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Ultimate Guide to the AP Seminar Course and Exam

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AP classes are generally stand-alone subjects that easily translate to traditional college courses. They culminate in a standardized exam on which students are graded using a five-point scale, which colleges use to determine credit or advanced standing. However, starting in the fall of 2014, the College Board began to adapt the traditional structure to reflect a less stringent rote curriculum and place a heavier emphasis on critical thinking skills.

The AP Capstone program is at the center of these changes, and its introductory course is AP Seminar. Read on for more information about the AP Seminar course and exam and how they can prepare you for college-level work.

About the AP Capstone Diploma 

The AP Seminar course is the first of two classes required for the AP Capstone Diploma —a two-year program with a curriculum designed to develop students’ skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing, and presenting. Students who receive a score of 3 or higher on the exams for both courses earn an AP Seminar and Research Certificate. Students who receive a score of 3 or higher on both exams and on four additional AP exams receive the AP Capstone Diploma.   

During the AP Seminar course, you will practice collaborative problem-solving, critical thinking, and student-led investigation. During the second year of the program, you will go on to study AP Research , which applies the skills you developed in AP Seminar to a prolonged research project on a topic of your choosing, build an evidence-based argument, and present it through written and oral defense.

When is the AP Seminar Exam?

The 2020 AP Exams have been changed to online exams due to coronavirus. Learn about these changes in our post How is Coronavirus Impacting AP Exams ?

About the AP Seminar Course 

The College Board suggests themes such as freedom, justice, and peace as possible examples. You will use an inquiry framework to practice reading and analyzing articles, studies, and foundational, literary, and philosophical texts. You will also listen to and view speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts, and examine artistic works and performances. By examining materials like news stories, research studies, and literary works, you will learn to craft arguments to support your point of view and communicate it effectively by using various media.

This course will also support you as you investigate real-world topics of your choosing from multiple perspectives, which often are different or competing. In addition, you will learn to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision, develop arguments based on facts, and effectively communicate your point of view.

The main educational ideas explored in AP Seminar are broken down into “big ideas.” Within each big idea there are “essential questions,” designed to encourage deep thought about a theme and foster a deeper conceptual understanding of it. Below are the five big ideas of the AP Seminar course, a brief description of them, and their corresponding essential questions.  

Question and Explore: Challenges students to form their own point of view when facing complex issues by asking questions and investigating answers through the exploration of different, often competing, perspectives. The essential questions of “Question and Explore” are: 

• How does the context of a problem or issue affect how it is interpreted or presented?
• How might others see the problem or issue differently?
• What questions have yet to be asked?
• What voices or perspectives are missing from my research?
• What do I want to know, learn, or understand?
• How does my research question shape how I go about trying to answer it?
• What information do I need to answer my question?
• What keywords should I use to search for information about this topic?

Understand and Analyze: The understanding and comprehension of others’ ideas and the ability to synthesize and explain another person’s ideas to others. The essential questions of “Understand and Analyze” are:

• What strategies will help me comprehend a text? 
• What is the argument’s main idea and what reasoning does the author use to develop it?
• Why might the author view the issue this way?
• What biases may the author have that influence his or her perspective?
• Does this argument acknowledge other perspectives?
• How do I know if a source is trustworthy?
• What are the implications of these arguments?
• How does this conclusion impact me and my community? Or my research?

Evaluate Multiple Perspectives: The ability to compare and contrast different perspectives to better understand the complexities of an issue. The essential questions are:

• What patterns or trends can be identified among the arguments about this issue?
• What are the implications and/or consequences of accepting or rejecting a particular argument?
• How can I connect the multiple perspectives? What other issues, questions, or topics do they relate to?
• How can I explain contradictions within or between arguments?
• From whose perspective is this information being presented, and how does that affect my evaluation?

Synthesize Ideas: Unifying the gained knowledge, explored ideas, and numerous perspectives  to form conclusions on your own. The essential questions of “Synthesize Ideas” are:

• How do I connect and analyze the evidence in order to develop an argument and support a conclusion?
• What line of reasoning and evidence would best support my argument? Is my reasoning logical?
• Are there other conclusions I should consider?
• What am I taking for granted? How do I acknowledge and account for my own biases and assumptions?
• What is the best way to acknowledge and attribute the work of others that was used to support my argument?
• How can I avoid committing plagiarism?

