<p>I keep hearing about a DBQ and i wonder what it is. can someone tell me what a DBQ is??</p>
<p>It's a document-based-question, found in AP US History and AP World History. For each class, DBQ's are slightly different, but in both cases you are given ~7-10 documents and you need to use them to write an essay about the prompt.</p>
<p>They're also found in European history.</p>
<p>the DBQ is a pain. you are given a bunch of documents/excerpts which can be anything from a letter, verse from holy book, and even a map. You are expected to find out how these doc. relate to one another and use them as support for the proposed Q</p>
<p>^Agreed.</p>
<p>DBQ's are very tough. You have to analyze a set of similar documents and answer a question using info provided from the docs. And of course you have to be fast because you don't have much time.</p>
<p>It's funny...I've taken AP Euro and US, so I'm well familiar withthe dread of the DBQ, and seeing it was the hardest part of the AP test, and always the most miserable thing our teacher assigned us for practice.</p>
<p>But now I'm working on my IB (HL) History, and the DBQ is by far the easiest part of the test. Mostly because IB DBQs are structured in such a way that they're simply easier than AP ones, but also because the rest of the test is waaaay harder (though that's partially my biased opinion because I'm a good multiple choice test taker).</p>
<p>But it's been difficult to wrap my mind around, the idea of the DBQ as the easy part. Because AP ones do stink.</p>
<p>I never really found the AP DBQ that hard. After reading all the docs, it's usually easy to write the essay. The best thing about it is you don't even have to know anything about the DBQ topic. On the AP Euro test last year, my DBQ was about sports in European history. I knew nothing about it, but all the information I needed was right there in front of me. With some practice, you can easily master the DBQ.</p>
<p>^Well don't expect to get a good score by only using the docs. You need to know outside information to write a decent DBQ.</p>
<p>Not necessarily. What you said only really applies to APUSH. Everyone I've talked to who took AP euro last year said that they never even heard the word 'sports' uttered in their class, yet it was on the exam.</p>
<p>Euro does NOT require any outside knowledge on the DBQ. My euro teacher even said that if you did know something, don't write it, because they would take OFF points if what you did know happened to be wrong. So, rather than risking that, then just use the knowledge given to you by the documents, and that is IT.</p>
<p>For US, it DOES required outside knowledge to write a successful DBQ.</p>
<p>Especially for US History, it's also good to use a lot correct outside information. Don't rely on the documents alone, because that'll give you probably at the most a 6 or 7 tops.</p>
<p>It's REALLY important to have a well-written thesis for the DBQ. Once I literally forgot to write the thesis in the first paragraph, but my other paragraphs were well-organized and written, and all I got was a 5.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, the scale for DBQ is 0-9 (highest/best). If you put your name on it, and rewrite the question, it's a guranteed 1. Most ppl are satisfied with a 6 or 7 because 8 and 9 are REALLY hard to get.</p>
<p>For APWH (I'm in the class now), DBQ's are a breeze compared to change over time essays and comparative essays. You don't need much outside knowledge for the DBQ. Throw in some relevant random dates/facts and give good analysis with support from the docs.</p>
<p>The DBQ is nothing to worry about for ap euro. You're given a paragraph of historical background (so you won't be completely in the dark) and outside information is not required - it will, however, score you an extra point in the expanded core. Once you group the documents and start to write, attributing the documents to their authors and providing PoV makes everything flow. There's no way to prepare for it besides practicing and knowing the method - think of it as one less thing to worry about on test day.</p>