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FAQ
Once a student is notified that their work has been flagged for either plagiarism or falsification or fabrication of information, what options does the student have?
Once notified, students have several options depending on the severity of the violation. These include:
- Voluntarily accept a score of 0 on that particular component of the performance task, and still receive an overall AP score.
- Voluntarily accept cancellation of the entire exam.
- Request a reconsideration of that particular component of the performance task.
Students who request a reconsideration must submit supporting documentation that they believe refutes the original determination of plagiarism or falsification or fabrication of information. Acceptable supporting documentation may include the evidence outlined in this table.
| Acceptable Supporting Documentation | |
|---|---|
| Violation | Recommended Evidence |
| Is not your own original work | Previous drafts and/or revision history of the paper with timestamps and dates for each revision Teacher attestation letter* |
| May contain falsified or fabricated information | Original source of the information or data |
| Includes information that is not attributed, cited, or included in the bibliography | Source of the Information included in the paper |
*To be acceptable, teacher attestation letters must include:
- confirmation that the teacher observed the student doing their own work individually; and
- details on the internal investigation conducted by the teacher to determine the work in question was completed solely by the student.
The attestation letter must be sent to College Board from the teacher’s email (personal or school) or may be sent by the student in PDF format on school letterhead. Note that letters from teachers attesting to character rather than observed performance are not acceptable evidence.