Sustained Investigation (60% of Total Score)
15 digital images of works of art and process documentation that demonstrate sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision.
This section of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams offers students the opportunity to make and present works of art and design based on an in-depth investigation of materials, processes, and ideas done over time. Sustained investigation is guided by questions. It involves practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section is expected to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
Works from the Sustained Investigation section may also be submitted in the Selected Works section, but they don’t have to be. Along with each work, students are required to submit written responses to prompts about the work. Responses to these prompts are evaluated along with the images that students submit. The most successful responses in terms of assessment are those that are clearly related to the images of work submitted; that directly and completely address the prompts; and that provide evidence of inquiry-based sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision. Responses are not evaluated for correct spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
There is no preferred (or unacceptable) basis of inquiry, type of investigation, or use of material, process, idea, style, or content for the Sustained Investigation. Students should be the principal artist or designer of the work they submit. If work involved collaboration, the student submitting the work needs to have made all key decisions about materials, processes, and ideas used and needs to have performed the activities that produced the work.
REQUIREMENTS AND PROMPTS Submit 15 images that demonstrate:
Sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
Sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas
Synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas 2-D/3-D/drawing skills (depending on type of portfolio submitted)
State the following in writing:
Identify the questions that guided your sustained investigation
Describe how your sustained investigation shows evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision guided by your questions (1200 characters maximum, including spaces, for response to both prompts)
Questions that guide the sustained investigation are typically formulated at the beginning of portfolio development. Students should formulate their questions based on their own experiences and ideas. These guiding questions should be documented and further developed by students throughout the sustained investigation.
Identify the following for each image:
Materials used (100 characters maximum, including spaces)
Processes used (100 characters maximum, including spaces)
Size (height × width × depth, in inches)
For images that document process or show detail, students should enter “N/A” for size
For digital and virtual work, students should enter the size of the intended visual display.
SCORING CRITERIA
The 15 images are evaluated collectively based on four scoring criteria. Each of the four scoring criteria is evaluated separately and assigned an independent score. The final score for the Sustained Investigation section is calculated based on the relative weight of each of the four scoring criteria. The four scoring criteria along with their corresponding skills and section weighting is as follows:
This section of the AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams offers students the opportunity to make and present works of art and design based on an in-depth investigation of materials, processes, and ideas done over time. Sustained investigation is guided by questions. It involves practice, experimentation, and revision using materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section is expected to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
Works from the Sustained Investigation section may also be submitted in the Selected Works section, but they don’t have to be. Along with each work, students are required to submit written responses to prompts about the work. Responses to these prompts are evaluated along with the images that students submit. The most successful responses in terms of assessment are those that are clearly related to the images of work submitted; that directly and completely address the prompts; and that provide evidence of inquiry-based sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision. Responses are not evaluated for correct spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
There is no preferred (or unacceptable) basis of inquiry, type of investigation, or use of material, process, idea, style, or content for the Sustained Investigation. Students should be the principal artist or designer of the work they submit. If work involved collaboration, the student submitting the work needs to have made all key decisions about materials, processes, and ideas used and needs to have performed the activities that produced the work.
REQUIREMENTS AND PROMPTS Submit 15 images that demonstrate:
Sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision
Sustained investigation of materials, processes, and ideas
Synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas 2-D/3-D/drawing skills (depending on type of portfolio submitted)
State the following in writing:
Identify the questions that guided your sustained investigation
Describe how your sustained investigation shows evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision guided by your questions (1200 characters maximum, including spaces, for response to both prompts)
Questions that guide the sustained investigation are typically formulated at the beginning of portfolio development. Students should formulate their questions based on their own experiences and ideas. These guiding questions should be documented and further developed by students throughout the sustained investigation.
Identify the following for each image:
Materials used (100 characters maximum, including spaces)
Processes used (100 characters maximum, including spaces)
Size (height × width × depth, in inches)
For images that document process or show detail, students should enter “N/A” for size
For digital and virtual work, students should enter the size of the intended visual display.
SCORING CRITERIA
The 15 images are evaluated collectively based on four scoring criteria. Each of the four scoring criteria is evaluated separately and assigned an independent score. The final score for the Sustained Investigation section is calculated based on the relative weight of each of the four scoring criteria. The four scoring criteria along with their corresponding skills and section weighting is as follows:
Scoring Criteria Formulate and identify in writing questions that guide a sustained investigation. Demonstrate written and visual evidence of practice, experimentation, and revision guided by questions in a sustained investigation. Make works of art and design that demonstrate synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. Make works of art and design that demonstrate 2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills. |
Corresponding Skills
Skills 2.A and 3.A Skills 2.B and 3.B Skill 2.C Skill 2.D |
Section Weighting
20% 30% 30% 20% |
The most successful portfolio submissions will demonstrate:
- Written and visual evidence of questions/inquiry that furthers the sustained investigation
- Written and visual evidence of practice, experimentation, and/or revision that furthers the sustained investigation
- Visual evidence of synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas
- Visual evidence of advanced 2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills