1. DBQ Week “Let’s do a DBQ”

2. What is a DBQ?
An essay question that asks you to take a position on an issue that has several possible answers
No “right” or “correct” response
You must craft a thesis based on your own knowledge and your interpretation of the evidence presented

3. Step 1: Highlight/Underline Prompt
Analyze attitudes toward and evaluate the motivations behind the Euro acquisition of African colonies in the period
1. Highlight the verbs in one color.
2. Highlight what you’re going to discuss in second color
3. Highlight time period in third color

4. Step 2: Recall Verb Defs Analyze, Assess/Evaluate Compare Contrast
Define
Describe
Discuss or Examine
Enumerate or List
Evaluate
Explain
Illustrate
Identify
Interpret
Justify
Prove
Relate
Summarize
To what extent
Trace

5. Step 3: Thought bank
List or cluster all facts you remember about the prompt.

6. Step 4: Read documents *Use APPARTS (write info on test next to each doc)
Author: Who created the source? What do you know about the author? What is the author’s POV?
Place and Time: Where and when was the source produced? How might this affect the meaning of the source?
Prior knowledge: Beyond information about the author and the context of its creation, what do you know that would help you further understand the primary source? For ex, do you recognize any symbols and recall what they represent?
Audience: For whom was the source created and how might this affect the reliability of the source?
Reason: Why was this source produced at the time it was produced?
The Main Idea: What point is the source trying to convey?
Significance: Why is this source important? What inferences can you draw from this document? Ask yourself, “So what?” in relation to the question asked.

7. Step 5: Group Documents Ex: social, political, economic DBQ Documents:
Charts, graphs, and maps
Newspaper articles/editorials
Speeches
Letters
Diaries
Laws
Treaties
Executive orders
Editorial cartoons

8. Step 6: Form Thesis

9. Step 7: Outline Paper and Write Essay
Thesis with POA (plan of attack):
I. Topic Sentence:
a. Doc description:
POV (How and Why):
b. Doc description:
POV:
c. Doc description:
d. Clincher (use docs and thoughts to prove thesis):
II. Topic Sentence:
d. Clincher:
III. Topic Sentence:
Conclusion: (write one or two sentence conclusion restating the thesis)

10. The First Paragraph: Insight: analysis, perspective, point of view
Make a strong first impression
Provide analysis of the question
The reader should know your position on the question unequivocally after the first paragraph (Thesis)

11. Scoring BASIC CORE (6 POINTS TOTAL)
(THESIS, DISCUSS MAJORITY, MEANING, INTERPRETATIONS, POV, 3 GROUPS) TDMIPG
EXPANDED CORE
(3 POINTS Total)
1. Provides an appropriate, explicitly stated thesis that directly addresses all parts of the question. These may not simply restate the question. (1 POINT) **If you don’t earn this point, you can’t earn point #4. **Put it in the first paragraph.
2. Discusses a majority of the documents individually and specifically. (1 POINT)
3. Demonstrates understanding of the basic meaning of a majority of the documents (may misinterpret no more than one). (1 Point)
4. Supports the thesis with appropriate interpretations of a majority of the documents. (1 POINT)
5. Analyzes point of view or bias in at least three documents. (1 Point)
6. Analyzes documents by explicitly organizing them in at least three appropriate groups. (1 POINT)
Expands beyond basic core of The basic score of 6 must be achieved before a student can earn expanded core points.
Examples:
Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis.
Uses all or almost all documents.
Addresses all parts of the question thoroughly.
Uses documents persuasively as evidence.
Shows understanding of nuances in the documents.
Analyzes point of view or bias in at least four documents cited in the essay.
Analyzes the documents in additional ways -- additional groupings or other. (Go for four groups, with 2 or more docs per group).
Brings in relevant “outside” historical content.

12. Scoring Continued: Basic Core Point 1: Types of Thesis Statements:
XYZ (refers to POA): Answer the question in the first part of your thesis and then follow it up with you Plan of Attack (POA). The POA should consist of your organizational categories.
DBQ Prompt Ex: Analyze the causes of the Fr Rev of 1789.
Thesis Ex: The Fr Rev broke out because of pol, econ, and social problems in Fr, which had existed since the time of Louis XIV. The 3rd estate lacked voting and pol power, the tax structure was unfair to the lower classes, and the third estate still owed feudal dies and obligations to the nobility, contradicting the Enlightenment idea that all men are created equal.
“Although”: Uses although to show an understanding of the nuances of historical analyses.
DBQ Prompt Ex: Evaluate the impact of reforms of Peter the Great
Thesis Ex: Although the efforts of Peter the Great to westernize Russia showed some promise during his lifetime, after his death most of the reforms were lost. … POA
Underline the thesis

13. Scoring Continued:
Basic Core Point 2: Use half plus 1. More is better. Refer to docs as (Doc 1). Ex: In the letter by Rhodes … (Doc 5)
Basic Core Point 3: Can’t misinterpret more than 1 EVER. Read closely. Must support an argument with majority of docs.
Basic Core Point 4: Avoid laundry list. Student must interpret docs. Placing docs into thesis categories and linking them ???

14. Scoring Continued:
Basic Core Point 5: Analyzes bias or POV in at least 3 docs.
Students need to demonstrate the awareness that Docs are NOT facts.
Students must not only explain the POV but need to show WHY the author has a particular POV.
Always use Attribution and put doc # in ( ). Ex: The reformer Luther explained … (Doc 2)
Do a minimum or 3 to get the point but 4 or more is better. Try to discuss POV for as many docs as possible in an intelligent manner.
Use APPARTS:
Author: Who created the source? What do you know about the author? What is the author’s POV?
Place and Time: Where and when was the source produced? How might this affect the meaning of the source?
Prior knowledge: Beyond information about the author and the context of its creation, what do you know that would help you further understand the primary source? For ex, do you recognize any symbols and recall what they represent?
Audience: For whom was the source created and how might this affect the reliability of the source?
Reason: Why was this source produced at the time it was produced?
The Main Idea: What point is the source trying to convey?
Significance: Why is this source important? What inferences can you draw from this document? Ask yourself, “So what?” in relation to the question asked.
Type 1: Authorial POV: Students show how the occupation, gender, class, religion, nationality, political position, ethnicity, etc. influence the author’s POV. Look for anonymous or exile.
Ex: Rhodes would have favored imperialism since he was a businessman who was benefiting from the profits (Doc 7).
Ex: Luther, a reformer was influenced by his religious beliefs to love his children (Doc 2)
Ex: Luther would not have supported the peasants because he needed the protection of the North German Princes ( Doc 2).
Type 2: Reliability and Accuracy of Sources: Students show why a particular document is either reliable or unreliable (usually by looking at the type of document). Good to use when looking at obvious propaganda. Good to use when looking at pictures that leave info out or focus on select images. Look for unpublished paper (would it be more reliable if it was published?)
Ex: Tristan’s analysis of the crowd is probably unreliable, since she is a outsider who probably doesn’t understand that the rioters are just hoodlums who have gotten out of hand (Doc 7).
Ex: The Japanese visitor’s account is probably reliable, because he is an outsider who would have no reason to lie about what he saw (Doc 5).
Ex: The photo is probably an unreliable source, since it was published by the German News Agency and would have been taken to show support for the government (Doc 1).

15. Scoring Continued:
Basic Core Point 6: Analyzes docs by organizing them into at least 3 appropriate groups. Each group must have 2 docs or more in it. Try to put 3 or 4 docs per group.