HOW TO WRITE A DBQ INTRO FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT U.S. HISTORY

1. HOW TO WRITE A DBQ INTRO FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT U.S. HISTORY THE INTRO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH IN THE DBQ – MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON THE READER

2. KEY CONCEPTS READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY & THEN RE-READ IT MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE RESPONDING TO RESTATE THE TOPIC IN YOUR OWN WORDS FUNCTION OF THE INTRODUCTION IS TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE READER YOUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THE READER – ASSUME NOTHING

3. STRATEGIES COMPILE OUTSIDE INFORMATION (FACTS, TERMS, PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS) BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS SEE IF THE PROMPT PROVIDES LOGICAL ORGANIZATION OF YOUR ESSAY ARE THE CATEGORIES INCLUDED? ARE THERE ANY UNCLEAR TERMS, IF SO DEFINE THEM ARE DATES INCLUDED? IF NOT, DETERMINE TIME FRAME FORMULATE THESIS (THIS MAY CHANGE)

4. WHAT TO INCLUDE BACKGROUND – LEADS READER INTO TOPIC YOU WILL DISCUSS: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE THESIS – YOUR ARGUMENT CATEGORIES TEND TO FALL INTO BROAD THEMES: POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, RELIGIOUS, FOREIGN POLICY, MILITARY ETC. DEFINE THE CATEGORIES: “Politically, the Puritan Calvinistic tradition lent itself to a male dominated, hierarchical government structure.” DEFINE UNCLEAR TERMS, GIVE DATES & EVENTS USE TRANSITION WORDS FOR FLUENCY

5. SO WHAT? USE THIS ‘SO WHAT’ CLAUSE AT THE END OF YOUR INTRO TELL THE READER WHY YOUR ARGUMENT IS IMPORTANT, THE BEST INTERPRETATION IDENTIFY YOUR HISTORIANS IF YOU CAN TO SHOW READER YOU KNOW MORE THAN THE AVERAGE AP STUDENT “Indeed, as a result of the Puritan values & ideas the foundation of America was set & provided the basis for our founding father’s to develop a republic that has survived for over 235 years.”

6. IS IT A GOOD INTRODUCTION? YOU DON’T USE “I” ANYWHERE IN THE INTRO (OR ENTIRE ESSAY FOR THAT MATTER) DO YOU PROVIDE BACKGROUND THAT INTRODUCES TOPIC? CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESIS EASILY? ARE YOUR CATEGORIES CLEARLY DEFINED SO THAT THE READER KNOWS WHAT YOU MEAN BY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL?