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Mastering the AP World History DBQ Essay

Learn how to write a Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay for AP World History. Understand the scoring rubric and develop historical reasoning skills.

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Mastering the AP World History DBQ Essay

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  1. HOW TO DBQ AP World History Riverside High School Mr. Sakole

  2. What is a DBQ? A DBQ or Document Based Question is the basis for one of the essays you will learn to write in AP World History in preparation for the APWH exam. The “question” is in the form of an essay “prompt”. The prompt is a statement requiring you to respond to a specific topic by utilizing a number of historical reasoning skills. Seven documents are provided to help you respond to the prompt.

  3. What is the purpose of the DBQ? The essay (or “DBQ”) will help to assess your ability to analyze historical evidence and develop a coherent, persuasive argument supported by historical evidence. An essay scoring rubric will be used to determine your level of mastery of these skills. The rubric is based on a 7 point scale. Each point is independent of the others (i.e. an “asset based rubric”).

  4. The DBQ Rubric • Thesis/Claim – 0 or 1 point • Respond to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis or claim that establishes a clear line of reasoning. • To earn this point, the thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt rather than just restating or rephrasing the prompt. • The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introductory section* of your essay or in the conclusion. *See the explanation for “Contextualization”

  5. The DBQ Rubric • Contextualization – 0 or 1 point • Describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt. • To earn this point, the response must relate the TOPIC of the prompt to BROADER historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. • This point is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference related to these broader events, developments, or processes • Contextualization will be part of the introductory section* of your essay and may lead into or be a part of your essay thesis or claim. * See the explanation for “Thesis/Claim”

  6. The DBQ Rubric • Evidence from the Documents – 0, 1 OR 2 points • Use the content of at least THREE documents to address the TOPIC of the prompt (1 point) • To earn one point, the response must accurately describe – rather than simply quote – the content from at least three of the documents • Support an ARGUMENT in response to the prompt using at least SIX documents (1 point) • To earn an additional one point, the response must accurately describe – rather than simply quote – the content from at least six documents. • In addition, the response must use the content of the documents to SUPPORT an argument in response to the prompt.

  7. The DBQ Rubric • Evidence beyond the Documents – 0 or 1 point • Use at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt. • To earn this point, the response must DESCRIBE the evidence and must use more than a phrase or reference. • This additional piece of evidence must be different from the evidence that may be used to earn the point for “Contextualization.”

  8. The DBQ Rubric • Sourcing the Documents – 0 or 1 point • For at least three documents, explain how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation*, and/or audience is relevant to an argument • To earn this point, the response must explain how or why (rather than simply identifying) the document’s point of view (POV), historical situation*, or audience is relevant to an argument about the prompt for EACH of the three documents sourced. *Historical situation means connecting the document or the evidence in the document to historical events or facts related to the time period, historical trends/developments, or region in which the document was written.

  9. The DBQ Rubric • Development of a Complex Argument – 0 or 1 point • Demonstrate a complex understanding of the historical development that is the focus of the essay’s prompt. • Explain nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables: • Both similarity AND difference • Both continuity AND change • Both cause AND effect • Multiple causes • Explain relevant and insightful connections within and across historical periods (similar to the old “Synthesis” point) • Use evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the question. • Confirm the validity of an argument by corroborating multiple perspectives across themes. • Corroborate by linking evidence relevant to another WH theme to your thesis/claim and/or the prompt. • Qualify or modify an argument by considering diverse or alternative views or evidence • This understanding must be part of the argument, not merely a phrase or reference

  10. Writing an Essay in APWH

  11. Thesis or Claim • Thesis = a sentence or multiple sentences that states your argument (or what you are trying to prove using evidence from the documents or from history). • Must be HISTORICALLY DEFENSIBLE • Means that your thesis has to be a statement which could be supported by historical evidence. • Must ADDRESS THE PROMPT • Means you have to introduce an argument that is relevant to the topic of what is being asked. • Must be SPECIFIC • Means you cannot use generalities like “there were many similarities and differences…” • Must PASS THE “SKY IS BLUE” TEST • Means your argument must not be a general factual statement and must not just state the obvious.

  12. Contextualization Contextualization = introduce your argument with events, trends, or developments that lead up to the facts related to your thesis or claim. Will appear in your introductory section, most likely RIGHT before your thesis statement. Can be written in its own stand-alone paragraph.

  13. Evidence from the Documents Your thesis will be MAINLY but not ENTIRELY on evidence you find in the seven documents you are given. You must CLEARLY show you are using evidence or content from at least 3 of the documents to earn 1 point. You must CLEARLY show you are SUPPORTING your argument by linking evidence from at least 6 of the documents to earn another 1 point.

  14. Evidence from the Documents Using the content from 3 documents = providing some connection to these documents in your essay. Supporting your argument from 6 documents = linking the content of these documents to your thesis in the wording of your document.

  15. Using Evidence from a Document to Support a Thesis A Picture Says a Thousand Words...

  16. Evidence Beyond The Documents • OR evidence you know from your study or knowledge of history that is NOT contained anywhere within any of the documents you are given. • This is a point you can earn for KNOWING STUFF! • You only have to do this ONE TIME but… • Your evidence has to be historically accurate • Your evidence has to be relevant to the topic of your essay

  17. Add now for some things you didn't know...

  18. Sourcing the Documents • You are to answer the question, “Why the person is saying what he/she says?,” for at least 3 of the documents. • Do they say/write/paint/sculpt due to his/her: • Purpose creating the speech/document/painting/sculpture? • Audience who will hear/read/view the speech/document/photo/painting/sculpture? • Point of view = social class, gender, nationality, ethnicity, and/or occupation? • Perception of events happening at the same time of the creation of the speech/document/photo/painting/sculpture?

  19. Demonstrating Complex Understanding • This is also called “Extending the Argument” by: • Including or explaining subtle differences found within the topic of your argument • Providing an extensive argument that might include a similarity AND a difference, or a continuity AND a change, or cause AND effect, or providing more than one cause. • Showing connections between the topic within the period given with another period relevant to the topic. • Providing corroboration with evidence in your essay with evidence more relevant to another theme (e.g. evidence relevant to social structure within an essay about economics) • Providing alternatives to the argument in contrast to or modifying your original argument or thesis.

  20. How to “extend the argument” Modifying your argument

  21. Extending the Argument • Your further discussion or extension of your argument should be done CONSISTENTLY throughout our essay (EXCEPT in your introductory section – it won’t count here!!!). • i.e. NO GO in the thesis and contextualization section • Alert the reader (me!) that you are providing this addition to your argument by specifically identifying this as an extension to your argument. • Use CONNECTING words like “further,” “in addition to,” “along with,” “for further consideration,” etc. This shows the reader you are CONNECTING this to your argument and EXTENDING it further.

  22. Let’s Practice! An Abbreviated DBQ

  23. The Prompt Identify ONE effect of the American Civil War on U.S. society between 1861 and 1877 C.E.

  24. The Breakdown What is the historical development or process indicated in the prompt? What is the historical reasoning skill being assessed by the prompt? What is the world history theme of the prompt? What is the context of the period leading up to the topic of the prompt? What kind of evidence should you look for (and find) in the documents associated with this prompt?

  25. Using the Document • What is Document 1? • Who is the author of Document 1? • What is the author saying in Document 1? • How is this source relevant to the prompt? Provide evidence from the document. • Based solely on this document, can you write a thesis that addresses the prompt? • What evidence from a different and “hypothetical” document would “corroborate” or support the evidence you found in this document? How would you write a sentence that would link these two documents to show they contain similar or supporting evidence? • What evidence from a different and “hypothetical” document would “qualify” or “modify” your original thesis? How would you write a sentence that would like these two documents to show they might have opposing or slightly different supporting evidence?

  26. Sourcing the Document • What is the author saying in this document? • Does he says this because: • He has a purpose he is trying to fulfill by creating this document? What is that purpose or goal? How does he intend to achieve that purpose or goal? • He is writing to a specific audience when he created this document? Why does he write to them? • Of events going on before or during the writing of this document? Why would those events make him write this document? • Of his personal background or experience? Does he write this because of his gender? Occupation? Social class? Religious beliefs? Ancestry or ethnicity? Something else? How does the background or experience you identify cause him to write this document?

  27. Extending the Argument • How could you extend this argument? • Is there another effect you could identify? • Is there a specific cause to the effect you have already identified? • Is there an economic effect? A political effect? A cultural effect? • Is there a contradicting view to the one you addressed in your thesis? • Is there a similar or different effect caused by other civil wars occurring in other periods in history?

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