Team, Transform, and Transmit: Cultivating critical skills of collaboration, communication, and reflection—teaching students how to work best in a team environment. The essential questions are:

• How can I best appeal to and engage my audience?
• What is the best medium or genre through which to engage my audience?
• What common misconceptions might my audience have?
• How might I adapt my argument for different audiences and situations?
• How might my communication choices affect my credibility with my audience?
• What contributions can I offer to a team?
• What is the benefit of revision?
• How can I benefit from reflecting on my own work?

Only schools that currently offer the AP Capstone Diploma may offer the AP Seminar course. Because it is a part of a larger comprehensive, skills-based program, students may not self-study for the AP Seminar course or exam. At this time, home-schooled students, home-school organizations, and online providers are not eligible to participate in AP Capstone.

About the AP Seminar Exam 

The AP Seminar exam is structured differently than traditional exams, as a significant percentage of your score is weighted on group work and a presentation which is done outside of the exam. Your performance in the AP Seminar course is assessed through three tasks. 

Team Project and Presentation | 20% of AP Seminar Score

The first is the Team Project and Presentation, which accounts for 20% of your total score. In this project, you will work with a team to create an 8- to 10-minute Team Multimedia Presentation and Defense, in addition to writing a 1,200-word Individual Research Report. Each team member is also asked one question in which they’re required to make an oral defense of their argument. 

Team Presentation: Your team presentation should propose a solution or resolution and support that idea with evidence and visual media. Your teacher will score your presentation.   

Individual Research Report: Work with your team to formulate and clarify your individual approach to your investigation of the team’s research question and present your findings and analysis to your group in a well-researched and well-written report. The College Board will score your research report. 

Oral Defense: Following your presentation, your teacher will ask you to make an oral defense of your argument. Below are some examples of the types of questions frequently asked: 

• Student A, how did the group decide to include Student B’s perspective/lens/ conclusions into the overall presentation? 
• Student A, give one specific way that your thinking changed as a result of learning about Student B’s findings. 
• In the future, what change would you make to your group norms, and how would you expect that to improve the team presentation? 
• Reflecting on your colleagues’ work, which one had the greatest impact on your overall understanding of the problem your group identified? 
• In what way did you improve your ability to work with a group as a result of this project? 
• What is an example of a compelling argument from one of your peer’s individual reports that you decided to exclude from your team presentation and why? 
• What is a way in which your team’s resolution makes you think differently about your own individual research? 
• What was the strongest counter argument to the solution or conclusion your team identified and why? 
• Describe an argument from one of your peer’s individual reports that made you think differently about your team’s solution or conclusion? 
• Having finished your project, what, if anything, do you consider to be a gap in your team’s research that, if addressed, would make you feel more confident about your conclusion?

Your teacher is responsible for scoring your oral defense. 

Student Version | 35% of AP Seminar Score

The second portion of your assessment is the Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation, which accounts for 35% of your total score. For this assessment, you will use cross-curricular stimulus texts (released each year in early January by the College Board) to identify thematic connections, compose a research question, conduct research, analyze and evaluate evidence to develop an argument, and present and defend your conclusions. In doing so, you will produce a 2,000-word Individual Written Argument, a 6- to 8-minute Individual Multimedia Presentation, and an Oral Defense where you’ll need to respond to two questions. 

Individual Written Argument: Using the provided stimulus, identify thematic connections and areas of inquiry and compose a research question that you’ll research and compose a well-written argument conveying your perspective. This is scored by the College Board. 

Individual Multimedia Presentation:  Design an oral presentation using visual media to convey your argument. Your teacher is responsible for scoring your individual multimedia presentation. 

