<p>So this year, I am stuck with a first year APUSH teacher; he has assigned us a DBQ but refuses to tell us what the requirements of the essay are. Could somebody please tell me how to write a DBQ for APUSH? Is it similar to the AP World History DBQs in that you need groupings, additional documents, and pov analysis, or is it totally different?</p>
<p>Pick a side
Organize the documents to fit your argument
Write the paragraphs
Discuss conflicting info
Finish it off</p>
<p>For the DBQ, you are a given a set of documents. You are to analyze each of them and use them as evidences in your essay. Moreover, because this is APUSH, you are required to have outside knowledge (what you have learned from the textbook/study guide) to accompany the document. The essay do have to be well-organized and well-written and well-informative if you wish to receive a 9. </p>
<p>Examples of dbq essays could be found on this website:
[AP</a> Central - The AP United States History Exam](<a href=“http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2089.html]AP”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board)</p>
<p>The more documents you use to support your essay, the better. Take a side, and make sure that you answer ALL parts of the question. Know your time periods, important historical figures, and answer the prompt, with elevated diction to show you know how to write at a college level. As long as you present writing that shows you know what you’re talking about, with all of this included in it, you can’t go wrong.</p>
<p>My APUSH teacher told me to do this:</p>
<p>-Use about 60% document analysis
-Use 40% “your own knowledge”
-Use half plus one of the documents (i.e. if there were 12 docs you would use at least 7)
-the more docs you use the better
-answer all parts of the question</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Find a common “thread” that runs though the documents and focus on it. Add your own knowledge of the context of the documents. Group simliar documents.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is a significant part of the score, but my teacher kept telling us to remember to consider who the author of a document was, and address any possible bias that author might have.</p>
<p>chrisissocool is pretty much correct, but I would emphasize trying to use EVERY SINGLE document. it’s not required but if ur on CC u probably want the extra points.</p>
<p>for extra points the following are very impressive
- outside knowledge including just events, but especially dates, titles of books/essays/treaties, etc
- clear, concise prose
- good handwriting
- multiple analyses of POV</p>
<p>Here are some general guidelines for Writing a DBQ:</p>
<p>1) Underline the verb in the question. Is it asking you to evaluate, assess, analyze, compare and contrast,etc.</p>
<p>2) Look carefully at any conjunction in the question: compare AND contrast, evaluate AND assess, etc.</p>
<p>3) The first thing you should do when you understand the question is MAKE A LIST OF EVERYTHING YOU KNOW THAT IS PERTINENT TO THE SUBJECT. Most teachers cannot stress this enough</p>
<p>4) After you have made your list, read and analyze the documents. Some should correspond with the list, but the documents will leave out THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT. DBQ Graders love it when students can address the “elephant in the room.”
Also, look for bias, change over time, or other themes in the documents.</p>
<p>5) Use as many documents as possible; the more, the better.</p>
<p>When pre-writing your answer:</p>
<p>1) Write two sentences that address the topic of the question in a general way. Do not restate the question as it was worded.</p>
<p>2) Organize everything you will utilize so that it can ultimately trace back to the question. </p>
<p>3) Write a clear thesis sentence that expresses your response. The best place for your thesis is at the end of intro paragraph. </p>
<p>When writing your introductory paragraph:</p>
<p>Hook the reader in. Put your best literary skills in the beginning paragraph and make sure your thesis is clear and answers the question. You will spend a huge amount of time preparing for DBQs and will spend a lot of the AP test writing one. However, the average DBQ grader sits at a table with a few other teachers and general guidelines. The most they spend on yours? They skim for about 1-3 minutes. If two teachers disagree on a grade (one grader gives you 3 and the other gives you an 8) then the whole table will spend at most 10 minutes until they come upon an agreed score.</p>
<p>Other hints: Pay special attention to economic, political, and social issues that need to be included. Ask yourself, “what do I have to prove?”</p>
<p>In addition to the previous list, here are some DBQ Do’s and Don’ts</p>
<p>Do:
Stress the thesis</p>
<p>When citing the documents, put them in parentheses no more than once in a paragraph [E.g. (Doc. A)]</p>
<p>Combine the documents where possible and appropriate (graders LOVE THIS)</p>
<p>Paraphrase, restate, and analyze the documents, and use outside information to expound on them.</p>
<p>Acknowledge the points that disagree with your thesis, but to negate their importance in some way</p>
<p>Use as many documents as possible</p>
<p>Don’ts:</p>
<p>Argue a position of 100% or 50% agreement/disagreement with the statement in the question. (Graders hate 50% so much as it proves you cannot argue well, and you’re just plain wrong if you take a stance of 100%. In addition, DO NOT USE PERCENTAGES when answering the question. That looks incredibly stupid.)</p>
<p>State in the middle of your argument “Doc A says” or cite more than one line from a document. (Hint: the author of a document passage is stated when it’s there for a reason)</p>
<p>List the documents in the same order they are presented in the question</p>
<p>Ignore points opposite to your position</p>
<p>Ignore outside source material</p>
<p>Read the documents before you make a list.</p>
<p>And finally, MAKE SURE YOU USE GOOD GRAMMAR. If your grammar is so bad it hinders or disrupts the flow of your essay, it can really hurt you. In addition, stellar grammar can make a weak argument look good, and if the grader is teetering between a 6 and a 7 (out of 9), grammar can either help or hurt you.</p>
<p>If you want I can provide more stuff, like why you get a score of 1-3, 4-6, or 7-9, and how to approach a prompt.</p>
<p>(NOTE: I do not take credit for anything I submitted in these last two posts, as they are from sheets my A.P U.S. History teacher handed out.)</p>