1. AP World History – DBQ Essay
HOW TO DBQ
AP World History – DBQ Essay

2. Changes from “Old” to “Revised” Exam
Features of Exam
Legacy Exam
Revised Exam Format
Multiple-Choice Section
70 questions
55 minutes
50% weight
55 questions
40% weight
Short Answer
none
4 question sets
50 minutes
20% weight
DBQ
Up to 10 documents
Bringing in “outside” knowledge beyond documents is one of several ways to earn points in expanded core
50 minutes (including 10 minute reading period)
16.7% weight
7 documents
Requires bringing in “additional evidence” beyond documents
55 minutes (including reading period)
25% weight
Long Essay(s)
One CCOT question
One Comparison question
40 minutes each
16.7% weight each
Students select one of two questions; both questions are same skill (Comp, CCOT, Causation, or Periodization
35 minutes
15% weight

3. What is a “DBQ?” On the AP Exam, the Document Based Question is:
An evaluation of your ability to formulate and support an argument based on evidence from the documents.
A determination of your ability to analyze primary source documents including analysis of the point of view, purpose, historical context, and/or audience of the author of the primary source.
A assessment of your ability to put primary sources in context of the historical events, developments, or processes relevant to the question.
An evaluation of your ability to include evidence from outside the documents that would support your argument.
A determination of your ability to extend your argument by making connections between your argument and other historical periods, geographical area, world history themes, or another discipline or field of study.

4. Primary Source Analysis
Partner Question:
What is a primary source?

5. Examples of Primary Sources

6. Primary Source Analysis
The purpose of analyzing primary sources in AP World History is:
To “act” like “real” historians
To gather evidence on which to base an argument
To understand historical trends and points of view

7. DBQ Essay – How do I write it?
Carefully read the essay prompt as well as any historical background information you are given.
Read and analyze the documents carefully.
Respond to the essay prompt based on the evidence you find in the documents.
Write a clear THESIS that addresses the essay prompt.
Show how your thesis is in the CONTEXT of broader historical events, developments, or processes (relevant to the question).
Use EVIDENCE from your documents that show how they CORRABORATE, CONTRADICT, and/or QUALIFY your argument.
Provide EVIDENCE from outside the documents that would support your argument.
Analyze the documents for author’s POINT OF VIEW, PURPOSE, HISTORICAL CONTEXT, and/or AUDIENCE.
CONNECT your argument to a different historical period, geographical era, another world history theme, or discipline.

8. Document-Based Question Rubric
This is an “asset-based” rubric.
In other words, you can only “get” or earn points. Points cannot be “taken away” or lost.
NO “double-dipping”
Each point is earned for exhibiting different skills
The essay is graded on a 0 to 7 point scale
There is no partial credit of points
ALL DBQ’s will be made up of 7 documents
At least 1 document will be visual (map, chart, art, graph, etc.)

9. Generic Scoring Guide for AP World History Document-Based Question
Let’s take a look at the “Generic Scoring Guide!”
All DBQ’s also have a “scoring rubric” created to determine your score on the DBQ
BUT we don’t get to see this until AFTER the AP Exam
AP World History Readers will “norm” the scoring rubric to make it fair for all students based on a sample of student essay responses.
Your AP World teacher will “norm” the scoring rubric for your in- class DBQ with the other AP World teacher after each reads at least 3 essay responses from his students and 3 from the essay responses of the other teacher’s students.

10. Document-Based Question Rubric
Thesis
presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion – 1 point
Argument Development
Develops and supports a cohesive argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity by explicitly illustrating relationships among historical evidence, such as contradiction, corroboration, and/or qualification – 1 point

11. Document-Based Question Rubric (continued)
Document Analysis –
Utilizes the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument – 1 point
Explains the significance of the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, and/or audience for at least four documents – 1 point

12. Document-Based Question Rubric (continued)
Using Evidence Beyond the Documents –
Contextualization – Situates the argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question – 1 point
Evidence Beyond the Documents – Provides an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument
– 1 point

13. Document-Based Question Rubric (continued)
Synthesis – Extends the argument by explaining the CONNECTIONS between the ARGUMENT and ONE of the following:
A development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area.
A course theme and/or approach to history that is not the focus of the essay (such as political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual history)
A different discipline or field of inquiry (such as economics, government, and politics, art history, or anthropology).
- 1 point

14. More things to know . . . You will:
Use all the documents to support your thesis and address the essay prompt
The rubric says 6 but this gives you one chance to not use a document effectively/correctly!
Use parenthetical documentation
Ex: “AP World History is the best class (Doc 1)!”
Not just summarize or paraphrase the documents
You need to show how the evidence supports your thesis!
Understand that ALL documents are relevant and should be used.
Be able to read and analyze 7 documents AND write your essay within the allotted 55 minutes.