Oral Defense: Defend your process, use of evidence, conclusion(s), solution(s), or recommendations in response to two types of questions that your teacher will ask—reflection on research process and extending argumentation through effective questioning and inquiry. Below are some examples of the types of questions you may get asked: 

Reflection on Research Process

• What information did you need before you began your research, and how did that information shape your research? 
• What evidence did you gather that you didn’t use? Why did you choose not to use it? 
• How valid and reliable are the sources you used? How do you know? Which sources didn’t work? 
• How did you select the strategies you used to gather information or conduct research? Were they effective? 
• How did your research question evolve as you moved through the research process? Did your research go in a different direction than you originally planned/hypothesized? 
• What information did you need that you weren’t able to find or locate? How did you go about trying to find that information? 
• How did you handle the differing perspectives in order to reach a conclusion?

Extending Argumentation Through Effective Questioning and Inquiry

• What additional questions emerged from your research? Why are these questions important? 
• What advice would you have for other researchers who consider this topic? 
• What might be the real-world implications or consequences (influence on others’ behaviors or decision-making processes) of your findings? What are the implications to your community? 
• If you had more time, what additional research would you conduct related to this issue? 
• Explain the level of certainty you have about your conclusion, solution, or recommendation. 
• How does your conclusion respond to any of the other research or sources you examined? 
• How did you use the conclusions and questions of others to advance your own research? 

End of Course Exam

2 hours | 4 questions | 45% of score

The final portion of your assessment is the AP Seminar End-of-Course Exam, which is administered like the more traditional AP exams, at a specific time on a specific day, in a formal standardized testing environment. This exam is worth 45% of your total score, clocks in at two hours, and consists of three short-answer questions and one evidence-based argument essay. For the short-answer section, you will read one passage and answer three questions relating to it. For the essay section, you will read four sources, identify a common theme, and create a logically organized, well-reasoned, and well-written argument that presents your own perspective on the theme or issue you identified.

Example of a short-answer question you’ll encounter on the AP Seminar exam: 

AP Seminar Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, just over 43,000 students took the AP Seminar assessment. Scores from the 2019 exam reveal an assessment with a high passing rate (score of 3 or higher) but a difficult rate of mastery. While 81.1% of students taking the assessments scored a 3 or higher, only 7.1% received the highest score of a 5, while 58.9% received a 3.   

A full course description that can help guide your studying and understanding of the knowledge required for the exam can be found on the College Board website .

Tips For Preparing for the Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

Before you dive into studying, it can be helpful to take a practice test to gain insight into areas you understand well and those that challenge you. You can use the previous end-of-course exams to help assess your skills. They are available on the College Board Performance Task and End-of-Course Exam Samples page . There are also additional practice questions in the course description . Once you have taken some kind of formative assessment for the end-of-course exam, score it to identify the areas you already understand and those in need of improvement. It can be helpful to have a friend or teacher score it, as free-response questions are more subjective than the multiple-choice questions you find on many other AP exams. From an accurate formative assessment, you will get a better idea of where to focus your studying efforts.

It is more difficult to evaluate your readiness for the in-class portions of your assessment, but you will work with your teacher on developing these skills throughout the year so you should receive plenty of feedback as you go. If you do not feel that you have a solid understanding of your abilities in this area, make sure to arrange a meeting with your teacher so that you can get some honest feedback about your performance in the class so far. 

Step 2: Study the Material

In AP Seminar, you will investigate real-world issues from multiple perspectives, gathering and analyzing information from various sources in order to develop credible and valid evidence- based arguments. 

The AP Seminar course particularly stresses connections within and across AP courses, encouraging cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. The AP Seminar course “aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.”

For a glossary of terms that you should be familiar with in this course, see page 119 of the course description . For more information about class structure and specific curriculum content, check out a sample syllabus or review one AP teacher’s end-of-course study materials . 

Step 3: Practice for the End-of-Course Exam

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing with sample material for the end-of-course exam. You can find some sample questions in the course description and more on the AP Seminar Past Exam Questions Page . As you prepare for this portion of the exam, keep in mind that the four questions on the exam will remain the same each year, though sources and texts will vary.

On the first portion of the exam, you will read a source and answer the first three questions. These are:

• Identify the author’s argument, main idea, or thesis.
• Explain the author’s line of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the connections between them.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author uses to support the claims made in the argument.

