Writing the DBQ

By Gail ColbertAP Reader

2

Writing the DBQ The APUSH exam format includes one document-based

question.

Students will have 55 minutes to answer it.

3

 Guidelines1. Long-essay writing skills.

The initial mystery of answering a DBQ largely disappears if you remember that it builds on the skills for writing the long-essay question.

These include the skills of developing a background statement (B), thesis that “takes a position (TAP)” and has a “roadmap (R)”; argumentation supported with relevant historical evidence; use of targeted historical thinking skills; contextualization, and synthesis.

4

The basic difference between the long-essay question and a DBQ is that in the DBQ students must analyze and use documents in your supporting arguments.

5

2. Reading Period. Use the reading first five or ten minutes to read and

make margin notes on the documents.

Organize them and the relevant “outside information” that you can use to answer the question

6

3. Focus on the question. As in the long essay, it is essential that students

develop a strong thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question.

7

This sample DBQ illustrates how important it is to identify and address all parts of the question:

Analyze major changes and continuities in the social and economic experiences of African Americans who migrated from the rural South to urban areas of the North in the period from 1910 to 1930.

An effective answer would have to address the targeted H.T.Skill of continuity and change, and the historical social and economic conditions, in both the South and the North for the period. 

8

4. Argument development. Students must develop and support a cohesive

argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity by explicitly illustrating relationships among historical evidence such as contradiction, corroboration, and/or qualification.

Within your argument you need to specifically write how various pieces of evidence support one another or contradict one another.

9

Remember that not all documents will have equal weight in supporting your thesis.

Communicate to the reader your awareness of the bias or unreliability of a document or how a document which may not support your thesis fits into the context that is relevant to the question.

10

5. Use of documents. Students must utilize the content of at least SIX (of

SEVEN) documents to support the stated thesis. This is TWP – use ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS!

This means including specific factual evidence found in the document and an explanation of how it relates to the thesis.

11

A serious mistake in answering the DBQ is to simply write a summary of each document or little more than a descriptive list of the documents. This is called “laundry listing”.

For example, “According to Document 1, blah, blah, blah” or “Document 2 says this, document 3 says this, etc.”

The arrangement of the documents in the DBQ Packet should NOT control the organization of the essay.

12

Instead, analyze the documents in terms of evidence to be linked to the thesis, and integrate them into a well-organized and persuasive essay.

Group the documents in appropriate ways that tie them to the thesis. You might use the Historical Thinking Skills (causation, comparison, periodization, or change over time); you might use the Historical Themes.

13

The readers already know the content of the documents, so YOU DO NOT HAVE TO QUOTE the documents.

Cite your document evidence. For example, “The Founding Fathers decided that slavery would not be allowed in the Ohio Territory.” (Doc 4).

14

6. Incorporate HAPPY. Students are expected to explain the significance of

the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, audience and significance for at least FOUR of the documents.

15

Historical context Use specific historical examples related to the

document during the same time period.

For example, if the document is cover art of Uncle Tom's Cabin, context might be related to Harriet Beecher Stowe, the date of its publication1852, the fact that it is anti-slavery novel, northern reaction to the book, etc.

16

Audience of the document (Identify a person or group the author expects to inform or influence. How is this shown in the document?)

Purpose of the document (Why did the author create this document? How is this shown in the document?)

  Point of view of the author (Who is the author and how

did his gender or race or economic status impact the perspective?)

Y is the document significant to your thesis?

17

Here is an example of a successful HAPPY:

“The historical context of the Clayton Antitrust Act was that it passed under Wilson’s administration when progressives were desperately seeking help in enforcing anti-trust laws under a relatively inefficient Sherman Antitrust Act. The new law would give some enforcement power over anti-trust laws to the federal government. (Doc 6)”

18

7. Incorporate Outside Evidence. Students must provide TWO examples or additional

piece of specific evidences NOT found in the documents to support or qualify the argument.

The College Board only requires one example, but for this course, you will need two. It is good practice and even on the actual exam, it is a good backup in case one of your examples is wrong.

19

The examples must be different from the evidence used to earn other points on this rubric.

Responses need to reference specific evidence and explain how that evidence supports or qualified the argument.

20

8. Incorporation Contextualization. The rubric requires contextualization to “situate the

argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question” that are going on at the same time (20 years before or after the main topic of the essay).

This must be outside information, new information not found in the documents. Contextualization is not just a phrase or reference. it requires an explanation and must be at least TWO sentences long.

Contextualization should be included in the conclusion.

21

9. Incorporate Synthesis. For the DBQ, synthesis extends the argument by

explaining the connections between the thesis and a different historical period. A good rule of thumb is 20 year before or twenty years after the main events of the essay.

Synthesis requires an explanation of the connections to the different historical period and must be at least TWO sentences long.

This should be included as part of the conclusion!

22

23

24

The End