The Research Question Originality Toolkit: A Workshop system for AP® Seminar Performance Task 2

If your students are developing Performance Task 2 research questions that are:

• Too broad or vague
• Factual instead of arguable
• Boring and basic
• Weakly connected to the stimulus packet

Then, you need this resource set ASAP! While Research Questions themselves are not technically awarded points, as an experienced AP® Reader, their lead can impact a student's score in Rows 1, 2, and 3 on both the IWA & EOC B Rubrics!

Developing strong research questions is one of the most challenging parts of AP® Seminar—for both students and teachers. (If you are tired of your students asking you, “Is this research question good?”...TRUST ME! I GET IT!)

The Research Question Originality Toolkit provides a clear, structured workshop system that helps students transform stimulus ideas into focused, debatable, and original research questions for the Individual Written Argument (IWA). Using the Theme → Tension → Question™ framework, students learn how to identify themes across sources, uncover intellectual tensions, and turn those tensions into meaningful research questions.

What’s Included:

1. Research Question Originality Development Strategies

A clear guide to help students understand what makes an original AP® Seminar research questions!

Students learn strategies to:

• Identify themes across stimulus sources

• Locate tensions, contradictions, or debates

• Turn ideas into researchable and arguable questions

2. PT2 Research Question Originality Student Workshop Activity

A structured workshop designed specifically for AP® Seminar PT 2!

Students practice:

• Identifying tensions across themes

• Transforming those tensions into focused research questions

This activity helps students move from “topic thinking” to authentic inquiry!

3. Teacher Edition Facilitation Guide for the Student Workshop

Step-by-step guidance to help you run the workshop smoothly!

Includes:

• Suggested pacing

• Teacher prompts• Discussion strategies

• Tips for helping students strengthen weak research questions

Perfect for both new AP® Seminar teachers and experienced teachers who want a clearer process!

4. BONUS: Theme → Tension → Question™ Mini Lesson

A ready-to-teach lesson that shows students how powerful research questions grow out of intellectual tension between ideas!

Students learn to move from:

Theme → Debate → Inquiry

This process helps students develop questions that lead to stronger arguments in their IWA & EOC B responses

Save Time During the Hardest Part of PT2! Helping students develop strong research questions can take days of trial and error. Instead of guessing what a “good question” looks like, students follow a repeatable process that builds real inquiry skills and results in stronger papers that stand out to the AP® Reader! By teaching students how to move from Theme → Tension → Question, this toolkit strengthens the analytical thinking and synthesis skills students need not only for Performance Task 2, but also for success on the EOC B.