The Document-Based Question

What Is It?

• An essay question that requires you to interpret primary source documents.

• Documents might include the following:

Newspaper articles/editorialsLetters/diariesSpeechesLegislation Political cartoonsCharts and graphs

What Are the Documents for?

• To discuss events and ideas with which you are familiar.

• To support or refute the essay questions

• Focus around the essay topic

When Do I Take the DBQ?

• After the multiple-choice section

• You get a green booklet with the essay questions and DBQ

• Begins with a 15 minute mandatory reading period– Evaluate and interpret the documents

Is There a Right Answer to Each DBQ?

• No

• Multiple arguments

• Develop your argument (thesis) with evidence (include outside information)

• Use a strong historical argument

I Have the Question, Now What Do I Do? Getting Started

• Read the question thoroughly• Explore all parts of the question (how many

parts)• Highlight important aspects• Ask these two questions

– Do I have an opinion about this subject?– What must I discuss in order to write a

successful essay? (most important)

Getting Stated Cont.

• Gather information

• Address issues

• Decide on data

• Organize plan of attack

Sample Question1) To what extent and how valid were the fears

many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Use the documents and your knowledge of the 1940s through the 1950s, to answer the question.

Circle or underline the key parts to the question.

Sample Question Breakdown

1. To what extent and how valid were the fears many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Sample Question Breakdown

1) To what extent and how valid were the fears many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Sample Question Breakdown

1) To what extent and how valid were the fears many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Sample Question Breakdown

To what extent and how valid were the fears many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Sample Question Breakdown

1) To what extent and how valid were the fears many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Use the documents and your knowledge of the 1940s through the 1950s to answer the question.

Sample Question Breakdown1) To what extent and how valid were the fears

many Americans develop from the end of World War II through the Eisenhower administration that that communism threatened the existence and safety of the United States.

Use the documents and your knowledge of the 1940s through the 1950s to answer the question.

Sample Question Breakdown

• Thoroughly examined and analyzed the questioned

• Create a information grid– Pertinent information

Information Grid

Valid Not Valid Maybe/maybe not

Threats from other countries

Threats from within the U.S.

Gather Outside Information

• Jot down terms, ideas, and/or concepts

• 2 or 3 minutes

• Decide what you can and cannot use

• Insert into your grid

Information Grid

Valid Not Valid Maybe/maybe not

Threats from other countries

Threats from within the U.S.

Outside Information

• Information same as the documents – That means you are on target

• Brainstorm outside of the grid

Reading the Documents

• Use the three levels of questions, soaps and inferences.

Document Order

• Chronological - if so the test is asking you trace the historical development.

• Otherwise – organized for compare and contrast (draw comparisons in your essay).

Reading the Documents

Inconsistencies

• Not all documents agree

• Present different view points

• Recognize inconsistencies

Reading the Documents

Once you decided on your thesis: (documents)

1. Supporting evidence

2. Contradicting evidence

- incorporate and acknowledge these

3. Why was that document included?

4. Add more outside info (???)

Thesis Development

• Read question one more time

• Develop a argument you can prove

• Make sure your thesis addresses all pertinent aspects of the question

Write Your Essay• Get to the point

• Back thesis up with facts, solid evidence not fluff

• 3 or 4 different issues or topic sentences

• Make sure you are addressing the question

• Refer back to the question several times

• Include as many documents as possible

Final Conclusion

• Stay confident

• Don’t panic

• Take a deep breath to relax

• You prepared all year for the test

• Everyone else is in the same boat as you

Question Breakdown

To what extent – amount, degree, level…

how valid – what is the depth of truth

Question BreakdownThe fears: why were Americans afraid

of Communism.

How valid were those fears?

Question Breakdown

that communism threatened

Where did these threats come from?

1) Other countries

2) Within the United States

Question Breakdown

existence and safety

Both parts must be answered as equally as possible

Was the U.S. existence threatened?

Was the U.S. safety threatened?

Question Breakdownyour knowledge of the 1940s through the

1950s

OUTSIDE INFORMATION