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AP World Document-Based Question (DBQ) Overview
19 min read • november 18, 2021
Melissa Longnecker
Mixed AP Review
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Overview of the Document-Based Question (DBQ)
The one thing you need to know about this question:
Section II of the AP Exam includes the one required Document-Based Question (DBQ.) Unlike the other free-response sections (SAQ and LEQ), there isn’t any choice in what you write about for this essay.
You will be given a prompt and a set of seven documents to help you respond to the prompt. The documents will represent various perspectives relating to the prompt, and they will always include a mixture of primary source text documents and primary or secondary source visuals . Your task is to use these documents, and your knowledge of history, to answer the prompt.
The DBQ is designed to test your knowledge of history, your ability to analyze a variety of sources, and your skill in crafting and supporting a clear and complex argument. It is the single most complicated task on the exam; however, it is very doable with practice and preparation.
Your answer should include the following:
A valid thesis
A discussion of relevant historical context
Use of evidence from the documents (all) and evidence not found in the documents to support your thesis
A discussion of relevant factors that affect the document
Complex understanding of the topic of the prompt.
We will break down each of these aspects in the next section. For now, the gist is that you need to write an essay that answers the prompt, using the documents and your knowledge as evidence. You will also need to discuss some additional factors that impact your use of the documents.
Many of the skills you need to write a successful DBQ essay are the same skills you will use on the LEQ. In fact, some of the rubric points are identical, so you can use a lot of the same strategies on both writing tasks!
The topic of your DBQ will come from the following time periods, depending on your course:
AP World History: Modern - 1200-1900
AP US History - 1754-1980
AP European History - 1600-2001
The writing time on the AP Exam includes both the DBQ and the Long Essay Question (LEQ), but it is suggested that you spend 60 minutes completing the DBQ. You will need to read and analyze the documents and write your essay in that time.
A good breakdown would be: 15 min. (reading & analysis) + 45 min. (writing) = 60 min.
The DBQ is scored on a rubric out of seven points and is weighted at 25% of your overall exam score. We’ll break down the rubric next.
The DBQ is scored on a seven-point rubric, and each point can be earned independently. That means you can miss a point on something and still earn other points with the great parts of your essay.
Let’s break down each rubric component...
The thesis is a brief statement that introduces your argument or claim and can be supported with evidence and analysis. This is where you answer the prompt.
This is the only element in the essay that has a required location. The thesis needs to be in your introduction or conclusion of your essay. It can be more than one sentence, but all of the sentences that make up your thesis must be consecutive in order to count.
The most important part of your thesis is the claim , which is your answer to the prompt. The description the College-Board gives is that it should be “historically defensible,” which really means that your evidence must be plausible. On the DBQ, your thesis needs to be related to information from the documents, as well as connected to the topic of the prompt.
Your thesis should also establish your line of reasoning. Translation: address why or how something happened - think of this as the “because” to the implied “how/why” of the prompt. This sets up the framework for the body of your essay since you can use the reasoning from your thesis to structure your body paragraph topics later.
The claim and reasoning are the required elements of the thesis. And if that’s all you can do, it will earn you the point.
Going above-and-beyond to create a more complex thesis can help you in the long run, so it’s worth your time to try. One way to build in complexity to your thesis is to think about a counter-claim or alternate viewpoint that is relevant to your response. If you are thinking about using one of the course reasoning processes to structure your essay (and you should!) think about using that framework for your thesis too.
In a causation essay, a complex argument addresses causes and effects .
In a comparison essay, a complex argument addresses similarities and differences.
In a continuity and change over time essay, a complex argument addresses change and continuity.
This counterclaim or alternate viewpoint can look like an “although” or “however” phrase in your thesis.
Sample complex thesis: While some cultural traditions and belief systems, such as Confucianism, actively warned against the accumulation of wealth through trade, other societies reliant on trade used their belief systems to rationalize the behavior of merchants despite moral concerns. Still, others used religion as a means to promote trade and the activities of merchants.
👉🏾 Watch Patrick Lasseter break down the thesis and craft this sample here!
Contextualization
Contextualization is a brief statement that lays out the broader historical background relevant to the prompt.
There are a lot of good metaphors out there for contextualization, including the “previously on…” at the beginning of some TV shows, or the famous text crawl at the beginning of the Star Wars movies.
Both of these examples serve the same function: they give important information about what has happened off-screen that the audience needs to know to understand what is about to happen on-screen.
In your essay, contextualization is the same. You give your reader information about what else has happened, or is happening, in history that will help them understand the specific topic and argument you are about to make.
There is no specific requirement for where contextualization must appear in your essay. The easiest place to include it, however, is in your introduction . Use context to get your reader acquainted with the time, place, and theme of your essay, then transition into your thesis.
Good contextualization doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to go into a ton of detail, but it does need to do a few very specific things.
Your contextualization needs to refer to events, developments and/or processes outside the time and place of the prompt. It could address something that occurred in an earlier era in the same region as the topic of the prompt, or it could address something happening at the same time as the prompt, but in a different place. Briefly describe this outside information.
Then, connect it to your thesis/argument. The language from the College Board is that contextualization must be “relevant to the prompt,” and in practical terms; this means you have to show the connection. A transition sentence or phrase is useful here (plus, this is why contextualization makes the most sense in the introduction!).
Also, contextualization needs to be multiple consecutive sentences, so it’s all one argument (not sprinkled around in a paragraph). The introduction is the best place for contextualization, but not the only place.
Basically, choose a connected topic that “sets the stage” for your thesis, and briefly describe it in a couple of sentences. Then, make a clear connection to the argument of your thesis from that outside information.
Sample contextualization: The period 1200-1600 saw the growth of centralized empires such as the Song in China or the Ottoman Empire. These empires promoted trade and growth as state policy, and this economic growth created new economic elites. In response to this change, religious leaders, thinkers, and scholars weighed in to promote, criticize, or simply comment on the moral aspects of trade and economic growth.
👉🏾 Watch Evan Liddle break down contextualization and write an example here!
Evidence is the historical detail, the specific facts, and examples that prove your argument. In the DBQ, your evidence comes from two places: the documents themselves, and your outside knowledge of history. You should plan to use all seven documents as evidence AND bring in your knowledge on top of that.
Having evidence is important, and one of the rubric points on the DBQ is just about having evidence. Of course, it’s not enough just to know the facts. You also need to use those facts to support your argument/claim/thesis, and the other two possible rubric points for evidence on the DBQ are about using the evidence you have to support what you’re trying to say.
Evidence goes in your body paragraphs. In fact, the bulk of your body paragraphs will be made up of evidence and supporting analysis or commentary that connects that evidence to other evidence and/or to the argument you are making.
Good evidence is specific, accurate, and relevant to the prompt.
Don’t simply summarize the documents. Use a specific idea or argument from the document as your evidence.
Evidence from the documents should come directly from part or all of a document, ideally without quoting.
Paraphrasing allows you to transition directly into your argument without all the work of embedding a quote like you might for an English essay. Take a specific idea from the document, phrase it in your own words, and use it in support of your argument.
You earn a point of using evidence from at least three of the documents. There’s an additional point up for grabs for using evidence from at least six documents and supporting your argument with that evidence, which means you should always link your evidence back to your topic sentence or thesis.
Example: Ibn Khaldun observed that trade benefitted merchants at the expense of their customers, and he feared that participating in trade, though legal under Islamic law, would weaken the moral integrity of merchants.
Evidence from your outside knowledge is much the same, except that you won’t have a document to structure it for you. Describe a specific example of something you know that is relevant to the prompt, and use it to support your argument. Using course-specific vocabulary is a great strategy here to know that you are writing specific evidence.
Example: Muhammad himself was a merchant before becoming the Prophet of Islam, which accounts for the support of merchants and trade by Muslim societies.
👉🏾 Watch Caroline Castellanos break down the sample DBQ and pull out key pieces of evidence here.
Analysis and Reasoning: Sourcing
What is it? For at least three of the documents, you need to analyze the source of the document as well as the content. There are four acceptable categories of sourcing analysis:
Historical situation - this is like a miniature version of contextualization. Ask: when/where was this document created? How does that historical situation influence what the document is or what it says?
Intended audience - every document was created with an audience in mind. A document created for a king will likely be very different from a document created for a lover. Ask: for whom was this document created? How would that person have understood it? What did they know or understand that the creator could leave unsaid? What did they need to be explained?
Point of view - every document was created by someone, and that person has specific knowledge, opinions, and limitations that impact what they create. Ask: who created this document? How well did they understand the topic of the document? What would limit their understanding or reliability on this topic? What characteristics might influence them (race, gender, age, religion, status, etc.)
Purpose - all documents were created for a reason. Figure out the reason and understand why a document says or shows what it does. Ask: why was this document created, and how does that impact what it is?
Any of these characteristics will have an impact on how you use a document to support your argument. Sometimes a characteristic will weaken a document’s reliability. Sometimes a characteristic will strengthen a document’s usefulness. In addition to describing the relevant characteristic of a document, you should also explain how or why it impacts your argument.
Where do I write it? You should connect sourcing directly to your discussion of evidence from a particular document. This will occur throughout your body paragraphs.
How do I know if mine is good? Your sourcing should describe a relevant characteristic of the document and explain why/how that characteristic is relevant to your argument.
Sample sourcing statement: As a Muslim scholar, Ibn Khaldun would have had a deep understanding of religious laws, but perhaps limited knowledge of common trade practices in his day and culture. This could factor into his low view of the morality of merchants, whom he saw as less moral than someone devoting their life to their faith.
The second part of the Analysis and Reasoning scoring category is complexity. This is by far the most challenging part of the DBQ, and the point earned by the fewest students. It isn’t impossible, just difficult. Part of the difficulty comes in that it is the least concrete skill to teach and practice.
If you’re already feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the DBQ, don’t stress about complexity. Focus on writing the best essay you can that answers the prompt. Plenty of students earn 5’s without the complexity point.
If you are ready to tackle this challenge, keep reading!
The College Board awards this point for essays that “demonstrate a complex understanding” of the topic of the prompt.
Complexity cannot be earned with a single sentence or phrase. It must show up throughout the essay.
A complex argument starts with a complex thesis. A complex thesis must address the topic of the prompt in more than one way. Including a counter-claim or alternate viewpoint in the thesis is a good way to set up a complex argument because it builds in room within the structure of your essay to address more than one idea (provided your body paragraphs follow the structure of your thesis!)
A complex argument may include corroboration - evidence that supports or confirms the premise of the argument. A clear explanation that connects each piece of evidence to the thesis will help do this. In the DBQ, documents may also corroborate or support one another, so you could also include evidence that shows how documents relate to one another.
A complex argument may also include qualification - evidence that limits or counters an initial claim. This isn’t the same as undoing or undermining your claim. Qualifying a claim shows that it isn’t universal. An example of this might be including continuity in an essay that is primarily about change.
A final way to introduce complexity to your argument is through modification - using evidence to change your claim or argument as it develops. Modification isn’t quite as extreme as qualification, but it shows that the initial claim may be too simple to encompass the reality of history.
Since no single sentence can demonstrate complexity on its own, it’s difficult to show examples of complex arguments. Fully discussing your claim and its line of reasoning, and fairly addressing your counterclaim or alternate view is the strongest structure to aim for a complexity point!
Watch Melissa Longnecker break down documents and describe Analysis and Reasoning here.
Understanding the Process of Writing a DBQ
Before you start writing....
Because the DBQ has so many different components, your prep work before writing is critical. Don’t feel like you have to start writing right away. You are allotted a 15 min. “reading period” as part of your DBQ time - you should use it!
The very first thing you should do with any prompt is to be sure you understand the question . Misunderstanding the time period, topic, or geographic region of a prompt can kill a thoughtful and well-argued essay. When you’re practicing early in the year, go ahead and rewrite the prompt as a question. Later on, you can re-phrase it mentally without all the work.
As you think about the question, start thinking about which reasoning skill might apply best for this prompt: causation, comparison, or continuity and change over time. You don’t necessarily have to choose one of these skills to organize your writing, but it’s a good starting place if you’re feeling stuck.
Original prompt : Evaluate the extent to which cultural traditions or belief systems affected attitudes toward merchants and trade in the period 1200-1600.
Revised : How much did religion and culture impact attitudes about merchants/trade 1200-1600?
Once you know what to write about, take one minute to brainstorm what you already know about this time period and topic. This will help you start thinking about contextualization and outside knowledge as you read the documents.
Now it’s time to read the documents . As you read, pay attention to the source line that introduces the author, date, etc. about each document. It should contain information that will help you with your sourcing analysis. Mark this info with a symbol that is relevant for you, such as H for the historical situation, I for the intended audience, etc.
If the source line doesn’t give you much, it’s ok to skip sourcing for some of the documents. Try to analyze each one though, since you have to choose at least three to write about sourcing in your essay.
Read the document for content next. Think about what the document is saying or showing. Summarize it briefly in the margin or in your head and note how it connects to the prompt and to other documents in the set.
Example (download modified DBQ prompts here ):
Documents that reject merchants on moral grounds: 2, 3, (4?)
Confucianism = mistrust of merchants: 2, 7
Documents that permit trade, despite dishonesty of merchants: 4, 6 Documents that see wealth a religious blessing: 1, 5
Islam = support of trade as a custom: 4, 6
Rationalizing/compromising morals in areas that rely on trade: 1, 4, 5, 6
Note: you wouldn’t use all of these groupings in one essay. This list shows a sample of different ways the documents might connect to build a thesis and structure an essay. The three bolded notations here correspond to the topics selected for the sample thesis.
After reading all of the documents, take a minute to organize your thinking and plan your thesis. Decide which documents fit best to support the topics of your body paragraphs and choose your three or more documents for sourcing analysis.
Once you have a plan you like, start writing!
How to Write The DBQ
Your introduction should include your contextualization and thesis. Start with a statement that establishes your time and place in history, and follow that with a brief description of the historical situation. Connect that broader context to the theme
and topic of the prompt. Then, make a claim that answers the prompt, with an overview of your reasoning and any counterclaim you plan to address.
Body paragraphs will vary in length, depending on how many documents or other pieces of evidence you include, but should follow a consistent structure. Start with a topic sentence that introduces the specific aspect of the prompt that paragraph will address. There aren’t specific points for topic sentences, but they will help you stay focused.
Follow your topic sentence with a piece of evidence from one of the documents. This should be paraphrased in your own words, and you should explain how that evidence specifically supports your argument.
After 1-2 sentences of evidence, make an argument about sourcing . This is where you explain the specific characteristic and how it impacts your argument (“because...” or “in order to…” are good phrases here.)
Follow the sourcing with additional pieces of evidence, sourcing, and explanation. Ideally, you would do this with 2-3 documents relating to one topic sentence per paragraph. Somewhere in your body paragraph, you should also introduce a piece of outside evidence and connect it back to your topic sentence as well.
Each body paragraph will follow this general format, and there are no set number of paragraphs for the DBQ (minimum or maximum.) Write as many paragraphs as you need to both use all seven documents and fully answer the prompt by developing the argument (and counter-argument if applicable) from your thesis.
