AP Research Paper Sample 2022

Abstract: The gap in the research concerning linguistics, multilingualism, and language learning and its relationship to academic performance, is its effect on high school students. There has been a lot of research done on how learning multiple languages at a young age serves as cognitive stimuli and can enhances learning, but there is little to no research targeted in the area of high school students and their academic performance. By choosing the research question, “How can multilingualism affect high school students’ academic performance including GPA and standardized test scores?”, this problem and gap in the research can be clearly identified and reflected upon. The major purpose of this study is to find the previously mentioned gap in the research so that teenagers, their parents, and their high schools know about the academic benefits and possible consequences of being multilingual. This research paper is a quantitative non-experimental design, focusing on the analysis of previous literature and research in comparison to new survey findings of teenagers in the 21st century. These new findings were collected through the use of a survey platform, where over 60+ responses were gathered and over 40+ responses were analyzed. This survey included detailed yet open questions about multilingualism and its relationship to high schoolers’ academic performance. Over 10 countries were represented in this study, providing a more global and varied perspective on the issue at hand. After analyzing these responses, it was concluded that multilingualism, in fact, enhanced academic performance! A clear correlation was found between the two, but there was not sufficient evidence to argue causation. New findings may encourage teenagers and their parents to seek out multilingualism; and schools to implement language learning programs into their curricula.