AP Students Delve Into Diverse Subjects in Student Research Journal
In a farewell address to his colleagues and students, Steven C. Hayes, psychology professor and one of the most cited scholars worldwide, explained that “originally scientific journals were nothing more than bundled letters, shared with friends and colleagues.” In his words, “scholarly articles are love letters to friends…[Thus] When you do that bit of research and write it up for publication isn’t that a loving thing to do — for love of your field and all of those who can use the knowledge it contains?”
In the AP Research course, high school students discovered some of what Hayes is referencing. They learned what a labor of love it is to cultivate a bit of research from start to finish. Despite the seemingly insurmountable burden of generating new research and without the end goal of publication, AP Research students still learned that academic research is a chance to act on one’s curiosities, grow in the inquiry process, and join in academic communities and conversations.
The following students scoured thousands of words, created their own research question, planned and executed a research method, and completed draft after draft. In the end, they presented and defended their work to a panel of faculty members and submitted their own original research to the College Board in fulfillment of the AP Capstone program.
Claire C. investigated the relationship between emoji behavior and personality using the Big Five Personality Traits. She asked teenagers and adults to complete the Ten Item Personality Inventory to examine their personalities. Then, they answered questions regarding their emoji perception and usage to find patterns in their emoji behavior. While some personality traits seemed to align with emoji behavior, age seemed to be the strongest factor in influencing the way one perceives and uses emojis, opening up the potential for further investigations into the role of emojis in online communication among various age groups.
Jaimie H. implemented a menstrual cycle-syncing framework for adolescent female swimmers in order to explore its effectiveness on swimming performance. The study found that workouts catered to individuals’ menstrual cycle phase are more effective in decreasing race times. The results encourage cycle-syncing in athletic training to not only cause improvement but also to help individuals learn more about their physiology.
Joy H. considered whether traits of modern-day Cinderellas in film dilute the original message of the traditional Cinderella. Observing three adaptations of Cinderella films from the past century, Joy implemented a coding method along with figure film analysis to determine the collectively unique traits of the contemporary portrayals of Cinderella.
Priscilla K. utilized ethnographic methods to explore and unpack the thinking of activists against the Hongcheon nuclear power plant plan. This exploration revealed the complex ways in which these individuals interact with inequalities within their communities and how the implementation of a nuclear power plant can exacerbate those existing inequalities.
Daniel L. analyzed causal genes and potential therapeutic drug targets associated with a significant increase in the survival rate of glioblastoma patients. Employing the data mining method, Daniel utilized specific genomic data sets such as cBioportal and Gepia to extract valuable insights. By examining the genetic information and correlating it with patient outcomes, he aims to uncover crucial genetic factors that contribute to a 2 to 3-fold improvement in the survival rate of individuals diagnosed with glioblastoma.
David L. created a computer program that utilized Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE), a music therapy technique for physical rehabilitation. David then sought to evaluate the efficacy of this program in improving upper limb mobility and the moods of patients. The results supported the idea that the PSE program was effective in improving the upper limb mobility of three patients and somewhat effective in improving their moods. Overall, the study showed that a future where patients can access PSE without the need of a therapist is not only possible, but fairly close.
Damian L. assessed the environmental impact of concentrated solar power plants based on industrial emissions after the implementation of different power plants.
Acknowledging that the battery technology market is rapidly evolving, Soo L. utilized a survey to inquire about users’ knowledge of solid-state batteries and their preferences related to battery life and safety.
Helen P. investigated whether current media regulations of the Korean TV rating system align with the expectations of parents. The results of this comparison can be used to introduce the idea of readjusting the KTV rating system and to encourage parents to follow healthy digital citizenship practices by discussing the age appropriateness of certain animated media with their children.
Alex S. examined whether a correlation exists between winning the first point of a volleyball set and winning the set overall. Using data points from the Women’s Volleyball NCAA Big 10 Conference games (2018-2022) and the Olympic Women’s Volleyball semi-final and final games (2008-2021) it was concluded that there is no statistically significant correlation between winning the first point and winning the set overall. Instead, other factors, such as limiting forced and unforced errors and communicating more effectively could positively affect the outcome of a game.
Audrey Y. uncovered the New Product Development (NPD) processes of successful bakeries in Korea, utilizing structured interviews with five bakery owners of successful bakeries. Her study found that both Customer-led and Market-oriented approaches were used in most of the five bakeries’ NPD processes. Additionally, most of the bakeries tended to prioritize technological novelty over consumer perceptions of uniqueness.
To read and learn more about these areas of inquiry, check out the third volume of Guardian Scholastics: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Research.