentation may be accomplished in a variety of formats, so long as it reflects the depth of their research. Prior to this performance, the students whose academic paper was accompanied by an additional piece of scholarly work (e.g., performance, exhibit,

etc.) will arrange for the teacher and panelists to view the scholarly work. The defense will include up to four questions from a panel consisting of the AP Research teacher and two additional members from the academic community and the discipline in which the student’s research is situated.

FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO SUMIT ALL WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS TO THE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO IS MONDAY, May 2nd, 2022, BY 11:59 PM.

AP Capstone Plagiarism Policy A student who fails to acknowledge the source or author of any and all information or evidence taken from the work of someone else through citation, attribution, or reference in the body of the work, or through a bibliographic entry, will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Assessment Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that fails to properly acknowledge sources or authors on the Written Team Report will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation. A student who incorporates falsified or fabricated information (e.g., evidence, data, sources and/or authors) will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Assessment Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that incorporates falsified or fabricated information in the Written Team Report will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation. Student Evaluation: Student grades throughout the course will be based on several assignments and activities designed to help prepare you for the three AP Seminar assessments as well as help you develop your skills in both reading, research, presentation, and collaboration to help make you become a successful student here and after high school. Assignments will include:

• Maintaining a PREP Journal. Students will maintain a running record of research, assignments, definitions, group presentations, and reflections on the research process throughout the year and turn in for WEEKLY grading.

• Understanding Research Methods. Students will learn the different kind of research strategies that academics use professionally, which kinds of questions are best suited to which strategies, and how to design experiments that use these designs and the special considerations of arts-based research.

• Annotation of articles. Students will be expected to annotate the articles that are given to them and those they find during research. These annotations should

be thorough and assess all of the components that we look for when analyzing an argument and demonstrate close reading.

• Visual Presentations. In order to practice for the project presentation and oral defense, students will participate in a variety of shorter presentations introducing their topics, explaining their discipline’s style specifics, the “pitch of their research question or project goal. Rubrics will be provided to ensure successful completion of these presentations.

• Participation. Since this is a seminar, the success of the class relies primarily on the students being prepared not by only reading for class but also by discussing, evaluating, and listening to other students’ analysis of the articles and material used in class. You must become an active participant by questioning and answering questions raised by your teacher and classmates when discussing what we have read and presented to each other.

• Socratic seminars. Socratic seminars are like the participatory discussion sessions but are directed solely by the students and will require reflective write- ups from both listeners and participants. The subjects for these seminars will be the reading material of the larger investigation units of the course.

• Annotated bibliography. Students will complete annotated bibliographies demonstrating thoughtful research, evaluation of sources, and discipline specific citation skills of their larger research projects to ensure their successful completion.

• Drafts and parts of papers. In the first and second nine weeks of school, before the AP assessments begin, students will be writing researched papers of varying lengths to practice their skills in synthesizing the information provided by the teacher with their own research as support for their arguments.

Course Requirements: To do well in the research class, the student is expected to: - Submit all assignments on time. No work will be accepted late unless the

absence is excused. Make-up work for tests, quizzes, and writing assignments must be completed within two days of the absence before school or during lunch. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the teacher of what work is needed and schedule a time to complete the work or turn it in within the allotted time.

- Respond in a thoughtful and responsible manner during all class discussions and informal writings.

- Actively read and annotate all texts assigned - Write all assignments legibly in blue or black ink - Edit, polish, and type all final drafts. Size 12 font should be used. - Possess a strong command of the conventions of English grammar. - Respect the opinions and scholarship of others.

- Be prepared to work collaboratively by offering valid peer editing feedback when given the opportunity.

The PREP Journal: Students will be required to maintain a Process and Reflection Portfolio, (PREP) that documents their inquiry process throughout the year that includes reflections on their thought processes, skills learned, questions they have, and communication with teachers and expert advisers; culminating in to their final research paper. Overall, the entries will address all five big ideas in the curriculum framework (QUEST). Emphasis will be on the following topics:

• Choice of research question and interest in the subject matter • Research process, including resources (documents, people, multimedia); analysis

of evidence; directions in which the inquiry or project seems to lead; changes to initial assumptions.

• Ways students have worked both on their own and as part of a larger community • Challenges and solutions

IRB and Research Ethics: Any students considering using human subjects do conduct their research or using observation, focus groups, or surveys must submit their proposals and research design to our schools Institutional Review Board to ensure the ethical standards and implications of their intended projects. Make sure to include the time needed to go through this process in your research designs. Curriculum Units: Unit 1: Course Overview/Bridging the Gap between Seminar and Research The beginning of the research process. We will reflect on the Seminar experience and bridge the gap between the different expectations of the Research course and project. We will review important writing and research skills. We will look at narrowing the focus and topics of the areas of interest students investigated over the summer. Assignments: Students will begin their PREP journals. Unit 2: Research Paradigms, Finding a Topic/Research Question Students will start the process through presentations, Socratic dialogue, and annotated bibliography to investigate what research in their intended discipline looks like and through peer editing perfect their research topic into a research question. Assignments: Begin Poster proposal, topic presentations, annotated articles

