1. Writing the perfect DBQ

2. What you need to do: THESIS: create and discuss a perfect thesis
Must be analytical, and NOT just a repeat of the question
DOCUMENTS: Use all documents to prove your thesis correct
POV: Notice, and show bias of sources (4+ documents)
CONTEXTUALIZATION: show how this topic fits into a larger picture
Must be several sentences
OUTSIDE EVIDENCE: Introduce some “outside information” which was not found in documents, and be sure to analyze and explain how it fits into discussion – also, should be several sentences

3. Writing the perfect thesis:
Write a thesis for this question:
Discuss the roles of women in the religious conflicts of the sixteenth century.

4. What you need to do: Be sure to answer the question, not anything else
It should hint of the groups you be making
It should be active, not passive. Hint: avoid the word “was.”
Create and argument which can be refuted, and go about planning on proving that argument
Plant to create a chart BEFORE reading the documents

5. Rate these thesis statements
The 1500s saw a great change in the role of women in religious conflicts.
The role of women in the religious conflicts of the sixteenth century was important, and led to a lot of changes.
The role of women in the on-going struggles with religion in the 1500s was vital, which can be proven using primary sources.
Women played an active role in the religious debates of the 16th century, both as supporters of a break with Rome and as defenders of the Catholic Church.
Women became political leaders throughout the 1500s, the most important were the Tudor Queens Mary and Elizabeth, and would be followed by Catherine Great of Russia and of Maria Theresa of Austria.
BAD!
REASON: JUST RESTATES THE QUESTION
BAD!
IT’S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING
IT’S STILL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING, JUST REVERSED
BAD!
THIS ONE IS EXTRA SPECIAL GOOD. YOU SHOULD LIKE IT BEST!
REALLY BAD!
LIKE… STINKY BAD!
IT DOESN’T EVEN TRY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION

6. What is POV? Good POV always has TWO elements: Ways to show POV:
Show that the source has some bias, AND
Show HOW his words in THIS article are showing that bias
Ways to show POV:
Position in society – show how who he is in society effects what he has to say in this document
Tone – show this by referring back to where tone was shown, AND that his tone effected his words
Reliability – describe if his reliability is in question, or that he IS reliable, based on who he is, AND how he shows it
Show that different docs have different purposes by describing what the purpose is, AND how his words show that purpose
(ex: speeches are meant to persuade)

7. Hint for POV
Use the word “naturally” to show why he said what he said
Example: “naturally” because of who he is… or “naturally” he’d say ____ because he is a ______

8. What it means to analyze
Show you know what the intention of the document is, in relation to the question
DO NOT QUOTE
Show you’re using the document to prove your thesis

9. What it means to group docs
Goal is to have three docs in a paragraph
That way, you can mess one up, and still have two good ones
Start each paragraph with an explanation as to why you grouped those docs together. A sentence or two is fine. Don’t dwell on this. You don’t really get points for doing this, it just shows deeper analysis.
If you have four docs in a paragraph, split, and make two separate paragraphs

10. Final clean-up Put numbers of docs in outside margin
Label POV in same margin where you attempted POV
Verify you used all of the docs (cite by name of source)
Verify you attempted POV and groupings more than three times (more is better!)
Showing super deep analysis of docs and question