overview

                       Weight: 35% of the AP Seminar score
Task Overview
This packet includes stimulus materials for the AP Seminar Performance Assessment Task: Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation. This essay should be in the form of an argument.
You must identify a research question prompted by the provided stimulus materials, gather additional information from outside sources, develop and refine an argument, write and revise your argument, and create a presentation that you will be expected to defend. Your teacher will give you a deadline for when you need to submit your written argument and presentation media. Your teacher will also give you a date on which you will give your presentation.
Task components:
  • individual written assignment
  • individual multimedia presentation
  • Oral defense
Length
  • Approx.  2000 words
  • 6-8 minutes
  • Respond to 2 questions
Due Dates:

​TBD
Task Directions:
1. Individual Written Argument (approximately 2000 words)
❯ Read, analyze, and discuss the provided stimulus materials to identify areas for inquiry.
❯ Compose a research question of your own prompted by the stimulus materials.
❯ Gather additional information from outside sources through research.
❯ Analyze, evaluate, and select evidence to develop a well-reasoned and well written argument that answers the research question and conveys your perspective.
  • Your research question must be inspired by one or more of the stimulus materials. Your essay must refer to and incorporate at least one of these documents.
  • As part of your research, you must find outside sources, including peer reviewed academic work, that will supply the evidence for your argument. You must locate these sources independently.
  • During your research process, revisit your original research question. Ensure that the evidence you gather addresses your original purpose and focus. Refine your research process, or your research question, as needed to make sure that your evidence aligns with your research question and supports your argument.
  • Your written argument must identify opposing or alternate views and consider their implications and/or limitations as well as the consequences and implications of one or more resolutions, conclusions, or solutions that you suggest.
Individual Multimedia Presentation (6–8 minutes)

Develop a presentation that conveys your key findings and deliver it to an audience of your peers. The presentation and the media used to enhance the presentation should consider audience, context, and purpose. The presentation should reflect the major components of your written argument. Engage your audience using appropriate strategies (e.g., eye contact, vocal variety, expressive gestures, movement).

❯ Use effective visual design elements to engage your audience and illustrate your points.
❯ Use appropriate communication strategies. Do not read directly from your paper, slides, or a script. Instead, interact with visuals or other supporting elements. Rehearse your commentary in advance and prepare notecards or an outline that you can quickly reference as you are speaking.
❯ Make explicit connections between the evidence you choose and claims about your key findings.
​❯ Situate your perspective within a larger context

Stimulus Packet 1

Click here for the PDF

Stimulus packet 2

Click here for the PDF