Cross Curricular Courses

In this course, students will “cultivate the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research and inquiry in order to produce and defend their scholarly work. It allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this enquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students reflect on their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of their scholarly work through a process and reflection portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of approximately 4,000-5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense (AP Research. Course and Exam description, p.8)”.

This course is completely focused on developing a student’s skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. Students develop and refine their investigative and analytical skills through the interdisciplinary study of a variety of current global topics. Students analyze the complexity of an issue to better understand multiple perspectives and gain an awareness of the cultural, economic, political, and social factors. Individual ability to transfer skills and make connections between disciplines is greatly enhanced. Students articulate their learning through writing, discussion, presentation, and reflection. Collaboration is a critical component as students complete a team research project as part of the overall course assessment.

College Board Assessments

Assessment overview for the AP Exam:
Performance Task I - 20% of AP Score Team Project and Presentation
Performance Task 2 - 35% of AP Score Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation
End of Course Exam - 45% of AP Score

Classroom Assessments (non-AP)

To be successful in this class, students must come prepared to engage in discussion and critical thinking. While there is no prescribed content that must be mastered, there are thinking, writing and speaking skills that need to be developed. Students are encouraged to keep pace with reading and writing assignments to enhance the richness of the classroom experience. Formative assessments will help students to hone the skills required for the larger summative assessments and allow ample opportunity for feedback. The summative assessments in the first semester mirror the live assessments completed in the second semester for the College Board. Summative assessments in the second semester range from assignments that complement the live assessments to the quality of feedback a student provides to a peer. Students will receive regular feedback throughout the year whether it is individual or overall class instruction. Course grades will be calculated following the HKIS high school policy.

In this course, students will learn the skills needed to conduct independent inquiry in order to produce an academic research paper. Students will design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question of their choice. Specific skills will include how to conduct a scholarly literature review, identify a research gap, design a study, collect and analyze data ethically, and use conventions of academic writing. The culminating project will be a 3,000-word research paper and an oral presentation. This is a course that will be taught in tandem with AP Research and may be suitable for students exiting AP Seminar who do not want Research at the AP level, or any grade 11 and 12 students who would like more practice in research prior to going to university.