“Doing the DBQ”

1. “Doing the DBQ”

2. Do’s • Be sure that you understand the ? • Be sure that you understand the ?!!! • Form your basic arguments before you look at the docs • Take notes on the documents • Tie the document to the question • Develop a thesis that addresses the question, takes a clear stand on the question and falls within the limits given • SUPPORT with documents

3. Don’ts • Restate the question in your thesis • Write, “In document (A) it says…” • Forget to include outside information • Support two sides of an argument – stick to your guns • Write illegibly! • Use generalizations: “ALL, EVERY” • Panic!

4. How to think of the DBQ

5. The Question What is the subject (duh..)? What is the time frame? What is the question asking you to measure? What categories or criteria are given? What do you KNOW about these areas (before you examine the documents?)

6. The Documents Do a quick analysis of each document first (APPARTS) What part of the question does each document address best? Are there related documents in the group? What information (people, places, events) do you recall that are related to this document? YOU MAY SKIP 1 or 2 Documents!

7. Writing the DBQ Don’t include too much background – get to your point and end your 1st paragraph with your thesis (IF THE QUESTION ASKS YOU TO ADDRESS EXTENT, THEN ADDRESS EXTENT!) Use paragraphs to separate ideas, not necessarily categories or criteria Use the docs to support your points, not the other way around

8. Writing, continued • Cite documents, avoid quotations: John Smith noted the difficulty he found in organizing the self-interested Virginian colonists in the early days of Jamestown (Doc A). • Use multiple documents to support one point if possible. • Include outside information to support the documents.