You should allow approximately 30 minutes for the first three questions. The last question asks you to read four sources and you should allow approximately 90 minutes for it. The last prompt is:

Read the four sources carefully, focusing on a theme or issue that connects them and the different perspective each represents. Then, write a logically organized, well-reasoned, and well-written argument that presents your own perspective on the theme or issue you identified. You must incorporate at least two of the sources provided and link the claims in your argument to supporting evidence. You may also use the other provided sources or draw upon your own knowledge. In your response, refer to the provided sources as Source A, Source B, Source C, or Source D, or by the authors’ names.

As you write your response, you should keep in mind that the College Board has a very stringent set of rules regarding plagiarism. If you’re at all in doubt about whether you should cite a source, do so just to be on the safe side. The full AP Capstone Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information can be found on page 35 of the course description. 

Step 4: Practice Through-Course Assessment Pieces

The through-course assessment pieces for the AP Seminar class are unique from other AP assessments in several key ways. First, they are not administered in a traditional standardized testing environment and instead are completed over an extended period of time in the classroom. Second, they have collaborative elements in which you are required to work together with classmates. Finally, your assessment on these sections is scored by your teacher, not an anonymous AP reader. This is a tremendous advantage. Be sure to maintain good communications with your teacher throughout the year, frequently soliciting feedback on your progress so that you will have a realistic idea of your strengths and areas for improvement. This is the single most effective way to prepare for the through-course assessment pieces.

These assessments are completed over several months of the course. The first one, the Team Multimedia Presentation and Defense, consists of a team presentation and an individual research report. In a team of three to five students, you will work to identify, investigate, and analyze an academic or real-world problem or issue. Your team will design and/or consider options and alternatives, develop a multimedia presentation to present the argument for your proposed solution or resolution, and provide a defense to questions posed by the teacher. Your team will divide the group research into individual questions for each team member. Individually, you will then investigate your assigned question on the issue or topic and present your findings and analysis in a well-written individual report.

The team project and oral defense will be scored by your teacher alone. The individual research report will be scored by your teacher and validated by the College Board. 

The second through-course assessment that you will complete is an Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation, consisting of an Individual Written Argument, Individual Multimedia Presentation, and Oral Defense. You will develop a research topic in response to stimulus texts released by the College Board in early January. Using these materials, you will identify thematic connections, compose a research question, gather additional information through research, analyze, evaluate, and select evidence, and develop a logical, well-reasoned argument of approximately 2,000 words. You will also develop a 6- to 8-minute presentation to convey your perspective and present your conclusions, and then respond to questions posed by your teacher in an oral defense.     

Your presentation and oral defense will be scored by your teacher alone. The individual written argument will be scored by your teacher and validated by the College Board.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see your knowledge developing and be able to identify patterns in which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

Because this exam is only available to students enrolled in the AP Capstone program, your teacher will register you for the exam when you enroll in the course. You should confirm with your teacher that you are registered for the exam and your scores and materials are submitted within the College Board’s AP Seminar assessment deadlines . 

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

For more about information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

• 2020 AP Exam Schedule
• How Long is Each AP Exam?
• Easiest and Hardest AP Exams  

High school students curious about college admissions will want to check out CollegeVine’s free chancing engine. Using data like GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities, it can predict your odds of admission at over 500 colleges along with pointing out places to improve your profile—all for free! Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a headstart on your college journey.

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2024 AP Seminar Exam Guide

10 min read • august 18, 2023

Your Guide to the 2024 AP Seminar Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Seminar exam . This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode  for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions. FYI, something cool is coming your way Fall 2023! 👀

Format of the 2024 AP Seminar Exam

Going into test day, this is the exam format to expect:

Team Project and Presentation (20% of score)

Team: 3–5 people

Create a multimedia presentation that communicates your conclusion or recommendations after identifying, investigating, analyzing, and evaluating an academic or real-world problem, question, or issue.

