The Document Based Question APUSH The Document Based Question

EXAM FORMAT 55 multiple-choice questions (55 minutes, 40%) 3 short-answer questions (40 minutes, 20%) 1 document-based question (60 minutes, 25%) 1 long essay questions (40 minutes, 15%) 3 Hours 15 Minutes

DBQ Answer 1 Covers Periods 3 – 8 60 minutes Section II – (DBQ + LEQ) gets 1 hour and 40 minutes total Recommend: 15 minutes planning 45 minutes writing 25% total test grade

DBQ Essay rubric Rubric: 7 POINTS THESIS - 1 point CONTEXTUALIZATION - 1 point EVIDENCE - 3 points uses 6 of 7 documents – 2 points uses evidence beyond documents – 1 point ANALYSIS & REASONING - 2 points

Thesis Statement Make a defensible claim Addresses all parts of the question Beginning or end of essay 1-2 sentences Does not just restate the prompt Thesis drives the bus and the documents support it. Thesis driven, not document driven.

Thesis (argument development) Develops and supports cohesive argument Accounts for historical complexities Illustrating relationships among historical evidence like contradictions, corroboration, qualification How will you group your documents into paragraphs and make sense.

Document Analysis and Reasoning Ways to demonstrate a complex understanding Comparison (similarities / differences) Continuity and Change over Time Cause and Effect * This understanding must be part of the argument, not merely a phrase or reference.

Extended Analysis=HAPPy Use one component of HAPPY on 3 documents Historical context Audience Purpose Point of view Y does it answer the question

Using Evidence Beyond the Documents Contextualization: by explaining broader historical events immediately relevant to the question Evidence beyond the document or Outside Evidence separate from provided documents **Both need to be more than a phrase, completely explain each in a few sentences**

Accuracy and Clarity Essay is a timed first draft Minor errors are not considered

Do’s Read the question AP answer the prompt Defend your argument with history Be a name-dropper Be specific Be organized Have a good thesis Analyze: so what, who cares? Use the PAST tense

Don’ts Use grandiose statements Use slang Use generalization Ignore the question Be silly Use the word “I” Use rhetorical questions

Power words: Controversial Turning point Inevitable More importantly To a greater extent

No No words: Very many things Lots of stuff huge good/bad ways Things continued to change In conclusion Since the beginning of time

DBQ HINTS From Warren Hierl

Pre-Writing Strategies Read the question carefully. Understand that you are to answer a question, not simply to discuss the documents. Approach it as an essay question for which you DON’T have documents. Make certain you understand what the question asks you to look for in the documents. Establish potential categories BEFORE you examine the documents. If the question gives you categories, use those categories. After you read the question and BEFORE you examine the documents, jot down all of the specific factual information that comes to mind from that time period relative to this question. Have a gut reaction as to how you’re going to answer the question BEFORE you read the documents.

Examining the Documents The DBQ will be scored on a scale of 0-7 using an analytic rubric. That means you get points for doing certain things.

You MUST analyze the content of ALL OR All but One of the documents and use that analysis to explicitly support your thesis. You will not be given points if you only imply or hint at how the information in the document answers the question. Directly state how and why the information supports your argument. You will not get points for simply telling what the document says.  

Additionally you MUST do at least ONE of the following for at least 3 of the documents (HAPPy) analyze the historical content of the document analyze the intended audience of the document and how that affects the credibility of the document relative to your argument analyze the purpose for which the document was written analyze the author’s point of view and explain why the author might have that point of view

3. You MUST use the documents as clues to bring in information from the time period that is not mentioned in the documents.   4. You MUST explicitly connect the information from the documents and outside information to broader historical events or trends.

You MUST synthesize your argument, evidence, documents, and context into a persuasive essay by explaining connections between the argument and ONE of the following:   a development in a different historical period, situation, or geographical area a course theme that is not the focus of the essay