Give ‘Em What They Want & Show ‘Em Where You Got It DBQ for APUSH Give ‘Em What They Want & Show ‘Em Where You Got It

Test Info 130-minute free-response section Part A: DBQ (60 Mins) 15-minute reading period a. analyzing the documents and planning their answer to the document-based essay question (DBQ) in Part A. 2. 45 minutes writing DBQ 2.Part B & C: Free Response each include two standard essay questions required to answer one essay question in each part in a total of 70minutes.

What Topics & Documents Age of Exploration to Present Letters, paintings, graphics, maps, primary resources Use Documents as additional form of evidence Demonstrate you can handle different opinion/evidence DBQ: have two or three parts to the question

General Info on Essay Writing Spelling and punctuation errors won’t affect your performance rating unless person CANNOT understand what you wrote Thesis Statement that addresses the question Arguments need to lead to a viable conclusion DBQ: use at least 75% of documents in essay Outside information (extra details to support) ANALYZE (DO NOT DESCRIBE THE TOPIC) End of essay restate the thesis like if your are approving what your write

Your Audience Write like if you are lawyer presenting a case before a jury Present a set of arguments that support your position (thesis statement) From Documents & outside resources Convince a jury that your position is correct JURY= your reader

Breaking Down Question Break down the question into different parts Jot down ideas to cover List outside facts Look through the documents and see how to use them

DBQ Writing Tips 8-Step Strategy: 1.         Read the question three times. Do not move on until you fully understand it. 2.         Identify the task by circling the main words. (For example: assess the validity, compare and contrast, evaluate relative importance, analyze the             significance, etc.) 3.         Ask yourself “what do I have to prove?” (e.g. Foreign policy is more important than domestic policy). 4. Pay special attention to economic, political, social issues that need to be included. 5.         Make a list (outline) of outside information (as if you were writing a standard essay) 6.         Examine the documents, underlining any key words or phrases that you may use later in the essay. Reread the question again after reading the first three documents. 7.         Construct a thesis that is well-developed and clear. If the thesis is a mystery to the writer, it will be a mystery to the reader! 8.         Write your essay.

Thesis Statement At the beginning of your essay Tell the reader the position you will attempt to prove DO NOT DESCRIBE DO NOT REPEAT THE QUESTION Intro Paragraph + Thesis= direction of your essay ANALYZE: “how” and “why”

DO’s & Don’ts Scratch outs, messy, difficulty to read can hurt your evaluation Do keep essay prganize No abbreviations or symbols, colored pens, highlighters Do underline/break down your question DON’T add info that is irrelevant Do define when necessary (common sense) NO personal opinion (NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK) Do close w/ a good conclusion that restates your thesis When you cite a document, do not call it by its letter (Document A, Document B…).

DO’s & Don’ts DON’T site documents in the intro DON’T use a document you don’t understand Use as many documents 75% DON’T use documents in order in your essay DON’T quote or copy caption of graphics Don’t explain documents -- that is not your task.! AP readers have a list and a summary for each document. Use documents to reinforce your main points and outside information. Don’t rewrite large portions of documents. Try to limit quotations to 1 sentence or less. Reference author’s you are citing (e.g. …“In the letter by Abraham Lincoln”) Cite every document used, e.g., (Doc. A), (Doc. F)

DO’s & Don’ts Avoid factual mistakes. DON’T describe documents and how they relate to the topic Documents DON’T control essay

Citing Documents Ex: “The complaints of the Rhode Island legislators (Doc. A)…” or “F.D.R.’s speech given two months before his bid for reelection (Doc. E)…”

What are you asked to do Analyze: determine their component parts; examine their nature and relationship Assess/evaluate: judge the value or character of something; appraise; evaluate the positive and negative points; give an opinion regarding the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Compare: examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences Contrast: examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference Describe: give an account of; tell about; give a word picture of Discuss: talk over; write about; consider or examine by argument or from various points of view; debate; present the different sides of Explain: make clear or plain; make clear the causes or reasons for; make known in detail; tell the meaning of