AP Seminar: Developing a Research Topic within Context of Stimulus Materials
Summary
TLDRIn this AP Seminar video, Gerardo Gonzalez guides students through the process of developing a research topic for their individual written argument. He emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between a topic and a question and stresses the need for a researchable topic that is contextually linked to the provided stimulus materials. Gonzalez offers strategies for identifying research topics, such as applying philosophical texts to real-world issues and identifying diverging perspectives among sources. He also provides a set of questions to help students refine their topics and shares examples of both successful and unsuccessful attempts to connect stimulus materials to research topics. The video concludes with advice on conducting preliminary research and seeking teacher feedback to ensure a solid foundation for the research question phase.
Takeaways
- 📘 The lesson focuses on developing a research topic for the Individual Written Argument (IWA) in AP Seminar.
- 🔍 The emphasis is on identifying a research topic rather than a research question, highlighting the importance of context and complexity.
- 🎯 The primary objective is to contextualize and identify the complexities of a research problem or issue before moving on to formulating a research question.
- 📚 Students are encouraged to employ appropriate reading strategies, such as reading quickly for a specific purpose and interpreting multiple perspectives on an argument.
- 📝 The importance of linking the stimulus materials to the response, not necessarily to the research question, is stressed for rubric scoring.
- 🚫 Students are warned against rushing into a research question without first understanding the actual topic they are researching.
- 💡 The strategy of combining elements from stimulus sources to formulate a research question is discouraged if it leads to broad or illegitimate topics.
- 🤔 Students are advised to ask themselves specific questions regarding their research topic to ensure it is grounded, connected, and researchable.
- 📈 The use of stimulus sources should be equal to other sources found outside, and they should naturally fit into the research response.
- 📑 Examples from previous students illustrate both successful and unsuccessful attempts at creating a research topic from stimulus materials.
- 🛑 Problem areas to avoid include cherry-picking quotes, mischaracterizing the context of a source, and using a source as a mere jumping-off point.
Q & A
What is the main focus of today's lesson in the transcript?
-The main focus of today's lesson is developing a research topic for the individual written argument in the context of AP Seminar.
Why is it important to distinguish between a research topic and a research question according to the transcript?
-It's important to distinguish between a research topic and a research question because the research topic forms the foundation for the overall context necessary for an effective research question, which is crucial for earning points in the AP Seminar rubric.
What are the objectives for the lesson as mentioned in the transcript?
-The objectives for the lesson are to contextualize and identify the complexities of a research problem or issue, and to identify the steps needed to develop a clear research topic that can lead to an effective research question.
What does the instructor emphasize about the relationship between the stimulus materials and the research topic?
-The instructor emphasizes that the research topic and question do not necessarily have to tie in specifically to the concept discussed in the stimulus materials, but they must be integrated as part of the response.
What is the significance of employing appropriate reading strategies as mentioned in the transcript?
-Employing appropriate reading strategies is significant for reading quickly for a specific purpose, identifying, comparing, and interpreting multiple perspectives on an argument, and extending ideas from stimulus materials into a new understanding for researching a new topic.
Why is it crucial to develop a research topic that is actually researchable according to the transcript?
-It is crucial to develop a research topic that is actually researchable to avoid rushing through the process and jumping directly into a research question without understanding the actual topic being researched, which can lead to a lack of focus and a failure to earn points in the AP Seminar rubric.
What does the instructor suggest as a strategy to avoid when developing a research topic?
-The instructor suggests avoiding the strategy of attempting to combine elements of the stimulus sources too literally to formulate a research question, as it can lead to topics that are too broad, not legitimately debatable, or not actual issues.
What is the recommended approach to developing a research topic according to the transcript?
-The recommended approach is to use the stimulus sources to identify a debatable issue worth researching, treat the sources as equal to additional sources found outside, and ensure the research topic is grounded in a larger context before moving on to the research question.
What are some questions the instructor suggests students ask themselves while developing a research topic?
-The questions include: What is the idea being considered? What are the two sources being connected? How do the sources connect to one another and to the idea? What is the theme shared among the sources? And why are you interested in this topic?
What are some strategies provided in the transcript to identify possible topics for the assessment?
-Strategies include applying philosophical texts to a current real-world problem, identifying diverging perspectives among the sources, and considering other feelings, emotions, or experiences associated with the theme of happiness.
What are some potential problem areas to avoid when developing a research topic as mentioned in the transcript?
