“The DBQ”

“The DBQ”(Document Based Question)

Where to Start…… Read the Question Try to answer the question in your head before

you even look at the documents Re-Read the prompt and keep it in your mind Skim the documents Make notes on the documents

The first and biggest mistake that many students The first and biggest mistake that many students make is in reading and answering make is in reading and answering only partonly part of the of the prompt.prompt.

How successful was organized labor in improving the position of How successful was organized labor in improving the position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the factors that workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the factors that

contributed to the level of success achieved.contributed to the level of success achieved.

How successful was organized labor in improving the position How successful was organized labor in improving the position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the factors of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of success achieved.that contributed to the level of success achieved.

What EXACTLY does it mean to ….

analyze

evaluate

assess the validity of

compare/contrast……?

“VERBS in Prompts” Go back and look carefully at the VERB in the

prompt. This word will tell you what you are expected to do. The following is a list of commonly used verbs and explanations for the tasks they indicate.

“ANALYZE” Explain Explain howhow AND AND whywhy something occurred. Any something occurred. Any

question that uses “how” and/or “why” is an question that uses “how” and/or “why” is an analysis question even if the word “analyze” is not analysis question even if the word “analyze” is not in the prompt. in the prompt.

“ASSESS the Validity of..” How true is the statement?How true is the statement? The statement doesn’t have to be all true (it could The statement doesn’t have to be all true (it could

be true in one instance or circumstance and false be true in one instance or circumstance and false in another!) in another!)

!!!…get this explained and you will certainly !!!…get this explained and you will certainly reflect the complexity of the prompt!reflect the complexity of the prompt!

“EVALUATE” You will need to rank several events or factors You will need to rank several events or factors

then decide which is most then decide which is most and and which is least which is least significant.significant.

See the word “value” in evaluate…you will See the word “value” in evaluate…you will have to make a judgment here and defend have to make a judgment here and defend your answeryour answer

“To What Extent” This prompt frequently requires you to This prompt frequently requires you to

specify a cause and effect relationshipspecify a cause and effect relationship and and then..then..

State and explainState and explain which causes were more which causes were more important.important.

“Compare and Contrast” To do this correctly you need to discuss To do this correctly you need to discuss

BOTH similarities AND differences between BOTH similarities AND differences between two events or periods. It is important to both two events or periods. It is important to both in a balanced way without shortchanging in a balanced way without shortchanging either. either.

“Discuss or Consider” These are frequently used in free These are frequently used in free

response prompts but MAY appear in a response prompts but MAY appear in a DBQDBQ

They should be written as analysis They should be written as analysis essays.essays.

“……basic definitions” Define any terms in the prompt that you will

need to explain. EX: a recent essay prompt asked students to assess the

validity of this statement: “Reform movements in the United States sought to

expand democratic ideals.”

(Jot down some “democratic ideals” and be prepared to explain how they are democratic. Failing to do this will lower your score!)

Readers Know their History Don’t review history, critique it. Don’t grocery list documents and explain

what they mean, use them together and/or separately to support your response.

You do not have to use EACH one, just MOST.

How to Analyze Documents You will see a sample list of documents

you MAY see on the AP TEST. The principles of how to analyze

documents apply to ANY document they may give you.

“Do you know what you are going to do?”

Know your task (analyze, evaluate, etc.) Know your task (analyze, evaluate, etc.) Be sure you understand the complexity you Be sure you understand the complexity you

must reflect..must reflect.. Skim the documents for an overviewSkim the documents for an overview Read them carefully and make notesRead them carefully and make notes

Read the prompt AGAIN

READ the documents with your tentative thesis in mind….(it might change...be flexible with yourself!)

Make notes of your first impressions, where you may use each DOC, how you can group them, etc.

“Documents You May See”

VisualsA. Pictures and photographs

B. Cartoons

C. Posters

D. Diagrams and/or flow charts

E. Maps

F. Charts

G. Graphs


Printed Materials Newspaper Magazine or pamphlet Book Poem


Personal Documents Speech Letter Diary


Political Info Party Platform List of groups supporting legislation


Public Records Laws, proclamations, executive orders Court decisions Legislative Debate, Congressional Record,

speech in Congress, testimony before a congressional committee

Government agency report Others

Your “Full Essay” Response Follow standard writing rules (Thesis, topic sentences,

evidence, etc.) Cite the documents but do not waste time paraphrasing

them Readers are divided in reporting which they prefer:

citing doc within the writing or parenthetically.....for this class, we will use (Doc. A) until you get comfortable incorporating the documents into your writing.

Back to the Basics …. It all comes down to

Your knowledge of American History Your ability to recall ACCURATE facts from

American History Your ability to write a decent essay (and for DBQ, to

incorporate the documents into that amazing essay)

Thesis A single, declaratory sentence …A single, declaratory sentence … That “answers” the prompt …That “answers” the prompt … With a clearly and simply stated…With a clearly and simply stated… ....hopefully originalhopefully original opinion! opinion! A good thesis A good thesis never restates the promptnever restates the prompt..

The thesis is the single most important sentence in The thesis is the single most important sentence in your essay. Make it count.your essay. Make it count.

After reading the whole prompt, marking the After reading the whole prompt, marking the verbs and conjunctions, and sketching out how verbs and conjunctions, and sketching out how you intend to proceed. . . you intend to proceed. . .

Answer the prompt in a simple sentence. Answer the prompt in a simple sentence. For instance, consider this DBQ prompt: For instance, consider this DBQ prompt:

How successful was organized labor in improving the How successful was organized labor in improving the position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900? Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of success achievedsuccess achieved

What do you think about this prompt? What do you think about this prompt? Was the time period 1875 to 1900 a period of labor Was the time period 1875 to 1900 a period of labor

success? success?

Or was it a time of extreme hardship and Or was it a time of extreme hardship and struggle for organized labor? struggle for organized labor?

YOUR OPINION IS ESSENTIAL! YOUR OPINION IS ESSENTIAL! And your opinion must be clear. And your opinion must be clear. So. . .So. . .

Let’s say that you think this time period was not Let’s say that you think this time period was not a period of labor success. a period of labor success. Write a simple statement that answers the prompt with Write a simple statement that answers the prompt with

your opinion. Like this. . . your opinion. Like this. . . ““The last 30 years of the 1800s nearly destroyed The last 30 years of the 1800s nearly destroyed

organized labor. “organized labor. “ Or. . . Or. . . ““These years were a period of extreme struggle for These years were a period of extreme struggle for

organized labor.”organized labor.”

It’s extremely important to get your thinking It’s extremely important to get your thinking clearly into a simple “answer” to the prompt. clearly into a simple “answer” to the prompt. Do NOT restate the wording of the prompt. Do NOT restate the wording of the prompt. Rather than saying Rather than saying “the time period 1875 to 1900,”“the time period 1875 to 1900,”

say “say “the last decades of the 19th century”the last decades of the 19th century” or or “the “the three decades following the Civil War.” three decades following the Civil War.”

Rather than saying “Rather than saying “organized labor,”organized labor,” refer to “ refer to “labor labor unions.”unions.”

Now that you know your opinion, you need to write a sentence that is both complex and specific.

One way of doing this is to begin your thesis sentence with the word “although.”

This may seem odd, but recent AP grading rubrics award high scores only to essays that “address the complexity of the question.”

One of the easiest ways of doing this is to write a One of the easiest ways of doing this is to write a sentence that looks like this: sentence that looks like this:

““Although the last decades of the 19th century were periods Although the last decades of the 19th century were periods of intense labor organization, they nearly destroyed the of intense labor organization, they nearly destroyed the labor unions.labor unions.””

Or. . . Or. . . ““Although the post-Civil War period saw increased labor Although the post-Civil War period saw increased labor

organization, it was also a time of government persecution organization, it was also a time of government persecution of labor unions.”of labor unions.”

Writing this kind of thesis sentence sets you up from the very beginning to :

acknowledge the “complexity” in the essay prompt

Your opinion / your “answer” to the prompt, goes in the second half of the thesis sentence

APUSH essays may have an introduction “paragraph” that is 2-3 sentences (this is OK)

The thesis sentence should be the last sentence in your introduction “paragraph”

Take a step back from your thesis and write a few general sentences that could introduce the thesis (you may want to save this step for later)

The The general topicgeneral topic of this prompt is organized labor. of this prompt is organized labor. Using one of the earlier thesis sentences, the introduction Using one of the earlier thesis sentences, the introduction

might look like this: might look like this:

Labor unions had existed in America since the early days Labor unions had existed in America since the early days of industrialization and had grown in number prior to the of industrialization and had grown in number prior to the Civil War. Although the post-Civil War period saw Civil War. Although the post-Civil War period saw increased labor organization, it was also a time of increased labor organization, it was also a time of government persecution of labor unions.government persecution of labor unions.

Good Writing Requires Practice Essay worksheets may be useful in the

beginning Competition can be fun Critical Analysis can be fun if you don’t take

criticism personally!

Review YOUR writing Review your old “essay” practice Be critical of yourself FIRST Take a deep breath and review what your

peers had to say about your writing Do you think they fairly critiqued your

effort?