Ap23 Apc Seminar pt1

2023
AP Seminar
®
Performance Task 1
Sample Student Responses
and Scoring Commentary
Inside:
Individual Research Report

R Scoring Guidelines
R Student Samples
R Scoring Commentary
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AP Seminar 2023 Scoring Guidelines
Individual Research Report (IRR) 30 points
General Scoring Notes

• When applying the rubric for each individual row, you should award the score for that row based solely upon the criteria indicated for that row,
according to the preponderance of evidence.
• Read the whole report before assigning a score for any row.
• Reward the student for skills they have demonstrated. Demonstrating means that there is evidence that you can point to in the report.
0 (Zero) Scores
• A score of 0 is assigned to a single row of the rubric when the response displays a below-minimum level of quality as identified in that row of the
rubric. For rows 1 to 4, if there is no evidence of any research (i.e., it is all opinion and there is nothing in the bibliography, no citation or attributed
phrases in the response) then a score of 0 should be assigned.
• Scores of 0 are assigned to all rows of the rubric when the response is off-topic; a repetition of a prompt; entirely crossed-out; a drawing or other
markings; or a response in a language other than English.
NR (No Response)
A score of NR is assigned to responses that are blank.
© 2023 College Board

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Row 1 0 points 2 points 4 points 6 points
Does not meet the criteria for The report identifies an overly broad The report identifies an adequately focused The report situates the student’s
Understand two points. or simplistic area of investigation and/ area of investigation in the research and investigation of the complexities of a
and Analyze or shows little evidence of research. A shows some variety in source selection. It problem or issue in research that draws
Context simplistic connection or no connection makes some reference to the overall upon a wide variety of appropriate
is made to the overall problem or problem or issue. sources. It makes clear the significance
(0, 2, 4 or 6 issue. to a larger context.
points)
Decision Rules and Scoring Notes
Typical responses that earn 0 Typical responses that earn Typical responses that earn Typical responses that earn
points: 2 points: 4 points: 6 points:
• Provide no evidence of • Address a very general topic of • Identify too many aspects of the topic • Clearly state an area of
research (i.e., there is a investigation (e.g. “pollution”) to address complexity (e.g. “air, water, investigation that is narrow enough
complete absence of • Draw mainly from one or two and land pollution”). to address the complexity of the
bibliography, internal sources or poor-quality sources. • May be overly reliant on research problem or issue (e.g. “water
citations, and attributive tags sources not appropriate for an pollution in India”). The context
• Provide an overly simplistic,
that point to research. If one academic task on this topic. established is sustained
illogical, or exaggerated rationale
of these is present, cannot throughout.
for the investigation (or does not • May provide a rationale about the
score 0). • Predominantly include research
provide a rationale at all). significance of the investigation that
lacks details necessary to address sources appropriate for an
complexity. academic task on this topic.
• Provide specific and relevant details
to convey why the problem or issue
matters/is important.
Additional Notes
• The research context is located often in the titles of the reports and first paragraphs, but the whole report needs to sustain the focus throughout.
• Review Bibliography or Works Cited (but also check that context is established by sources actually used, especially academic sources).

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Does not meet the criteria for two The report restates or misstates The report summarizes information and The report demonstrates an
Understand points. information from sources. It doesn’t in places offers effective explanation of understanding of the reasoning and
and Analyze address reasoning in the sources or it the reasoning within the sources’ validity of the sources' arguments.* This
Argument does so in a very simplistic way. argument (but does so inconsistently). can be evidenced by direct explanation or
through purposeful use of the reasoning
(0, 2, 4 or 6 and conclusions.
points)
• Provide no evidence of • Make no distinction between • Are dominated by summary of • Provide commentary that explains
research (i.e., there is a paraphrased material and source material rather than authors’ reasoning, claims or
complete absence of response’s commentary. explanation of sources’ arguments. conclusions (direct explanation).
bibliography, internal • Demonstrate no instances of • Provide some instances of effective • Make effective use of authors’
citations, and attributive tags effective explanation. (For explanation of authors’ reasoning. reasoning, claims or conclusions
that point to research. If one example, commentary is limited (showing understanding of the
• Occasionally lack clarity about what
of these is present, cannot to restatement of quotes, is sources) (purposeful use).
is commentary and what is from the
score 0). simplistic or overgeneralized, or source material. • Attribute clearly source material (i.e.,
shows misunderstanding of the readers always able to tell what comes
source.) from what source)
• Do not anchor ideas to sources
(or does so generally, “research
shows” or “some studies”).
Additional Notes
• * Validity is defined as “the extent to which an argument or claim is logical.”
• Reference to arguments from the sources used often appears at the end of paragraphs and / or immediately following an in-text citation as part of the
commentary on a source.
• Clear attribution, (i.e. readers are always able to tell what comes from what source and what kind of source it is) must be present in order for the report to
demonstrate “purposeful use.”

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Does not meet the criteria for two The report identifies evidence from The report in places offers some The report demonstrates evaluation of
Evaluate points. chosen sources. It makes very effective explanation of the chosen credibility of the sources and selection of
Sources and simplistic, illogical, or no reference to sources and evidence in terms of their relevant evidence from the sources. Both
Evidence the credibility of sources and credibility and relevance to the inquiry can be evidenced by direct explanation
evidence, and their relevance to the (but does so inconsistently). or through purposeful use.
(0, 2, 4 or 6 inquiry.
points)
• Provide no evidence of research • Provide evidence that is either • Include descriptions but the • Provide descriptions in the
(i.e., there is a complete poorly selected or poorly attributions are insufficient to attributions that effectively establish
absence of bibliography, explained (in terms of relevance establish credibility. credibility of the source and
internal citations, and and credibility). • Pay attention to the evidence, but relevance of evidence (direct
attributive tags that point to • Provide evidence that is not the source (may treat all explanation).
research. If one of these is irrelevant or only obliquely evidence as equal when it is not). • Make effective use of well-chosen,
present, cannot score 0). relevant. relevant evidence from credible
• Draw upon research that may be
clearly outdated without a rationale academic sources (purposeful use).
for using that older evidence.
Additional Notes
• In Row 1, the judgement is whether the bibliography allows for complex context; Row 3 judges whether the incremental examples of evidence presented are
well-selected and well-used.
• Purposeful use, in this case, refers to the deployment of relevant evidence from a credible source. Clear attribution, (i.e. readers are always able to tell what
comes from what source and what kind of source it is) must be present in order for the report to demonstrate “purposeful use.”

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Does not meet the criteria for two The report identifies few and/or The report identifies multiple The report discusses a range of
Understand points. oversimplified perspectives from perspectives from sources, making some perspectives and draws explicit and
and Analyze sources.** general connections among those relevant connections among those
Perspective perspectives.** perspectives.**
(0, 2, 4, or 6 Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

points) Typical responses that earn 0 Typical responses that earn Typical responses that earn Typical responses that earn
• Provide no evidence of research • May include oversimplified or • Include multiple perspectives and • Go beyond mere identification of
(i.e., there is a complete vaguely attributed perspectives some instances of general multiple perspectives by using details
absence of bibliography, (it is unclear whether or not they connections. from different sources’ arguments to
internal citations, and are from sources). • Repeat perspectives or connections explain specific relationships or
attributive tags that point to • May identify information from rather than developing a nuanced, connections among perspectives
research. If one of these is sources (facts or topics or detailed discussion of how they (i.e., placing them in dialogue).
present, cannot score 0). general stakeholder point of relate.
view) but not points of view as • At times present perspectives that Scoring note: There must consistently be
conveyed through arguments. are clearly derived from specific clear attribution or citation linking
• Juxtapose perspectives but sources, but may lapse into opinions perspectives to sources to score high.
connections are not clear (they or topics that are not clearly linked
are isolated from each other). to specific sources.
Additional Notes
• **A perspective is a “point of view conveyed through an argument.” (This means the source’s argument). Facts, topics, and general stakeholder points of view
(e.g., “teachers” or “students”) are not perspectives.
• Throughout the report pay attention to organization of paragraphs (and possibly headings) as it’s a common way to group perspectives.
• Readers should pay attention to transitions as effective transitions may signal connections among perspectives.