-Problem areas to avoid include cherry-picking quotes, mischaracterizing the context of the source, and using the source as a jumping-off point instead of a solid connection to the research topic.
What is the next step suggested by the instructor after developing a potential research topic?
-The next step is to conduct preliminary research on each potential topic by reading non-academic sources to develop a general understanding and determine if the topic is focused enough for further research.
What action can students take if they need access to mobile tools or connectivity for their research?
-Students can visit the link CBI.org/tech to fill out a survey providing information and feedback to the College Board, which is working on solutions to help students access what they need for their research.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Developing a Research Topic
In this introductory segment, Gerardo Gonzalez, a teacher at Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago, sets the stage for a lesson on crafting a research topic for an AP Seminar. The focus is on the distinction between a 'topic' and a 'question', emphasizing the importance of developing a clear research topic before formulating a research question. The lesson objectives include understanding the complexities of a research problem and learning to identify steps to develop a topic that leads to an effective research question. Strategies such as quick reading for specific purposes and interpreting multiple perspectives are highlighted as essential for extending ideas from stimulus materials into a new understanding of a topic. The instructor also underscores the importance of linking the stimulus materials to the response, as per the rubric for the Individual Written Assignment (IWA), but clarifies that the research topic or question doesn't have to be directly tied to the concept of happiness, which was a theme in previous materials discussed.
🛠️ Path to Developing a Research Topic
This paragraph delves into the process of developing a research topic, using a color-coded pathway analogy to illustrate different stages of understanding. The 'green' stage represents a solid grasp of stimulus materials, while 'yellow' indicates areas of uncertainty or a need for further exploration. The 'red' boxes signify unexplored territories that will be covered in future lessons. The main emphasis is on moving from a general understanding of the stimulus materials to identifying a researchable topic, rather than jumping directly to a research question. The instructor advises against literal combinations of stimulus sources to form a question, as this can lead to overly broad or illegitimate topics. Instead, students are encouraged to use the stimulus sources to identify a debatable issue and to treat these sources as equal to any others they might find during their research. The goal is to establish a research topic that provides a foundation and context for the research question, aligning with the rubric's requirements for context and integration of materials.
❓ Reflecting on Research Topic Development
In this segment, the instructor prompts students to reflect on their potential research topics by asking a series of targeted questions. These questions are designed to help students pinpoint the specific idea they are considering, identify the sources they are connecting, and understand how these sources relate to their overall research idea. The importance of researching beyond the stimulus materials to ensure the topic is viable is stressed. The theme of happiness is highlighted as a common thread among the sources, but students are encouraged to explore additional, smaller themes that may be present. Personal interest in the topic is also emphasized, as it is crucial for maintaining motivation throughout the research process. The instructor provides examples from previous students to illustrate how these questions can be applied effectively in developing a research topic.
🎨 Activism and Art: A Student's Research Topic Example
The instructor presents a successful example from a previous student who connected the theme of rights and responsibilities with the concept of activism and advocacy through art. The student used two stimulus sources—a letter from Martin Luther King Jr. and a song by Bob Dylan—to explore how both promote activism and fighting for change. The student's idea of activism through art was grounded in the messages of these sources, which advocate for equal rights and recognition of responsibility among citizens. This example demonstrates a solid connection between the stimulus materials and the student's research topic, showing how the sources can be applied to a different issue while maintaining the spirit of the original texts.
🚫 Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Topic Development
This paragraph serves as a cautionary guide, highlighting common mistakes students make when developing their research topics. The instructor advises against creating a topic that is too abstract or philosophical without connecting it to a concrete issue in society. The example provided illustrates a student's struggle with forming a specific and researchable topic, emphasizing the need to avoid vague concepts and to ensure that the topic has a clear connection to a larger, meaningful issue. The importance of not forcing a connection between the stimulus sources and ensuring that the topic is genuinely researchable is reiterated.
🤔 Strategies for Identifying Research Topics
The instructor offers several strategies for students to identify potential research topics. These include applying philosophical texts to current real-world problems, identifying diverging perspectives among the sources, and considering other emotions or experiences associated with happiness. The message is to look beyond the surface-level question of 'what is the meaning of happiness' and to find more concrete angles for research. The instructor encourages students to use the stimulus sources in various ways, including as support for a counter-argument or to disagree with the sources, as long as the sources are incorporated meaningfully into the response.
