1. The Writing Process
DBQ Project

2. The Hook: The Abolition of Slavery
Examine the map and answer the questions that follow
With your partner, take turns discussing the answers

3. The Question How Free Were Free Blacks in the North?
Before you start the writing process or any research or annotating you need to know what you are preparing to answer
All annotations should be focused towards this question
The question for this assignment is:
How Free Were Free Blacks in the North?

4. Let’s Familiarize Ourselves with the Topic
Take a few minutes and read the background essay. We have not yet learned much of anything regarding the institution of slavery regarding the northern states.
Answer the questions while also annotating the background essay.
Write down any questions that come to mind as you annotate.
Share with a partner your initial thoughts in regards to the topic question.

5. Breaking the Question Down
1) What is the analytical topic question?
How free were free blacks in the North?
2) Do any words need defined?
What does “free” mean in this context?
3) There are three examples of “freedoms” we need to look at:
Political Freedom:
Social Freedom:
Economic Freedom:
4) Rewrite the question in your own words.

6. “Bucketing” Bucketing is just a way for us to organize our thoughts.
The buckets will later become the main ideas for our paragraphs, thus we will use 3 buckets.
Write a main topic on each bucket, these could change after you dive into the research and they may differ from other people!

7. “Research” The documents for your research are being provided to you.
Remember the key question at hand when reading an annotating.
Answer the questions at the document to help further your understanding of how this document helps answer the main question.
Document A: Voting and Jury Rights
Document B: Social Freedoms: An Englishman’s Comments
Document C: Education and Jobs
Document D: The Black Church

8. Final Bucketing
Final bucketing: Take your 4 documents and place them in the buckets you labeled before hand.
Some documents may fall into 2 buckets, that is OK…
Not everyone’s bucket topics may look the same

9. How to Write a Thesis
There are several ways to go about writing a thesis
For our purpose and most purposes a thesis is ONE SENTENCE!
Your main idea on the “foot” is the answer to the topic question.
The 3 “toes” are the 3 main reasons you are providing to explain your answer.
You can then take this “chicken foot” and write a complete sentence from it.
Not everyone’s foot will look the same!

10. Before You Write: ACE Chart
Using the ACE chart you will lay out the basis for your 5 paragraph essay.
The “A” is your answer or complete sentence thesis statement
The “C” is your citations and evidence. You MUST cite the source.
Use the author or writer rather than “document A” if possible
The “E” is a summary explanation of the argument for your answer. This will be at least 5 sentences and can serve as your conclusion!

11. What Goes in the Intro
Introductions in papers are much like meeting someone for the first time.
Think of a handshake!
You need to make a good first impression.
You should start broad and narrow down to the thesis statement at the end. This is called building a “bridge”
It usually is good practice to include background info.
Do not use “I” or “ I think”
Avoid asking questions
Lets practice making an introduction/building a “bridge”!
You will pull a random noun and a random thesis statement and create an intro that you will share with your partner.

12. What goes in the Body Paragraph?
This is the “meat” of your paper.
You will explain your logic for your thesis’ answer to the question.
You need to start off with a topic sentence so your audience knows what you plan to explain
This should be focused at the key point you look to elaborate on.
Provide facts and cite your evidence.
Use quotes, facts and stats to prove your point
Finish with a summary conclusion sentence

13. Conclusion Basically flip your intro upside down.
Restate the thesis and work out to a more broad statement as you go.
Provide general summarizing facts that cover your thesis statement.
Finish with a clincher!
Make a solid, strong and sturdy last sentence
Think of it as a mic drop!

14. The Rest of the Process Research and prewriting are out of the way!
You should, in pencil, create a working rough draft
This will get marked on and edited.
You will get with a peer for the editing process
As you are “editing” your peer’s paper you should be respectful
Look for things like punctuation, spelling and other grammar errors. Also let them know if a sentence sounds confusing and needs reworded!
You will revise you paper into a final draft.
Always reread the final draft as well, you may find more mistakes!
Mistakes are just happy accidents!

15. Things to Consider
Do not use the word “I” or “ I think”. I don’t care what you think, only what you know!
State your argument like fact!
Many of you struggle with introduction paragraphs. Help the reader out with some background info about slavery and abolition!
Cite your evidence. Use “quotes” from authors, and cite documents to provide credibility!
Step up the vocab! Use big words! Big words make you sound smart!
Try and use vocab terms you are been learning in ELA!
Spelling does count
Basic grammar!
Use of periods and commas (do not over use commas)
Do not use contractions
Capitalize first words in sentences and proper nouns