If you have time, you may choose to write a conclusion . It isn’t necessary, so you can drop it if you’re rushed. BUT, the conclusion is the only place where you can earn the thesis point outside the introduction, so it’s not a bad idea. You could re-state your thesis with different words, or give any final thoughts in terms of analysis about your topic. You might solidify your complexity point in the conclusion if written well.
When you finish, it’s time to write the Long Essay Question (if you haven’t already), so turn the page in your prompt booklet and keep going!
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How to Write the Document Based Question (DBQ)
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What’s Covered:
What is the document based question, steps to writing an effective dbq, how do ap scores affect my college chances.
If you’re taking a history AP exam, you’ll likely encounter the Document Based Question (DBQ). This essay question constitutes a significant portion of your exam, so it’s important that you have a good grasp on how best to approach the DBQ. In this post, we’ll cover what exactly a document based question is, and how to answer it successfully.
A Document Based Question (DBQ) is a measure of the skills you learned in your AP classes in regard to recalling history and analyzing related documents. These documents can be primary or secondary sources, and your responses are expected to be in the form of an essay. Your ability to relate the context of documents to concepts beyond the given text and creating meaningful connections between all your sources will help demonstrate your skills as a knowledgeable writer.
The number of documents for a DBQ varies from exam to exam, but typically will fall between five to seven documents. The following AP exams will require you to write a DBQ:
AP U.S. History
AP European History
AP World History
We’ve listed the formats for each exam below, and keep in mind that the number of documents is prone to changing from year to year:
- Up to seven Documents
- One hour recommended time (includes 15-minute reading period)
- Up to seven Documents
- 25% of total exam score
With that in mind, let’s jump right into how to craft a strong DBQ response!
We’ve summarized how to write an effective DBQ into the following five steps:
1. Read the prompt first
Though you may be tempted to jump into the documents right away, it’s very important that you first look at what exactly the prompt is asking for. This way, when you eventually look at the documents, your focus will be narrower. A DBQ tests your reading comprehension and analysis skills more than the content itself, making it very important to understand your prompt thoroughly.
2. Skim the document titles
Each document will contain vital information regarding the context, and it’s important to scout key words regarding dates, authors, and anything pertaining to the general sense of what the documents are about. Skimming through your documents like this could save time and allow you to form a more structurally sound thesis.
Let’s take a look at the following graph and figure out how to skim the figure:
This document was in a real exam from the AP World History free response questions in 2019. It’s important to pay attention to data provided and what context can be drawn from it. In this case, we’re provided with a graph that displays the life expectancy of a country in relation to the GDP per capita of said country. Being able to skim this graph and notice the common trends in the data points could provide convenient information into the context of the document, without any further intensive reading.
For example, seeing how countries with a GDP below 4,000 to 5,000 have lower life expectancies already gives us a potential correlation between the two factors. We can use this information to start formulating a thesis, depending on what the prompt is specifically asking for.
Remember, just skim! Don’t worry about reading the entire document yet; this strategy can keep you calm and level-headed before tackling the rest of the document. Methods like this can make acing the AP World History DBQ less intimidating!
3. Formulate a tentative thesis
A thesis is a statement that should be proved and discussed upon. It’s important to have a strong thesis as the foundation of your DBQ, as it guides the rest of your response in relation to the context. Understanding the difference between weak and strong theses will be imperative to your success, so here is an example of a weak thesis:
“The Cold War originated from some scenarios of conflict between Soviets and some groups of oppressors.”
Such a thesis can be considered weak for its lack of specificity, focal point, and usability as a constructive tool to write further detail on the subject. This thesis does not take a clear stance or communicate to the reader what the essay will specifically focus on. Here’s how the same thesis can be restructured to be stronger and more useful:
“The Cold War originated from tense diplomatic conflicts relating to propaganda and conspiratorial warfare between the United States and the Soviet Union.”
The information that’s been included into the second thesis about the two groups involved with the Cold War gives you more room to build a structured essay response. In relation to the rubric/grading schema for this DBQ, forming a structurally sound thesis or claim is one of the seven attainable points. Being able to contextualize, analyze, and reason off of this thesis alone could provide for two to four points – this means that five out of seven of your points revolve around your thesis, so make sure that it’s strong! Doing all of this in your fifteen minute reading period is crucial as once this is set, writing your actual response will be much easier!
4. Actively read the documents
Simply reading a document doesn’t normally suffice for creating a well-written and comprehensive response. You should focus on implementing your active reading skills, as this will make a huge difference as to how efficient you are during your work process.
Active reading refers to reading with an intention to grab key words and fragments of important information, usually gone about by highlighting and separating important phrases. Annotations, underlining, and circling are all great ways to filter out important information from irrelevant text in the documents.
An example of where you might find important information via active reading is the description. Circle important names or dates to contextualize the document. If you still can’t find contextual value from the title, that’s totally fine! Just scope out the rest of the document in relevance to your thesis – that is, pinpoint the specific information or text that best supports your argument. Finding one or two solid points of interest from one document is usually enough to write about and expand upon within your essay.
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5. Make an Outline
If you like outlines, making one before writing your essay might prove helpful, just be aware of the time limit and act accordingly.
Start with your introduction, then work on the rest of your essay. This way, you can make sure your thesis is clear and strong, and it will help the graders form a clear view on what the general consensus of your paper is. Make sure to include evidence with your thesis within each paragraph and cite only relevant information, otherwise your citations could come across as filler as opposed to useful content. Every commentary or point you make should be tied in some way to the documents.
Format each body paragraph and organize your essay in a way that makes sense to you! The graders aren’t really looking at the structure of your essay; rather, they want to see that you analyzed the documents in a way that is supportive of your essay. As long as you have content from the documents which prove your thesis, the order or manner in which you present them doesn’t matter too much. What’s more important is that your essay is clear and comprehensive. As you write practice DBQs, try having someone else read your essays to make sure that the format is easy to follow.
Keep all these key details in mind as you construct your own DBQ response, and you’re well on your way to writing an effective essay!
Your chances of admission are actually not really impacted by your AP scores; however, the AP classes you take are more important than the exam scores themselves, meaning the impact of your AP scores isn’t as big as you think .
Instead, focusing on the AP classes on your transcript and the relevance of those classes to your future major is more impactful. For a further detailed understanding of the role AP classes play in regards to your college admissions, use CollegeVine’s free Admissions Calculator , which takes into account your GPA, standardized test scores, and more.
Additional Information
To dive deeper into DBQs, AP classes, and learning how to tackle each exam check out other resources at CollegeVine:
- Acing the Document Based Question on the AP US History Exam
- Acing the AP World History Document Based Question
- Ultimate Guide to the AP U.S. History Exam
- Ultimate Guide to the AP European History Exam
- Ultimate Guide to the AP World History Exam
Related CollegeVine Blog Posts
Document-Based Question (DBQ)
What is a dbq, how to read the documents:, written documents, how to answer the prompt:, compare & contrast, cause & effect, change & continuity over time, how to earn all 7 points:.
Contextualization
Analysis & Sourcing
How to start writing the dbq, how to write a dbq:.
Attached below is a worksheet with an outline organizer for your DBQ. When practicing for your DBQ, feel free to download & print this to use:
7 documents
You are given 7 documents, and you are given a prompt, similar to an LEQ prompt. You need to write an essay, responding to the prompt, using evidence from the documents. You have 60 minutes in total, but of those 15 minutes are recommended for reading. The sections below describe the types of documents, types of prompts, and the rubric and how to earn each point.
You are given 7 documents. The different types are described below:
Excerpt / Written Document
Graphic, Diagram, Map, Cartoon
General Tips
Look at the sourcing before you read each doc to get an idea of what the doc might say
Write a quick summary (~3 bullet points) to summarize the content of each doc
Write a note of how each doc fits in with the prompt
Does it support or refute your thesis?
Which side of the prompt does it cover?
Which aspect (which body paragraph) of your prompt / thesis does it cover?
Any document with written paragraphs
Newspaper, letter, speech, historian's interpretation, constitution, religious text, etc.
Special tips:
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might say
Take your time to understand the content of the doc; no need to rush
Write a few notes summarizing the doc
Figure out how the doc relates to the prompt
Does it argue one side or another?
Does it provide evidence for a specific geographical region?
Does it refute your thesis?
Which sub-category of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a photo
Any photo that a photographer might take, or an artist's depiction of a historical event
NOT a diagram, map, or something manmade or designed by historians
Read the sourcing & title to try to figure out what the photo might depict
Look at all aspects of the photo, get an idea of what it depicts
Does it represent a historical development?
Does it represent an artistic movement?
Look for all signs of bias in the photo
Is it depicting a specific point of view?
Does it portray a certain culture as superior?
Does it portray a certain culture as inferior?
Does it represent a military victory?
This would mean one side is better than the other
Does it portray something as bigger or exaggerated?
Means that the exaggerated thing is depicted as superior
Does it portray something as smaller?
Means that the thing that's depicted smaller is portrayed as inferior
Based on the point of view (bias) and the content, figure out how it relates to the prompt
Does it support / refute your thesis?
What aspect of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a man-made photo
Graphic, diagram, political cartoon, map, etc.
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might depict
Look at the doc and try to figure out what it represents, or what topic it depicts
Think about the bias or point of view of the doc:
Does it represent the views of one side or another?
Is it depicting one side as exaggerated or superior to another?
Cartoons are generally biased
If it's a map, what is it representing?
Is it representing the map of industrial factories, trade routes, westward expansion, deciphered wind patterns, etc.?
Once you figure this out, understand the historical context of the map
If it's a graphic or a diagram, what information does it detail?
If it's a population growth map, what allowed for population growth?
Think of what the diagram depicts, and what allowed for that, and what's the historical context of that historical development?
Involves comparing & contrasting 2 different things
Most important thing is the argument: Not what the differences/similarities were, but HOW THEY WERE SIGNIFICANT
How to use the documents:
Some docs might explain the features of one of the comparand (the thing you compare), other docs may explain the other comparand
Some docs might cover both comparands
Figure out what the docs are saying for each comparand, and write your thesis based on that
What are they saying are similar & different about the 2?
Involves examining what a certain historical development, and what were its causes & effects
What's more important is examining the significance of the causes, or how one cause/effect was more important than other causes/effects
Generally, 2 causes and 1 or 2 effects
Some docs might explain the event
Some docs might explain the causes, others might explain the effects
Draft a thesis based on the info about the causes & effects mentioned in the docs
Try to mention which causes were more significant than other causes
Involves examining what changed & what remained the same as a result of one event
Some docs might explain the catalyst (the event that caused the changes/continuities) you write about
Some docs might describe the changes
Some docs might describe the continuities
Draft a thesis based on what the docs say about the changes & continuities
How to Earn all 7 Points:
Contextualization (1 point).
Examine the historical context of the story
Kind of like a "recap" or a "flashback"
Like at the beginning of a TV show, it shows a recap of the previous episode
How to write one
Always include the time period & possibly the location
"In Europe in the period 1450 - 1750, ..."
Provide a brief 3-5 sentence recap of how the world arrived at the situation you are writing about in your essay
The contextualization should finish with how the world arrived at the historical development you write about in your thesis, so that there is a smooth transition from contextualization to the thesis
Sample Contextualizations
Topic: Related to the industrial revolution
Before the 1750s, people were performing manual labor, making items by hand, which was very inefficient. From 1750-1900, Europe and the rest of the world underwent an economic transformation called the Industrial Revolution. Starting in Britain due to its abundance of raw materials & strong financial support, industrial capitalists built factories powered by waterwheels or coal that artificially produced goods such as textiles, eliminating the need to make them by hand. This brought a lot more people from the countryside to the cities, where they worked in factories for low wages. From Britain, the industrial revolution spread throughout Europe as well as to US, Egypt, Russia, and Japan. [Insert Thesis Here]
Topic: Related to imperialism
In the period 1750-1900, Europe underwent an economic transformation known as the industrial revolution, where people would use artificial power to cheaply & efficiently manufacture goods in commercial factories in the cities, rather than making goods by hand at home. In order for these factories to produce goods, they needed raw materials, which is why they had to look to other nations like those in Africa and Asia to supply raw materials to them. This led to European imperialism, a development where Europeans started colonizing other nations throughout the world, especially in Africa and Asia, to establish export-oriented economies to get raw materials to supply to their factories. [Insert Thesis Here]
Thesis (1 point)
This is your argument
Must be something that can be opposed
Someone else has to be able to write an essay whose thesis is the opposite of yours
Must contain an argument, and generally 2-3 examples (topics for body paragraphs)
Better to have a concession
Useful for complexity point
Format of Thesis & Examples
Color Key:
Concession / Counterargument*
Similarities / Continuities / Causes
Difference for Comparand 1 / Changes / Effects
Differences for Comparand 2
*Concession is always optional. Described in the analysis section, it can be used to get the extra complexity point
Prompt: Compare & Contrast
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , w hile [comparand 1] and [comparand 2] both [insert similarities] , [comparand 1] was [insert difference for comparand 1], and [comparand 2] was [insert difference for comparand 2], which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although the Delhi Sultanate had very strict religious authority, while the Delhi Sultanate and the Chola Kingdom both used religion to maintain stability , the Delhi Sultanate was attempting to impose Islam on a Hindu-majority population , and the Chola Kingdom imposed Hindu on a Hindu population , which allowed for the Chola Kingdom to be more successful than the Delhi Sultanate.
Prompt: Change & Continuity over Time
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , as a result of [catalyst], while [continuity] stayed the same , [change] changed, which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although some may believe the Catholic church actually became more powerful, as a result of the Protestant Reformation, while women still maintained strictly subordinate roles , there were more religious wars, and more monarchs were able to consolidate more power for themselves , which caused the Catholic church to decline in power.
Prompt: Cause & Effect
Although some may believe [counterargument]* are the most important causes of [event] , [causes] were the main causes** , which caused [effects].
Although some may believe that the desire to spread Christianity was the main cause of European imperialism , the desire to get raw materials and the need for more markets were the main causes , which led to a more integrated global economy and the development of technological infrastructure in the colonies.
**Here, the argument is that the causes you described in the blue section are more important than the causes in the yellow section. There is no need for an extra argument at the end
Evidence (3 points)
This is where you put examples / pieces of evidence to support your thesis
To get 1 point : Use evidence from 3 of the docs
To get 2 points : Use evidence from 6 of the docs, and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
It's always better to use all 7 docs in case you use one incorrectly
To get 3 points : Use an extra piece of evidence (from your own knowledge, not from the docs), and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
Examples of How to Write your Evidence
How to earn the first point:
To earn the 1st point, you need to describe / state evidence from 3 docs without connecting it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France.
How to earn the second point:
To earn the 2nd point, you need evidence from 6* docs, and you also need to connect it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion. Because the population was also mostly Hindu, the Chola Empire was able to maintain stability by using a common belief in Hinduism to stabilize its rule.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France. Thus, Britain had a larger industrial output than France, which is why it was able to manufacture more weapons during World War 1 and why France relied on Britain for support.
*Always use all 7 docs to in case you use one doc incorrectly
How to earn the third point:
To earn the third point, you need to include one piece of evidence that is not in the documents and is from your own knowledge.
Think of what evidence or what viewpoint is missing
If it's a compare & contrast: is there any other similarity or difference? Do you have any other evidence to support the topics of your thesis?
If it's a change & continuity over time: Is there any other evidence to support one of your changes or continuities?
If it's a cause & effect: Is there any other evidence or historical content that can support your causes or effects?
Analysis (2 points)
This is the hardest part
For 1 point, you need to explain how the source of 3 documents affects either your argument or what the document has to say
There are 4 parts of sourcing, and you ONLY NEED TO CHOOSE ONE
Explained in more detail below
For the 2nd point, you need to use complex analysis in your argument
This is the most confusing
The easiest way is to weave a counterargument through your essay, which the concession already sets you up for
The best way is to not think about it too much and just put a bit more complex arguments into your essay rather than sticking to a strict format
Historical Context
Point of View
You need to choose ONE of the above and follow the instructions below. Each of the sections below has information about each aspect of sourcing.
You need to do this for THREE different sources to earn full points (we recommend you do 4 in case one is wrong)
Historical Context:
Explain how the historical context of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written after WW1 when everyone was feeling depressed and economically poor, which explains why the priest is talking about a revival of religion and cheerful spirits.
This document was written in a time after the Protestant Reformation when there were a lot of religious wars, which is why the document argues that Lutheranism is better than Calvinism.
Explain how the intended audience of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written for the Armenians of the Ottoman empire, a Christian minority that was believed to conspire with the Allies, which is why the document is very aggressive toward them in asserting Ottoman dominance.
This speech was written to the American people to gain support for the Treaty of Versailles, which is why it intends to boost nationalist sentiment and promote American power.
Explain how the purpose of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written by the Republic party with the purpose of convincing its audience to vote for them, which is why it argues that Free Silver, a democratic idea, is bad.
This speech was written by John of Montecorvino, the Archbishop of Khanbaliq who sought to convert the Mongol boys to Christianity, which is why he emphasizes how Christianity allows one to achieve salvation.
Point of View:
Explain how the point of view of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written from the point of view of an Indian cotton farmer, which is why he writes that the British completely destroyed the Indian handmade textile industry.
This document was written from the point of view of Grover Cleveland, an anti-imperialist president, which is why he writes about the harms of annexing Hawaii.
The Complexity Point
The final point is the complexity point. This is given if you have a complex argument, and it is hard to achieve. The best way to think about this is do more than the prompt asks, and add a bit of extra analysis into the essay.
The easiest way to do this is weave a counterargument through the essay. In our thesis samples above, we already set you up for this with our concession clause.
How to Start Writing the DBQ:
First step is to outline your essay. Follow the steps below:
Read through each document, write a brief summary, and figure out how it relates to the prompt (which side/aspect does it argue?)
Write your thesis. Write each aspect of the thesis (concession/counterargument, evidence 1, evidence 2, argument), and combine them
Write the outline for your body paragraphs. Write the topic for each body paragraph, and which docs you'll use in each. Also, denote where you'll use your outside evidence
Write an outline for your sourcing. Choose 4 different documents, and write the sourcing sentence following the guidelines in the sourcing section above
Start writing. Good luck!
How to Write a DBQ
A DBQ essay is an assigned task which tests a student’s analyzation and understanding skills. They also test a student in thinking outside the box. These skills are essential for success in gaining this academic qualification. In this article from EssayPro — professional essay writers team, we will talk about how to write a DBQ, we will go through the DBQ format, and show you a DBQ example.
What Is a DBQ?
Many students may prosper: “What is a DBQ?”. Long story short, DBQ Essay or “Document Based Question” is an assigned academic paper which is part of the AP U.S. History exam (APUSH) set by the United States College Board. It requires a student’s knowledge of a certain topic with evidence from around 3 to 16 reliable sources. Understanding the APUSH DBQ and its outline is essential for success in the exam, itself.
DBQ Outline
We understand that learning how to write a DBQ essay can be difficult for beginners. This is why our professional writers have listed the DBQ format for your own reference while preparing for the exam. Like all essays, this involves an introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion.
Introduction
- An introductory sentence to hook your audience.
- State the background of the topic. Using a source relating to a historical occurrence or historical figure can be helpful at this time.
- Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence.
- Create a brief description of the evidence that will be included in the body paragraphs.
- Write a paragraph which talks about how the DBQ essay question will be answered.
Body Paragraph 1
- Include the strongest argument. This should be linked to the thesis statement. Read our example of thesis statement .
- Include an analysis of the references which relate to the strongest argument.
- Write a statement which concludes the analysis in a different point of view. Include a link to the thesis.
- Write a transition sentence to the next body paragraph.
Body Paragraph 2
- Include a reasonable argument which links to the thesis, and the first argument in the previous body paragraph.
Body Paragraph 3
- Include a reasonable argument which links to the thesis, and the second argument in the previous body paragraph.
- Write a transition sentence to the conclusion.
- Create a summarizing argument of the whole paper.
- Include the main points or important information in the sources.
- Create a concluding sentence or question which challenges the point of view that argues against these sources.
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How to Write a DBQ: Step-By-Step Instructions
For some students, writing a DBQ essay may be hard. Not to worry. Our easy-to-read step-by-step instructions talk about the essential points which includes how to write a DBQ thesis, analyzation, time-management and proofreading your work. It is always important to write your paper in accordance to the DBQ outline for achieving the success you’re capable of.
The DBQ involves:
- Planning: 15 Minutes
- Writing: 2 hours and 45 Minutes
- Proofreading: 10 Minutes
Time management is essential for a successful grade in this form of examination. The general DBQ outline states that the duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Spend around 15 minutes planning, 2 hours and 45 minutes writing, and 10 minutes proofreading. Follow these easy-to-read step-by-step instructions to learn how to write a DBQ thesis, body and conclusion successfully.
Step 1: Planning (15 Minutes)
During the exam, it is important to study the provided sources. The exam is 3 hours, so 15 minutes for planning is a reasonable approach. During this time, analyze all of the important key-points from the sources provided. Then, take a note of all of the key points, and write them under the titles; introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion.
Step 2: Introduction (5 Minutes)
First impressions count. Keep the introduction short and brief. Don’t go straight into answering the question in this part of the paper. For a successful introduction, write a brief summary of the overall paper. It is also important to include an introductory sentence.
Step 3: Thesis (20 Minutes)
This form of essay requires a separate 3 paragraphs for the DBQ thesis. Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence. The second paragraph should include a description of the paper. The third paragraph should include how you’re going to answer the question.
- The key difference with other essays is that the thesis plays an important role in the DBQ structure.
- The APUSH DBQ thesis should not be two sentences long.
- The thesis should be written with act least 2 or 3 paragraphs long.
Step 4: Body (2 Hours and 16 Minutes)
Write well-structured, categorized paragraphs. Each paragraph should include one point. Avoid mixing ideas in the paragraphs. Include your answer to the assigned question with the provided documents. It is also important to read between the lines. Each paragraph should link to the thesis.
Step 5: Conclusion (10 Minutes)
The final part of your paper. The conclusion plays a vital role in persuading your audience. A poorly written conclusion means a skeptical audience. For well-written conclusion, summarize the entire paper. Link the conclusion to the thesis. Answer the question in a concluding sentence, “the big idea”.
Step 6: Proofreading (10 Minutes)
Spend around 10 minutes proofreading your work at the end of the exam. It is important to proofread your work to make sure it does not contain any grammatical mistakes. Any writing errors can lower one’s grade. Please make sure that the body paragraphs answer the question and link to the thesis, this is the most important part of the paper.
Writing Tips to Success with Your DBQ Essay
Understand: Before writing, make sure that you understand the sources and the essay question. Duration: Remember that the exam duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Study: Practice how to write a DBQ before the actual exam. Identify: Find the key-points from the sources to include in your essay.
Read Between the Lines: Don’t just write about what you read, but write about what the passages imply. Read all Documents: Make sure you have read all of the sources, prior to writing the paper. Read the Outline: Following the DBQ essay outline is essential for understanding how to structure the paper during the exam. Categorize: Put each point into categories. This will come in useful for writing the body paragraphs. Write the Author’s Opinion: Show an understanding of the writer’s point of view. Write a Temporary DBQ Thesis on your Notes: Doing so will assist you during the paper writing. Follow DBQ Examples: Following a DBQ essay example, while studying, is an excellent way to get a feel for this form of assignment.
DBQ Example
Do you need more help? Following a sample DBQ essay can be very useful for preparation. Usually, when practicing for exams, students commonly refer to an example for understanding the DBQ structure, and other revision purposes. Click on the button to open our DBQ example from one of our professional writers. Feel free to use it as a reference when learning how to write a DBQ.
The Great War and the second ordeal of conflict in Europe, played a fundamental in the increase of the rights for women. During the second world war, the British government encouraged house-wives to do the work of what was primarily traditional for men to do.Such as growing crops and butchering animals, which was generally considered to be“men’s work”. One of the slogans was “dig for victory”. The reason for this was for people to take care of themselves during the difficult times of rationing.
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Following steps and outlines for custom writing is a great way to learn how to write a DBQ essay. As well as writing tips. Time management is vital for the positive result. Following our advice will enable you to get a good grade by learning how to write a good DBQ. Because learning the DBQ format is essential. Practice is very important for any form of examination. Otherwise, one could not do as well as his or her potential allows him or her to do so.
You might be interested in information about this type of essay, such as the definition essay .
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As you prepare for college, you will want to learn as much as possible about a DBQ essay. This type of essay is found in AP history exams and social studies classes in different grades.
A DBQ , or Document-Based Question essay requires students to develop an argument using evidence from a set of primary source documents provided to them. The DBQ essay tests a student's ability to critically analyze multiple documents, connect them to the historical context, and form a coherent, well-argued response. These documents may include written texts, images, graphs, or maps, and typically relate to a specific historical period or theme.
It deals with way more of historical documents then you might have thought. So, at some point, you can certainly find yourself at a loss. “How to write a DBQ Essay?”, you may ask. Don't worry! In this article, we will talk about how to write it. We will look at its format and show you an example. Are you ready to learn more now from proficient essay writers online ?
What Is a DBQ Essay: Main Definition
In simple terms, a DBQ Essay is an assignment that tests student's analytical and comprehension skills. There is a more formal definition of this term. DBQ stands for Document-Based Question. This type of essay is part of the AP US History (APUSH) exam established by the US College Board. Student's task is to provide their foliage knowledge and back it up with facts. Three to 16 reliable sources of information are required. To write quality work, you must understand more about the DBQ essay schema.
How to Write a DBQ Essay: Step-by-Step Guide
The first question that students have is “how to write a DBQ essay?” Students must familiarize themselves with an issue posed in a document. They should interpret presented material with particular historical period in mind. Student will have 15 minutes to read paper, take notes, and then 45 minutes to write their DBQ. Sounds a little complicated? No worries. We’ve prepared a basic step-by-step guide to help you complete this challenge for the highest score.
Step 1. Analyze the Documents Before Starting a DBQ Essay
If you are on an AP exam , you will have 15 minutes to familiarize yourself with the hint and document for writing a DBQ essay. During this short period, you need to read your given tip carefully (we recommend re-reading it several times), analyze attached documents, and develop your own argumentation. Document analysis is the first and most crucial step in writing a DBQ. Be sure to highlight the question for yourself. Otherwise, you risk losing points even for the most adequately structured and competent essay if it does not answer the question posed in the tip.
Step 2. Create Your Thesis for DBQ Essay
After reading an essay recommendation, you will need to highlight a DBQ thesis sentence. It is a summary of your arguments. Make sure your thesis is a well-founded statement that responds to clues rather than just repeats them. There should be several arguments in the thesis itself. Let's suppose that the question of your document is, “Why did movement for women's suffrage start in the 20th century?”. "Significant contributions of women in support of the war formed a movement for women's suffrage to the right” is a strong thesis. In this case, thesis speaks of participation in hostilities during the First World War. Therefore, it will be easier for you and your future reader to form some strong point of view when reading your work. Support your arguments with around 6 documents. Always highlight one of them whose vision of the situation is closer to you. You will decide on the main answer to the question based on your thesis and read the documents.
Step 3. Read the Documents and Note the Details Before Writing a DBQ Essay
As we said above, correctly highlighted abstracts are key to successful DBQ essay writing. Be careful when reading any information. Read the documentation carefully and take your time looking for answers. We have a few recommendations for you:
- Indicate the document's author, their audience, and point of view.
- Determine percentage of reliability of this source and try to identify what influenced the author's opinion (perhaps this is particular historical period that will help you in further analysis).
- Highlight key points such as “evaluate,” “analyze,” and “compare and contrast.” Also, look for keywords such as "social,” "political," and "economical,” as well as information about the period and society in question (it is convenient to take notes in document margins so that you can return to desired passage).
Kindly note that not all sources will be written documents. Occasionally, you will come across diagrams, maps, or political cartoons. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with some nuances of reading primary sources in advance.
Step 4. Create a DBQ Essay Outline
Before you start writing your text:
- Make a brief DBQ essay template outline.
- Organize your brief and write your central thesis at page's top.
- Write a possible structure for your document.
- Next to each item, write one statement that does not contradict your view.
If you indicate some sources as a confirmation to sections, it is recommended to draw up an essay in chronological order. Keep in mind that an essay structure should not be broken. Start with an introduction, then write at least three paragraphs with arguments. Your DBQ should end with a conclusion in which you again repeat your thesis, only in an affirmative manner.
Step 5. Write Your DBQ Essay
Find out time management tips when writing DBQ essays. Remember that you will have 45 minutes during which you must complete the entire paper. We recommend that you plan how much time you are willing to spend on each of your sections. Be sure that you take a few minutes and correct your essay at the very end. DBQ essays have a clear structure that cannot be deviated from introduction with a thesis sentence, body with enough evidence supporting your arguments, and conclusion. We will tell you more about what each section should include later in this blog post.
How to Start a DBQ Essay
It would help if you started with DBQ essay introduction. In this part of your text, indicate your thesis and several appropriate sentences in context. It is a natural and easy way that you can start your essay right and not get lost in thought. It should be noted that you must link your thesis with its historical implications. If you don’t, you will probably lose one point.
How to Write a Body Paragraph for a DBQ Essay
It is crucial to know how to write a body paragraph . DBQ essay body paragraphs occupy more than 80% of your text. It typically consists of at least three paragraphs. All sections should be logically related with each other. Stay tuned to chronology of events, especially if you mention periods or information that supports your arguments with documents' date. Each of the paragraphs can indicate some component of your thesis. You should mention dates, historical figures and cite papers as often as possible. Include document's number in parentheses when using a quotation.
