AP Research
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.
There is no end-of-course written exam for AP Research. Instead, you’ll be assessed on performance tasks you complete that are based on your yearlong research project: an academic paper (which you’ll submit online for scoring through the AP Digital Portfolio), a presentation, and an oral defense of your research. These components all contribute to your final AP score on a scale of 1–5.
Students are prohibited from using any and all Artificial Intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT or DALL-E) or essay writing services (e.g. Chegg or Course Hero) in any AP assessment work. Read more about our policy.
MAY 1, 2023, 11:59 PM EDT
You must submit your final AP Research performance task via the AP Digital Portfolio and your teacher must have scored all presentations by this time.
75% of Score
The academic paper should be 4,000–5,000 words long. You’ll be evaluated on the content, structure, format, and conclusions of the paper as well as your ability to properly and accurately cite sources.
25% of Score
The culminating event of the AP Research course will be a presentation of your research question, research methodology, and findings, including an oral defense that addresses a set of questions about your research inquiry. The presentation and defense take 15–20 minutes. You will also be required to answer 3–4 questions from a panel of trained evaluators and your AP Research teacher.
Teacher Scored Components
Your in-class presentation and oral defense is scored by your AP Research teacher.
Here’s how we make sure that scoring by AP Research teachers is standardized:
College Board Scored Components
After you submit your academic paper online through the AP Digital Portfolio, it is scored by trained, experienced educators called AP readers.
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.