Unit 3: Research Methods Students will learn the names and strategies of several important research methodologies and when to employ them. Students will define terms and present techniques. Annotated Bibliography Due October 15TH Unit 4: Formal Inquiry Proposal In October students will submit their finalized topic proposal in a formal document outlining their question, methods, experimental design, and projected outcomes. Students will also finalize contracts with expert consultants and the research team. Assignment: formal proposal, filmed elevator pitch, final poster. Formal Proposal due OCTOBER 22ND Unit 5: The Research Literature Review/Introduction Before Winter break students will submit revised and finalized copies of their literature review and all other necessary introductory portions of their research paper. Assignments: Annotated bibliography, drafts, peer editing Lit Review Due NOVEMBER 30th. Unit 6: Results/Findings/Discussion Methods section will be due December 17th before Winter Break. So that students will have December and January to conduct research and collect data. In February, students will complete the results and discussion sections of their papers. Results/data Due February 18th Assignments: drafts, peer editing. Unit 7: Presentation and Defense: Students will have class time to rehearse and practice their 15-20 minute presentation on their research and prepare to explain their process in front of a 3-person panel. March: Students work on their multimedia presentations. March 1st – April 8th : Student presentations and defenses in front of a 3-person panel and open to the public. We might schedule an in-school field trip to house most of the presentations with Zoom. Others might occur during class periods. Unit 8: FINALIZE DRAFT While students finalize their research papers, students will edit and finalize their papers and create all necessary appendices, graphs, samples, and pictures to complete their research. Final and complete papers must be uploaded to the digital portfolio by May 2nd.

FINAL GRADES Failure to meet these deadlines will have consequences for your grades in this course. ANY STUDENT WHO MISSES THESE DEADLINES AND HAS TO UPLOAD HIS OR HER PAPER TO THE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO OUTSIDE OF CLASS CANNOT RECEIVE A FINAL GRADE HIGHER THAN A “C” FOR THE YEAR IN THIS COURSE. Failure to complete any part of the required assessments will be cause for a failing grade for the year. Collaborative Work and Presentations In this class, you will be responsible for a few collaborative presentations on research methods and discipline specific citation rules. There is no group project as there was in Seminar. You will also have a Poster presentation and an Elevator pitch of your research question and topics during the beginning process of the research you will conduct. Make sure your cell phones are off and silent during presentations. It is simply a matter of common courtesy. Academic Consultants Per the College Board, you are allowed to look for outside guidance to help you complete your research project by connecting with an expert in the field you have chosen to work. These consultants can be your other AP teachers, other teachers in the school, college professors, or community professionals and experts in the fields you are researching. There are strict rules about the amount of help these consultants can give you, so if you choose to use one you must create a formal contract outlining requirements and responsibilities you owe your consultant and defining the level of academic help they can provide. The College Board will audit any work or scores they find suspect, so please follow the rules regarding academic help and plagiarism. Peer Editing and Critiques Because all the work on the research project must be student generated, neither I nor any consultant you work with will be allowed to edit your papers. The bulk of the editing will fall to your classmates. Peer editing is allowed and expected on your written work as well as for drafts and revisions of all papers. You will also have your practice presentations filmed and you will be expected to watch and critique your delivery and the quality of your visual presentations and multimedia materials. Attendance and Tardiness:

Be on time. Please be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings. We have a great deal of material to cover in this course and it is discourteous to your instructor and classmates to make us wait for you to begin. Excessive student tardiness will result in disciplinary action including detention followed by parent contact and administrative referral. Many of you will have sport, club, academic, and family commitments this year. Please make attending this class a priority. Daily participation grades depend on your being here and being an active participant in the class. In order to get the most out of this course and to do your best work, your attendance is mandatory. Conduct: I want our class to be a place where you will feel free pursue academic interests on a higher and more intense level then you are used to, so common courtesy and professional behavior will be expected. All students will be required to participate and add to class discussion. We will listen to each other’s ideas politely during discussion sessions and rudeness will not be tolerated. If you are made to feel uncomfortable during these class discussions or by another student at any time, please see me. Cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices are being allowed in school as part of the academic experience of the class. Make sure these devices are off and put away during class if not being used for classwork. Parents can always reach you through the attendance office in case of emergency. Do not take calls from work or parents during this class. A majority of your time in this class will be spent on self-directed research and class time to prepare the required tasks for the scored assessments. Please use your time wisely. Paper Requirements: All drafts of papers and prepared assignments must be typed, double-spaced, meet the assigned length requirement and STAPLED using correct MLA style and documentation standards on white 8½ x 11 typing or computer paper. Using either under or oversized fonts, cover sheets, creative margins, or barely visible ink on your papers will be to your disadvantage because I will not accept them. On In-class writings and other handwritten work, I will not accept work that is illegible or inordinately sloppy. If you know that your handwriting is difficult to read, make an extra effort. As the writing projects are assigned I will provide you with detailed assignment sheets that explain what I will be looking for in each particular essay. Handwritten assignments should only be written in blue or black ink and on white, college ruled paper. Art projects and participatory assignments will be graded on effort so do not be afraid to do your best regardless of artistic ability. Non-participation will result in zeroes. Late work will lose a letter grade for each day late.

