AP-Research-Improve-Student-Performance

Tips & Resources to help improve student performance

Topic of Inquiry

Introduction Literature Review

Method

Results, Analysis, Conclusions & Future Directions

Communication

Citations

Tips to move from a 2 to a 3 | Enhanced Communication

• Use an assistant (MS Word, Grammarly, etc) to check for writing conventions.

Tips to move from a 3 to a 4 | Methods

• Use Hopscotch 4-AP Research
• Particularly Steps 4-8:
• Step 4 Research design
• Step 5 Research Questions
• Step 6 Data Collection
• Step 7 Data Analysis
• Step 8 Validity & Trustworthiness

• Check specialized journals: Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences Journal

Tips to move from a 2 to a 3 | Methods

Use the visual representation tool proposed by the Hopscotch Model (open access tool) to define the key elements of your research design:

Tips to help move from a score of 3 to 4-5 | Citations

To reduce citation inconsistencies:

Check citation resources and guides:

• Fiveable
• Fiveable: AP Research Cheatsheets
• APA 7th Edition

Check & Use Citation Generators:

• APA Citation Generator
• MyBib citation generator
• Citation generator

Tips to help move from a score of 2 to 3 | Citations

• Citing and referencing tutorial (Monash University): This four-part online tutorial explains the what, why and how of citing and referencing.

Tips to move from a 3 to a 4-5 | Topic description

• Develop Research questions that are in alignment with the nature of the topic and the chosen research design using Hopscotch Step 5- Research Questions
• Developing strong Research Questions (Monash University). Check resource.

Tips to move from a 2 to a 3 | Intro. Literature Review

The following semantic AI tools could be of help to assist with the identification of key peer-review papers:

• Consensus - AI Search Engine for Research

• Research Rabbit - an innovative “citation-based literature mapping tool” available online. The scope of such tool is to optimise your time searching for references as you start planning your essay, minor project, or literature review.

Tips to move from a 2 to a 3 | Topic description

• Make sure that you narrow down your topic.
• Develop Research questions that are in alignment with the nature of the topic and the chosen research design using Hopscotch Step 5- Research Questions
• Online Resources Recommended by AP Teachers (Needs to be updated) (AP Central)
• Check resources

Tips to move from a 4 to a 5 | New Understanding

• To properly justify the new understanding reached through the inquiry process, include a section named "New Understanding."
• Connect the new understanding with the literature review and make explicit the way or ways in which the new understanding helps overcome the identified gap or gaps in the field of study

Tips to move from a 4 to a 5 | Enhanced Communication

• Include a section at the beginning of the paper with the definitions of the key terms and topics used throughout the document.
• Describe in detail every decision made in the process
• Write your paper for an educated audience that doesn't necessarily know much about your paper
• Use specific tools to generate visualizations of your data analysis like the following:
• Napkin AI: Napkin turns your text into visuals so sharing your ideas is quick and effective.
• Raw Graphs: A free and open source tool for data visualization

Tips to move from a 3 to a 4-5 | Intro. Literature Review

• Organize the literature review thematically.
• Using sub-headers might be helpful in doing so.
• Use concept Mapping for the visualization of your lit. Review:

• Literature & Concept Mapping Guide

• Hopscotch – tool to generate a visual representation of a conceptual framework

• IRML's Literature Review Design Tool

Tips to help move from a score of 2 to 3 | Results, Analysis, Conclusions & Future Directions

• Every new understanding or conclusion shared should be triangulated (i.e. supported by at least two-three pieces of evidence)

Tips to help move from a score of 3 to 4 | Results, Analysis, Conclusions & Future Directions

• Every new understanding or conclusion shared should be triangulated (i.e. supported by at least two-three pieces of evidence)
• •Connect your new understanding with limitations and gaps identified in the literature review.

Tips to move from a 1 to a 2 | Topic description

• Identify a topic that you are interested in. Think about something you do care about, your hobbies, a personal situation affecting your live or the lives of those you care about.
• Justify/describe your personal connection with the inquiry topic. Why are you personally interested in the topic and invested in conducting a study to know more about it?
• Once you have identified it, you can use the following tool to learn more about it:

• Use the "Topic triangle strategy" to narrow it down:
• Identify one clear research question, not 2, 3 or more.

Tips to move from a 2 to a 3 | Enhanced Communication

• Generate an annotated outline with the sections of your paper, including a brief summary of the ideas that will be included in each of them, the extension (expected # of words) and connections and cross-references among them.

Tips to move from a 1 to a 2 | Methods

• Use a decision tree to choose the right method for your study
• Research Design decision tree
• Hopscotch decision tree

• Describe your methods in such a way that the reader could replicate your study.
• Use the visual representation tool proposed by the Hopscotch Model (open access tool) to define the key elements of your research design.
• Check tool