How to Write a DBQ

Why do I have to Write a DBQ? Writing a DBQ is like the work of real historians. Instead of reading a textbook or listening to other people tell you what to think, you get to decide what you think. Another reason is that you live in Lake County. Every student in Lake County must write at least 4 DBQ’s a year.

How Do I Analyze the Documents? Who is Speaking? 2. What is the Date? 3. What is the Explicit (clearly defined) Meaning? 4. What is the Implicit (implied or what it might mean) Meaning? 5. Is it a Primary or Secondary source of information?

How do I Write a DBQ? 1. Read the directions page. Understand the historical context and the task. 2. Analyze and answer the scaffolded questions for each of the documents 3. Create a box of the documents deciding which document will be used for each of the tasks. Example:   Describe how New Yorkers worked for women’s rights. 1, 3, 5 Describe how others worked for women’s rights. 2, 3, 4, 6

How do I Write a DBQ? + 4. You must write at least five paragraphs. 5. You need one paragraph for the introduction, one for every task you must write about and a conclusion   Describe how New Yorkers worked for women’s rights. 1, 3, 5 Describe how others worked for women’s rights. 2, 3, 4, 6 Intro + Body Paragraph Conclusion Body Paragraph

Creating Your Introduction + Body Paragraph Conclusion Body Paragraph In order to create an introduction to your essay you must include three basic pieces to the introduction. 1. You must have a grabber sentence. (this sentence must be an attention grabber for the reader.) 2. You must have at least 3 background sentences. 3. You must have a thesis (an opinion about and the task you are writing about). It must be placed at the end of the of the intro paragraphs.

How Do I Develop a Thesis? All document-based essays must have a thesis. A thesis is a statement of opinion about a topic. It is what you will write about and prove in your essay. You must have a thesis at the end of your introduction paragraph. Rewording the task is often an easy way to create a thesis statement because the task is what you are being asked to prove when you write the DBQ. Example: Loss of life, separation of families, and inhumane treatment are all clear reasons as to why slavery in the U.S. was wrong.

What does a Thesis Look Like?

Let’s Give it A Try…

Creating an Introduction with a thesis statement!

Support Your Thesis With Evidence in the Body Paragraphs! Each body paragraph must contain a topic sentence also know as a baby thesis. (They must be in the same order that is listed in thesis statement.) R.A.C.E Restate/Answer/Cite Evidence/Explain Every ‘C’ must have an ‘E’ If you don’t have an ‘E’ you can’t have a ‘C’.

How do I Cite a Source Citing Evidence: Sentence Starters According to the article ….. According to the author of ….. In the background article it states….. The chart shows…. You must use a variation of styles when citing a source please don’t always use the same format all the time.

Examples of Citations What You Are Citing In-Text Citation The entire work (or a work that has no page numbers) Include information in the text of your paper that will allow the reader to locate the source in your works cited list. If it is not possible to include this information in the text, follow the sentence where the citation needs to be made with an in-text citation containing only the name of the author. In his article "Allston Gothic," local historian Forman Jackson demonstrates how completely the neighborhood's gruesome past has been forgotten by its residents. OR A recent newspaper article demonstrated just how thoroughly the neighborhood's gruesome past has been forgotten by its residents (Jackson). A specific page (Cortois 70) If the author's name is included in the text of the sentence where the citation takes place Jacobs has argued this point (190-210). Multi-volume set (Green 1: 112-14) "1" is the volume number.

Creating Your Essay: Body Paragraphs Introduction + Body Paragraph Conclusion Each of the body paragraphs is made up of three parts. 1. A topic sentence which is based on the task that the paragraph will cover. 2. Three pieces of evidence about the task that the paragraph covers. One of the pieces of evidence should be outside information. 3. A transition sentence at the end that leads to the task that the next paragraph will discuss.

Creating Your Essay: The Conclusion Introduction + Body Paragraph Conclusion The conclusion is made up of three parts. 1. Always start with the words “In conclusion,” 2. Restate the main idea or thesis that you created and used in your introduction. 3. Summarize and restate the main ideas from your body paragraphs.