How To Write a DBQ

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How To Write a DBQ

• Suggestions for Success in Advanced Placement
  United States History

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Overview of the National Exam

• The national APUSH exam is broken into two major
  sections
• Section 1 (55 minutes)
• 80 multiple choice questions
• Section 2 (130 minutes)
• DBQ essay (15 minutes to plan 45 minutes to
  write)
• 2 free-response essays (70 minutes)

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Overview of Section 2 the Essays

• For the essay section of the national exam, there
  will always be 3 essays (1 DBQ 2 FRQs)
• The DBQ requires the use of both prior knowledge
  document interpretation
• The FRQs require only prior knowledge to answer
• See examples of each

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Documents can be images, charts, quotations.
There are usually between 7 and 10 documents per
DBQ. Each document includes a source that
should be carefully examined.
More on the DBQ in a minute.
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For the FRQs, the College Board has given you
choices. Students must choose one of the two
essays from Part B (Colonies through Civil War)
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and one of the two essay choices in Part C
(Reconstruction through 1980s)
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How will the DBQ be scored?

• The College Board uses a 9-point scale for DBQs,
  so we do too
• Essays are scored as such 9 (100), 8
  (94), 7 (88), 6 (84), 5 (78), 4 (70), 3
  (65), 2 (60), 1 (55)
• The rubric is tailored each year to the specific
  DBQ essay, but all rubrics look for these themes

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DBQ Generic Rubric

• Contains a well-developed thesis that clearly
  addresses the question
• Presents an effective analysis of all parts of
  the question, although treatment may be uneven
• Uses substantial number of documents effectively
• Uses substantial, relevant outside information to
  support the thesis
• Clearly organized and well written
• May have insignificant errors

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Tips on Writing a DBQ (A summary of tips is
provided)
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DBQ Tips

• There is no right way to answer a DBQ. Every
  question can illicit an infinite number of
  responses
• The key is to make an argument (your thesis)
  support it with evidence
• All DBQs are written so that they can be argued
  from multiple viewpoints

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DBQ Tips

• Be sure to answer the question
• This begins by gaining a clear understanding of
  what the question is asking
• Read the question three times write it on your
  own words
• Pay attention to all parts of the question,
  especially the verb (compare, evaluate, assess,
  to what extent, etc.) time frame (stay inside
  the era)

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DBQ Tips

• Brainstorm outline your essay
• Before you look at the docs or write your essay,
  take time to jot down what you know about the
  topic (PERSIA)
• What is your gut response to the question? This
  is usually your thesis (argument)
• What outside information do you remember about
  the topic?

Political, Economic, Religious, Social,
Intellectual, Artistic trends of the era
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DBQ Tips

• Organize your essay
• Chronological arguments are effective for
  questions that ask (or imply) change-over-time
• Similarity/difference arguments are appropriate
  for comparison questions Making direct
  comparisons within paragraphs is much more
  analytical than separate descriptive paragraphs
  about each item

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DBQ Tips

• Introductory paragraph
• Establish time place show the reader that
  you understand the importance of the era
• Create an original thesis statement that clearly
  answers the question does not simply restate
  the question asked
• Allude to the sub-topics or categories you will
  discuss to support your argument

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DBQ Tips

• Body paragraphs
• Every body paragraph should be a sub-topic that
  supports your argument (thesis)
• Begin end each paragraph with an original
  argument
• Include documentation AND outside information to
  support your body paragraph argument
• Balance is important 60 outside info 40 docs

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DBQ Tips

• Documents
• Do NOT quote, paraphrase, or describe documents.
  The essay reader already knows what the docs say
• Do NOT laundry list (an essay that merely
  describes what the docs say without analysis)
• Use all the docs, unless you dont understand one
• Cite documents

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Citing Documents

1. Thomas Paine, in his pamphlet, Common Sense (Doc
   A), said
2. Joe Shmoe, a Western delegate to the Republican
   convention in 1912 (Doc B), agreed
3. The 19c historian, Frederick Jackson Turner,
   believed... (Doc. E)

NEVER begin with In Document G
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DBQ Tips

• Documents (contd)
• The order in which the docs appear is almost
  always helpful
• Sometimes the docs talk to each other by
  presenting counter-arguments or can be grouped
  together by theme
• The source of the doc is important often can
  reveal more than the text itself
• Write doc notes in the margin

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DBQ Tips

• Concluding paragraph
• A great opportunity for analysis Restate your
  essay argument
• Put your essay answer in a larger historical
  perspective
• End or beginning of some trend/movement/idea,
  etc.
• Transitionary era
• Do NOT say that this is why we are where we are
  today!

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DBQ Tips

• This isnt as scary as you think
• Answers to essay questions will be judged on the
  strength of the thesis developed, the quality of
  the historical argument, and the evidence offered
  in support of the thesis, rather than on the
  factual information per se.
• The average national score on a DBQ is 3.5

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DBQ Practice Divide into groups create a
thesis (argument) outline for each prompt
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Practice DBQ 1

• Historians argue that religion played the
  critical factor in the shaping the development of
  the North American colonies. Assess the validity
  of this statement in relation to the British and
  Spanish colonies by 1740.

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Practice DBQ 2

• To what extent had the colonists developed a
  sense of their identify and unity as Americans by
  the eve of the American Revolution? Use the
  documents and your knowledge of the era from 1750
  to 1776 to answer the question

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The Real DBQ

• Now its time to reveal your DBQ
• This essay is due on Friday
• The essay can be typed or written in blue/black
  ink
• You may not collaborate (every year we catch
  duplicate essays students receive a 0)
• Schedule an appointment to review your draft
  before Friday