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Row 5 0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points
Does not meet the criteria for one The report includes many errors in The report attributes or cites sources The report attributes and accurately cites
Apply point. attribution and citation OR the used but not always accurately. The the sources used. The bibliography
Conventions bibliography is inconsistent in style bibliography references sources using a accurately references sources using a
and format and/or incomplete. consistent style. consistent style.
(0–3 points)
points: 1 point (many errors): 2 points (some errors): 3 points (few significant flaws):
• Provide no evidence of • Include internal citations, but no • Provide some uniformity in citation • Contain few flaws.
research (i.e., there is a bibliography (or vice versa). style. • Provide clear organization principle in
complete absence of • Demonstrate no organizational • Provide, perhaps with a few lapses, bibliography/works cited.
bibliography, internal principle in bibliography/works an organizational principle in • Provide consistent evidence of linking
citations, and attributive tags cited (e.g., alphabetical or bibliography/works cited (e.g., internal citations to bibliographic
that point to research. If one numerical). alphabetical or numerical). references.
of these is present, cannot
• Provide little or no evidence of • Include unclear references or errors • Include consistent and clear
score 0).
successful linking of in-text in citations, (e.g., citations with attributive phrasing for paraphrased
citations to bibliographic missing elements or essential material and/or in-text parenthetical
references (e.g., in-text elements that must be guessed from citations.
references are to titles but a url).
bibliographic references are • Provide some successful linking of
listed by author; titles are Scoring note: The response cannot score 3
citations to bibliographic references. points if key components of citations (i.e.,
different in the text and in the
• Provide some successful attributive author/organization, title, publication,
works cited).
phrasing for paraphrased material date) are consistently missing.
• Include poor or no attributive and/or in-text parenthetical
phrasing with paraphrased citations.
material (e.g., “Studies show...”;
“Research says...” with no
additional in-text citation).
Additional Notes
• In AP Seminar, there is no requirement for using a particular style sheet; however, responses must use a style that is consistent and complete.
• Check the bibliography for consistency in style (and if there are fundamental elements missing).
• Check for clarity/accuracy in internal citations.
• Check to make sure all internal citations match up to the bibliography. In order for links to work in print, there must be a clear organizational principle arranging
the elements on the bib/works cited.

Reporting
Scoring Criteria
Category
Row 6 0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points
Does not meet the criteria for one The report contains many flaws in The report is generally clear but contains The report communicates clearly to the
Apply point. grammar that often interfere with some flaws in grammar that occasionally reader (although may not be free of errors
Conventions communication to the reader. The interfere with communication to the in grammar and style). The written style is
written style is not appropriate reader. The written style is inconsistent consistently appropriate for an academic
(0-3 points) for an academic audience. and not always appropriate for an audience.
academic audience.
points: 1 point: 2 points: 3 points:
• Contain no sentences created by • May contain many instances • Contain some lapses in sentence • Contain few flaws which do not impede
the student. (If there are any where sentences are not control (e.g., run-ons, fragments, or clarity for understanding of complex
sentences created by the controlled. mixed construction when integrating ideas.
student, cannot score 0). • May rely almost exclusively quoted material). • Demonstrate word choice sufficient to
on simplistic language (e.g., • Demonstrate imprecise or vague communicate complex ideas.
This is good. This is bad). word choice insufficient to • Use clear prose.
• Employ an overall style that is communicate complexity of ideas.
not appropriate for an • Sometimes lapse into colloquial
academic report; or colloquial language.
tone. • Use overly dense prose at the
• Include many passages that expense of coherence and clarity.
are incoherent.
• Provide too few sentences to
evaluate or the student’s own
words are indistinguishable
from paraphrases of sources.
Additional Notes
• Because this is a report, the prose is judged by its ability to clearly and precisely articulate complex research content.
• Readers should focus on the sentences written by the student, not those quoted or derived from sources.

PT1-IRR A 1 of 8
GLOBALIZATION AND SOL IN SEA DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 1
Globalization and Standards of Living in Southeast Asian Developing Countries:
An Economic Perspective
AP Seminar
May 1, 2023
Word Count: 1288

PT1-IRR A 2 of 8
Globalization and Standards of Living in Southeast Asian Developing Countries:
An Economic Perspective
Introduction
Globalization, the increased interconnectedness of peoples and organizations across the
world, is a continuous process that has allowed for the exchange of ideas and information that
has had extreme economic benefits for many people across the globe. Undoubtedly, globalization
has expedited the overall economic growth and development of developing Asian countries such
as Vietnam (Le et al., 2022). However, inequalities become apparent when analyzing the
distribution of these benefits within countries across different economic classes (Jain-Chandra et
al., 2019). The issues of globalization and its adverse effects on developing Asian countries arise
due to the unequal distribution of the benefits of economic growth across the population.
According to economist Heimberger (2020) and political scientist Phan (2022), even though
globalization is known to have positive effects on the overall economic development of
developing countries in Asia, the benefits of globalization are unequally distributed and often
lead to increases in income disparity and poverty rates. What is beginning to be questioned is
how the main aspects of globalization - technological growth, financial aid, and increased trade -
have negatively impacted the lives of people in developing countries in recent years. By
investigating the consequences of globalization and the severity of those consequences from an
economic perspective, it is possible to grow our overall understanding of the impacts that
globalization has on the standard of living in developing countries and the potential ways in
which it can be alleviated.

PT1-IRR A 3 of 8
Technological Growth
Throughout developing countries, technological growth has enabled the development of
new markets, such as Singapore's domination of information and telecommunications
technology. Economists like Kim (2020) and Gries et al. (2017) believe that this increase in
technological growth helps contribute to the overall growth of a developing country's economy.
They argue for a trickle-down effect of gains from developed countries to developing countries
through distinct shares of technology originating in developed countries that are passed down to
developing countries. However, by only focusing on the country as a whole, Kim and Gries et al.
overlook the more significant issue of how those gains are implemented in the actual societies
across different economic groups in those countries. In recent years, researchers like Goyal and
Aneja (2020), economists at the Central University of Haryana, India, are beginning to question
the previously unaccounted-for factor of economic gain: how continued growth may threaten
workers' job security and have the potential for an increase in income disparity as a result. They
believe the threat that technological growth poses to these countries has the potential to hurt
developing countries the most. The understandings of Kim and Gries et al. remained incomplete
prior to Goyal and Aneja as their previous work has yet to delve into the implications and
benefits of technological growth on the lives of all those living in the benefiting countries. With
the introduction of a new point of view, Goyal and Aneja provide a convincing argument that
technological growth hurts the lives of those in developing countries by increasing poverty rates
and income inequality.
Foreign Aid
Foreign aid is one of the most popular means of helping underdeveloped nations, but
researchers have questioned its perceived benefits in recent years. Social scientist
PT1-IRR A 4 of 8
Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al. (2019) suggest that foreign aid can threaten countries that may not
be developed enough economically to handle a new source of temporary income. Their work
suggests that these countries can become dependent on the new income, which can harm the
country in the long-term. By understanding the economic relationships that can form between
developing and developed countries as a result of financial aid, Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al.
make a clear case for the adverse effects of financial aid on the economies of developing
countries, especially those who may be very early in their development. In a study by business
scientist Sothan (2018), using Cambodia, the country examined, as a reference point for other
countries in Southeast Asia, it is evident that the impacts of foreign aid are a double-edged
sword. In the short term, a country may experience beneficial effects on its economy. However,
as also presented by authors Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al., foreign aid can harm a country in the
long-term. By illustrating that foreign aid can harm developing countries in the long-term,
Sothan extends on the findings presented by Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al. However, researcher
Nghiêm Xuân et al. (2019), an economist and business administrator at West University of
Timisoara, Vietnam, contradicts the ideas of these authors by stating, "Thus, directly or
indirectly, the number of remittances contribute to … the total domestic investment, boosting
production, trading and consumption of goods, contributing greatly to … the countries" (p. 40).
These claims rest on the questionable assumption that the benefits of foreign aid are perpetual.
As discussed earlier, researcher Sothan contradicts this assumption and states that the benefits
are short-lived, which calls into question the sustainability of the argument presented by Nghiêm
Xuân et al.
PT1-IRR A 5 of 8
Economic Trade
Trade is one of the most prominent aspects of globalization, and it enables the spread of
technologies and commodities that enables modernization for many countries. Recently,
however, some are beginning to re-examine trade's effect on developing nations' economic states.
In a study conducted by researchers and business graduates Gharleghi and Jahanshahi (2020), it
was found that growth in trade levels correlates with economic growth overall but also
contributes to the growth of income disparity between the wealthy and impoverished classes.
Gharleghi and Jahanshahi also connect the wealth of the classes and the skill level of occupation
they hold, demonstrating that higher income classes typically occupy positions of higher skill
and vice versa for lower income classes. This connection is further extended by economist and
School of Design graduate Yülek and Santos (2022) in their work, where they describe the
relationship between the cheap labor offered by developing countries and the constant impedance
of their overall economic development and inequality in wealth distribution between social
classes. This point of view is argued against by economists Darku and Yeboah (2018), who
contend for a beneficial effect of trade openness that leads to income convergence, the process of
lower-income countries becoming wealthier to match those of wealthy nations. These findings
suggest that trade openness is beneficial for the economies of a developing country, which has
significant implications for the development of nations as it demonstrates that trade can be a
helpful tool. However, these findings contradict the findings of both Gharleghi and Jahanshahi
(2020) and Yülek and Santos (2022), suggesting that the benefits of trade openness are still a
controversial topic without a clear verdict.