⚠️ Problem Areas to Avoid in Research Topic Development
The final paragraph of the script outlines problem areas that students should avoid when developing their research topics. These include cherry-picking quotes that deviate from the theme, mischaracterizing the context of the source, and using the source merely as a jumping-off point. The instructor emphasizes that a good connection to the stimulus material is essential, and if the inclusion of a source does not enhance the paper, it should be reconsidered. The paragraph concludes with a reminder of the importance of the research question in the overall success of the research project and paper.
📝 Next Steps and Additional Resources
In the concluding segment, the instructor outlines the next steps for students: identifying one or two potential research topics based on connections made from the stimulus sources and conducting preliminary research on these topics. Suggestions are made to read non-academic sources to gain a general understanding and to determine the real-world relevance of the topics. The instructor also advises students to answer the five questions provided earlier in the lesson and to seek feedback from teachers. Additionally, a resource is mentioned for students who may not have internet access, directing them to a College Board link for further assistance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Research Topic
💡Research Question
💡Stimulus Materials
💡Contextualize
💡Debatable Issue
💡Preliminary Research
💡Rubric
💡Philosophical Texts
💡Diverging Perspectives
💡Cherry-Picking Quotes
Highlights
Lesson focuses on developing a research topic for the individual written argument in AP Seminar.
Emphasis on the importance of a clear research topic closely linked to the stimulus materials.
Objective to contextualize and identify complexities of a research problem or issue.
Importance of linking the stimulus materials to the response, not necessarily to the research question.
The research question should be situated within a larger context to earn points in rubric row 2.
Need to develop a research topic that is researchable before moving on to the research question.
Avoid rushing through the process to formulate a legitimate research question.
Using the stimulus sources to identify a debatable issue worth researching.
Treating stimulus sources as equal to additional sources found outside for research topic development.
Avoiding literal incorporation of stimulus sources which can lead to broad or illegitimate topics.
Questions to ask for structuring a potential research topic and ensuring a meaningful connection.
Providing examples of student responses to illustrate proper connection between stimulus sources and research topics.
Identifying problem areas such as cherry-picking quotes or mischaracterizing source context to avoid in research topic development.
Strategies for identifying possible topics, including applying philosophical texts to real-world problems.
Considering diverging perspectives among sources as a starting point for research topics.
Encouragement to think beyond the general question of happiness to more concrete research topics.
Advice on utilizing stimulus sources even in disagreement to support a counter-argument.
Recommendation to conduct preliminary research on potential topics to ensure they are focused and researchable.
The significance of the research question in determining the success of the study and paper in AP Seminar.
Information on resources for students without internet access to ensure equitable access to research materials.
Transcripts
all right welcome back summon our squad
to another edition of our virtual
lessons for AP seminar just a quick
reminder my name is Gerardo Gonzalez and
I teach at Lane tech college prep for
those of you that did not watch the
previous videos in Chicago Illinois okay
so today's lesson will be focusing on
developing a research topic for the
individual written argument okay so I
want to highlight that word topic and
not question and I'll get into that in a
little bit our objectives for today will
be to contextualize and identify the
complexities of a research problem or
issue I'll get into that is really our
primary objective for today and I'll get
into that momentarily our big goal for
today at the bottom of your screen is to
identify the steps needed to develop a
clear research topic that can lead us to
an effective research question okay and
we want to do that by employing the
appropriate reading strategies in
reading quickly for a specific purpose
that's for our stimulus materials and
then identifying comparing and
interpreting multiple perspectives on an
argument about an issue and then we want
to extend some of those the ideas from
the stimulus materials into our own new
understanding for us to be able to
research a new topic and so I mean once
again quickly review the first two
rubric rose for the IWA because I think
it's very important for us to understand
the importance of us to develop a clear
research topic and research question
that is closely linking to the stimulus
materials so if you pay attention to the
highlighted words here for rubric rule
one you earn points by integrating the
stimulus materials as part of the
response okay and so one of the one of
the things that I want to point out to
you here is that
it's the rubric is indicating that you
need to link the stimulus materials to
your response
not necessarily to your research
question okay and so want to keep I want
to keep reiterating that because I want
to make sure that you understand that
your research topic your research
question does not necessarily have to
tie in specifically to the concept of
happiness which is that theme that we
