AP Seminar

Unit 2: Understand and Analyze

6 topics to cover in this unit

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Unit Outline

Exploring Topics and Questions

This topic focuses on the initial stages of inquiry, guiding students through the process of moving from a broad area of interest to a focused, researchable question. It emphasizes the iterative nature of refining questions as understanding deepens.

Skill 5: Formulate arguments (Pose questions about an argument, Propose a research question)Skill 9: Research (Identify components of a research question, Explain components of a research question)

Common Misconceptions

Students often choose topics that are too broad or too narrow, making it difficult to conduct meaningful research.
They struggle to differentiate between a factual question and an arguable research question.

Understanding Argument

This section breaks down the fundamental structure of an argument, identifying its core components: claims, evidence, and reasoning. It explores how these elements interrelate and how context, audience, and purpose shape an argument.

Skill 1: Identify and explain arguments (Identify the components of an argument, Explain the relationships among elements of an argument)Skill 11: Purpose (Identify a writer's purpose or aim, Explain a writer's purpose or aim)Skill 12: Audience (Identify a writer's audience, Explain a writer's audience)

Common Misconceptions

Students often confuse evidence with reasoning, failing to explain *how* the evidence supports the claim.
They neglect to consider the author's purpose or the target audience when analyzing an argument.

Evaluating Arguments

This topic focuses on the critical assessment of arguments. Students learn to evaluate the credibility of sources, the relevance, sufficiency, and accuracy of evidence, and the logical soundness of an argument's line of reasoning. It also covers identifying limitations and implications.

Skill 2: Evaluate arguments (Evaluate the credibility of a source, Evaluate the relevance of evidence, Evaluate the sufficiency of evidence, Evaluate the accuracy of evidence, Evaluate the line of reasoning of an argument, Evaluate an argument's implications and limitations)Skill 8: Understand perspective (Identify a source's perspective, Explain a source's perspective, Explain the implications of a source's perspective)

Common Misconceptions

Students assume that if a source is 'academic' or from a university, it is automatically credible for all purposes.
They confuse the quantity of evidence with its sufficiency or quality, thinking more evidence always means a stronger argument.

Synthesizing Arguments

This unit teaches students how to connect and integrate multiple arguments and perspectives on a topic. It involves identifying common themes, patterns, differences, gaps, and contradictions between various sources to build a more nuanced understanding.

Skill 4: Connect arguments (Identify a gap, contradiction, or limitation in an argument, Explain a gap, contradiction, or limitation in an argument)Skill 6: Synthesize (Identify a theme or pattern, Explain a theme or pattern)Skill 7: Use evidence (Explain the connections between claims and other arguments)

Common Misconceptions

Students simply summarize multiple sources sequentially rather than actively connecting them and explaining their relationships.
They struggle to identify subtle distinctions or underlying tensions between arguments that appear similar on the surface.

Researching

This topic covers the practical aspects of conducting research, including developing effective search strategies, identifying appropriate types of sources (primary/secondary, scholarly/popular), and managing information. It emphasizes the dynamic nature of research inquiry.

Skill 9: Research (Identify the components of a research question, Explain the components of a research question)Skill 2: Evaluate arguments (Evaluate the credibility of a source, Evaluate the relevance of evidence)

Common Misconceptions

Students rely too heavily on general internet searches (e.g., Google) instead of utilizing academic databases and library resources.
They fail to adapt their search strategy when initial searches yield irrelevant or insufficient results.

Academic Integrity

This section addresses the ethical responsibilities of researchers, focusing on the importance of proper citation, avoiding plagiarism, and maintaining honesty throughout the research and writing process. It covers the definitions and consequences of academic dishonesty.

Skill 10: Academic Integrity (Identify ethical issues, Explain ethical issues)

Common Misconceptions

Students believe that changing a few words in a sentence is sufficient to avoid plagiarism, even without citation.
They often don't understand that paraphrased or summarized information still requires proper attribution.

Key Terms

TopicResearch QuestionScopeContextBrainstormingClaimEvidenceReasoningLine of ReasoningPerspectiveCredibilityRelevanceSufficiencyAccuracyBiasSynthesisLensInterconnectionConcurrencePrimary sourceSecondary sourceDatabaseSearch strategyKeywordsPlagiarismCitationAttributionParaphrasingSummarizing

Key Concepts

Effective research questions are arguable, focused, and open to investigation.
The research process is iterative, involving continuous refinement of questions and search strategies.
Arguments are constructed from claims supported by evidence, linked together by logical reasoning.
The effectiveness of an argument is influenced by its context, the intended audience, and the author's purpose.
Arguments must be critically evaluated based on the quality of their evidence and the soundness of their reasoning.
All sources and arguments have perspectives, which can introduce bias or limitations that must be considered.
Synthesis involves identifying relationships (connections, differences, tensions) between multiple arguments to form a coherent understanding.
A comprehensive understanding of a topic requires considering and integrating diverse perspectives, identifying where they agree, disagree, or leave gaps.
Effective research requires strategic planning, including refining search terms and selecting appropriate databases and sources.
Different research questions and purposes necessitate different types and qualities of sources.
Proper attribution of sources is fundamental to academic integrity and avoids plagiarism.
Understanding and adhering to ethical research practices is crucial for the credibility of one's work and the academic community.

Cross-Unit Connections

Unit 2 builds directly on the foundational understanding of lenses, perspectives, and the inquiry process introduced in Unit 1. The abstract concepts from Unit 1 are put into practice through active research and analysis in Unit 2.
The skills developed in Unit 2 (researching, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing arguments) are absolutely essential for Unit 3, where students must construct, support, and defend their own arguments in written and oral forms.
This unit provides the core skills required for success on both performance tasks (PT1 and PT2) and the End-of-Course (EOC) Exam. The Individual Research Report (IRR), Individual Written Argument (IWA), and Team Multimedia Presentation (TMP) all demand sophisticated argument analysis, source evaluation, and synthesis abilities that are honed in Unit 2.
Understanding argument components and evaluation (2.2, 2.3) is critical for constructing effective claims and lines of reasoning in PT1 and PT2. Researching and synthesizing (2.4, 2.5) directly informs the gathering of evidence and development of nuanced arguments for these tasks. Academic integrity (2.6) underpins all work in AP Seminar.

Unit 1: Question and Explore Unit 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives