Gianna Platt- Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL)- Lakewood Ranch High School’s (LRHS) Advanced Placement (AP) Research students are currently working on their Presentations with Oral Defenses (PODs).
In AP Research, PODs are completed to contribute something unique to the academic community.
Students pick a topic, form a research question, collect and analyze data, and form conclusions about their research.
Students must also answer oral defense questions as a reflection of their project and contribute to the reliability and validity of their conclusions.
When asked about the purpose and importance of assigning PODs, Tammy Harper, AP Research and Chemistry teacher at LRHS explained that besides being a requirement, “PODs are important because they play a big part in communicating unique and valuable results.”
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Harper also mentioned that “A good POD includes the research question, method used in data gathering, and conclusions formed from analysis.”
In the process of completing their PODs, students also connect their work to other scholarly sources and identify the implications of conclusions made from their data analysis.
“Reflection is a valuable tool in allowing the researcher to assess the reliability of their processes and data.” Harper said.
Through reflection, PODs help students become better communicators in both oral and written forms.