were discussing in our discussion of the
seamless materials in the previous
sources one so you need to integrate the
stimulus materials as part of your
response if you don't if you look on the
left hand side on the left left column
if the if the stimulus materials do not
contribute to the overall argument that
you're making or to the overall argument
within somewhere within the paper then
that's where you're not going to be
earning points so to go into that a
little bit further rubric Row 2 is
really where we're contextualizing we're
integrating the stimulus materials into
our overall response and so we want to
make sure that whatever topic whatever
question you explore you want to make
sure that that topic is situated within
a larger context okay so your research
question your paper your argument needs
to make sure that it's actually dealing
with in a specific field so as we
reviewed previously rubric Row 2 deals
with the context of your research paper
and to earn points you need to make sure
that your research question is situated
within the larger context I'm going to
go into this a little bit further to
review these are the stimulus materials
that we're that we're using for the AP
exam for this year and so I'm gonna stop
and pause here and tell you to stop the
video if you have not thoroughly read
the entirety of the stimulus sources the
next part of the video focuses on ways
to develop research ideas from those
stimulus materials so it helps if you've
read a gotten a clear understanding of
them you should also consider watching
the first three videos of this series if
you have not done so already since
we'll be building off of some of those
ideas moving forward okay so final
warning let's move on to some of the
things that you need to know for today's
lesson it is very very important that
you develop a research topic that is
actually researchable so a well
researched topic is very very necessary
before moving on to the research
question so many many of my students in
my classroom sometimes they struggle
with coming up with a research question
because they rush through the process
and they want to jump directly into the
research question making before actually
understanding that what that what the
actual topic that they're researching is
so on this on this slide we sort of have
like a pathway to how we're gonna
develop our research topic for many of
us we should be green in our
understanding of our stimulus Mateusz
right so we should feel good about this
right now before moving on to the next
part right now the yellow boxes are
indicating where maybe you're a little
bit unclear about you're unsure you
don't know if you should be progressing
further and then the red the red boxes
are things that we have not yet covered
okay so we're yellow right now and may
be making a legitimate connection
between the two stimulus sources that
deals with the shared theme of happiness
and then we're maybe feeling okay about
bridging the connection between the
stimulus sources to actual research
topic okay these two yellow boxes that's
really what I'm gonna focus on today
we're gonna cover the red boxes in the
next lessons after this part so today
really focus on research topic and not
necessarily research question research
question will be the next lesson after
this one so I want to highlight that so
at this point you might be asking
yourself how you need to incorporate the
stimulus sources into your research
question and this is where I want to
tell you that number one you don't need
to do that and number two sometimes you
should
incorporate the actual sources in a way
that's too literal so the image on the
center of the slide depicts a strategy
that many many students often attempt
they seek to combine the elements of the
to stimulus sources to formulate a
research question
unfortunately the strategy sometimes
fails because the sources were not
originally written in a way that they're
like directly addressing one another in
an argument for example have you
renounced pleasure from the book of joy
was not written with the intention of
being placed into a conversation with
the study from Kahneman and Deaton ok so
because they weren't written in a way so
as to directly address one another
sometimes you're gonna get a question
that's not really like legitimate so
attempting to generate a research
question merely from the stimulus
sources is not always the best approach
because it often leads to topics that
are too broad or not legitimately
debatable or to issues that are not
actual issues so I want you to avoid in
in planning your research topic ok I
want you to avoid doing what's in this
box instead what I want you to do is
using the following approaches instead
so in this case I want you to attempt or
brainstorm or think about using the hi
the stimulus sources to identify a
debatable issue that's worth researching
so in this case I have added an
additional box I want you to treat your
sources your stimulus sources as equal
to additional sources that you can find
outside so using the previous example
from the book of joy and and Kahneman
and Deaton although these two sources
were not originally written in with the
intention of the directly conversing
with one another they definitely share a
common theme around happiness and
concepts of happiness so based on the
shared theme the best approach is to
first come up with the research topic
that is researchable instead of rushing
into a research
question so the goal of developing a
research topic first is to give you a
foundation of research to develop your
overall context which is necessary for
rubric growth - so if we head back to
some of the previous slides on row 2 of
the rubric we want we can see here that