How to Write a Conclusion Essay for a DBQ
Writing a conclusion in a DBQ essay is as easy as shelling pears. You shouldn't really indicate anything new that was not in your text. Summarize your arguments and point out to your reader that you have been able to prove your claim. You will most likely get an extra point if you can connect your arguments with history of other periods or other countries. Scale your thoughts. For example, if you are talking about the First World War period in the United States, then indicate that it had similar impact on citizens of other countries.
The Best DBQ Essay Example
Still, have some more questions? DBQ essay sample will be beneficial for you when preparing for an exam. An example helps you understand the structure and formation of arguments in your future text. You can check out our sample if you are in need of further help. Do not hesitate to contact professionals! After all, high-quality assistance is key to your good grade.
DBQ Essay: Bottom Line
We have detailed the way and structure of a DBQ essay. Its purpose is based on analyzing, drawing conclusions or tracing trends of events from the past. Writing a strong essay includes all your skills learned in the AP class. This way professors can assess student's knowledge, experience and evaluate their efforts. Your dbq score is one-quarter of your score on the entire AP exam. In general, you can achieve up to seven points for this assignment. Article above describes a few ways of getting more points...
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Frequently Asked Questions About DBQ Essay
1. do i need to use quotes in my dbq essay.
Yes. Use quotes in your DBQ essay as often as possible. In this way, you will provide evidence to support your argument. But do not forget to analyze these quotes every time and talk about your point of view. Use quotation marks when writing quotes.
2. Can I start a DBQ essay introduction with a question?
Yes, you can start the DBQ essay introduction with a question. Keep in mind that you must answer this question using an argument. Further down a text, you should not ask questions.
3. Is a DBQ essay an LEQ with documents?
A DBQ essay should consist of evidence from the documents provided in your task. LEQ (that stands for thesis-based response) should not contain any evidence at all.
4. How many documents usually need to be analyzed for DBQ essay?
Usually, before writing a DBQ essay, you need to analyze about 5 to 7 documents. But it is always a good idea to check with your professors for clear instructions.
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How to Write a DBQ Essay?
01 October, 2020
20 minutes read
Author: Richard Pircher
AP (Advanced Placement) examinations are standardized tests designed to evaluate how well American students have mastered the course and acquired skills on specific subjects. Most AP courses presuppose final paper-and-pencil tests at the end of the year, but some courses come with different ways to assess students’ knowledge. AP tests cover the full content of each course and give college students an opportunity to obtain college credits and placements.
What Is a DBQ?
A DBQ essay is a type of academic paper written on the basis of a Document Based Question. It implies that students will have some documents to be used as sources of information for writing an essay. Since 2002, the DBQ essay format has been used to test college students for understanding historical development.
The time of US history usually covers a period from 1607 to 1980. At present, the DBQ method is also used to test students in AP European and world history, as well as social studies. The approach is the same, but sources of information are different. For writing DBQ essays, students are offered to analyze some historical events or problems based on the sources or materials provided.
The Purpose of A DBQ Essay
The point of document based question essays is that students are provided with seven documents to be analyzed and used to present evidence-based argumentation in their writings. Students have to formulate the thesis, which should be typically presented in the last sentence of the introduction. Further, this thesis has to be supported by evidence and historical facts. This test is aimed to evaluate the students’ abilities of:
- Analyzing documents, taking into account their authors’ points of view, their purposes, and general context;
- Formulating a strong thesis and substantiating it in an essay;
- Using personal knowledge for supporting the thesis with additional facts.
However, students should not wholly rely on knowledge of historical facts during the test. They rather have to analyze the information contained in the provided documents. To successfully pass this test, students need to have the skills of logical thinking, as well as profound knowledge of civilization development, historical facts, and geographical regions. The task is to interpret historical material, draw conclusions based on existing knowledge, and answer the main question.
Preparing For The DBQ Essay
The DBQ test is based on the skills of historical analysis that you can acquire and put into practice. For writing a strong DBQ essay, you need to use the evidence provided to support an argument, make connections between different documents, and apply specific information in a broader context. Also, a historical essay with a Document Based Question answers the issues of the author’s intentions, general conditions, target audience, and so on.
It is recommended to practice writing this type of essays to be well prepared for the DBQ essays. When you exercise, you do not have to write a complete essay every time. The main point is to understand the main issue and related documents and then sketch out the thesis. Make sure you are aware of the general historical trends and periods.
The general flow of your preparation should include taking a practice of the DBQ test and focusing on analysis and exposing your suggestions in writing. How much you take the practice DBQs depends on how perfect preparation you need and how often you want to check your progress. Take practice to write DBQ essays so that this format becomes familiar to you, but not so much that you fail to apply other skills.
How to write a DBQ essay? Firstly, do not intend to fudge your way through the DBQ test by using only beautiful writing with no substance. Secondly, you should focus on the meaning of your essay. Thirdly, you can get your essay peer-reviewed online. Fourthly, ask somebody who has experience in this matter to review your practice with a DBQ essay. Listen to comments and ideas of that person to take these recommendations into consideration.
Stuck on writing an DBQ essay? Our Essay writers is always ready to help you!
DBQ Outline
The process of writing a DBQ essay requires a proper outline. Plan how much time you can spend on each paragraph. Read the main question carefully and make sure you understand what is being asked. As you read the documents, take notes about what information they contain, who the author is, and which historical period it belongs to. Before you start writing, think about the thesis. The materials provided and your notes will help you compose a thesis.
Read the essential hints and objectives carefully. Make sure you understand what evidence to look for in the documents and what the instructors want to see in your essay. Most probably, you might be asked to analyze or explain the reasons for the historical development. Use your knowledge to compare and contrast different perspectives on a concept. Show how public opinion has changed over a specified period.
The outline to plan and write a DBQ essay is similar to an FRQ (Free Response Question) test, but your evidence should be based on the supplied documents. When you read these documents, ask yourself what grabs your attention and what is the background information on the topic (date, place, and surrounding situation). State the question with key terms. Tell what the reasons to prove your point of view are.
Think about the thesis or roadmap of what the essay will be about. Typically, a statement credited as evidence from outside the documents will be more specific and relevant to an argument, analogous to the function of evidence drawn from the papers. In the body paragraphs, outline sub theses based on the information from either documents or sources, as well as provide two to three examples. Each sub thesis should be grounded by evidence.
Support details for reasons with references to the specific documents or sources and connect your evidence to your thesis. In the central argument or conclusion, restate your thesis. It should not be its exact duplication, but a periphrasis of your thesis statement in differing words. Explain and not simply identify how or why the documents, their purposes, historical situation, and audience are relevant to an argument. In the end, clarify relevant and insightful connections across time and space and explain why the issue is significant today.
DBQ Structure
Here are the main parts of the DBQ essay a student cannot forget about:
DBQ Essay Introduction: Starting DBQ Format
Problems and discussions usually characterize the DBQ essay outline. In this work, it is not enough to retell what is written in a textbook, as is often the case in a DBQ essay, or to apply a problem-solving technique, as in a test. When writing the DBQ essay outline, you can be guided by the example of the logic of construction, become familiar with the DBQ essay, and start with the relevance of the topic.
Strong Thesis Statement: What Should It Include?
The strength of your thesis statement influences how you write a DBQ. The standard number of theses for a DBQ essay is from 2 to 5. To determine the exact number of ideas, you must be guided by the required work. The larger the text, the stronger the thesis statement should be. It isn’t easy to write a DBQ on one thesis statement.
There are specific ways to write a DBQ with a strong thesis statement in the paper. The main DBQ essay outline has only four points:
- DBQ outline requires you to determine why you are convincing the reader of the truth or falsity of the thesis statement. To do this, it is desirable to be clear about the target audience. Your thesis statement should be interesting to the reader. Otherwise, he will not read further;
- Gathering information. You can write a good DBQ essay only if you have read enough literature on the topic before. In the process, you will be able to understand the relevance of your document-based question;
- In any DBQ format, it is essential to identify keywords that will be the anchor points and skeleton of the DBQ essay outline.
DBQ Essay Example: Describe Your Main Ideas in Body Paragraph
It reveals the DBQ essay outline from the introduction from different angles. The central part of the DBQ format is not a continuous text; it is divided into smaller pieces. In the first part, you need to state your DBQ outline and describe how you understand and feel about the topic. Next, justify your opinion with arguments. DBQ outline demands facts from life, scientific studies, and views of scientists. You can cite facts from history to write a DBQ.
DBQ Essay Example: Logical Conclusion
The conclusion of a document-based question essay can contain such an essential, complementary element to the article as an indication of the application (implication) of your research, not excluding the relationship with other problems. DBQ essay example: “The DBQ essay is mainly about gender relations in agricultural labor, but a fuller examination would also require an examination of class relations,” followed by a few sentences explaining how the DBQ essay does that.
How to Write a DBQ essay With a Strong Thesis Statement
DBQ stands for a document based question. Such assignments require a student to demonstrate their ability to create well-researched arguments. If you have never written such tasks, read about the DBQ format.
Steps of Writing a DBQ
Create dbq essay outline: write an intro.
You will be provided with a historical context to help write a DBQ introduction. In addition, it will allow you to develop several ideas for writing your text.
Make sure to write a DBQ first sentence that answers 4 questions:
It will allow you to provide your reader with a context and briefly indicate what problem you will solve. This sentence should be the first part of your DBQ essay outline. It is followed by a couple of sentences preceding a thesis statement.
Write a Powerful Thesis Statement
To write a DBQ that will look well-researched, pay careful attention to this part of your essay. Likewise, consider the question you need to answer when writing a thesis statement.
To get tops marks for your document based question essay, follow these steps:
- Make claims and provide pieces of evidence
- When creating a DBQ essay outline, remember to describe the information that you will base your statements on
- Write a paragraph explaining how you will answer the main question
If you have never written a thesis statement before, look at a DBQ essay example to see how another author coped with this task.
Correctly Structure a Body Paragraph in Your DBQ Essay Outline
A DBQ format doesn’t require you to limit the number of body paragraphs. However, when creating a DBQ outline, include at least 3 paragraphs to cover the main points.
The first paragraph should follow your thesis statement. Experienced writers start a DBQ essay outline by selecting the strongest point and analyzing it from several points of view. Then, use a transition sentence to move smoothly to the next part of your DBQ outline. It will enable you to write a DBQ more easily.
The second and third paragraphs of your DBQ essay outline should also refer to the thesis statement. You can also find a DBQ essay example with four or more paragraphs if you need to provide a detailed answer to your question.
DBQ format is quite easy to use. You can make your text logical by creating an easy-to-follow DBQ outline. Don’t forget to add another transition sentence at the end of this part of your text.
Draw a Conclusion
The last part of your DBQ outline should summarize your argument and show that you have answered the question. Use a DBQ essay example to see how such parts of these essays are usually written. The main thing is to list your main points and show that the opposing views are biased.
Wrapping Up
Following these tips, you can write a DBQ essay demonstrating that you can analyze complex issues and draw independent conclusions. Practice a lot to hone your skills and get the highest marks!
DBQ Essay Examples
If you are not sure of how to write a DBQ essay, you can always search and find good examples online. You can find them on the College Board website. This organization administers AP tests, and therefore, the provided DBQ essay samples can give you some prompts and responses to many questions. These samples are not only evaluated, but the score system is explained in accordance with the rubric.
Writing Tips to Succeed with Your DBQ Essay
The AP test typically consists of one or two DBQ essays, and 45 minutes is given to writing each of them. So, students have up to 90 minutes to draw up a plan and finish two papers. When you see the task for writing a DBQ essay, you will see instructions, a hint, and attached documents. Usually, up to seven different sources are provided. These can be newspaper clippings, articles, maps, drawings, photographs, and so on. However, you do not need to use all the documents, but at least four of them.
It is recommended that you first read the materials and schedule your time carefully. Organize these sources into categories and define how each document relates to your main question. Think about how to use documents to support your argument. If you are comparing different points of view, classify your sources based on opposing opinions.
Also, try to include relevant external information in your essay. You need to provide at least one piece of evidence besides the data from the provided documents. List some external evidence on a draft to refer to when writing your essay. As you write your DBQ essay, support your arguments with links to provided documents. Make sure that both your argument structure and supporting evidence back up your preliminary thesis.
You should describe how a particular event, movement, or somebody’s beliefs can support your statement. Outline the structure of your arguments in your DBQ essay. Start with your preliminary thesis and break your essay into multiple parts. In each of them, write one statement or element for the argument. Under each idea, list a few points supporting that part of your argument. Also, do not just cite sources without analysis.
Make sure you use documents to craft and highlight your point of view. Refine your thesis and make sure again that your thesis is clear, does not contain unnecessary words, and fully answers the main question. When writing an essay, general historical accuracy is essential, but not details. If minor details are not indicated correctly without affecting the general meaning, then this will not lead to a decrease in the overall test score.
How To Be Successful On The DBQ Test Day?
The matter of how to write a DBQ essay may seem challenging, but you are able to pass an AP test and get a high score provided that you have particular skills. It is recommended to get acquainted with the DBQ essay rubric that instructors use to evaluate AP tests. Information about this rubric can be found on the College Board website. It has four categories: abstracts, document analysis, use of third-party evidence, and synthesis.
You can get one point for the thesis and argument. An extra point is given for a perfect thesis presenting the close relationship between historical events and their causes. A strong thesis, supported by information from documents or any other source, is of great importance. Also, you need to reinforce this thesis in your paper. Demonstrate that you have generated a critical understanding of the given sources by focusing on what they mean rather than what they say.
Another three points are provided for the use of the maximum number of documents and their detailed analysis. This analysis refers to the authors’ points of view, target audience, or historical context. Be sure to reveal the connection between your research and your main argument. Providing an external example and establishing a link with another historical period or topic is estimated as one additional point. You are advised to give an extra specific example that is relevant to your argument.
When passing an AP History exam with a DBQ essay, you will lose one point out of seven if you do not relate your arguments to the broader historical context. Also, you will miss one point if you just mention sources or add quotes at random. You have to establish logical connections between the documents and the conclusions you draw.
For synthesis, you need to show the link between your arguments about a specific period with another historical time, social processes, geographic regions, etc. It is best done in the final part of your essay. This task will earn you one more point. In the end, take at least a few minutes to check everything and make corrections. Make sure the names, dates, and other facts are provided correctly.
Thus, the maximum number of points that you can get in the AP exam with DBQ essays is 7. For that, you have to clearly state your thesis, establish a broader historical context, support your argument with as many documents as possible, provide external evidence, and describe several points of view. However, you do not need to obtain the highest score to achieve your goals. You can get 5 or 6 points out of 7 on this exam, and it will be a success. Even 3 points can give you a credit score in many colleges.
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How to Write a DBQ Essay
Last Updated: February 27, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 676,155 times.
In the past, Document Based Questions (DBQ) were rarely found outside of AP history exams. However, they’re now used in social studies classes across grade levels, so you’re bound to take a DBQ test at some point. [1] X Research source Going into the test, you will need strong background knowledge of the time periods and geographical areas on which you will be tested. Your documents will always relate back directly to the major subjects and themes of your class. The key to success is to analyze the provided documents and use them to support an argument in response to the essay prompt. While DBQ tests are rigorous, they allow you to actually do historical work instead of merely memorize facts. Don’t stress, put on your historian hat, and start investigating!