Evaluated Components:

Individual research-based essay (1,200 words), which is scored by College Board (50% of section score)

Team multimedia presentation and defense (8–10 minutes), which is scored by your teacher (50% of section score)

Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation (35% of score)

Stimulus Texts (provided by College Board)

It will represent a variety of perspectives regarding a single theme or topic

You will create your own research question using these texts and then research, analyze, and evaluate evidence to develop your own argument and defend your conclusion

Individual written argument (2,000 words), which is scored by College Board (70% of section score)

Individual multimedia presentation (6–8 minutes), which is scored by your teacher (20% of section score)

Oral defense (2 questions from the teacher), which is scored by your teacher (10% of section score)

End-of-Course Exam (45% of score)

4 questions in 2 hours

3 short-answer questions (30% of section score)

based on a single source

explain and analyze an argument

1 essay question (70% of section score)

based on 4 different sources on 1 theme

synthesize information and create an evidence-based argument

Scoring Rubric for the 2024 AP Seminar exam

Courtesy of College Board

Individual Research Report (30 points total)

Understanding Argument (0, 2, 4, or 6 points)

Getting full points

Understands complexities of a problem or issue (the topic should not be too broad)

Draws from multiple sources (some are academic/scholarly sources)

Shows the significance to a larger context (explain why the problem or issue is important)

College Board will check the research context in the title, first paragraphs, and Bibliography/Works Cited.

Analyzing Argument (0, 2, 4, or 6 points)

Understands reasoning and validity of the sources' arguments (direct explanation or through using the reasoning and conclusions)

Provide commentary that shows an understanding of the authors’ reasoning, using sources’ reasoning to draw conclusions

College Board will check that references are made to arguments from sources (often appears at the end of paragraphs or following an in-text citation)

Evaluating Sources and Evidence (0, 2, 4, or 6 points)

Uses relevant evidence from credible sources.

Demonstrates evaluation of the credibility of the sources and selects relevant evidence from the sources. This can be shown through direct explanation or purposeful use.

Makes purposeful use of sources, beyond just a description in the attribution

Understand and Analyze Perspective (0, 2, 4, or 6 points)

Draws explicit and relevant connections from various perspectives.

Uses different sources to explain specific relationships/ connections among different perspectives, beyond just identifying multiple perspectives

The organization of paragraphs and headings is a way of grouping perspectives. Transitions indicate connections between perspectives.

Citing (0, 1, 2, or 3 points)

Attributes and cites sources accurately.

The bibliography has a consistent style.

Contains few flaws

Internal citations match the bibliography

Clear and consistent attributive phrases and/or in-text parenthetical citations. 

If key components of citations (like author/organization, title publication, and date) are missing consistently, then the full 3 points can’t be earned. 

Written Style (0, 1, 2, or 3 points)

Communication is clear to the reader

Style is appropriate for an academic audience consistently

Sufficient word choice

Clear prose

Individual Written Argument (48 points total)

Stimulus (0 or 5 points)

The relevance of at least ONE of the stimulus materials to the argument by integrating it as part of the response. (For example, as providing relevant context for the research question, or as evidence to support relevant claims.)

An accurate understanding of the source AND understanding of its context (Ex. date, region, topic) AND a reference to the source

Larger Context (0 or 5 points)

Explains the importance of the research question within a larger context.

Specific and relevant details for all elements of the research question AND shows the sense of urgency or establishes the importance of the research question

The context is usually found in the first few paragraphs

Multiple Perspectives (0, 6, or 9 points)

Evaluates multiple perspectives (draws relevant connections between them and considers objections, implications, and limitations).

Demonstrates agreement or disagreement among perspectives (ex. evaluate strengths and weaknesses of different perspectives

Establish Argument (0, 8, or 12 points)

Clear and convincing argument. 

Logically organized and well-reasoned response

Connecting claims to evidence

The conclusion is well-aligned to the research question (details assess plausibility, limitations, and implications of conclusion/solution)

The commentary fully explains how the evidence supports claims

Bring in alternate views, developing a nuanced understanding

Select and Use Evidence (0, 6, or 9 points)

Relevant, credible, and sufficient evidence that supports the argument.

Connects evidence to argument effectively.

Purposeful analysis and evaluation of evidence, not just a reference.

Relevant evidence from several scholarly works (peer-reviewed, credentialed authors, independently verified, primary sources). 