our essay and our research question
needs to be situated within the larger
context okay so whatever your essay
whatever your response is whatever your
research question they need to sort of
be like a little bit more concrete so
for the purposes of this research
project the larger context is what you
need to research before moving on to
your research question so moving back to
the previous chart we can see that this
approach allows for the stimulus sources
to be treated as equal okay so while
sometimes they can feel awkward or
clunky to incorporate the stimulus
sources into your overall response by
allowing your stimulus sources to be
part of the overall context and you you
treat them as equal to other sources
they can fit a little bit more naturally
into the research response and so this
overall allows for more meaningful and
purposeful integration into the overall
press so some questions to ask yourself
while making these connections so this
is an assignment that I give my students
anytime we are thinking about our
potential research topic so these are
questions that I want you to consider if
you're having struggles with coming up
with the topic or if you just need a
little bit more structure right now I
want you to ask yourself the following
questions in regard to your research
topic the first question that I want
want you to ask yourself is what is the
idea that you're considering so in this
case I want you to try to be as specific
as possible and I want you to ground
your question in something a little
more substantive and I'll show you some
prior your examples from my former
students in a little bit so you can see
what I'm talking about
the second the second question that I
want you to ask yourself is what are the
two sources that you're connecting to
one another in this case I really want
you to try to be as specific as possible
and be ready to provide specific lines
from the text that you would use to
develop the idea so it's not always
enough for you to just try to apply the
general concept of the source when
making your connection between two
sources I really want you to try to
connect multiple lines from the sources
or multiple concepts from the two
sources in the case of the video for
example to make sure that these two
sources are actually participating in a
conversation with one another and
participating in a conversation with
overall larger context which is what the
third question is so the third question
is how do the sources connect to one
another and to your idea so not only do
your sources need to connect to one
another they also need to connect to the
overall idea that you're researching and
that that second part that connection to
your overall idea
you're not gonna figure that out unless
you researched additional unless you
conduct additional research outside of
the actual stimulus sources you need to
make sure that before moving on to the
research question phase of this project
that your research topic is actually
researchable okay and I'll show you that
in a little bit and then we want to know
what the theme is that shared among the
sources that you're using in this case
we know that for the majority of you the
theme is going to be the concept of
happiness but in addition to that there
are other smaller themes that you could
justify within the sources depending on
the depending on the way that you're
using them and then finally just a
personal interest question why are you
interested in this realistically this is
a process that should be taking you
thirty days to complete 30 school days
right that's that's sort of what we what
we require for this assessment 30 school
days is a long time so you should be you
should have a relative interest in this
project and in this topic because if you
don't you're you might lose steam midway
through and not really not really have
that that passion to continue
researching this topic a little bit
further so in this case remember part of
the part of the beauty of a pea seminar
is that you do get to pursue your
interests a little bit more and you get
to the research and write about what it
is that you'd like so make sure that
you're picking the topic that you are
interested in so I want to use some
previous year examples from my students
and so in this case I am using the
stimulus from 2019 which was last year
stimulus materials and the general the
general theme that was being represented
was rights and responsibilities okay so
here is a response from one of my
students from last year using the same
questions that I asked my students
here's what they what they said so when
I asked them what is the idea that
you're considering they their response
is that they're considering looking at
activism and advocacy through art now I
know that you probably have not read
these stimulus sources but overall you
can you can just see from the following
question the to the way that these two
sources are going to connect to one
another so two of the stimulus source is
from this stimulus packet were a letter
from a bird from Birmingham jail by
Martin Luther King jr. and a song called
blowing in the wind by Bob Dylan
so they said as far as how they connect
so I think that the letter from
Birmingham jail and blowing in the wind
connect because they both promote
activism and fighting for a change
blowing in the wind asked a series of
rhetorical questions
one of the most significant being yes
and how many years can some people exist
before they're allowed to be free this
line directly connects to human rights
and giving everyone the freedom to be
equal in society in a letter from
Birmingham jail dr. King not only
advocates for civil rights but he also
promotes nonviolent direct action as a
method for activism and advocacy dr.
