DOING THE DBQ Document Based Question

1. DOING THEDBQDocument BasedQuestion

2. What is the DBQ • Similar to a standard essay - could be ETVOTS, to what extent, etc. • Requires reference to several primary documents provided • 15 minutes are provided as a Reading period, and an additional 45 minutes to write the essay. Thus, a total of 60 minutes is provided to do the DBQ.

3. Steps to Writing a Successful DBQ • Read the question • Read the question & reword it if necessary (such as changing 17th century to 1600’s) • Write down everything you know about the topic • Take a stand - formulate a working thesis • Briefly outline the organizational structure you will used for this essay • Then, after doing all of the above, READ THE DOCUMENTS

4. Steps to writing a successful DBQ • As you read the documents, pay attention to titles, dates, and sources • As you read the documents, make notes in your working outline where you may be able to use these documents in your essay to support YOUR argument • Adjust your outline, as necessary, with information provided by/triggered by the documents • Write the essay

5. The DO’s of the DBQ • Approach the question as any essay • Let your argument guide your organization • Reference as many documents as possible within your essay that you understand • Include at least one piece of outside information for every document reference you use • Pay attention to dates, titles, and sources of the documents - there is often helpful information there! • Look for the “distractor” document and try to give some attention to opposing viewpoints • Observe the time frame given for the question • In your thesis acknowledge the opposition and reword the parameters of the question-remember Although and the rule of three

6. The DON’Ts of the DBQ • DO NOT QUOTE THE DOCUMENTS - everyone reading your essay has also read the documents, so this just wastes time • Don’t laundry list the documents (Doc. A says, Doc. B says, etc.) * • Don’t reference documents that you do not understand - it is better to ignore them

7. The DON’Ts of the DBQ • DO NOT QUOTE THE DOCUMENTS - everyone reading your essay has also read the documents, so this just wastes time • Don’t laundry list the documents (Doc. A says, Doc. B says, etc.) * Don’t start sentences with, “In Doc. A” instead site them parenthetically at the end of the sentence or paragraph • Don’t reference documents that you do not understand - it is better to ignore them

8. How to analyze the documents • Note dates, titles, authors, & sources associated with each document • Consider the intended audience for the document • Note opposing viewpoints among documents - they always try to include these

9. Types of Docments • All are primary • Text based documents - diaries, letters, speeches, laws, Supreme Court Decisions, newspaper editorials, etc. • Maps • Charts & Tables (census data, economic indicators, etc.) • Political Cartoons • Drawings & Photographs

10. Reading the Documents • List the obvious - what is the explicit purpose of document, what exactly is it saying or depicting • What can you infer from this document - who is the intended audience, what do you know about the author of the document, what does this tell you about the topic that is not stated explicitly?

11. Final Advice • All of these questions can be answered without the documents. The documents are built in evidence to support your ideas • The best way to master this task is to practice • Take each one assigned throughout the year seriously • You can do this!