15. Thesis
This is where you state your argument or assertion or the statement you are supporting with evidence.
Has to be a “historically defensible claim”
Has to be relevant to the prompt (!!!)
Has to be supported by evidence from the documents
Has to address ALL parts of the question
Should be included in your introductory paragraph
It can also be in your conclusion but let’s try to keep it in your 1st paragraph!
Should be concise and to the point
No rambling, include big words that you don’t know how to use, flowery or excessively obtuse language, etc.
K.I.S.S.!!!

16. Contextualization
This is where you will explain what is happening in the historical record during this time period and show how your argument is connected to these broader historical events, developments, or processes “immediately relevant to the question.”
This means you have to use relevant historical information to show your argument is part of the “bigger picture” of history during the time period given.
You have to “know stuff” about the historical period!
This will probably appear in your thesis paragraph or in your second body paragraph.
This is not confused with “historical context” of the Sourcing of the Documents part of the rubric
BIG “C” versus little “c”

17. Argument Development (Using Evidence from the Documents)
You will use evidence from the documents to support your argument
You will SHOW how the evidence supports your argument
No paraphrasing or summarizing the documents
No using quotes from the documents without showing how the quotations support your thesis.
No using long quotes – you don’t have time and it generally is considered by the readers as summarizing the document
You will identify the documents by their author not by their document number
“The Han Emperor said,….” NOT “Document 5 says….”
But you can use parenthetical citations – “The Han Emperor says…(Doc 5).”
You will try to find similarities in documents that you can use as a basis for your body paragraphs (we used to call this “grouping”).
Corroboration – combining evidence from multiple documents to support a single aspect of your thesis
Contradiction – using evidence from the documents as a counter-argument to the thesis of your essay
Qualification – using evidence to present an argument that is subsequently made more complex by noting exceptions to the argument contained in your thesis.

18. Sourcing the Documents
Might be the hardest part of the DBQ response!
You are analyzing the document to:
Show the significance of the author’s point of view (i.e. the author’s bias due to gender, social class, occupation, religion, etc.)
Show the significance of the author’s (intended) purpose of creating the document (e.g. to persuade, to threaten, etc. – BUT NEVER JUST TO “INFORM!”)
Show the significance of the historical context of the document (i.e. what was happening at the time the document was created that might have influenced the author?)
Show the significance of the author’s (intended) audience (e.g. government officials, the ruler, the peasants, the military, etc.)
Ask yourself “Why does he/she say what he/she says and why is that significant?”
You have to do this for AT LEAST 4 DOCUMENTS
But you will attempt this for all 7 just to give you some insurance!

19. Evidence from Outside the Documents
This is where you need to “know stuff” about the subject of the essay that is not contained in the documents.
You would include this in one of your body paragraphs to either CORROBORATE, CONTRADICT, or QUALIFY your argument.
Probably best to introduce this as “A piece of evidence missing from the documents is…” or something to that effect
Helps the reader know you are using evidence from outside the documents
You have to SHOW how this evidence is related to your argument!

20. Synthesis Might be the 2nd hardest part of the DBQ!
You have to CONNECT your argument to:
A development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area.
A course theme and/or approach to history that is not the focus of the essay (such as political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual history)
A different discipline or field of inquiry (such as economics, government, and politics, art history, or anthropology).
This will probably appear near the end of your essay – perhaps as part of your conclusion!

21. Synthesis
Different period, situation, era, area - a comparison that leads to analytical realization
e.g. Lin-Manuel Miranda looking at Alexander Hamilton and seeing similarities to Rap Artists Hamilton the hip-hop musical

22. Social = people vis a vis other people: class, gender, race
Synthesis
SPICE THEMES:
Social = people vis a vis other people: class, gender, race
Political = government, military, laws
Interactions with Environment = climate, natural disasters, demography, migrations (don’t forget the humans!)
Cultural = language, religion, art, music, food, fashion
Economic = trade, industry, labor

23. Synthesis
Different Discipline – Connect argument to art history, archeology, anthropology, sociology, economics, physics, environmental science (see graph), etc.