Citing (0, 3, or 5 points)

If key components of citations (like author/organization, title publication, and date) are missing consistently, then the full 5 points can’t be earned. 

Written Style (0, 2, or 3 points)

Effective sentences

Precise word choice

Appropriate for an academic audience

Few errors in grammar and style

Clear prose (academic tone)

Clear communication of complex ideas

3 Short Answer Questions (15 points each)

Author’s Argument (3 points max)

Accurately identifies the author’s argument

Author’s Line of Reasoning (6 points max)

Gives a thorough explanation of the author's line of reasoning ; clearly explains connections among relevant claims

Sources and Evidence (6 points max)

Evaluates the relevance and credibility of the evidence; explains how well the evidence supports the author’s argument

1 Essay Question (24 points total)

Theme (6 points max)

Identifies a theme /issue that connects the provided sources

Connects the provided sources through a perspective different from the ones in the sources OR insightful approach OR strong thematic connection between perspectives. 

Line of reasoning (6 points max)

Logically organized and well-developed

The commentary explains the evidence and connects it to claims to further an argument.

Evidence (6 points max)

Synthesizes relevant information from at least TWO of the provided sources to support the argument.

Conventions (6 points max)

Clear communication to reader AND effective integration and attribution of sources to develop an argument

Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP Seminar exam .

When is the 2024 AP Seminar exam and how do I take it?

April 30, 2024 (11:59 p.m. ET) is the deadline for AP Seminar students to submit performance tasks as final and their presentations to be scored by their AP Seminar teachers.

How should I prepare for the exam?

First, download the  AP Seminar Cheatsheet PDF  - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses!

We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.

Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized.

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First, set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

🤝 Get support from your peers.  

There are thousands of students all over the world who are preparing for their AP exams just like you! Join  Rooms  🤝 to chat, ask questions, and meet other students who are also studying for the spring exams. You can even build study groups and review material together! 

AP Seminar 2024 Study Plan

The following study guides will help you gain a greater understanding of the AP Seminar tasks and rubrics!

🤨 Big Idea 1: Question and Explore

Big Idea (BI) 1 is the first of the major themes of AP Seminar. You can sort of think of the BIs as the framework for the course that covers the main things that you will be doing and the ways that you will go about completing the Performance Tasks (PTs) and EoC.

Question and Explore refers to a lot of the preliminary tasks that you'll be completing when starting a PT, or even just a simple assignment. Questioning the world and exploring interesting 🧐 topics is part of what makes AP Seminar such a compelling class.

You as the student have the opportunity to explore areas that you find interesting. While this seems easy, there are correct ways to go about asking questions and exploring.

Big Idea 1: Question and Explore

🧐 Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze

Big Idea 2 is something that you will be spending a lot of time with so you want to be well-informed on the parts that make it up. The main ideas of BI 2 all center around sources and how you use them. A big part of what you will be doing in Seminar is collecting sources and analyzing them.

Big Idea 2: Understand and Analyze

👥 Big Idea 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives

Big Idea 3 is focused on understanding 🤔 the complexity of an issue by looking at the multiple viewpoints 👀 that people have on it. Understandably, this Big Idea may seem smaller compared to something like BI 2, however, BI 3 does hold an important place in Seminar.

Big Idea 3: Evaluate Multiple Perspectives

💡 Big Idea 4: Synthesize Ideas

Big Idea 4 covers the crucial act of taking all of your evidence and claims and turning them into one coherent argument 🗣️ In a lot of ways, this is the most important thing you do in AP Seminar. Yes, you gather evidence and think about arguments and perspectives, but at the end of the day you have to actually do something with them.

Think about it like this: if you want to build a house 🏠, you need to gather all of the instructions on how to build 🛠️ it. Then, you need to get all of the tools and supplies to put it together. But, if you stop there, you won't have a house. You have all the supplies and knowledge, but no house. You have to build the darn thing. That is what BI 4 is all about—building the house.

Big Idea 4: Synthesize Ideas

🗣 Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit

This last Big Idea is all about how to work ✍️ productively with your team to create a polished finished project and present that to an audience.