King states injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere which shows
the importance of addressing social
injustice is because no matter how
seemingly small the issue any injustice
matters and is important to speak up
against so you're seeing both of these
sources that were not necessarily
written as a response to one another
both of these sources are dealing with
this same with the same concept of
promoting activism and fighting for
change okay so there is a connection
there the topic is promoting activism
and fighting for change that is what the
topic is about the final three questions
how do these sources connect to one
another and to your idea
both of the sources connect to the idea
of activism and speaking up against
social issues my idea is activism
through art which is a non-violent form
of protest against social ideas the
letter in the song are also two non
violent pieces of protest that advocate
for equal rights and recognition of
responsibility among citizens so you can
see that in this case the student is
applying the messages of these two
stimulus sources to a different issue of
activism through art the theme is rights
and responsibilities because they both
advocate equal rights and recognition or
responsibility among citizens and then
you can see here that they're interested
in activism because they've always had a
strong sense of justice and I want to
focus on fighting injustice and I think
that nonviolent protests through art is
an interesting way to promote activism
okay so in this case this is a solid
topic that is definitely grounded in the
spirit of the stimulus sources
one so in this case this student is off
to a good start okay now I'm going to
show you an instance of a student who
maybe is not there yet with the
specificity of their stimulus topic use
so the second example I want to explore
involves a topic that did not end up
working for the student okay so this
student turned in this assignment to me
and they realized after a while that
there were just a couple of issues here
that were not that we're not working for
them okay so I'm going to give you a
minute to read this response and I'm
gonna flip over to the next slide in a
bit so go ahead and take 30 seconds to
read this and then I'll flip it to the
next one
you
you
you
you
you
you
you
I'm flipping over to the next one
you
you
you
you
okay so one of the main issues that that
this student ran into as they were
researching was the abstract nature of
this topic although it's acceptable to
write a paper that's more philosophical
in nature you need to make sure that
it's still focused enough this topic
suffers from attempting to connect the
two sources together too directly
without actually and connecting it to a
larger topic overall so if you look at
the question at the at the top of the
screen the student attaches a vague
connection around the concept of human
imagination but what is the larger topic
that demands to be studied so we have
this like power of human imagination but
what does that mean we need to make sure
that in this circumstance that you are
making sure that you are attaching this
this topic attaching your even if you're
doing something a little bit more
philosophical attaching it to something
that is actually an issue in present
society so this concept of human
imagination might be a little too vague
might be a little bit too broad might
not have been researched further like
fully enough before completing this
assignment to actually to actually
proceed so if you see at the final
question why are you interested in this
I'm interested in doing a slightly more
Phylis of philosophical questions while
still applying my question to global
issues what is that global issue that
this student is attempting to research
or to argue about because this this
student didn't really have a full
connection to a general topic there may
be thinking about the stimulus sources
too literally or they're trying to
connect them too much to each other
instead of to the larger context this
topic idea suffers from sort of this
vagueness and that those issues
preventing the student from moving
forward with this idea and so they ended
up moving
in a different direction so now that
we've taken a look at some previous year
example prior your examples let's take a
look at some of the strategies that you
can use to identify possible topics for
this assessment so I have a list of
strategies that you should consider here
the first thing that you can do is to
apply the philosophical texts to a
current real-world problem or issue
which is something that the previous
example attempted to do but maybe they
didn't take it fully okay or they didn't
take it as far as they could have so the
book of joy and the John Stuart Mill
source have a variety of different
messages that can apply to a multitude
of problems and issues that are
currently affecting society right so
that is that is one way that you can
apply these sort of more abstract pieces
on the heavy renounce pleasure and on
the virtue and happiness to to a
potential research topic a second
strategy that you can utilize is to
consider or to consider is to identify
diverging perspectives among the sources
so each of the sources in this packet
has a variety of different points of
view variety of arguments that they make
around the theme of happiness so your
stimulus sources do not necessarily need
to agree with one another okay they can
have competing points of view competing
arguments that's actually a pretty good
place to start because if you see that -
the similar sources are disagreeing or
what may be disagree with each other on
a specific topic that's an entry point
for you to possibly research most
importantly you should also think about
and consider other feelings emotions or
experiences that can be associated with
happiness so the story story of an hour
Big Daddies istance and The Happiness
Project all touch on emotions and
experiences that are not typically
associated with happiness okay so the
story of an hour is
dealing with sort of like tangential
feelings of happiness or feelings that
may be associated with happiness relief
and in some time in at some point it's
grief right so relief turning into grief
so you should brought in the way that
you think about these sources to allow
yourself to look beyond the general what
is the meaning of happiness question
okay what is the meaning of happiness
may not be a research question that
takes you that takes you in the right
direction okay that might be a good
place to start but it's not very
tangible you need to apply it to
something a little bit more concrete
than that so remember do you do not your
paper does not need to agree with the
argument that the sources are making you
can use the similar sources to support a
counter-argument sources can also
disagree with one another all that
matters in terms of like your use of the
stimulus sources is that it is embedded
it is incorporated as a part of your
response you don't need to agree with
them so if you found yourself reading
some of these sources and you disagreed
with them that's great
utilize the stimulus sources as part of
a counter-argument so that you can
proceed a little bit so that you can
move forward with your research don't
feel as if you have to incorporate
incorporate the stimulus sources as part
of something that you're in agreement
with if you truly don't agree with it
okay so some potential problem areas to
avoid here the first thing that I want
to focus on so now that we've discussed
some of the ways to formulate research
topic let's look at some of the problem
areas that you should avoid to ensure
that your topic has a solid foundation
so I also teach ap research and one of
the things that we always tell our
students is if the question fails the
study fails and ultimately the paper
fails okay so the research question is
critical so in this case an AP seminar
for this assignment I want you to think
if your connection to the stimulus
material fails your questions gonna fail
and ultimately your papers gonna fail as
well so these three things underneath
this
underlying section here are some problem
areas that I definitely want you to
avoid the first thing that I want you to
avoid includes cherry-picking quotes so
if you cherry-pick a quote that takes
you away from the direction of the theme
or from the actual from the actual like
message of the source it's going to lead
to some to some problems so for example
there is a reference in the Happiness
Project to the movie frozen okay so
there there's a reference there's a
reference to that but that reference
shouldn't necessarily lead you to an
essay arguing for why the movie frozen
is the greatest Disney movie of all time
even if you feel that way and even if
it's an actual debate that people might
have that isn't what the source was
about so that inclusion and so even if
you would include that quote in the
paper in your paper that's not actually
using the source in a way that that is
sharing a theme with the other sources
in the stimulus package so avoid finding
a quote that you really really love and
using that as as a justification for
researching further you should also
avoid miss characterizing the context of
the source so it's ok to apply the
message of the source as long as the
message connects to your to your topic
but it's not okay to misinterpret the
source or to use a quote in a way that
doesn't represent the author of the
original the original author so once
again it's okay to apply something that
they say or something that they that
they talk about as long as what it's
within the overall argument that they're
making
but you shouldn't try to misconstrue
what the argument is or miss apply claim
and then finally you should avoid using
the source as a jumping-off point so
remember if you can remove the inclusion
of that source from the paper that you
write it's probably not a good
connection if your paper ends up being
better if we get rid of the similar
source then that's
really bad right so we want to make sure
if we get rid of your inclusion of the
sameness source your paper should be
worse off for it it shouldn't be better
okay so avoid using that source as a
jumping-off point and mrs. Molloy
actually did a great job with that in
the first video so if you want a little
bit more explanation on that go ahead
and review the first video in this
series
okay so let's be brief here and
summarize what it is that we were
looking at so we wanted to identify the
steps needed to have a clear to develop
a clear research topic and then that
eventually is going to get us to a point
where we are developing an effective
research question which is the next
thing that we're going to be looking at
and so one of the things that you really
need to make sure that you're doing
contextualizing and identifying the
complexities of this problem or issue
before moving further into a research
question and so these next steps that
we're looking at that I recommend that
you do before proceeding further or
moving on to the next video is to
identify one or two topics that you can
research based on the connection that
you make from the stimulus sources and
you should conduct some preliminary
research on each of the topics so a way
that I recommend my students to do this
is to read two or three sources that are
not necessarily academic sources this
can be from a newspaper it can be from a
periodical like a magazine to just
develop a general understanding on what
your topic is and to understand the
real-world nature of what your research
project is attempting to address and so
I recommend that my students do this to
determine if there's a focused enough
topic that can be further researched
once you do that once you feel like you
have a general understanding of a topic
then you can go ahead and answer the
five questions that I provided earlier
in the in the lesson and really go ahead
and ask your teacher for some feedback
so it's okay for
to provide this response and say hey I
feel like my research topic is maybe a
little bit too broad are you seeing that
as well or where do you think that I
could do a little bit more research in
order to get a little bit more guidance
on that we're gonna look at more
research questions in the next video so
be on the lookout for that one final
piece we know that not all students have
access to the Internet and so the
College Board is working on solutions to
help you get what what you need and in
order to show your best work so if you
need access to mobile tools or
connectivity or if you know someone that
does you can go on this link CBI
org slash tech to fill out a survey to
give a little bit more information and
feedback to the College Board that's all
I have for today thanks for watching
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