Inside This Unit: The Full Breakdown
Unit 4 covers Selected Works (40% of the portfolio): 3-D works showing skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas, documented from multiple views, with written evidence (artist statements) and proper citation of sources.
Why it matters
Selected Works demonstrate your strongest synthesis of making and meaning, and clear documentation and writing about them is required.
Key concepts
- Selected Works are judged on synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
- 3-D works must be documented from multiple views with a sense of scale.
- Transform references — untransformed reproduction is plagiarism.
Selected Works & Written Evidence
Choose works that best show synthesis, photograph them from multiple angles with clear lighting and scale, write specific artist statements stating the idea and choices, and cite influences while keeping the work original.
AP exam tip
Always document 3-D work from several views — a single angle underrepresents the form and weakens assessment.
Connections to other units
- Unit 1: Articulate the 3-D elements/principles you used.
- Unit 3: Resolved investigation work often becomes Selected Works.