Writing Help
Analyzing the Documents
- For an AP exam, you’ll then have 45 minutes to write your essay. Exact times may vary for other exams and assignments but, for all DBQ essays, document analysis is the first step.
- For an AP exam, you will also need to include a thesis, set the prompt’s historical context, use 6 documents to support an argument, describe 1 piece of outside evidence, and discuss the point of view or context of at least 3 of the sources. Label these elements as you review and outline so you don’t forget something.
- A prompt might ask you to analyze or explain the causes of a historical development, such as, “Explain how the Progressive Movement gained social, political, and cultural influence from the 1890s to the 1920s in the United States.”
- You might need to use primary sources to compare and contrast differing attitudes or points of view toward a concept, policy, or event, such as, “Compare and contrast the differing attitudes towards women’s rights in the United States from 1890 to 1920.”
- Keywords in these examples inform you how to read your sources. For instance, to compare and contrast differing attitudes, you’ll need to identify your sources’ authors, categorize their points of view, and figure out how attitudes changed over the specified period of time.
- Suppose one of the documents is a suffragette’s diary entry. Passages in the entry that detail her advocacy for the Women’s Rights Movement are evidence of her point of view. In contrast, another document is newspaper article written around the same time that opposes suffrage.
- A diary entry might not have an intended audience but, for documents such as letters, pamphlets, and newspaper articles, you’ll need to identify the author’s likely readers.
- Most of your sources will probably be written documents, but you’ll likely encounter political cartoons, photographs, maps, or graphs. The U.S. Library of Congress offers a helpful guide to reading specific primary source categories at https://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html .
- Suppose you have a letter sent from one suffragette to another about the methods used to obtain the right to vote. This document may help you infer how attitudes vary among the movement’s supporters.
- A newspaper article depicting suffragettes as unpatriotic women who would sabotage World War I for the United States helps you understand the opposing attitude.
- Perhaps other sources include a 1917 editorial on the harsh treatment of imprisoned suffragists and an article on major political endorsements for women’s suffrage. From these, you’d infer that 1917 marked a pivotal year, and that the role women played on the home front during World War I would lead to broader support for suffrage.
- For instance, perhaps you read that the National American Woman Suffrage association (NAWSA) made a strategic shift in 1916 from focusing on state-by-state suffrage to prioritizing a constitutional amendment. Mentioning this switch to a more aggressive strategy supports your claim that the stage was set for a 1917 turning point in popular support for women’s suffrage.
- When you think of outside evidence during the planning stages, jot it down so you can refer to it when you write your essay. A good spot could be in the margin of a document that relates to the outside information.
Developing an Argument
- For example, after reviewing the documents related to women’s suffrage, identify the opposing attitudes, how they differed, and how they changed over time.
- Your rough argument at this stage could be, “Those in opposition saw suffragettes as unpatriotic and unfeminine. Attitudes within the suffrage movement were divided between conservative and confrontational elements. By the end of World War I, changing perceptions of the role of women contributed to growing popular support for suffrage.”
- Suppose your DBQ is, “How did World War I affect attitudes toward women’s suffrage in the United States?” A strong tentative thesis would be, “The roles women played in the workforce and in support of the war effort contributed to growing popular support for the suffrage movement.”
- A weak thesis would be, “World War I affected how Americans perceived women’s suffrage.” This simply restates the prompt.
- For example, under numeral I., write, “New Woman: perceptions shift in the 1890s.” This section will explain the 1890s concept of the New Woman, which rejected traditional characterizations of women as dependent and fragile. You’ll argue that this, in part, set the stage for shifting attitudes during and following World War I.
- You can start your planning your essay during the reading portion of the test. If necessary, take around 5 minutes out of the writing portion to finish outlining your argument.
- For instance, under “I. New Woman: perceptions shift in the 1890s,” write “(Doc 1),” which is a pamphlet praising women who ride bicycles, which was seen as “unladylike” at the time.
- Beneath that line, write “(Doc 2),” which is an article that defends the traditional view that women should remain in the household. You’ll use this document to explain the opposing views that set the context for suffrage debates in the 1900s and 1910s.
- Suppose your tentative thesis is, “The roles women played in the workforce and in support of the war effort contributed to growing popular support for the suffrage movement.” You decide that “contributed” isn’t strong enough, and swap it out for “led” to emphasize causation.
Drafting Your Essay
- If you have 45 minutes to write, take about 5 minutes to make an outline. If you have an introduction, 3 main points that cite 6 documents, and a conclusion, plan on spending 7 minutes or less on each of these 5 sections. That will leave you 5 minutes to proofread or to serve as a buffer in case you need more time.
- Check the time periodically as you write to ensure you’re staying on target.
- To set the context, you might write, “The Progressive Era, which spanned roughly from 1890 to 1920, was a time of political, economic, and cultural reform in the United States. A central movement of the era, the Women’s Rights Movement gained momentum as perceptions of the role of women dramatically shifted.”
- If you’d prefer to get straight to the point, feel free to start your introduction with your thesis, then set the context.
- A timed DBQ essay test doesn’t leave you much time to write a long introduction, so get straight to analyzing the documents rather than spell out a long, detailed intro.
- Each body section should have a topic sentence to let the reader know you’re transitioning to a new piece of evidence. For example, start the first section with, “The 1890s saw shifts in perception that set the stage for the major advances in women’s suffrage during and following World War I.”
- Be sure to cite your documents to support each part of your argument. Include direct quotes sparingly, if at all, and prioritize analysis of a source over merely quoting it.
- Whenever you mention a document or information within a document, add parentheses and the number of the document at the end of the sentence, like this: “Women who were not suffragettes but still supported the movement wrote letters discussing their desire to help (Document 2).”
- For example, a private diary entry from 1916 dismissing suffrage as morally corrupt isn’t necessarily a reflection of broader public opinion. There's more to consider than just its content, or what it says.
- Suppose a more reliable document, such as a major newspaper article on the 1916 Democratic and Republican national conventions, details the growing political and public support for women’s suffrage. You’d use this source to show that the diary entry conveys an attitude that was becoming less popular.
- In your essay on World War I and women’s suffrage, you could summarize your argument, then mention that the war similarly impacted women’s voting rights on an international scale.
Revising Your Draft
- If you’re taking an AP history exam or other timed test, minor errors are acceptable as long as they don't affect your argument. Spelling mistakes, for instance, won’t result in a loss of points if the scorer can still understand the word, such as “sufrage” instead of “suffrage.”
- A clear thesis statement.
- Set the prompt’s broader historical context.
- Support your argument using 6 of the 7 included documents.
- Identify and explain 1 piece of historical evidence other than the included documents.
- Describe 3 of the documents’ points of view, purposes, audiences, or context.
- Demonstrate a complex understanding of the topic, such as by discussing causation, change, continuity, or connections to other historical periods.
- As with spelling and grammar, minor errors are acceptable as long as the scorer knows what you mean. Little spelling mistakes are fine, but you’ll lose points if you write that a source supports suffrage when it doesn’t.
Community Q&A
- Remember that you shouldn't just identify or summarize a document. Explain why a source is important, and tie each reference into your argument. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- If you’re taking an AP history exam, find exam rubrics, practice tests, and other resources at https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses . Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Taking a timed test can be tough, so time yourself when you take practice tests. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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- ↑ http://www.gpb.org/blogs/education-matters/2016/10/14/getting-started-document-based-questions
- ↑ https://sourceessay.com/tips-to-write-an-impressive-dbq-essay/
- ↑ https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/writing/writing1
- ↑ https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-us-history-dbq-2018.pdf?course=ap-united-states-history
- ↑ https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-us-history-course-and-exam-description.pdf
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
About This Article
Document-Based Questions, or DBQ essays, are often used in social studies classes to test your ability to do historical work rather than simply memorize facts. Start by spending some time reviewing the documents and developing an argument. Pay special attention to keywords in the prompt that will help you construct your argument. For example, if the prompt includes the words "compare and contrast," you'll need to include 2 different viewpoints in your essay and compare them. Then, as you read your sources, note the authors, points of view, and other key details that will help you figure out how to use the documents. Once you’ve reviewed all of the material, come up with your response. Sketch out a tentative thesis that encapsulates your argument and make an outline for your essay. You can then draft your essay, starting with an introduction that gives context and states your thesis, followed by supporting body paragraphs. To learn how to write a conclusion for your DBQ, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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How to Write a DBQ Essay for APUSH
The Document Based Question (DBQ) essay is a key feature of the APUSH exam. And at 25% of your total score, it’s an important feature! Keep reading and you will get some great tips on how to write a DBQ for the APUSH exam.
What is a DBQ essay?
As I stated in a previous post on what the APUSH exam is all about , the goal of the exam is to test your historical thinking skills. Historians write arguments based on documents, and for this exam, you will, too.
For a DBQ essay, you will receive several documents of varying length. You will be asked to respond to some historical prompt that will require you to use the documents as evidence in your response. The great thing about a DBQ is that a lot of information you need to answer the question is in the documents themselves – score! However, you do need to have some background knowledge to make sense of the documents (we will practice this later in the post). The documents could be tables, charts, personal letters, or any other source that the exam creators believe would help you answer the question. Generally speaking, the documents will represent multiple perspectives on one topic.
It will be your job to synthesize those various perspectives into a coherent response.
Let’s walk through a sample DBQ topic for the APUSH exam.
Before we get too far into this, it’s important that you note that College Board, the organization that writes the APUSH exam, has made some major changes starting in 2015. I will be taking you through the 2015 sample the College Board provided for students to practice, but, as you will see in a second, it’s important that you practice as much as possible in order to read the documents quickly. Just make a note that the format may be slightly different if you review an exam prior to 2015.
Let’s say that you come across this prompt for a DBQ question:
Compare and contrast views of United States overseas expansion in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Evaluate how understandings of national identity, at the time, shaped these views.
Before you Read
You have 7 documents to read in the suggested time of 15 minutes. How is that even possible?!
Well, no one ever said it was going to be easy. But it is possible. When you get that prompt, or any other DBQ prompt like it, what you do before you read the documents will be just as important as what you end up writing. Before you even read the content of the documents, you should:
- Recall what you know about the time period.
- Read the source information for each document.
- Recognize the possible opinions that could be compared and contrasted.
Let’s dig into each of those steps.
1. Recall what you know
This DBQ is interested in U.S. overseas expansion in the late 19th and early 20th century. What do you know about U.S. overseas expansion during that time period? Perhaps you remember something about the Spanish-American War of 1898, which falls into our time period. Perhaps you remember that the U.S. got some territory as a result of that war. Even if you can’t remember exactly what territory, this puts you in a much better position to get started.
2. Read the source information
Take these two documents below as an example.
Before I read the document, I see that Jane Addams titled her speech “Democracy or Militarism.” Based on the title alone, I can begin to make some inferences that this document is not likely to be positive about any overseas expansion that would most certainly require military force.
Before I even read this document, I can see that William Jennings Bryan is campaigning for the presidency. However, I cannot recall there ever being a President Bryan, meaning that he was unsuccessful in his campaign. Perhaps what he was saying was not popular enough to get enough votes.
These inferences help me make sense of the document later on.
3. Recognize possible opinions
Again, before I read the documents closely, I recognize that this is a compare/contrast question. Before I even read this document, I’m going to make the following table so that I can group documents later on.
This table will help me more easily write my essay.
I know that your instinct will be to see the clock and think, OH MY GOSH, I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE DOING ALL THIS PREP WORK, MS. BERRY!!!!
Fight that instinct, because these steps will help you write a more coherent essay.
While you read
This part is tough. You have quite a few documents to make sense of in a short amount of time. But, as you are reading as fast as you can, you should be actively annotating the document for the following:
- Words, phrases, and/or visual cues that help you place the document into a group that helps you answer the question .
- Words, phrases, and/or visual cues that help you activate background knowledge .
- Words, phrases, and/or visual cues that help you understand the document’s bias .
You will have to practice this multiple times to get good at it; there’s really no way around that. But you have a plan of attack. So work your plan to make your plan work!
As you write
When you are writing your DBQ, use the five paragraph essay to your advantage. I am sure you know lots of other things that could turn this answer into a novel, but the most important thing for this task is to make sure that you get enough of your ideas on the page so that your APUSH exam scorer knows that you know.
- First paragraph: introduction with a thesis statement
- Second paragraph: documents FOR expansion (As you write, make sure to mention who is for expansion and compare/contrast that with who is against it.)
- Third paragraph: documents AGAINST expansion (As you write, make sure to mention who is against expansion and compare/contrast that with who is for it.)
- Fourth paragraph: documents with ambiguity or complicated arguments (You should compare these documents to BOTH groups.)
- Fifth paragraph: Conclusion that reiterates your argument
You may be thinking, why do I need that fourth paragraph? That seems needlessly complicated, to look for documents that are complicated.
Well, you are trying to score well on this DBQ, right? (Remember: it’s 25% of your overall score!)
You get a point for being able to do the following:
“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.” AP Scoring Guide
You will want that point!
I’ve given you a lot of information; but this information will become more like second nature the more you practice! For a summary, look at the table below.
And happy studying!
In summary: Strategies for writing the DBQ Essay
Allena Berry loves history; that should be known upfront. She loves it so much that she not only taught high school history and psychology after receiving her Master’s degree at Stanford University, she is now studying how students learn history at Northwestern. That being said, she does not have a favorite historical time period (so don’t bother asking). In addition to history, she enjoys writing, practicing yoga, and scouring Craigslist for her next DIY project or midcentury modern piece of furniture.
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What is a DBQ? How to master the document-based question
Even before you signed up for an AP history course at your school, you probably heard students talking about DBQs and how challenging they are. There might even be some students who avoid taking AP US History, AP European History, or AP World History exams just because they know they will have a hard time nailing these questions.
While DBQs, or document-based questions, are not the easiest questions to answer, they are far from daunting if you know the right way to approach them on test day.
What are DBQs?
You can’t know the best way to answer document-based questions without understanding what a DBQ is in the first place.
A DBQ is an essay question that requires students to analyze a historical trend using historical documents. After looking at the essay prompt, you will need to use the five-seven primary and/or secondary documents provided to write a several-paragraph long essay.
To do well, you will need to be able to understand the meaning and historical context of the documents provided, identify intersection points between the documents, and apply your background knowledge about a historical trend to make a strong claim to answer the question. You will then need to support your claim using evidence and analysis from the historical documents.
DBQs will only show up on history related AP exams, and students only have to answer one DBQ per exam. So if you sign up to take the AP US History, AP European History, or AP World History exams, you will encounter one of these questions.
Fortunately, because you know that a DBQ is guaranteed to be on each of these exams, you can spend time preparing to answer these questions and learning helpful tips about answering DBQs before you take any of these tests.
