AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational, literary, and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the 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.
AP Capstone™ Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification or Fabrication of Information
Participating teachers shall inform students of the consequences of plagiarism and instruct students to ethically use and acknowledge the ideas and work of others throughout their course work. The student’s individual voice should be clearly evident, and the ideas of others must be acknowledged, attributed, and/or cited.
A student who fails to acknowledge the source or author of any and all information or evidence taken from the work of someone else through citation, attribution or reference in the body of the work, or through a bibliographic entry, will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that fails to properly acknowledge sources or authors on the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
A student who incorporates falsified or fabricated information (e.g. evidence, data, sources, and/or authors) will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research Performance Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that incorporates falsified or fabricated information in the Team Multimedia Presentation will receive a group score of 0 for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
AP Capstone Policy on Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
DEFINITION OF GENERATIVE AI IN AP CAPSTONE COURSES
Generative AI tools use predictive technology to produce new text, charts, images, audio, video, etc. This includes
not only ChatGPT and similar Large Language Models (LLMs), but also many writing assistants or plug-ins that are
built on this or similar AI technologies.
POLICY ON ACCEPTABLE GENERATIVE AI USE IN AP CAPSTONE COURSES
Generative AI tools must be used ethically, responsibly, and intentionally to support student learning, not to bypass
it. Accordingly, all performance tasks submitted in AP Seminar and AP Research must be the student’s own work.
While students are permitted to use generative AI tools consistent with this policy, their use is optional and not mandatory.
Students can use generative AI tools as optional aids for exploration of potential topics of inquiry, initial searches
for sources of information, confirming their understanding of a complex text, or checking their writing — but not
rewriting — for grammar and tone. However, students must read primary and secondary sources directly, perform
their own analysis and synthesis of evidence, and make their own choices on how to communicate effectively both
in their writing and presentations. Students may not use generative AI tools to write or create their assignments
for them. It remains the student’s responsibility to engage deeply with credible, valid sources and integrate diverse
perspectives when working on the performance tasks. Students must complete interim “checkpoints” with their
teacher to demonstrate genuine engagement with the tasks.