Big Idea 5: Team, Transform, and Transmit

✔ Exam Review

Exam: Performance Task 1: Team Project and Presentation

Exam: Performance Task 2: Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation

End of Course Exam: Short Answer and Long Essay

Key Terms to Review ( 26 )

Analyzing Argument

AP Seminar Exam

Author's Argument

Author's Line of Reasoning

End-of-Course Exam

Essay question

Establish Argument

Evaluating Sources and Evidence

Individual Research Report

Individual Written Argument

Line of Reasoning

Multiple Perspectives

Scoring Rubric

Select and Use Evidence

Short-answer questions

Stimulus Texts

Understand and Analyze Perspective

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What AP Students Should Know About AP Seminar Performance Tasks

Group and individual work have different requirements and impact on grades for students in the AP Capstone Diploma Program.

Facts About AP Seminar Performance Tasks

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Students work together on a project before giving presentations for AP Seminar performance tasks.

The College Board launched the Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma Program in 2014, giving high school students the chance to develop research and argumentative skills needed to succeed in college and beyond.

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Possession of an AP Capstone Diploma adds a competitive edge to a student’s college application . The program is comprised of two yearlong required courses: AP Seminar, which is taken during sophomore or junior year and allows students to thoroughly investigate different areas they are interested in, and AP Research, where the following year students focus their research on a chosen topic and prepare to write a scholarly paper.

Upon the conclusion of AP Seminar coursework, students sit for an end-of-year exam. The assessment, graded by the College Board, lasts two hours and accounts for 45% of the student’s final grade. The other 55% is derived from two separate performance tasks – assignments that are completed throughout the school year and graded by both the College Board and AP Capstone course instructors.

AP Capstone Diploma students should keep in mind some details about AP Seminar performance tasks.

Team Project and Presentation

The first AP Seminar performance task involves a project to be completed by a group of three to five students. The project and a related presentation account for a combined 20 percent of a student’s final grade.

A recommended deadline for the first performance task is February 28, but instructors may adjust the date to fit course needs.

For the task, students work together to select and research an issue either in academia or the real world. Each student creates an individual research report of 1,200 words and later, as a group, students create a multimedia presentation lasting eight to 10 minutes.

The purpose of the presentation is to propose and justify a solution to the chosen problem. The solution may be an existing idea or something entirely new proposed by the group.

Following the presentation is the oral defense, the duration of which may vary. The teacher generally asks each student one question about the research topic and collaboration experience, but it is also common for the instructor to pose multiple follow-up questions. Since the questions must be answered on the spot, students are advised to anticipate questions and look over example questions on page 39 of the AP Seminar Course and Exam Description .

Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation

The second performance task accounts for 35% of a student’s final score in AP Seminar and has a recommended deadline of April 15, but no later than April 30 for teachers to submit scores.

Each year in early January, the College Board releases several reading texts in which various perspectives across different disciplines such as math, natural science, linguistics and art are given about a common theme. Some texts contain multimedia and quantitative data, as well.

From the release of these materials, students have at least 30 days to conduct research, write a 2,000-word essay and prepare a presentation. They should use the sources to help them formulate an original inquiry for research. In the research paper, they must cite at least one source from those provided.

Next, students give a research-based multimedia presentation that lasts between six and eight minutes. Afterward, the teacher asks two different kinds of questions: one about the research process and one that extends argumentation through inquiry. The teacher may then ask follow-up questions so that students can more fully explain their answers.

Students are encouraged to review example questions on pages 42 and 43 of the course and exam description so that they know what to expect. And they should be aware that instructors are permitted to ask new questions, as well.

Understanding the breakdown of the AP Seminar performance tasks can help Capstone Diploma students earn a higher score on the assessments.

Tags: students , education , advanced placement

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Stressed about getting into college? College Admissions Playbook, authored by Varsity Tutors , offers prospective college students advice on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, SAT and ACT exams and the college application process. Varsity Tutors, an advertiser with U.S. News & World Report, is a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement. The company's end-to-end offerings also include mobile learning apps, online learning environments and other tutoring and test prep-focused technologies. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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