Tips for DBQs
Although DBQs can be difficult to answer, you can do well on these questions if you keep these tips in mind:
Read the question twice
The last thing you want to do is spend all of your time writing a claim and analysis that doesn’t actually answer the question at hand.
Read the question carefully and then read it again so that you can be 100% certain of what it is asking before you begin writing.
Find an intersection point between the historical documents
As you read through the documents carefully, look for points of intersection between the various texts. In what ways does one document complicate, support, or oppose another?
Consider the authors’ points of view, the time period, historical themes, and other information provided in the documents. Then see how you can put these documents in conversation with one another to craft and support a claim.
It will most likely prove helpful for you to take notes on each of your sources as you read them so that you can start planning how you will connect them in your analysis.
Use all of the documents
If you only include two documents in your response, you are not going to get a high score for your DBQ, even if you analyze them in depth.
One of the easiest ways to get a good score on a document-based question is to incorporate as many of the sources as you can (make sure you are providing analysis and not just summarizing these documents when you mention them!)
Make an outline
Some of the points for your DBQ response come from having a strong thesis statement, strong supporting evidence, and strong analysis.
Take the time to plan out your essay so that you can make sure you are including all necessary elements and presenting a well-organized response.
For DBQs, not only will you need to include analysis about the historical documents provided, but you will also need at least one piece of supporting evidence that comes from an outside source. Making an outline will decrease the chances that you will forget to include this critical piece of evidence, and it will help you make sure that your essay doesn’t move away from your thesis.
Preparing for DBQs
Like any other skill, when it comes to doing well on DBQs, practice makes perfect.
Here are a few ways for you to practice and prepare for document-based questions:
- Write thesis statements . When you read articles for school or for fun, practice writing thesis statements that make arguments about the author’s main claim. You can also try writing thesis statements for the free-response questions provided as a study tool on the College Board website . This will help you sharpen your thesis-writing skills.
- Stay up to date with current events. Reading articles about current events will help you practice identifying historical trends and issues, which is a skill you’ll need to use when you answer DBQs.
- Practice supporting your claims with evidence. Whenever you write a thesis statement for class or for DBQ practice, make sure that you also take the time to find evidence that backs up your claim. Getting in the habit of doing this will make it easier for you to support your thesis statement when you answer a document-based question on an AP exam.
- Try taking practice DBQs. The History and Social Sciences section of the College Board AP Exam website will have old DBQs from previous years that you can use to practice for your exam. Try answering these questions and reviewing your answers with a teacher or a tutor.
- Understand your time limits. You will have 15 minutes to read and 45 minutes to write when you are answering DBQs. Take practice tests under these time restrictions so that you can get used to the pressure you will face when you take your AP exams.
- Talk to your social studies and English teachers. Your social studies and English teachers will be great resources when it comes to answering DBQs.Your social studies teacher can help you with understanding how analyze historical trends as well as primary and secondary sources, and your English teacher can help you strengthen your essay writing skills.
Even with practice, mastering the document-based question can be difficult for many students. That’s where Prep Expert steps in. If you find yourself dreading the document-based questions you will encounter on your AP exams, we can help.
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Advanced Placement (AP)
One of the best ways to prepare for the DBQ (the "document-based question" on the AP European History, AP US History, and AP World History exams) is to look over sample questions and example essays. Doing this will help you to get a sense of what makes a good (and what makes a bad) DBQ response.
That said, not all DBQ essay examples are created equal. We'll briefly cover what makes a good DBQ example and then provide a list of example essays by course. Lastly, we'll give you some helpful tips on how to best use sample essays in your own preparation process.
What's a Good DBQ Example?
Without a doubt, the best sample resources come from the College Board . This is because they are the ones who design and administer the AP exams . This means the following:
Any DBQ essay example that the College Board provides will include a real DBQ prompt
All samples are real student responses from previous years , so you know they were written under the same conditions you'll have when you write your DBQ—in other words, they're authentic!
They not only have scores but also explanations of each essay's score , in accordance with the rubric
Each prompt includes several sample essays with a variety of scores
Some DBQ examples outside those available from the College Board might be worth looking at, particularly if they highlight how a particular essay could be improved. In general, though, a superior example will do the following:
Include the prompt and documents: It will be much easier for you to see how the information from the documents is integrated into the essay if you can actually look at the documents themselves!
Have a score: Seems simple, but you'd be surprised how many DBQ examples out there in the uncharted internet don't have one. Without a real, official score, it's hard to gauge how trustworthy a sample actually is.
With that in mind, I have compiled lists, organized by exam, of high-quality example DBQs below.
Don't spend all your study time on false starts with your practice DBQs.
Every DBQ Example Essay You Could Ever Need, by Exam
Here are your example essays! We'll start with AP US History, then move to AP European History, and finally wrap up with AP World History.
AP US History: Official College Board Examples
The APUSH test was redesigned in 2015 and again in 2018, so right now there are eight official College Board sets of sample essays you can use in your studies . Make sure to give yourself a 15-minute reading period and 45 minutes to write your answer. In addition, don't forget to use the current scoring guidelines when grading your own practice responses.
- 2023 Free-Response Questions | Scoring Guidelines 2023
- 2022 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2022
- 2021 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2021
- 2019 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2019
- 2018 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2018
- 2017 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2017
- 2016 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2016
- 2015 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2015
If you want additional sample question sets, you can look at older College Board US History DBQ example response sets . To look at these, click "Free-Response Questions" for a given year. For the corresponding DBQ examples and scoring guidelines, click "Sample Responses Q1."
Note that these examples use the old rubric (which is integrated into the Scoring Guidelines for a given free-response section). General comments on the quality of the essay, outside information, and document analysis still apply, but the score is on a 9-point scale instead of the current 7-point scale, and some of the particulars will be different. Older DBQs had up to 12 documents, while the current format has seven documents.
If you do look at older DBQ examples, I recommend using the current rubric to re-grade the essays in the sample according to the 7-point scale. I'll also give more advice on how to use all these samples in your prep later on.
Mr. Bald Eagle is an AP US History DBQ grader in his spare time.
AP European History: Official College Board Examples
Unfortunately, there aren't as many sample resources for the AP Euro DBQ compared to the other AP history tests because 2016 was the first year the AP Euro test was administered in the new format . Since then, more minor changes have been made in terms of time (you now have an hour on the DBQ) and individual parts of the rubric (you can view the current scoring guidelines here ).
This means there are seven sets of official samples graded with the current 7-point rubric:
The rest of the existing available samples were graded in the old 9-point format instead of the 7-point format implemented in 2016.
In the old format, there were 6 "core" points and 3 additional points possible. The old rubric is integrated with the sample responses for each question, but we'll highlight some key differences between the old and current formats :
With the old format, you were given a brief "historical background" section before the documents
There were more documents—up to 12—but the current format has seven
There was an emphasis on "grouping" the documents that is not present in the current rubric
There was also explicit emphasis on correctly interpreting the documents that is not found in the current rubric
While the essential components of the DBQ are still the same between the two test formats, you should definitely refer to the current rubric if you decide to look at any old AP European History samples . You might find it useful to look at old essays and score them in accordance with the current rubric.
Here are the old sample DBQ questions and essays, organized by year:
- 2014 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2014
- 2013 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2013
- 2012 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2012
- 2011 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2011
You can get samples in the old format all the way back to 1999 from the College Board . (Click "Free -Response Questions" for the questions and "Sample Response Q1" for the samples.)
Consider how you might integrate this castle into the DBQ that is your life.
AP World History: Official College Board Examples
The World History AP exam transitioned to a new format to more closely resemble AP US History and AP European History for the 2017 test. This means that there are six past exams available that use the current DBQ format:
Note that starting with the 2020 exam, AP World History will only cover the years 1200 to the present instead of thousands of years of history. As a result, both the course and exam have been renamed AP World History: Modern (a World History: Ancient course is in the works). What this means for you is that previous DBQs might have to do with time periods you're no longer required to study, so just keep this in mind.
In the old format, there were 7 "core" points and 2 additional points possible. The old rubric is integrated with the sample responses for each question, but we'll highlight some key differences between the old and current formats :
There were more documents—up to 10—but the current format has seven
There was an emphasis on "grouping" the documents on the old rubric that is not present in the current rubric
- In the old rubric, you needed to identify one additional document that would aid in your analysis; the new rubric does not have this requirement
The essential components of the DBQ are still the same between the two formats, though you should definitely look at the current rubric if you study with any old AP World History questions and samples. You might find it useful to look at the old essays and score them according to the current rubric.
Here are old AP World History questions and DBQ sample responses , organized by year:
Don't worry, the old format isn't as old as this guy right here.
How Should I Use DBQ Examples to Prepare?
Now that you have all these examples, what should you do with them? In this section, we'll give you some tips on how to use example DBQs in your own AP history prep , including when to start using them and how many you should plan to review.
What Should I Do With These DBQs?
Official sample essay sets are a great way to test how well you understand the rubric. This is why we recommend that you grade a sample set early on in your study process—maybe even before you've written a practice DBQ .
Then, when you compare the scores you gave to the official scores and scoring notes given to the samples, you'll have a better idea of what parts of the rubric you don't really understand . If there are points you are consistently awarding differently than the graders, you’ll know those are skills you'll need to work on.
Keep giving points for the thesis and then finding out the sample didn't get those points? This tells you to work more on your thesis skills. Not giving points for historical context and then finding out the AP grader gave full credit? You need to work on recognizing what constitutes historical context according to the AP.
Check out my tips on building specific rubric-based skills in our guide on how to write a DBQ .
Once you've worked on some of those rubric skills you're weaker in, such as evaluating a good thesis or keeping track of how many documents were used, grade another sample set. This way you can see how your ability to grade the essays like an AP grader improves over time!
Obviously, grading sample exams is a much more difficult process if you're looking at examples in an old format. The old scores as awarded by the College Board will be helpful in establishing a ballpark —a 9 is still going to be a good essay using the current 7-point scale—but there may be some modest differences in grades between the two scales. (For example, maybe that perfect 9 is now more like a 6 out of 7 due to rubric changes.)
For practice grading with old samples, you might want to pull out two copies of the current rubric, recruit a trusted study buddy or academic advisor (or even two study buddies!), and have each of you re-grade the samples .
You can then discuss any major differences in the grades each of you awarded. Having multiple sets of eyes will help you determine whether the scores you're giving are reasonable, since you won’t have an official 7-point College Board score for comparison.
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How Many Example DBQs Should I Be Using?
The answer to this question depends on your study plans.
If it's six months before the exam and you plan on transforming yourself into a hard diamond of DBQ excellence, you might do practice grading on a sample set every few weeks to a month to check your progress to being able to think like an AP grader. In this case, you would probably use six to nine official sample sets.
If, on the other hand, the exam is in a month and you're just trying to get in some extra skill-polishing, you might do a sample set every week to 10 days . It makes sense to check your skills more often when you have less time to study because you want to be sure that you are focusing your time on the skills that need the most work. For a short time frame, expect to use somewhere in the range of three to four official sample sets.
Either way, you should be integrating your sample essay grading with skills practice and doing some practice DBQ writing of your own .
Toward the end of your study time, you could even integrate DBQ writing practice with sample grading. Read and complete a timed prompt and then grade the sample set for that prompt, including yours! The other essays will help give you a sense of what score your essay might have received that year and any areas you might have overlooked.
There's no one-size-fits-all approach to using sample sets, but in general they are a useful tool for making sure you have a good idea what the DBQ graders will be looking for when you write your own DBQ on test day.
Hey, where can we find a good DBQ around here?
Closing Thoughts: Example DBQs for AP History Tests
Example DBQ essays are a valuable resource in your arsenal of study strategies for the AP history exams. Grading samples carefully will help you get a sense of your own blind spots so you'll know what skills to focus on in your prep.
That said, sample essays will be most useful when integrated with your own targeted skills prep . Grading 100 sample essays won't help you if you aren't practicing your skills; rather, you'll just keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
Make sure you aren't using sample essays to avoid writing practice DBQs either—you'll want to do at least a couple, even if you only have a month to practice.
And there you have it, folks. With this list of DBQ examples and tips on how to use them, you are all prepared to integrate samples into your study strategy!
What's Next?
Still not sure what a DBQ is? Check out my explanation of the DBQ to learn the basics.
Want tips on how to really dig in and study for AP history tests? We've got a complete how-to guide on preparing for and writing the DBQ .
If you're still studying for AP World History, check out our top AP World History study guide , or get more practice tests from our complete list .
Want more study material for AP US History? Look into this article on the best notes to use for studying from one of our experts. Also, read our review of the best AP US History textbooks !
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
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What is a DBQ? An Essential Guide to Document-Based Questions
As you prepare for your upcoming AP tests, you’ll likely hear the term DBQ thrown around multiple times. DBQs are crucial to your overall AP test score and help demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and analytical abilities.
But what is a DBQ, and how can you use it to your advantage on the AP exams? This article will answer your questions about DBQs, from what they look like and how they’re scored to what the rubric means. We’ll also look at the purpose of the DBQ as well as which exams include a DBQ. Read on for more information about DBQs and how to use them to your advantage.
What is a DBQ?
Let’s start by answering the essential question: what is a DBQ? The document-based question, or DBQ, is an essay question included in many Advanced Placement (AP) exams. DBQs are worth a significant portion of your overall grade on the AP test and are meant to assess your ability to analyze primary sources.
Which Exams Include a DBQ?
DBQs are included in many Advanced Placement (AP) exams, including AP History, AP English Language and Composition, and AP World History. They are also included in some SAT subject tests, such as SAT II US History, SAT II World History, and SAT II Literature. To correctly answer a DBQ, you must analyze historical documents as evidence to answer a primary question regarding historical events or issues.
What Does the DBQ Format Look Like?
Students can format a DBQ response in the same way they would with a standard analytical essay. Generally speaking, you should format your DBQ as follows:
- Introduction: In the introduction, you should explain what the essay is about, introduce your argument, write your thesis statement, and describe the main points that you will be addressing in the essay.
- Body: The essay’s body should consist of several paragraphs, each focusing on one central point you outlined in the introduction. Each paragraph should begin with a comprehensive topic sentence and be supported with evidence from the documents.
- Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the central points of your essay and restate your argument. It should also explain how your argument supports the prompt.
When writing your DBQ essay during an AP exam, you will be given 15 minutes to look over the documents provided for the essay. You will spend the remaining 45 minutes writing the essay following this period. Most DBQs provide numerous documents to consider when supporting your argument, so understanding each document is crucial.
AP exams usually include two DBQs. Students have 90 minutes to write their essays after reviewing the documents.
How is the DBQ Scored?
Your DBQ will be scored based on how thoroughly you answer the prompt, the strength of your argument, the quality of your evidence, and how effectively you use the source material. DBQs are the second-highest contributor to your final score. The DBQ rubric emphasizes your essay’s thesis, analysis, evidence, and synthesis. These essays are scored based on the following categories and points system:
- Thesis (0-1 point)
- Contextualization (0-1 point)
- Evidence (0-3 points)
- Analysis (0-2 points)
How Much is the Document-Based Question Worth?
The DBQ is worth a significant portion of your grade on the AP test. Typically, the DBQ will be worth 25% of your overall score.
What Does the Rubric Mean?
The DBQ rubric is a set of criteria used to evaluate essays. It is divided into the categories listed above. But what does the rubric mean, and what should you expect to be graded on for each category? Below is a breakdown of each category and how points are determined.
- Thesis: You earn a point on your DBQ thesis if you successfully make a claim responding to the prompt and addressing all of your central points that will be argued in the body. The thesis statement should be no more than two sentences, though one is preferable.
- Contextualization: The context of your essay is crucial to a comprehensive and highly graded DBQ response. This portion relates to whether your thesis and arguments are connected to broader historical contexts central to the question.
- Evidence: Students will earn anywhere from one to three points based on how successfully they incorporate the document-based evidence. Two points are earned when a student’s response describes the document’s content. The third point is earned if students integrate a document’s evidence throughout the essay rather than taking large chunks and quotes from the documents without providing analysis.
- Analysis: Finally, you can earn one point for your analysis if you can accurately depict the content from each document, including its purpose and perspective. Students earn two points for responses that display a nuanced understanding of historical events relating to the documents.
What’s the Purpose of a DBQ?
The purpose of a DBQ is to assess your ability to analyze primary historical sources. DBQs test your skills and whether you can comprehensively respond to each question with a detailed explanation of the documents. DBQs focus on your analytical skills, overall knowledge of the subject, and ability to understand and break down historical documents.
It tests your ability to identify critical points and analyze how the documents support them. Additionally, it tests your ability to write a strong argument and support it with evidence. DBQs also demonstrate your understanding of the political and cultural contexts behind historical documents and their related events.
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DBQ Example: How to Tackle Document-Based Questions
- September 6, 2023
- General Information
Table of Contents
- 1 What is a DBQ?
- 2 How to effectively answer a DBQ
- 3 Tips for tackling DBQs
- 4 An example of a DBQ question
- 5 How to score well on DBQs
- 6 Conclusion
Are you ready to tackle document-based questions (DBQs) with confidence? Whether you’re a student working on an assignment or preparing for an exam, mastering the art of answering DBQs is essential. These complex questions require critical thinking, analysis, and the ability to synthesize information from various documents. But fear not! In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of effectively tackling DBQs by providing tips and strategies that will help you shine in any situation. So grab your pen and get ready to dive into a real-life DBQ example as we unlock the secrets to success!
What is a DBQ?
A Document-Based Question, commonly known as a DBQ, is an assessment tool used in history and social studies classes to evaluate students’ ability to analyze and interpret primary source documents. These documents can include letters, photographs, speeches, maps, and other artifacts from a particular historical period.
DBQs are designed to test your critical thinking skills by requiring you to examine the provided documents and develop an argument or response based on the information they contain. This means that you need to not only understand the content of each document but also identify any biases or perspectives presented.
The goal of a DBQ is not simply to regurgitate facts from the documents but rather to demonstrate your understanding of historical context and your ability to construct a well-supported argument using evidence from the sources.
To successfully tackle a DBQ, it’s important to approach it with a clear plan in mind. Start by carefully reading through all of the provided documents and taking notes on key details or themes that emerge. Then, consider how these pieces fit together within the larger historical context being examined.
As you begin crafting your response, remember that organization is key. Your essay should have a clear introduction stating your thesis statement – this will be your main argument or claim based on analyzing the given materials. Each subsequent paragraph should focus on supporting evidence from specific documents while also addressing counterarguments or alternative viewpoints.
By effectively tackling DBQs using these strategies outlined above—and practicing them consistently—you’ll soon find yourself confidently navigating through complex historical questions like never before! So let’s dive into some practical tips for success in our next section!
How to effectively answer a DBQ
When it comes to tackling a Document-Based Question (DBQ), it’s important to have a clear and effective strategy in place. Here are some tips to help you navigate through the process and come up with a strong response.
Make sure you thoroughly read and understand the prompt. Take note of any specific instructions or guidelines provided. This will help you focus your analysis and avoid going off track.
Next, carefully examine each document provided. Pay attention to details such as the author, date, and context of each source. Look for patterns or themes that emerge across multiple documents, as this can provide valuable insights for your response.
As you analyze the documents, be sure to consider their point of view or bias. Consider why the author may have written what they did and how this influences their perspective on the topic at hand.
When crafting your response, be sure to incorporate evidence from the documents into your argument. Use direct quotes or specific examples to support your points and demonstrate your understanding of the material.
Additionally, don’t forget about outside information! While the primary focus should be on analyzing the provided documents, incorporating relevant knowledge from outside sources can strengthen your argument and showcase a deeper understanding of the topic.
Take time to organize your thoughts before writing out your response. Create an outline or structure for your essay that clearly lays out how you plan to address each part of the prompt. This will ensure that your ideas flow logically and cohesively throughout.
By following these strategies for effectively answering DBQs, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle any question that comes your way! Remember: practice makes perfect when it comes to mastering this format.
Also Read: Epilogue Definition: Examining the Final Chapters and Closure in Literary Works
Tips for tackling DBQs
1. Analyze the Prompt: Before diving into the documents, take a moment to carefully read and understand the prompt. Pay attention to keywords and directives that guide your response.
2. Familiarize Yourself with the Documents: Take a quick scan of all the provided documents to get an overview of their content. Note any patterns or themes that emerge.
3. Create a Thesis Statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that directly addresses the prompt and outlines your main argument. This will serve as a roadmap for your essay.
4. Group Documents Strategically: As you analyze each document, group them based on similarities in theme or perspective. This helps to organize your thoughts and create coherent paragraphs.
5. Use Outside Knowledge: To strengthen your analysis, bring in relevant knowledge from outside sources when appropriate. This shows depth of understanding and can earn you extra points.
6. Cite Specific Evidence: When referencing specific documents or outside information, be sure to cite evidence using parenthetical citations (e.g., Document 1) or by mentioning key details.
7. Practice Time Management: Be mindful of time constraints when tackling DBQs during exams or timed assignments. Break down your essay into manageable sections to ensure you have enough time for each component.
8. Avoid Summarizing Documents: Instead of simply summarizing what each document says, focus on analyzing its significance within the context of the prompt and supporting your thesis statement.
9. Revise Your Essay: After completing your initial draft, take some time to review and revise it for clarity, coherence, grammar errors,and punctuation mistakes . Make sure each paragraph builds upon one another smoothly.
10. Seek Feedback if Possible:: If possible , ask someone knowledgeable about DBQs or an instructor familiar with this type of writing assignment,,to provide feedback on how well you addressed the prompt,cited evidence,and organizedyour ideas.
An example of a DBQ question
Let’s dive into an example of a Document-Based Question (DBQ) to get a better understanding of how they work. Imagine you’re given the following prompt: “Evaluate the impact of industrialization on workers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
To effectively tackle this question, you’ll need to analyze and interpret a combination of primary and secondary sources. These documents could include photographs, letters, newspaper articles, or even excerpts from historical texts.
As you examine each document, pay attention to the author’s perspective and purpose. Are they advocating for workers’ rights or promoting capitalism? Look for patterns, contradictions, and connections between different sources.
Remember that your response should be well-structured with an introduction that clearly states your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should focus on analyzing specific documents while incorporating outside knowledge when relevant.
When crafting your essay, make sure to use evidence from the provided documents to support your arguments. Your conclusion should summarize your main points without introducing any new information.
By following these steps and practicing with sample DBQs beforehand, you’ll become more comfortable tackling these complex questions!
How to score well on DBQs
Scoring well on Document-Based Questions (DBQs) can be a challenge, but with the right approach, you can ace these exams and showcase your historical analysis skills. Here are some tips to help you score well on DBQs:
1. Understand the prompt: Carefully read and analyze the prompt before diving into the documents. Identify key terms and concepts that will guide your response.
2. Analyze the documents: Take time to thoroughly examine each document provided. Look for patterns, biases, and connections between different sources. Consider their context, authorship, purpose, and audience.
3. Organize your thoughts: Before writing your essay, create an outline or graphic organizer to structure your arguments. This will ensure a logical flow of ideas and help you stay focused throughout.
4. Use evidence effectively: Support your claims with specific examples from the documents provided. Be sure to explain how each piece of evidence supports your argument.
5. Provide historical context: Situate your analysis within its historical context by referencing relevant events or developments outside of the given documents.
6. Practice good writing skills: Clearly communicate your ideas in a concise and coherent manner using proper grammar and vocabulary appropriate for an academic setting.
7. Don’t forget about counterarguments: Acknowledge other perspectives or interpretations when appropriate and address them in order to strengthen your own argument.
By following these strategies, you’ll be able to approach DBQs with confidence and increase your chances of scoring well on these challenging assessments. Good luck!
Also Read: DBQ Meaning: Decoding the Purpose and Approach of Document-Based Questions
Mastering the art of tackling Document-Based Questions (DBQs) is crucial for success in history and social science exams. By understanding what a DBQ entails, effectively answering the question, utilizing helpful tips, reviewing an example, and aiming for a high score, students can excel in these challenging assessments.
A DBQ is an essay-style question that requires students to analyze and interpret historical documents to support their argument. To answer a DBQ effectively:
1. Carefully read and understand the prompt. 2. Analyze each document individually. 3. Identify patterns or themes across the documents. 4. Organize your thoughts into a clear thesis statement. 5. Support your argument with evidence from the documents.
Here are some additional tips to help you tackle DBQs successfully:
1. Familiarize yourself with different types of primary sources like maps, letters, speeches etc., as they may appear in DBQ prompts. 2. Use annotations or highlighters to mark important details within each document. 3. Create an outline before writing your essay to ensure logical flow and organization. 4. Provide context for the time period being discussed using relevant background information.
To illustrate these concepts further, let’s examine an example of a DBQ question: “Evaluate the impact of World War II on women’s roles in society.”
By following the steps outlined earlier—careful reading of documents; identifying patterns; organizing thoughts; supporting arguments—a student might argue that World War II had significant effects on women’s roles due to increased employment opportunities outside traditional domestic spheres.
Scoring well on DBQs requires demonstrating both content knowledge and critical thinking skills. Remember these key points:
1. Accurately interpret primary sources by considering their purpose, audience bias etc., while analyzing them critically 2. Support arguments with specific evidence from multiple documents 3. Address counterarguments or alternative viewpoints if necessary 4. Compose clear essays with coherent structure that include strong introductions, well-developed body paragraphs and concise conclusions.
Mastering the art of answering document-based questions is essential for success in history and social science exams. By following the tips outlined in this post, you’ll be able to effectively tackle any DBQ that comes your way!
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The Expert’s Guide on How to Write a DBQ like a pro
Writing a Document-Based Question (DBQ) involves analyzing historical documents and crafting an essay that responds to a specific prompt or question.
Sometimes working on such an assignment gets very challenging for students. Especially those students who are not fully aware of the requirements of this academic activity.
That’s where this blog post becomes very handy as it will guide you on the right track of learning how to write a DBQ like the best paper writing help providers.
Table of Contents
What is a DBQ Essay?
A dbq essay is an essay-based assessment in history or social studies where you analyze and interpret primary source documents to craft an argument based on what you read and your own knowledge about the topic. Let’s explore what our writers think are some common problems students face while writing a dbq.
Common Problems Students Encounter While Writing a DBQ
- Misreading the question might cause you to give an answer that isn’t relevant.
- Difficulty in comprehending and analyzing provided documents affects argument construction.
- Figuring out how to assemble arguments using documents and extra info can be tricky.
- Crafting a clear thesis that incorporates documents and addresses the prompt can be tough.
- Picking out evidence from documents and other sources and using it in the right way is really important.
- Figuring out how to juggle analyzing, planning, and getting your writing done before the deadline can be stressful.
Steps to Write a Perfect DBQ
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps:
Get a Good Understanding of the Prompt
Thoroughly Read the Prompt: For your essay, you need to figure out the time period, the background history, and the exact question you’re trying to answer.
Example Prompt:
“Evaluate the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the workforce in the United States. Analyze at least five documents and your knowledge of the time period to develop your argument.”
- Understanding the Prompt
- Identify Key Elements
Historical Context: World War II in the United States.
Time Frame: The period during and immediately after World War II.
Specific Task/Question: Evaluate the impact of the war on women’s roles in the workforce.
- Breakdown of the Prompt
Topic: Impact of World War II.
Focus: Women’s roles in the workforce.
Requirement: Analyze a minimum of five documents and incorporate outside knowledge of the time.
Task Verb: “Evaluate,” meaning assess or judge the impact.
- Understanding the Scope
Think about how the war changed women’s roles in the workforce – not the war’s wider implications or other elements.
- Developing the Approach
Documents and Outside Knowledge: You should take information from at least five of the given documents and combine it with your own understanding of the period.
Analytical Perspective: The emphasis is on evaluating and analyzing the impact, which requires critical thinking and interpretation of the sources.
Application to Writing
For this essay, it’s essential to get a handle on women’s roles in the workforce during World War II. Breaking down the documents should focus on how they show changes, difficulties, or changes in women’s jobs during that time.
For example, there could be government materials advocating for female workers, numbers on how many women are employed, stories from ladies about what it’s like to work in a factory, or pieces discussing people’s opinions of women joining jobs that are usually held by guys.
Analyze the Documents
Interact with the given sources, taking into account their background, who wrote them, who they were intended for, and their importance in history. Sort them into categories based on shared themes, points of view, or arguments.
Example Documents:
Document 1:
Type: Government propaganda poster encouraging women to work in factories during WWII.
Context: Produced in 1943 by the U.S. government to address labor shortages.
Authorship: Created by a government agency.
Intended Audience: Targeted at women to persuade them to join the workforce.
Historical Significance: Illustrates the government’s efforts to mobilize women for wartime production, portraying them as patriotic contributors to the war effort.
Document 2:
Type: Newspaper article published in 1945 discussing post-war employment trends.
Context: Written towards the end of WWII.
Authorship: Written by a journalist for a mainstream newspaper.
Intended Audience: General readership interested in post-war developments.
Historical Significance: Provides insights into societal expectations regarding women’s roles post-war and reflects on potential changes in employment patterns.
Document 3:
Type: Personal diary entry from a female factory worker in 1942.
Context: Written during the peak of wartime production.
Authorship: Authored by an anonymous factory worker.
Intended Audience: Intended for personal reflection, not public consumption.
Historical Significance: Offers a firsthand account of the challenges and experiences of a woman in the wartime workforce, capturing the emotional and practical aspects.
Analyzing the Documents
- Understanding Context, Authorship, and Audience
Contextual Relevance: It’s really important to know where the documents come from and how long they’ve been around for to get the full picture of their importance with regards to World War II.
Authorship Impact: By figuring out who wrote the document, whether it’s from a government agency, a reporter, or an individual, it can help you understand if there might be any underlying bias or purpose.
Audience Influence: Figuring out who the document is meant for gives you an idea of what it’s trying to say and why.
