C NEW GUIDELINES FOR DBQS Post Redesign 2014

Prewriting Strategies Read the document 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 be CERTAIN to do these things.

Examine 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.

Examine Additionally you MUST do at least ONE of the following for ALL OR ALL BUT ONE of the documents. 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of the document relative to your argument Analyze the purpose for which the document was written Analyze the historical content of the document Analyze the author’s point of view and explain why the author might have that point of view

Examine You MUST use the documents as clues to bring in information from the time period that is not mentioned in the documents.

Examine You MUST explicitly connect the information from the documents and outside information to broader historical events or trends.

Examine You MUST synthesize your argument, evidence, documents, and context into a persuasive essay by doing ONE of the following: Extend or modify your thesis or argument Account for contradictory evidence from primary or secondary source Appropriately connects the topic of the question to other historical periods, geographic areas, contexts, or circumstances. In other words, how does this question fit in with the things that came before or after it.

Writing Strategies Begin with a THESIS STATEMENT Take a position that DIRECTLY answers the question It should give direction to the categories NO points will be given for a restatement or a paraphrase of the question.

Example Question: Tow what degree did the American Revolution result in fundamental change politically, economically, and socially between 1776 and 1800? No Credit: The American Revolution resulted in fundamental change politically, economically, and socially. Credit: The American Revolution resulted in profound changes for the emerging new country in the realms of politics with a shift to self government, economics with a free market, and socially remained stagnant as women and slaves remained repressed.

Topic Sentences Begin every paragraph with a topic sentence that directly answers the question and gives you something to prove throughout the paragraph.

Use of Documents Use ALL OR ALL BUT ONE of the documents and explicitly use the information to support your thesis or argument. Be certain to directly discuss how and why the information supports your thesis. DO NOT EVER QUOTE OR PARAPHRASE THE DOCUMENTS

Document Use: Do For All or ALL but ONE of the Documents Analysis of the intended audience of the document and how that affects the credibility of the document relative to your argument Analysis of the purpose for which the document was written Analysis of the historical content of the document Analysis of the author’s point of view and explain why the author might have that point of view

DON’T GIVE UP!!! Use as many documents as you can. If you don’t use all or all but one they may reduce credit but you will still earn points!

OUTSIDE INFORMATION Bring outside information that is not included in the documents and explicitly use the information to support your thesis or argument. Be certain to discuss how and why the information supports your thesis THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF WRITING ANY APUSH ESSAY, ESPECIALLY THE DBQ

Link your Paragraphs End every paragraph with a clincher sentence that directly ties the entire paragraph back to your thesis and directly answers the question. This is good writing technique

Provide synthesis that does and least ONE of the following Extend or modifies your thesis or argument Accounts for contradictory evidence from primary or secondary source Appropriately connects the topic of the question to other historical periods, geographic areas, contexts, or circumstances. So, how does this question fit in with the things that came before or after it?