PT1-IRR A 6 of 8
Solutions
In summary, globalization's effect on developing countries' economic states remains a
highly controversial and debated topic. Similarities in the data suggest that globalization benefits
a country's overall economic development but lacks economic equality. Based on the research of
Azizi (2021), a professor of economics at Purdue University, a practical solution is to provide
worker remittances. Azizi provides evidence that a 10% per capita increase leads to a 1.8%
decrease in the poverty gap, the average measure of how far below the poverty line people fall,
and a 2.5% decrease in poverty severity. However, potential sources of error in this solution
appear when discussing what countries would qualify as host countries and what type of work
they would allow. Natural variations in a country's wants or the needs of the impoverished
workers native to those Southeast Asian countries may introduce a new layer of complexity
when trying to adapt this solution to fit the wants and needs of each country. Despite this
limitation, implementing worker remittances is still feasible and relatively straightforward when
pre-existing social protection frameworks can be used as a model for how to integrate the
remittances.
PT1-IRR A 7 of 8
References
Azizi, S. (2021). The impacts of workers’ remittances on poverty and inequality in developing
countries. Empirical Economics, 60(2), 969–991.
https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1007/s00181-019-01764-8
Darku, A. B., & Yeboah, R. (2018). Economic openness and income growth in developing
countries: a regional comparative analysis. Applied Economics, 50(8), 855–869.
https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1080/00036846.2017.1343449
Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė, M., Pereira, E. T., & Osteikaitė, A. (2019). The Effect of Globalisation
for Economic Growth of Developing Countries. Applied Economics: Systematic
Research, 13(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.7220/AESR.2335.8742.2019.13.1.1
Gharleghi, B., & Jahanshahi, A. A. (2020). The way to sustainable development through income
equality: The impact of trade liberalisation and financial development. Sustainable
Development, 28(4), 990–1001. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2051
Goyal, A., & Aneja, R. (2020). Artificial intelligence and income inequality: Do technological
changes and worker’s position matter? Journal of Public Affairs (14723891), 20(4), 1–10.
https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1002/pa.2326
Gries, T., Grundmann, R., Palnau, I., & Redlin, M. (2017). Innovations, growth and participation
in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings. International
Economics & Economic Policy, 14(2), 293–351.
https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1007/s10368-016-0371-1
Heimberger, P. (2020). Does economic globalisation affect income inequality? A meta‐analysis.
World Economy, 43(11), 2960–2982. https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13007

PT1-IRR A 8 of 8
Jain-Chandra, S., Kinda, T., Kochhar, K., Piao, S., & Schauer, J. (2019). Sharing the Growth
Dividend: Analysis of Inequality in Asia. Journal of Banking & Financial Economics,
12(2), 5–28.
https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.7172/2353-6845.jbfe.2019.2.1
Kim, J. U. (2020). Technology diffusion, absorptive capacity, and income convergence for Asian
developing countries: a dynamic spatial panel approach. Empirical Economics, 59(2),
569–598. https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1007/s00181-019-01645-0
Le, N. V. T., Hoang, T. X., & Tran, T. Q. (2022). Growth, inequality and poverty in Vietnam:
How did trade liberalisation help the poor, 2002–2008. International Journal of Social
Welfare, 31(1), 86–99. https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1111/ijsw.12482
Phuc Van Phan. (2022). Does Globalization Affect Inequality?: An Analysis of Vietnamese Data.
Journal of Southeast Asian Economies, 39(1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1355/ae39-1f
Sothan, S. (2018). Foreign aid and economic growth: evidence from Cambodia. Journal of
International Trade & Economic Development, 27(2), 168–183.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638199.2017.1349167
Yülek, M. A., & Santos, G. (2022). Why Income Gaps Persist: Productivity Gaps, (No-)Catch-up
and Industrial Policies in Developing Countries. Journal of Economic Issues (Taylor &
Francis Ltd), 56(1), 158–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00213624.2022.2020579

PT1-IRR B 1 of 8
THE EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ON AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 1
The Effect of Artificial Sweeteners on Aquatic Ecosystems
AP Seminar
February 2023
Word Count: 1294

PT1-IRR B 2 of 8
Introduction
From just 2009 to 2012, around 25.1% of children and 41.4% of adults reported
consuming artificial sweeteners (ASWs) in the U.S. alone (Sylvetsky et al., 2017, p. 443). ASWs
are a broad class of sugar substitutes either derived naturally or synthetically and have
sweetnesses ranging from slightly less than sucrose to thousands of times it. Despite their
sweetness, ASWs like aspartame, sucralose, and stevia are resistant to bodily breakdown giving
them little to no caloric value; henceforth, they have seen use in diet food products. However,
this inability to decompose poses an environmental threat as these sweeteners can persist in
ecosystems and have already been discovered to pollute aquatic ecosystems (Naik et al., 2021).
As the obesity epidemic rages on and a greater awareness around health and sugar consumption
grows, it is expected the ASWs market will continue to grow globally (Sylvetsky et al., 2017, p.
444). With the growing use of ASWs and the growing amounts of research questioning the safety
of these substances within our bodies and the environment, it begs the question: “To what extent
do artificial sweeteners affect aquatic ecosystems?” ASWs are resistant to degradation in
wastewater treatment plants and the environment, and although ASWs are not a threat at current
concentrations, they could become a tremendous risk to aquatic ecosystems if trends continue.
Resistance to Degradation
Many ASWs are resistant to degradation within the environment and wastewater
treatment plants, and when these sweeteners do degrade, the byproducts could be more toxic than
the original sweeteners. Noora Perkola et al. (2016), a lead researcher at the Finnish
Environment Institute with researchers from the Department of Environmental Science at the
University of Helsinki, studied the photodegradation rate of four different ASWs under UV light
PT1-IRR B 3 of 8
in surface water conditions finding that while acesulfame would photodegrade in these
conditions, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose showed only minimal amounts of
photodegradation. This unwillingness to degrade even when exposed to ionizing radiation
indicates ASWs will persist not only in the environment but also in wastewater treatment plants
that use UV radiation to degrade dissolved substances. Further extending this view, Shaoli Li et
al. (2018), researchers at the State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse at
Nanjing University, assert that ASWs are also resistant to biological degradation in wastewater
treatment plants finding that while cyclamate and saccharin “were easily degraded and
completely removed,” acesulfame and sucralose had a removal rate of “lower than 20%” in their
bioremoval tests. Although the use of sequencing batch reactors greatly aided the degradation of
acesulfame and sucralose (Li et al., 2018), the results show that certain ASWs can make it
through wastewater treatment plants and persist in the environment due to biodegradation
resistance. Moreover, the byproducts of these degradations are potentially more toxic than the
original sweetener. In agreement, Ziye Sang et al. (2014), researchers at the Department of
Chemistry at Hong Kong Baptist University, found that the toxicity of sucralose was
“significantly enhanced” through its breakdown (p. 9), and they found acesulfame degraded into
“compounds much more toxic” than it (p. 11). ASWs have been shown to persist in the
environment as they resist degradation. Not only do these non-degraded ASWs pose a toxicity
risk, but their breakdown products also could become more toxic than the parent sweeteners.
Ecotoxicity of Artificial Sweeteners
The introduction of potentially toxic ASWs and their byproducts to aquatic ecosystems
creates an undeniable hazard to the organisms living in them. According to Klára Kobetičová et
PT1-IRR B 4 of 8
al. (2016), researchers in the Department of Environmental Chemistry at the University of
Chemistry and Technology Prague, aspartame can inhibit the growth of duckweed through
“biochemical changes” in the plant, and saccharin, though not directly as toxic, put stress on
duckweeds potentially due to its presence and caused a “30%” chance of immobilization in
common water fleas (p. 152). Just between these two organisms, several negative effects were
observed when they were exposed to ASWs. As the overall ASW concentration increases in
aquatic ecosystems over time, these kinds of effects could be seen among several other
microorganisms and macroorganisms which would be extremely detrimental to the health of
these ecosystems. Expanding on the effect on duckweeds, Cherisse Amy-Sagers et al. (2017),
researchers at the Department of Biological Sciences at Idaho State University, observed that
duckweed would absorb sucralose after a period of time as a sugar source leading to it having a
“greater photosynthetic capacity” (p. 81). While seemingly trivial, if the concentration of
sucralose increases in the environment, it could cause blooms not only among duckweeds but
also other photosynthetic organisms starving other organisms of oxygen and other nutrients.
However, the opposite may occur in some plants. Anke Reinders et al. (2006), a researcher with
a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Basel working with researchers from the University of
Minnesota Twin Cities and researchers from Queensland, observed sucralose “inhibits the
transport of sucrose” in sugarcane by acting as sucrose in sucrose transporters (specifically the
ShSUT1 transporters). These transporters are vital to the transportation of sucrose within plants,
and if sucralose prevents the transport of ordinary saccharides, it can kill plants over time. ASWs
do pose a toxicity risk to common organisms that live within aquatic environments. Additionally,
they may allow certain organisms to thrive while inhibiting others leading to a disruption of the
ecological balance.
PT1-IRR B 5 of 8
Opposing Evidence
Despite literature pointing to the toxicity and danger of ASWs, these claims may be
overblown as the current concentration of ASWs in the environment is too little to elicit effects.
In corroboration, Stefan Stolte et al. (2013), a chemistry professor at the University of Gdańsk
with researchers from chemistry and environmental departments at the University of Bremen, the
University of Gdańsk, and the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, found that the
concentrations of acesulfame, cyclamate, sucralose, saccharin, and stevia in the environment
were well below the concentration needed to cause toxicity indicating “a low hazard and risk
potential” (p. 126). While ASWs could be toxic to aquatic organisms, their concentration is so
low, it produces little to no ill effects. Furthering this claim, a systematic review over several
ASWs by Kathy Lewis and John Tzilivakis (2021), researchers at the Agriculture and
Environment Research Unit at the University of Hertfordshire, states that while ASWs are “at
worryingly high concentrations in the global environment,”there are stark differences in their
environmental profiles” (p. 126). Aspartame was the only ASW determined to be potentially
toxic to flora, fauna, and ecosystems, and most ASWs could not be uptaken by plants (Lewis &
Tzilivakis, 2021, p. 126). Even though ASWs are increasing in concentrations globally, the
current of them in aquatic ecosystems is too little to present a great threat to aquatic organisms.
In addition, they may not be as toxic to flora and fauna as previously shown and rarely uptaken
by plants thereby presenting a low risk.
Conclusion
As ASWs continue to be used in food products, their concentrations in aquatic
ecosystems will also continue to increase. Though ASWs at their current concentrations may not
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present an environmental risk, they persist in wastewater treatment plants and the environment
which can lead to a buildup of these sweeteners in aquatic ecosystems negatively affecting
organisms within them. Consequently, addressing the use of ASWs requires an environmental
perspective along with health, political, and economic perspectives. Current solutions include
UV treatment and activated sludge as they have been used to degrade ASWs and other
substances. The use of sequence batch reactors could also significantly remove ASWs from
effluents as well (Li et al., 2018). Not to mention, the use of titanium dioxide as a catalyst while
under UV light could also improve the degradation of ASWs (Sang et al., 2014). Likewise, ferric
iron also creates a similar effect (Perkola et al., 2016). However, these solutions do not address
the removal of toxic breakdown products.

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References
Amy-Sagers, C., Reinhardt, K., & Larson, D. M. (2017). Ecotoxicological assessments
show sucralose and fluoxetine affect the Aquatic Plant, Lemna Minor. Aquatic
Toxicology, 185, 76–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.01.008
Kobetičová, K., Mocová, K. A., Mrhálková, L., Fryčová, Z., & Kočí, V. (2016). Artificial
sweeteners and the environment. Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 34(2), 149–153.
https://doi.org/10.17221/220/2015-cjfs
Lewis, K., & Tzilivakis, J. (2021). Review and synthesis of data on the potential
environmental impact of artificial sweeteners. EFSA Supporting Publications,
18(10). https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2021.en-6918
Li, S., Geng, J., Wu, G., Gao, X., Fu, Y., & Ren, H. (2018). Removal of artificial
sweeteners and their effects on microbial communities in sequencing batch reactors.
Scientific Reports, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21564-x
Naik, A. Q., Zafar, T., & Shrivastava, V. K. (2021). Environmental impact of the presence,
distribution, and use of artificial sweeteners as emerging sources of pollution.
Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2021, 1–11.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6624569
Perkola, N., Vaalgamaa, S., Jernberg, J., & Vähätalo, A. V. (2016). Degradation of artificial
sweeteners via direct and indirect photochemical reactions. Environmental Science
and Pollution Research, 23(13), 13288–13297.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6489-4
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Reinders, A., Sivitz, A. B., Hsi, A., Grof, C. P., Perroux, J. M., & Ward, J. M. (2006).
Sugarcane SHSUT1: Analysis of sucrose transport activity and inhibition by
sucralose. Plant, Cell and Environment, 29(10), 1871–1880.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2006.01563.x
Sang, Z., Jiang, Y., Tsoi, Y.-K., & Leung, K. S.-Y. (2014). Evaluating the environmental
impact of artificial sweeteners: A study of their distributions, photodegradation and
toxicities. Water Research, 52, 260–274.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2013.11.002
Stolte, S., Steudte, S., Schebb, N. H., Willenberg, I., & Stepnowski, P. (2013). Ecotoxicity
of artificial sweeteners and stevioside. Environment International, 60, 123–127.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.010
Sylvetsky, A. C., Jin, Y., Clark, E. J., Welsh, J. A., Rother, K. I., & Talegawkar, S. A.
(2017). Consumption of low-calorie sweeteners among children and adults in the
United States. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(3).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.11.004
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AGE RESTRICTION ON CAFFEINE 1
The Scientific Lens of an Age Restriction on Caffeine
AP Seminar
January 27, 2023
Word Count: 1303

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Introduction
Caffeine originally became popular in America around 1773. It has remained a part of
many Americans’ diets. Nowadays, caffeine is a popular trend in children and adolescents, which
is an issue that is not often addressed as it should be. Scientifically speaking, caffeine causes
various amounts of health concerns for the typical child and teen. According to the University of
Michigan, “Caffeine can lead to dangerous abnormal heart rhythms or lead to neurologic
symptoms of hallucinations or seizures” (Joy, 2017). Health administrations are trying to raise
more awareness to this danger. There is currently no regulation on caffeine by the U.S Food and
Drug Administration, as they only do the bare minimum with their “recommendations”. With
their silence regarding the topic of caffeine, this problem will continue to progress. According to
the National Library of Medicine, "Over 75% of children and adolescents consume caffeine
regularly” (Temple, 2018). Many parents choose to ignore these dangerous health concerns put
out by doctors, which is the reason so many kids, including toddlers, are consuming caffeine
daily. This is an extremely important issue in the scientific community because various studies
have shown that caffeine in children is extremely harmful to their health. Due to the lack of
concern from parents and the FDA, and the overwhelming concern from health administration
about caffeine consumption by children and teenagers, this forms the question: should there be
an age restriction on caffeine in the United States?
Scientific Lens: Health Administration
Health administration is aware of the negative health effects associated with the use of
caffeine. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “At this time, pediatricians advise
against caffeine for children under 12 and against any use of energy drinks for all children and
teens” (AACAP, 2020). Only doctors have addressed the issue, as they directly see what caffeine
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does to children, they even highlight the problem that is energy drinks. Caffeine is causing so
many health problems, and it is clear that caffeine is dangerous to children, yet it can still be
accessed extremely easily. According to an article from Health US News, Jill Castle, a registered
dietitian and child nutrition expert, states “Caffeine is an easily obtained, socially acceptable
drug” (Castle, 2017). Most would not compare caffeine to something like drugs or alcohol. Yet
health administration sees the effects of caffeine in children, and claims it is a drug, that has
extremely harmful effects. This so-called drug, caffeine, is available to all ages despite the fact
that the effects are dangerous. Caffeine use can impact health, with effects ranging from a little
headache to death, when high doses are consumed. According to Columbia University Irving
Medical Center, “Caffeine has no nutritional value but plenty of side effects that negatively
impact health” (Buchholz, 2022). Health administration is puzzled at this fact because it is
pointless for children to consume caffeine. Even though people are informed that caffeine does
nothing to improve health, they continue to drink it and continue to harm their health. Children
are having issues such as heart problems, and it is often correlated to the amount of caffeine they
ingest. Caffeine is so dangerous, that it impedes normal functioning and development in a child.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse did a study that tested measures of cognitive functioning
in children that could possibly be linked with caffeine. This included vocabulary comprehension,
reading decoding, inhibitory control, working memory, episodic memory, cognitive flexibility,
and processing speed. According to this study done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
“The analyses demonstrated that greater caffeine consumption was associated with worse
performance on all seven cognitive measures assessed” (Perlman, 2021). This proves caffeine is
interfering with adolescents’ day to day life and posing an extreme threat to their health. All in
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all, the health administration gives clear warnings for children to avoid caffeine, which should
strictly be followed by all those who are affected.
Scientific Lens: Federal Agencies
Americans rely on federal agencies, such as the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Even
the FDA is unsure of what the recommendation for caffeine should be for children and teenagers.
According to FDA, “The FDA has not set a level for children, but the American Academy of
Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine and other stimulants by children and
adolescents” (FDA, 2018). The FDA focuses mainly on the effects of caffeine on adults, but they
cannot seem to address the issue with what caffeine does to children. The FDA ignores warnings
from health professionals that concern what caffeine does to a child. According to the FDA,
when asked how much caffeine a child can consume, it states “We recommend you consult with
your health care provider for advice regarding your child’s caffeine consumption” (FDA, 2018).
Once again, the FDA pushes concerns back over to health administration. This is because they
are unaware of the side effects that comes with it such as interfering with development, high
blood pressure, increase in heart rate, and more. The unawareness of the FDA proves Americans
cannot rely on this source. According to Diana Schnee, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic,
“FDA doesn’t regulate the amount of caffeine in beverages, so you can’t always trust what you
see on the label” (Fennald, 2021). There is no regulation for caffeine in drinks by the FDA,
which is poses a risk on kids’ health. The FDA needs to step up in what they are doing to protect
children.
Scientific Lens: Parents

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Most parents are not worried about their children consuming caffeine at a young age, but
parents need to be informed on the potential risks. According to the National Library of
Medicine, “Despite empirical evidence and high-profile news stories that suggest that high levels
of caffeine use can be harmful in children and adolescents, many parents remain unconcerned”
(Temple, 2018). Parents are unaware of this issue, even though health professionals are hounding
them to address it with their child. Caffeine is causing various issues in kids and teens, such as
insomnia, anxiety, chest pain, and much more. Many parents do not see an issue until it is too
late to stop the issue. According to another study done by the National Library of Medicine, a
parent claimed, “No one’s really overweight. So yeah, I think because they’re not overweight,
it’s not a concern” (Halberg et al., 2020). This proves how parents are ignoring this problem.
Parents believe the only concern is the child being overweight, but this is extremely incorrect.
Caffeine is so harmful that it is impairing a child’s cognitive functioning. According to a CNN
article, Mark Corkins, the division chief of pediatric gastroenterology and a professor of
pediatrics, stated that “And because parents perceive it as harmless –and it likely is in tiny
amounts –they will let their children take a sip or two” (LaMotte, 2022). Although a tiny sip may
be harmless to a child’s health, it starts small and then becomes an addiction, and at that point,
the child is consuming an absurd amount of caffeine. The parent perspective is like that of the
FDA, flags by health professionals have been made clear, yet they ignore them making them
extremely unaware of the real issue.
Conclusion
The issue of caffeine in children continues to progress and negatively impact health, so
an age limit should be put in place to stop the issues with caffeine being available to kids at such
a young age. Even though FDA and parents may not realize the health effects caffeine has on
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children, it’s a prevalent issue that needs to be solved immediately. Health administrations notice
the dangerous impacts caffeine has on children, and they address it as a relevant and extremely
important problem. Each perspective is diverting responsibility, and the problem continues. It is
imperative that an age limit should be put in place to stop the problem of caffeine in children and
adolescents for the betterment of their health.

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Works Cited
Buchholz, D. (2022, August 3). Caffeine and Kids. Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Caffeine and Children. (2020, July). American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Castle, J. (2017, June 1). Caffeine: a Growing Problem for Children. Health US News.
Halberg, S., Lora, K., Sacheck, J., Sylvetsky, A., Turvey, C., Visek, A., & Weisenberg, J. (2020,
April 12). Parental Concerns about Child and Adolescent Caffeinated Sugar-Sweetened
Beverage Intake and Perceived Barriers to Reducing Consumption. National Library of
Medicine.
Joy, K. (2017, May 31). Parents, Perk Up to the Dangers of Caffeine for Teens. University of
Michigan Health.
LaMotte, S. (2022, October 14). It’s not OK to let kids drink coffee – so why do we do it? CNN
Health.
Perlman, W. (2021, April 19). Childhood Caffeine Exposure May Negatively Affect Cognitive
Functioning. National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? (2018, December 12). U.S Food and Drug
Administration
Temple, J. (2018, October 18). Trends, Safety, and Recommendations for Caffeine Use in
`Children and Adolescents. National Library of Medicine.

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1
1291
Astrology and Its Effects on Religion
Currently astrology signs and zodiac signs are being the talk of the media and
social interactions. Today people take what they know about zodiac signs and apply
them to their way of life. Doing this not only affects the person that applied astrology in
their lifestyle, but it also goes against many other ideas in the world. This causes major
controversies and argumentative debates between people. One big conflict that has
been brought up in this debate is whether or not people should even believe in astrology
in the first place. What is astrology? Well, astrology is the study of stars and other
intergalactic planets in the universe. People today may use this study for “
understanding and predicting human affairs and terrestrial events. Many cultures have
developed astrology systems…”(Netivist.org) in order to be able to predict these traits
and values. The big problem with astrology is that scientists made many debates and
studied to “ refute the accuracy of astrology systems and to explain why so many
people believe astrology is real '' (Netivist.org).This is a very debatable topic since
people that live in more western areas seem to seriously believe and devote their
traditions and cultures to astrology while other cultures and studies shut them down.
(Netivist.org). The lens of this research paper is mainly going to be about the religion
and cultural lens. Furthermore, even though astrology is incorporated into different
cultures and religions, according to science, studies and other main religions, people
shouldn't believe in astrology. Yet, it depends on what someone believes in inorder to
choose to believe in astrology or not. This is important to recognize because today the
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2
world is easily influenced by new technologies and beliefs that cause controversy and
very heated debates that involve the controversy of religion.
Many cultures in the west use astrology as the base of their religion and
traditions. One part of the world that incorporates astrology in their daily lives the most
is India. In India, astrology is important since astrology plays an important role in their
traditional marriage. According divinityeventlighting.com, “When an Indian marriage is
arranged, the charts of the Bride and Groom are actually matched by an astrologist.” By
doing this chart match, it reassures the families happiness and future together. It also
supports traditional Indian culture by uniting the 2 families under the stars. Another
example of this is shown in the article in pparihar.com. In this article it says,“Both stars
circle around each other, instead of usual one star revolving the other. So symbolically
pointed out as a paradigm of marital virtue to the bride in the Hindu marriage
ceremonies.” This quote backs up the statement that was made earlier about the stars
being a big influence to marriage in the Hindu culture. One religion that includes
astrology and the stars more is called Hinduism. Hinduism is the dominant religion in
India that includes rituals and believes in” mystical contemplation and ascetic practices''
( merriam-webster.com). According to Pewresearch.org, “Hindus are the most likely of
India’s six major religious groups to say they believe in both fate (73%) and astrology
(49%)” (Pewresearch.org). Even though astrology mostly is practiced in India there are
other countries where astrology is also practiced and believed in. There is a history of
zodiac signs and star belief in China, Egypt, Greece, and early mesopotamia. These
people believe that themselves and their lives are affected by the stars and their
movement. (smithsonianmag.com). Believing in astrology was first started in the early

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3
mesopotamia time period. They viewed astrology as “an ancient and valuable system of
understanding the natural world”. Astrologers back then and now (in the western
civilizations) believe in the stars because they think that our personalities and character
traits are determined and made by the position of the stars at the time of our birth.
Inorder to determine these traits in humans, astrologists and star spiritualists use a
system called the “Natal star chart”. This special chart is also used in predicting the
futures and fortunes of us humans. (smithsonianmag.com). Astrology and zodiac signs
are very important to the western cultures and civilizations regarding their religion and
beliefs. Astrology is a necessity in their culture and it makes them different from all of
the other cultures and regions of the world.
Even though astrology is popular toward the western part of the country, in some
parts of the world it isn't as popular and practiced. In the United States, other religions
like christianity, Protisan, Muslim, and even no religion. Out of these different religions or
beliefs,some of the most popular today in the United States is Christianity which
consists of Protestants and Catholics, and people who are unaffiliated.According to
PRRI, “Nearly one in four Americans (23%) are religiously unaffiliated,...Seven in ten
Americans (70%) identify as Christian,...” (PRRI staff). Using this information, it is clear
to see that the percentage of the people in the United States aren't Hinduists or any
other religion that believes in astrology. So, this clears up a bit of information on why
people may have a heavy debate on whether or not someone should believe in
astrology. This debate happens because of the difference in beliefs, studies, and no
beliefs or opinions. The difference in opinion and religion causes clashes between
multiple other religions and beliefs not only directed towards astrology. For example,
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4
someone who is a protestant believes that believing in astrology is a sin and that it is
unacceptable for a christian protestant to believe and follow astrology. (Outlook.com).
This is one main contributing factor to the heated arguments on whether or not people
in modern day time should believe it or not. Most people today are christians or
associate with no religion so it is hard to come up with a compromise and or a decision.
Another factor that contributes to this situation is how most people in the world who do
not associate with religion believe more in science and the facts rather than the spiritual
associations of religion. Why does this matter? Well, this matters because there are
studies that scientists made which provides evidence that astrology is unreliable.
According to Jarry Jonathan, he says that “Zodiac sign compatibilities and their
professional inclinations, and astrologers’ abilities to match astrological profiles to
individuals have resulted in devastating results for the profession’s credibility”
(Jonathan).When the people know thing like this about astrology in the United States, it
tends to draw the people’s attention away from believing in astrology and zodiac signs.
In the end, there is no possible way to take away the culture and religion that
others believe in. Nor can we change and alter them to fit to all of our likings and
benefits. Even if some people in the United States do believe in Astrology we can't
criticize or force them onto one of the leading religions or beliefs of the country. For
people who live and believe in astrology in the western part of the world, it is normal and
traditional for them to follow. But if we compare this to the beliefs and perspectives of
the United States, there are alot of things that contrast these ideas and ideologies. In
the United States, people are either more secular or more leaning towards christianity
rather than astrology. In the US, even people who are secular base their thoughts on
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science and facts. This is very big since this impacts the decision on whether or not
people choose to believe in astrology or not. In my opinion, i believe that we shouldn't
believe in zodiac signs because of that factor of it not being super reliable, but i respect
others opinions on the other perspectives.
Works Cited
“Astrology and Religion: Connection between Fields.” Https://Www.outlookindia.com/, 11 Apr.
2022,
www.outlookindia.com/outlook-spotlight/astrology-and-religion-connection-between-fiel
ds-news-191109.
“Astrology of Indian Weddings – Divinity Event Lighting Specializes in Bistro Lighting,
Uplighting, Monograms and Spotlights. Arizona Event Lighting Expert.”
Https://Divinityeventlighting.com/, 5 Jan. 2020,
divinityeventlighting.com/astrology-of-indian-weddings/.
“Definition of HINDUISM.” Www.merriam-Webster.com,
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hinduism.
Jarry, Jonathan. “How Astrology Escaped the Pull of Science.” Office for Science and Society, 9
Oct. 2020, www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience/how-astrology-escaped-pull-science.
Mccarthy, Julie. “In India, Science and Astrology Comfortably Coexist.” NPR.org, 25 Sept.
2014,
www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/09/25/351373672/in-india-scientific-prowess-and-fa
scination-with-astrology-co-exist. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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6
Mitchell, Travis. “11. Religious Beliefs.” Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project,
29 June 2021,
www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/06/29/religious-beliefs-2/#:~:text=Most%20Indians
%20believe%20in%20fate%2C%20fewer%20believe%20in%20astrology&text=Fewer%
20Indians%20believe%20in%20astrology.
Orth, Taylor. “One in Four Americans Say They Believe in Astrology | YouGov.”
Today.yougov.com, 26 Apr. 2022,
today.yougov.com/topics/entertainment/articles-reports/2022/04/26/one-four-americans-s
ay-they-believe-astrology.
PRRI Staff. “The 2020 Census of American Religion.” PRRI, 8 July 2021,
www.prri.org/research/2020-census-of-american-religion/.
Swaddle, The. “Why Do People Still Believe in Astrology?” The Swaddle, 24 June 2020,
theswaddle.com/why-do-people-still-believe-in-astrology/.
“Ancient Indian Marriage and Twin Star System.” HINDUISM and SANATAN DHARMA, 3 Feb.
2016, pparihar.com/2016/02/03/ancient-indian-marriage-and-twin-star-system/. Accessed
18 Jan. 2023.
AP® Seminar 2023 Scoring Commentary
Performance Task 1
Note: Student samples are quoted verbatim and may contain spelling and grammatical errors.
Overview
This task assessed the student’s ability to:
• Investigate a particular approach or range of perspectives on a research topic selected

by a student team;
• Conduct scholarly research relevant to the topic; and
• Produce an evaluative report on the research conducted, analyzing the reasoning within
the sources as well as the relevance and credibility of evidence used in those sources.
Sample: A
1 Understand and Analyze Context Score: 6
2 Understand and Analyze Arg Score: 6
3 Evaluate Sources and Evidence Score: 6
4 Understand and Analyze Persp Score: 6
5 Apply Conventions Score: 3
Row 1: Understand and Analyze Context

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because it investigates a complex and significant issue:
the impacts of global “technological growth, financial aid, and increased trade” on Southeast Asian
countries. It situates the investigation in a robust bibliography of 13 scholarly articles from
economics journals, augmented by a few articles from public affairs journals. The report makes clear
the significance of the issue, namely, the concern that “the benefits of globalization are unequally
distributed and often lead to increases in income disparity and poverty rates.”
Row 2: Understand and Analyze Argument

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because it demonstrates a clear understanding of the
arguments from the sources under review. For example, in the section on Economic Trade, the report
traces the argument from Gharleghi and Jahanshahi, “[G]rowth in trade levels correlates with
economic growth overall but also contributes to the growth of income disparity.” Or to take as
another example, in speaking of Darku and Yeboah (2018), the response describes a different
“controversial” argument, namely, that there is a “beneficial effect of trade openness that leads to
income convergence,” at least between lower- and higher-income countries. In this contested view,
“trade can be a helpful tool” in addressing income disparities. Using a combination of purposeful
use (conveying the argument through careful paraphrasing and/or selected quotations) and direct
explanation, the writer demonstrates throughout the report a clear understanding of the sources’
arguments.
© 2023 College Board.

Visit College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.
Performance Task 1
Row 3: Evaluate Sources and Evidence

The report earned a score of 6 for this row on the strength of its bibliography of relevant and
credible, peer-reviewed academic sources. Attributive phrases are used at times to clarify whether
the research emerges from the field of economics or political science or from a collaboration between
the two fields.
Row 4: Understand and Analyze Perspective

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because it places the sources in conversation to tease out
the general idea that global development is “a double-edged sword.” While more than sufficient to
earn a high score, the report could have been made stronger by fewer repetitions of the main idea
and more development of nuanced distinctions among sources. Additionally, there could be more
discernment when using terms. For example, the section on “Foreign Aid” elides the concepts of
“foreign aid” and “remittances.” Likewise, in the Economic Trade section, there is some ambiguity
about whether income disparity and convergence are happening within or among countries. That
said, all sections do show evidence of detail used to develop connections among the arguments
derived from the sources under review. For example, the Technological Growth section reports on
“Singapore’s domination of information and telecommunications” and explains the earlier prevailing
“trickle-down” argument advanced by Kim (2020) and Gries et al. (2017). This argument is then
contrasted with an explanation of work by Goyal and Aneja (2020) that makes the case that
“continued growth may threaten workers’ job security” and widen income disparity. The report thus
narrates a turning point in the research literature. Each section of the report effectively works to
highlight a significant research turn, demonstrating how earlier research is contested or refined by
further work.
Row 5: Apply Conventions (Attribution)

The report earned a score of 3 for this row because the bibliography is organized, uniform, and
provides the necessary elements for evaluating each source. In-text citations link clearly to the
bibliography. Attribution within the body of the report is clear. While the response did neglect to
include one source on the References page (“Nghiêm Xuân et al. (2019), an economist and business
administrator at West University of Timisoara, Vietnam”), all the other 13 articles are clearly
attributed. Overall, the report shows solid evidence of strong bibliographic skills—in the
bibliography itself and in the body of the report.
Row 6: Apply Conventions (Style)

The report earned a score of 3 for this row because the prose shows evidence of the ability to relay
complex ideas with clarity and precision. The tone is appropriate for an academic task.

Performance Task 1
Sample: B

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because it focuses on the complexity of the relationship
between artificial sweeteners and the environment. It effectively grounds the report in a substantive
bibliography composed of 10 journals in the fields of environmental sciences and food sciences. The
rationale for the investigation is made clear: Because of their resistance to decomposition, artificial
sweeteners have the potential to become “a tremendous risk to aquatic ecosystems.” The
introduction could be improved for clarity and coherence. The inclusion of the research question,
which is not needed for this task, is forced and confusing (the phrase “it begs the question” leads to
a nonsequitur). That said, the introduction does move the reader from the use of sugar substitutes in
diet products to their characteristic and problematic “resistance to bodily breakdown,” to residual
toxins in the environment. That narrative would have been made clearer—and the coherence of the
report as a whole stronger—had this list included the place that wastewater has in this chain.
Overall, the report warrants the high score for its strong grounding in the research literature, its
engagement with the complexities of the topic, and its effective signaling of the importance of the
issue.

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because, throughout its entirety, it clearly demonstrates
an understanding of the reasoning and validity of arguments from the sources being reported on.
In each section, the report stays focused on its sources; it does not generalize or overstate research
conclusions. At times, the report employs a combination of quotation and effective paraphrase to
trace the logic in the sources. [See, for example, on pages 2-3, the tracing of logic in research by
Li et al: “Shaoli Li et al. (2018) … assert that … finding that …] At other times, the report makes use
of direct explanation. (See sentence, page 4 beginning “While seemingly trivial ...”). Both skills are
well deployed and effectively capture the arguments in the research literature.

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because the evaluation of evidence is demonstrated
through the selection of relevant and credible peer-reviewed academic sources. Granted, the
unwieldy attributive phrases are unnecessary and awkward. (When quality scholarly sources are
clearly signaled in the bibliography, such phrases are duplicative.) Finally, the skill of evaluating
evidence is convincingly demonstrated by the strength of source selection, made clear in a well-
composed and carefully edited bibliography.

Performance Task 1

The report earned a score of 6 for this row because it clearly conveys the perspectives expressed
in the research arguments and deftly weaves them into a coherent, detailed research narrative.
The report begins by covering the research on residual ASW-related toxins in wastewater and moves
to research arguments about the continued and toxic presence in aquatic ecosystems. Along the
way, it establishes that toxicity levels may be reduced by various treatments or “solutions”;
however, such treatments create other problematic “breakdown products.” From there, it looks
at the literature that questions whether toxic levels are significant enough to cause environmental
damage. The report concludes that toxicity, whether residual or produced through treatment, while
arguably not at harmful levels, “persist in wastewater treatment plants and the environment.” While
there are successful ways to reduce the toxicity, those methods produce other toxins, a problem for
which, at present, there are no effective solutions.

The report earned a score of 3 for this row because the bibliography is organized, uniform,
and provides the necessary elements for evaluating the source. In-text citations link clearly
to the bibliography. Attribution within the body of the report is clear (exception: in the opening
paragraph, it is difficult to tell where the paraphrased information from Naik et al. begins;
elsewhere, information from sources is clearly delineated.) Overall, the report shows solid
evidence of strong bibliographic skills—in the bibliography itself and in the body of the report.

The report earned a score of 3 for this row because, overall, the prose is capable of clearly rendering
complex ideas. While the prose would have been clearer without the long attributive phrases that
lead to sentences bordering on the unwieldy, in general, the writer maintains control and clearly
delivers the narrative about whether traces of ASWs in aquatic ecosystems pose
an environmental risk.

Performance Task 1
Sample: C

This report earned a score of 4 for this row because its topic, science of caffeine in young people,
is adequately focused but rests on sources that are derived from university news, info, or outreach
sites instead of academic sources directly; it also uses National Library of Medicine without mention
of any publication specifically. The journalistic sources add some variety to the source selection.
While the report focuses on caffeine’s effect on children, it addresses the problems with caffeine
in general instead of with children specifically.

This report earned a score of 4 for this row because it often summarizes information from sources
without explaining the reasoning or arguments found in them. For example, the section labeled
“Health Administration” begins with two quotes from sources, but the commentary simply repeats
the information and offers illogical extensions of the sources’ arguments. In addition, there are
multiple instances where it is difficult to discern which arguments are the sources’ and which are
those of the student (e.g., page 4, “This is because they are unaware of the side effects that comes
with it such as interfering with development, high blood pressure, increase in heart rate, and more.”)

This report earned a score of 4 for this row because there are many instances where the report
describes sources but does not effectively establish credibility. The clearest example of this can be
seen through the repeated use of the term “health administration.” While the student uses evidence
from FDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Library of Medicine, they fail to make any
distinction between any of these sources and the term “health administration.” The information from
university sources is treated like peer-reviewed academic sources in the report, but the Works Cited
does not link the source to an academic journal. Furthermore, the report treats the evidence from
journalistic sources (CNN, Health US News) in the same way it treats university and research
sources.

This report earned a score of 4 for this row because it uses headings to group perspectives but often
only makes general connections and frequently lapses into opinions or perspectives that are not
anchored in the sources. The heading labeled “Federal Agencies,” for example, exhibits a general
connection between the FDA and dietitian perspectives, but the report fails to establish any nuanced
discussion between them and includes claims about adverse health effects that cannot be tied to a
specific perspective from a source.

Performance Task 1

This report earned a score of 2 for this row because there are numerous inconsistencies in the
citations as well as the in-text linking. The Works Cited page consistently mentions the groups
associated with research but never cites any research publications. For instance, the National
Library of Medicine is used for multiple sources, but the actual publication for the research is
missing. It also cites Fennald on page 4 with no connection to a bibliography entry. These
inconsistencies prevent it from scoring a high.

This report earned a score of 2 for this row because, while the prose is generally clear, there are a
number of lapses in sentence control and imprecise word choice. Two sentences on page 3 show
these trends: “Caffeine use can impact health, with effects ranging from a little headache to death,
when high doses are consumed,” and “Even though people are informed that caffeine does nothing
to improve health, they continue to drink it and continue to harm their health.” Sentences like these
do an adequate job of communicating to the reader but are not appropriate for an academic audience.

Performance Task 1
Sample: D

The report earned a score of 2 for this row because it identifies an overly broad and simplistic area of
investigation, as signaled in the title and reinforced by the bibliography. While 10 sources are listed
in the Works Cited, all are pieces from general websites or journalistic sources that are only broadly
related to the topic of Astrology (e.g., about science and astrology rather than religion and astrology).
Not all sources are used; other sources are vaguely mentioned in the text, but there is not enough
information supplied to evaluate them. Thus, the research context is thus broad, simplistic, and
ambiguous. It is also not sustained. The report unravels into questions of whether someone should
or should not believe in astrology. The rationale for studying this topic moves even further from a
study of astrology and religion to reference “new technologies” and contested beliefs about religion
generally: “This is important to recognize because today the world is easily influenced by new
technologies and beliefs that cause controversy and very heated debates that involve the controversy
of religion.”

The report earned a score of 2 for this row because there are “no instances of effective explanation”
of the sources’ arguments. At times, a quotation is supplied, and the commentary either restates
information from sources, generalizes and simplifies arguments, or is silent about the quoted
material, moving on to the next topic. (See, for example, the information from Pewresearch.org on
p. 2). Or see the vague response to the PRRI staff statistical data on page 3: “So, this clears up a bit
of information on why people may have a heavy debate on whether or not someone should believe
in astrology.”

The report earned a score of 2 for this row because it provides little or no reference to the credibility
of sources. Sources are only obliquely relevant, concerning either “religion” or “astrology.” Neither
term is narrowed, and only one source (an online magazine) links the two.
Row 4: Understand and Analyze Perspectives

The report earned a score of 2 for this row because it identifies information rather than arguments
in the sources referenced. Various pieces of information are juxtaposed, but there is no logical
categorization of arguments from sources. For example, the first body paragraph covers information
about using stars for “Bride and Groom” matching in India, Hindu beliefs in astrology, “history of
zodiac signs and star belief in China, Egypt, Greece and early mesopotamia,” the “Natal star chart,”
and religion in “western cultures and civilizations.”

Performance Task 1

The report earned a score of 1 for this row because, while there is a Works Cited page, there is
an accumulation of documentation errors. On the plus side, the bibliography is mostly organized
(only one source is out of order). The litany of errors is significantly longer: Only one source
(PRRI.staff) provides a successful link between the in-text citation and the bibliography. At least
5 links are ambiguous (an in-text citation is present, but it is difficult to match it to the Works Cited
page). Netivist.org and Smithsoniamag.com are referenced in the text of the report, but not in the
bibliography. When paraphrase is employed, the text does not always clearly indicate what is
derived from the source (faulty attribution). Overall, the report demonstrates unsuccessful
deployment of bibliographic skills.

The report earned a score of 1 for this row because of simplistic and extremely vague word choice,
problems with control of sentences, and the adoption of a tone “not appropriate for an academic
audience.” Examples abound, but the last 2 sentences of the report perhaps best illustrate the prose:
“This is very big since this impacts the decision on whether or not people choose to believe in
astrology or not. In my opinion, i believe that we shouldn’t believe in zodiac signs because of that
factor of it not being super reliable, but i respect others opinions on the other perspectives.”


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2023

Individual Research Report

Individual Research Report (IRR) 30 points

General Scoring Notes

© 2023 College Board

© 2023 College Board

© 2023 College Board

© 2023 College Board

(0, 2, 4, or 6 Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

© 2023 College Board

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© 2023 College Board

Globalization and Standards of Living in Southeast Asian Developing Countries:

Word Count: 1288

Globalization and Standards of Living in Southeast Asian Developing Countries:

Globalization, the increased interconnectedness of peoples and organizations across the

globalization is known to have positive effects on the overall economic development of

which it can be alleviated.

Throughout developing countries, technological growth has enabled the development of

new markets, such as Singapore's domination of information and telecommunications

and income inequality.

developing and developed countries as a result of financial aid, Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al.

Sothan extends on the findings presented by Didžgalvytė-Bujauskė et al. However, researcher

controversial topic without a clear verdict.

In summary, globalization's effect on developing countries' economic states remains a

Azizi (2021), a professor of economics at Purdue University, a practical solution is to provide

countries. Empirical Economics, 60(2), 969–991.

countries: a regional comparative analysis. Applied Economics, 50(8), 855–869.

for Economic Growth of Developing Countries. Applied Economics: Systematic

Research, 13(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.7220/AESR.2335.8742.2019.13.1.1

equality: The impact of trade liberalisation and financial development. Sustainable

Development, 28(4), 990–1001. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2051

in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings. International

Economics & Economic Policy, 14(2), 293–351.

Heimberger, P. (2020). Does economic globalisation affect income inequality? A meta‐analysis.

World Economy, 43(11), 2960–2982. https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13007

Dividend: Analysis of Inequality in Asia. Journal of Banking & Financial Economics,

developing countries: a dynamic spatial panel approach. Empirical Economics, 59(2),

Welfare, 31(1), 86–99. https://doi-org.proxygsu-sbuf.galileo.usg.edu/10.1111/ijsw.12482

Journal of Southeast Asian Economies, 39(1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1355/ae39-1f

International Trade & Economic Development, 27(2), 168–183.

Francis Ltd), 56(1), 158–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00213624.2022.2020579

The Effect of Artificial Sweeteners on Aquatic Ecosystems

Word Count: 1294

do artificial sweeteners affect aquatic ecosystems?” ASWs are resistant to degradation in

conditions, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose showed only minimal amounts of

photodegradation. This unwillingness to degrade even when exposed to ionizing radiation

Ecotoxicity of Artificial Sweeteners

al. (2016), researchers in the Department of Environmental Chemistry at the University of

microorganisms and macroorganisms which would be extremely detrimental to the health of

transport of sucrose” in sugarcane by acting as sucrose in sucrose transporters (specifically the

concentrations of acesulfame, cyclamate, sucralose, saccharin, and stevia in the environment

by plants thereby presenting a low risk.

As ASWs continue to be used in food products, their concentrations in aquatic

the removal of toxic breakdown products.

Amy-Sagers, C., Reinhardt, K., & Larson, D. M. (2017). Ecotoxicological assessments

Toxicology, 185, 76–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.01.008

environmental impact of artificial sweeteners. EFSA Supporting Publications,

sweeteners and their effects on microbial communities in sequencing batch reactors.