“How to Guide for D ocument B ased Q uestion Essays”

“How to Guide for Document Based Question

Essays”

Global History 9

Mr. Meetze

What is a Document Based Question (D.B.Q.) Essay?

• A D.B.Q. is designed to function as a ‘Mini Research’ paper where the student is provided 9 Short Answer research questions based on 3 Separate Global History Topics which are then used to write a ‘Final’ Essay Paper on the Final Exam

Sample Document

Rules of ALL D.B.Q.’s

• How Many Paragraphs should D.B.Q.’s be?

• How many Documents do you need to cite in your D.B.Q essay?

• Can You use the Historical Context as your Introduction Paragraph?

Terms You Need to Understand

• Student Thoroughly addresses all Tasks

• Essay is More Analytical than Descriptive

• Use of Relative Outside Information

• Richly Supports the Documents with Facts & Details

NYS Sample 10th Grade D.B.Q.

First Thing

Read & Highlight ALL S.S. Keys

First Thing

Underline What you need to do in each body Paragraph

The ‘2-1-0’ Game

• Next step go through and answer all Short Answer Questions.

• Each question will either receive a 2, 1, or 0.

• In order to Receive a 2 make sure the Answer is in Complete Sentences, Does NOT Restate the Question, and is a minimum of 2 Sentences.

Read and Highlight the Keys.

Document 2

Directions: You have the next few

minutes to read and answer on your own the Short Answer or Scaffolding

Questions using the ‘2-1-0’ model.

DBQ Scoring 5,4,3,2,1 Rubric

= 100

= 80

= 60

DBQ Scoring 5,4,3,2,1 Rubric

= 40

= 20

Notice 3 Separate

Topics for 3 Body

Paragraphs

D.B.Q Outline

First Take out a Sheet of paper

Quickly Draw a big Square, an Upside Triangle, & a Triangle

Within the Square divide the object into 6 sections using 3 lines.

The ‘2 Liter’ DBQ Design?

Use Your Sample Outline

1st Title of DBQ

‘Bottle Cap’ Write the DBQ

Question

Link Back 2 Events Prior to DBQ Question3 Body

Paragraph Topics

Open the ‘Bottle Cap’

Write the DBQ Question

Either Link DBQ Question to next Event or Relate the

event to life today

Doc # Outside Info

Brainstorm at least 4-5 specific facts

not found in the Documents per

Paragraph 7-10 Sentences

Minimum

Intro- Min 4 Sentences

Conclusion Min 4 Sentences

Notice 3 Separate

Topics for 3 Body

Paragraphs

Use Your Sample Outline

1st Title of DBQ

‘Bottle Cap’ Write the DBQ

Question

Link Back 2 Events Prior to DBQ Question

3 Body Paragraph

Topics

Open the ‘Bottle Cap’

Write the DBQ Question

Either Link DBQ Question to next Event or Relate the

event to life today

Doc # Outside Info

Brainstorm Outside Info, Minimum 4-5 for each topic

Neolithic Revolution

-Paleolithic Age

-Life as a Nomad

Revolutions in General or Revolution effects

today

Docs

1,2,3

Outside Info

Sample DBQ

- Live in Bands of 25-35

Industrial Revolution

Green Revolution

10-15 minutes total on the Outline

Writing the DBQ Reminders

1. Make sure the Intro and Conclusion does not consist of ‘This is What I’m Going to Do’ and ‘This is What I just Wrote’

2. Be sure to Cite your documents by either saying ‘In Doc 2’ or (Doc 2) at the end of the sentence

Writing the DBQ Reminders

1. After you write a sentence make sure you can not ask yourself a Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How question. If so you didn’t write with enough depth

2. Be sure to use your outside info along with your information found in the document to achieve ‘Analysis’

Writing the DBQ Reminders

1. Check the grading rubric and self grade your essay 5,4,3,2,or 1 scale.

2. Did you address all aspects of the task?

3. Did you answer the question?