The summary of ‘AP Seminar Performance Task 2: Using the Stimulus Material in your Argument’

This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.

00:00:0000:13:42

The video provides detailed guidance to AP Seminar students on how to effectively use stimulus materials in Performance Task Two. Mrs. Malloy and other speakers emphasize the "essential use" of stimulus sources, which means integrating at least one source in a manner that substantively supports and strengthens the argument. They caution against using these materials superficially or merely to justify research topics. To test the necessity of a reference, the advice includes the deletion method to see if the argument remains strong without it, suggesting that non-essential parts should be omitted. Successful arguments are marked by the meaningful and cohesive integration of sources, ensuring they interact with other references to maintain a robust and convincing argument. Examples, both positive and negative, are provided to illustrate the importance of relevance and proper source integration. Key takeaways include thorough analysis of the research question, the interconnectedness of themes within the provided sources, and the strategic employment of these materials to enhance rather than dilute the argument.

00:00:00

In this part of the video, Mrs. Malloy addresses AP Seminar students about Performance Task Two. She focuses on the proper use of stimulus material, emphasizing “essential use,” where omission of this material would weaken the argument. This involves integrating at least one stimulus source into the paper to score points on row one of the rubric. Mrs. Malloy highlights the importance of demonstrating the relevance of the stimulus material authentically within the argument. She explains that row one is binary: students earn five points for proper use or zero if the stimulus is irrelevant or not integrated.

00:03:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses how to effectively use stimulus material in constructing arguments and counterclaims. They emphasize the importance of incorporating evidence from the stimulus to support your argument, counterclaims, or to establish the value of the topic. However, they caution against using the stimulus merely to justify the research topic or as unanchored quotes that don’t contribute meaningfully to the discussion. The speaker advises integrating the stimulus material so it interacts with other sources, ensuring it forms an essential part of the argument. They suggest checking for “friends,” or references, to see if the stimulus material is integrated well within the context, creating a cohesive and convincing argument.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses techniques for evaluating the necessity of specific uses in an argumentative essay. They suggest deleting certain uses and reassessing the argument to see if its strength is affected. If the argument remains strong, those segments were deemed non-essential. The speaker encourages using multiple opportunities to incorporate these uses to increase the chances of doing it correctly, noting that successful students typically utilize this tactic to achieve high scores.

The speaker then provides guidance on defining the purpose of each segment, explaining that an inability to articulate its function likely means it is non-essential. They offer practical examples, such as analyzing a line referencing Thatcher and Montgomery that was found to be non-essential as it merely sets up a topic rather than contributing to the argument. Another example involves a reference to a location in an urban development context, deemed non-essential after evaluating the preceding line about climate change.

00:09:00

In this part of the video, the presenter discusses how students often misuse sources in their arguments, leading to non-essential references. A student attempted to connect Blanco’s discussion of missing elements to climate change loosely but failed to make it an essential part of their argument. Another example showed a reference to Thatcher, which was also non-essential as it only diverted the argument instead of supporting it directly. In contrast, a successful argument is demonstrated with a reference to Montgomery, which is essential because it directly supports the argument and without it, the argument and subsequent references would not hold.

00:12:00

In this part of the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of integrating sources authentically into an argument. They highlight that Montgomery’s argument is crucial and illustrate the need for the student to make their own argument by connecting the sources meaningfully. The takeaway is that the seven provided sources are interconnected through various themes, and it is essential to use these sources authentically without distorting the argument. The proper use of sources should strengthen the argument, and any casual reference might weaken it. The speaker advises careful consideration of the research question and the theme it connects to, ensuring that the use of stimulus material is integral to the argument.

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