Make sure to have duplicate copies of all your longer work. Be sure your files are safely backed up. Always back up all your research files. Print hard copies for safekeeping. Someone loses their paper every year. Do not let that be you. Microsoft teams / Schoology / Google docs/slides / One Drive We will be using the Microsoft teams platform to download and upload assignments. There will also be a Schoology site for the class. We might wind up using one more than the other but we will decide as a class as to which platform suits us better. You will need daily access to a device to read and complete assignments. You will also be allowed to do group work and presentation building through zooms or teams video. You will need to demonstrate digital citizenship by being a conscientious teammate and classmate treating everyone associated with this class with respect on and off-line. Any discourtesy, rudeness, or cyberbullying will be dealt with through administration. Announcements, assignments, and zoom links (if necessary) will be sent through Teams/Schoology and posted to Remind. We also might be using any number of collaborative document sites, like One Drive or Google docs, for group projects and papers. You might find using Microsoft products like PowerPoint and Word integrate into teams and presentations more easily than Google/slides. Remind We will be using Remind as way to keep in contact during the school year. Please text 81010 to @atmrsch22 to join. Grading Policy: Academic grades will be determined by averaging letter grades. Credit checks will be given for some assignments. Every four checks will equal one A. In general, class assignments and homework are worth one letter grade; quizzes and informal essays are worth two letter grades; tests and formal essays are worth three to four letter grades and research projects will be weighted individually (usually three-six). A student must earn at least the minimum exact average to earn the corresponding letter grade. Out of fairness to all students, no exceptions will be made. Academics: Effort: 100%-90% = A 4.00-3.50 1-Outstanding 89%-80%= B 3.49-2.50 2-Satisfactory 79%-70%= C 2.49-1.50 3-Insufficient 69%-60%= D 1.49-1.00 59%-0% = F .99- .00

Final grade breakdown: 40% Essays, Timed writings 30% Presentations, Annotated Bibliography 25% Quizzes, classwork, in-class projects, peer editing sessions, reflective writing 5% Class Participation A generic rubric for grades follows: A—Students working at this level engage fully in every assignment and demonstrate a willingness to examine their own thinking and assumptions. All work reflects a level of thinking far beyond the obvious and the superficial. Students come to class fully prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the course. All assignments are submitted on time and all make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion. Obviously, all work is the student’s own. B—Students working at this level competently engage every assignment and consistently attempt to examine their own thinking and assumptions. The majority of the student’s work reflects a level of thinking beyond the obvious and the superficial. Students come to class fully prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the course. Most assignments are submitted on time and most make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion. All work is the student’s own. C—Students working at this level do not yet engage every assignment and inconsistently demonstrate a willingness to examine their own thinking and assumptions. Only a minor portion of the student’s work reflects a level of thinking beyond the obvious and the superficial. Students are reluctant to challenge themselves beyond what they have already accomplished in reading and writing and, thus, show little or no growth in those areas. Students come to class minimally prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the course. A majority of assignments are submitted on time and most make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion. Obviously, all work is the student’s own. D—Students working at this level seldom engage any assignment and consistently demonstrate an unwillingness to examine their own thinking and assumptions. The student’s work reflects a level of thinking that is obvious and superficial. Students come to class ill-prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in the course. Several assignments are submitted late; some assignments may be missing completely. Make-up work from authorized absences may be missing or seriously late. Obviously, all work is the student’s own.

F—This level of work is obviously unacceptable. Work is often not submitted, or the student may completely ignore the requirements of the assignment, or the student is in violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. You are doing something extraordinary by talking college level work while still in high school and I want you to succeed. I will work with you if you are having difficulty with the material or the texts. You need to come to me early if you are having a problem, not at the end of the grading period.

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s): Your child, __________________, received handouts today including a course description, a list of needed supplies, class procedures, grading criteria, and discipline procedures as well as the College Board’s requirements for receiving possible college credit for this course. Please review this information so that we can work as a team to ensure the best possible results for your child. The policies, procedures, and guidelines you will find with this packet are in effect at all times and are designed to help you understand the expectations I have for academics and behavior. Please review this with your son or daughter and sign below. Our signatures below will acknowledge that we have thoroughly discussed these expectations in class and at home and that you have received this information. Please detach this signature sheet and return it to me during the first week of class. Please do not text or call your child during class time. This becomes a major classroom distraction that keeps children off task. Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns at mportnoy@dadeschools.net. Please include a phone number and a convenient time for me to call you. Thank you for your time, care, concern, and cooperation. Working together, we will be able to create an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration that will allow your child to grow, thrive, and receive the best education possible. I look forward to meeting you personally at Mourning Senior High’s many functions during the year. Sincerely, Michael Portnoy _____________________ __________________ ______________________ Student name/class period Student Signature Parent signature ______________________ ________________________ (Home telephone number) (Work telephone number)