- Categorizing Based on Themes or Perspectives
Common Themes: Look for any similarities among the documents. They could be patriotism, societal expectations, or the difficulties women face in the workplace.
Perspectives: Organize documents that have different or similar points of view. For instance, government-issued material and people’s personal stories might provide different outlooks on women working during wartime.
How to Apply this Step
In the essay, these documents would be analyzed based on their unique contexts, biases, and perspectives. Government propaganda might highlight the state’s efforts to mobilize women, while personal diaries could reveal the emotional toll or day-to-day realities of working women.
Organizing documents by similar topics or points of view makes it easier to study them. For example, if you put together papers that talk about how women’s roles were seen after World War II, it could help you form ideas about how standards shifted.
Develop a Thesis Statement
Formulate a Clear Thesis: Create a brief thesis statement that answers the question asked and outlines what your essay will be about.
Coming up with a good thesis statement is really important for a DBQ essay. To help illustrate this, let’s check out an example based on a prompt about how World War II changed women’s roles in the US.
Example Prompt
Developing a Thesis Statement
Key Focus: Impact of WWII on women’s workforce roles.
Specific Task: Evaluate and analyze using provided documents and additional knowledge.
- Crafting a Thesis
Sample Thesis Statement: “World War II significantly transformed women’s roles in the American workforce by catalyzing increased participation, altering societal perceptions, and setting the stage for long-term economic and social changes.”
- Breaking Down the Thesis
Clear Response: The thesis directly addresses the prompt by acknowledging the transformative impact of WWII on women’s roles.
Three Key Arguments:
Increased Participation: Highlighting the rise in women joining the workforce during the war.
Societal Perceptions: Discussion on how perceptions of women’s capabilities shifted due to their wartime contributions.
Long-Term Impact: Indicating that these changes extended beyond the war, affecting the economy and society.
- Evidence and Analysis
Supported by Documents: The thesis aligns with the analysis of the provided documents. For example, government propaganda may support increased participation, while personal accounts could reveal societal shifts.
Room for Analysis: It sets the stage for in-depth analysis in body paragraphs, allowing examination of specific document evidence to support each argument.
This Step Application in Writing
In the essay, each body paragraph would focus on one aspect mentioned in the thesis. For instance:
Paragraph 1: Analyzes how women’s participation in the workforce increased during WWII using specific document evidence.
Paragraph 2: Explores societal perceptions through various document perspectives and contextualizes these changes.
Paragraph 3: Discusses the long-term impact, drawing connections between wartime changes and post-war societal shifts using a blend of document evidence and external knowledge.
Outline your Essay
Organize your Thoughts: Create an outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Introduction: Set the context, present your thesis, and briefly outline the main points you’ll address.
Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect supported by evidence from the documents. Use topic sentences, evidence, and analysis to support your argument.
Conclusion: Summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and provide a broader historical context or implications of your argument.
Let’s create an outline for a DBQ essay based on the prompt about World War II’s impact on women’s roles in the American workforce:
Outline for a DBQ Essay
Here are complete details on the dbq structure or dbq outline:
- Introduction:
Context Setting: Discuss the historical background of women’s roles pre-WWII and the societal norms regarding women in the workforce.
Thesis Statement: Introduce the thesis that highlights the transformative impact of WWII on women’s roles in the American workforce.
Preview of Main Points: Briefly outline the main arguments that will be explored in the body paragraphs.
- Body Paragraphs:
- Increased Participation:
Topic Sentence: Women’s increased participation in the workforce during WWII was a notable shift in societal norms.
Document Evidence: Reference specific documents, like government propaganda or statistical data, showcasing the rise in female employment.
Analysis: Discuss the significance of this increase, its implications, and its portrayal in the provided documents.
- Societal Perceptions and Changes:
Topic Sentence: The war prompted a shift in societal perceptions about women’s capabilities in the workplace.
Document Evidence: Utilize personal accounts or editorials from the provided sources reflecting changing attitudes towards women in traditionally male-dominated roles.
Analysis: Examine the evolution of societal views depicted in the documents and analyze their historical significance.
- Long-Term Impacts Beyond the War:
Topic Sentence: The changes initiated during WWII had lasting effects on the role of women in the post-war American workforce.
Document Evidence: Extract examples from documents discussing post-war employment trends or societal adaptations.
Analysis: Explore how the changes during the war era influenced the trajectory of women’s employment and societal roles in the subsequent years.
- Conclusion:
Summarize Main Points: Recap the key arguments presented in the body paragraphs, emphasizing their significance.
Restate Thesis: Reinforce the thesis statement while demonstrating how it’s supported by the evidence analyzed.
Broader Historical Context: Provide a brief discussion on the broader implications of these changes, connecting them to larger historical trends or societal impacts beyond the scope of the prompt.
Application of this Step
This outlined structure ensures a well-organized essay that adheres to the prompt’s requirements. Each body paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the thesis, supported by evidence from the provided documents and followed by insightful analysis. The conclusion summarizes the key points while expanding on the broader implications of the arguments presented.
Interesting Note
Many students hire a professional thesis writing service provider just to make them an outline for their DBQ essay.
Use Evidence from the Documents
Cite Document Evidence: Incorporate specific examples and quotes from the provided documents to support your arguments.
Analyze the Documents: Offer critical analysis of the documents, explaining how they support or contradict your thesis.
Let’s explore how to use evidence from documents and analyze them within the context of a DBQ essay about the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:
Incorporating Document Evidence:
Document 1: Government Propaganda Poster
“Join the Women’s Land Army – Help Farmers Win the War!”
Incorporating Evidence: The poster portrays women as vital contributors to the war effort by encouraging them to join agricultural work.
“Rosie the Riveter” by J. Howard Miller (1942)
Incorporating Evidence: The iconic “Rosie” poster symbolizes women’s participation in industrial work, urging them to take up factory jobs.
Document 2: Newspaper Article from 1945
“Post-War Employment Trends: Women Expected to Return to Domestic Roles”
Incorporating Evidence: The article reflects societal expectations, predicting a return of women to traditional domestic roles post-war.
Document 3: Personal Diary Entry from a Factory Worker (1942)
“Today was exhausting. Worked 12 hours at the factory. Proud to contribute, but worried about balancing home and work responsibilities.”
Incorporating Evidence: The diary entry provides a personal perspective, revealing the challenges and pride associated with working in the wartime industry.
Analyzing Document Evidence
- Analyzing Document 1 – Government Propaganda Poster
Support for Thesis: The poster supports the thesis by illustrating the government’s effort to mobilize women into various sectors of the economy during wartime.
Contradictions: It might contradict the societal norms of women’s roles as homemakers, highlighting a shift in perceptions.
- Analyzing Document 2 – Newspaper Article
Support for Thesis: The article aligns with the thesis by depicting societal expectations of women returning to traditional roles, showcasing the societal pressures women faced post-war.
Challenge to Thesis: However, it might challenge the notion of a long-term impact by suggesting a potential regression in women’s roles.
- Analyzing Document 3 – Personal Diary Entry
Support for Thesis: The diary entry corroborates the thesis by portraying the challenges faced by women in balancing work and home responsibilities during the war.
Emotional Impact: It adds a human element, illustrating the emotional toll of working women during the wartime period.
How Can We Apply This One
In the essay, incorporating evidence involves seamlessly integrating specific examples from the documents into each body paragraph. For instance:
Paragraph on Increased Participation: Reference the “Rosie the Riveter” poster to illustrate the government’s push for women’s involvement in industrial jobs.
Paragraph on Societal Perceptions: Cite the newspaper article to depict societal expectations that contradicted women’s sustained participation in the workforce.
Paragraph on Long-Term Impacts: Utilize the diary entry to showcase the personal struggles faced by working women and its implications for their roles post-war.
Contextualize
Provide Historical Context: Integrate broader historical context beyond the provided documents to strengthen your argument and showcase a deeper understanding of the topic.
In a DBQ essay about the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce, integrating a broader historical context beyond the provided documents is crucial to offer a comprehensive understanding and strengthen the argument.
Contextualizing Historical Background
- Pre-WWII Women’s Roles
Traditional Gender Roles: Pre-war society primarily depicted women as homemakers, limited to domestic responsibilities.
Limited Work Opportunities: Women had limited access to professional jobs and were often confined to specific roles, such as teaching or nursing.
- The Impact of World War II on Society
Shift in Labor Dynamics: The war created labor shortages, prompting industries to recruit women to fill positions traditionally held by men.
Rise of Propaganda: Government campaigns like “Rosie the Riveter” aimed to mobilize women into industrial and agricultural sectors to support the war effort.
- Societal Changes Post-War
Expectations vs. Reality: Post-war, societal expectations often pressured women to return to traditional roles despite their proven capabilities during the war.
Long-Term Impacts: Despite the post-war societal pressure, women’s increased participation in the workforce during WWII set the stage for gradual changes in societal perceptions and employment opportunities for women.
Integration into Writing
Incorporating this broader historical context into the essay strengthens the argument by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing women’s roles during and after WWII.
Introduction: Briefly touch upon the pre-war societal norms regarding women’s roles to set the stage for discussing the revolutionary changes brought about by WWII.
Body Paragraphs: Use the historical context to explain the significance of the wartime changes in contrast to pre-war expectations. For instance, contrast the limited opportunities for women before the war with the unprecedented employment opportunities created during the war.
Conclusion: Summarize how the war acted as a catalyst for altering perceptions of women’s capabilities and briefly discuss the lasting implications of these changes in the post-war era.
In a body paragraph discussing societal perceptions, you might incorporate the broader historical context:
“Contrary to pre-war societal expectations that confined women to domestic spheres, World War II served as a watershed moment. The labor shortages prompted a seismic shift in employment dynamics, challenging the traditional roles assigned to women. This unprecedented recruitment of women into various sectors previously dominated by men, as evident from the provided documents, laid the foundation for a fundamental reevaluation of women’s capabilities and their contributions to the workforce.”
Be Clear and Analytical
Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner, ensuring your ideas flow logically. Use historical reasoning to analyze the documents critically and offer insightful interpretations.
Writing with clarity and adopting an analytical approach is pivotal in crafting a successful DBQ essay. Let’s explore this with examples in the context of the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:
Clarity in Writing
- Clear and Concise Expression
Example: “The rise in female workforce participation during WWII challenged conventional gender roles, ushering in a new era of women’s contributions to the nation’s economy.”
Explanation: This sentence succinctly summarizes a significant impact of WWII on women’s roles, avoiding unnecessary complexity while conveying a clear message.
- Logical Organization
Example: Using clear transitions between paragraphs to maintain a coherent flow of ideas.
Explanation: Smooth transitions help readers follow the essay’s progression, ensuring a logical and organized presentation of arguments.
Analytical Approach
- Critical Document Analysis
Example: “The government’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’ campaign symbolized the pivotal role women played in industrial work, challenging societal norms.”
Explanation: This analysis goes beyond describing the document; it interprets its significance in challenging societal perceptions, offering a deeper understanding.
- Historical Reasoning
Example: “The wartime surge in female employment not only addressed labor shortages but also reshaped societal attitudes towards women’s capabilities in non-traditional roles.”
Explanation: By connecting historical events to broader implications, this analysis demonstrates a deep understanding of the historical context.
Using This in Our Writing
Incorporating clarity and an analytical approach into the essay involves crafting clear and concise sentences while providing insightful interpretations of the provided documents and historical context:
Clear Writing: Ensure each sentence contributes directly to the argument, avoiding vague or ambiguous language.
Analytical Analysis: Go beyond summarizing the documents; instead, interpret their implications and connections to broader historical contexts. For instance, explore how the “Rosie the Riveter” campaign challenged gender norms and impacted societal perceptions of women’s roles.
Proofread and Revise
Proofreading: Review your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
Content Revision: Ensure that your arguments are coherent, well-supported, and directly address the prompt.
Proofreading and revising are crucial steps in writing a DBQ essay. Let’s delve into these steps with examples in the context of the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:
Proofreading
- Spelling and Grammar
Example: “The government’s propaganda played a vital role in mobilizing women.”
Revision: “The government’s propaganda played a vital role in mobilizing women.”
- Punctuation
Example: “Women’s participation increased during WWII government propaganda played a crucial role.”
Revision: “Women’s participation increased during WWII; government propaganda played a crucial role.”
Content Revision
- Coherence of Arguments
Example: Incoherent argument sequence: Discussing post-war changes before explaining wartime impact.
Revision: Reorganize paragraphs to present arguments logically, starting with wartime impact and leading into post-war changes.
- Support for Arguments
Example: Making claims without documented evidence or analysis to support them.
Revision: Incorporate specific examples and analysis from the provided documents to substantiate each argument.
Applying the Concept in Our Writing
Proofreading: After completing the essay, review it carefully for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Use tools like spell checkers but also read the essay aloud or have someone else review it for better accuracy.
Content Revision: Ensure that each argument directly addresses the prompt and is supported by evidence from the documents. Revisit each paragraph to verify that it contributes to the essay’s central thesis and maintains a logical flow of ideas.
Sample Integration
“During World War II, women’s roles in the American workforce underwent a profound transformation. The government’s propaganda, such as the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster, served as a catalyst in reshaping societal perceptions about women’s capabilities. Women’s increased participation in traditionally male-dominated industries, as evidenced by government campaigns, directly countered pre-war societal norms.”
Revising for Clarity and Coherence
“The ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster is an iconic symbol of the seismic shift in women’s roles during WWII. Its depiction of a confident female worker challenged traditional gender roles, exemplifying the transformative impact of the war on societal perceptions. Moreover, personal accounts, like the diary entry of a factory worker, highlight the challenges and pride associated with women’s contributions to the wartime economy.”
Practice and Time Management
Practice Writing DBQs: Familiarize yourself with the format and practice analyzing documents to enhance your skills.
Time Management: Practice writing within the allocated time frame to ensure you can effectively complete the essay section in the given time.
Developing proficiency in writing DBQ essays involves practice and effective time management. Here’s a breakdown with dbq example in the context of analyzing the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:
Practice Writing DBQs
- Familiarizing with the Format
Example: Analyze various DBQ prompts on different historical topics, such as the Civil Rights Movement or Industrial Revolution, to understand the varied approaches and required analyses.
Practice Task: Answering a prompt on the Civil Rights Movement, exploring documents related to key events and societal changes.
- Enhancing Document Analysis Skills
Example: Engage in document-based activities by examining historical texts, images, or speeches to sharpen document analysis skills.
Practice Task: Analyzing primary sources related to women’s suffrage movements and their impact on societal changes.
Time Management
- Setting Time Limits for Practice Essays
Example: Allocate a specific time frame (e.g., 45 minutes) to complete a practice DBQ essay, mirroring the time constraints of the actual exam.
Practice Task: Answering a DBQ prompt on the impact of technological advancements on society within the given time limit.
- Effective Planning during Practice Sessions
Example: Devote a set time for reading and analyzing the documents, outlining the essay, and writing the actual response.
Allocating 15 minutes for document analysis, 10 minutes for outlining, and 20 minutes for writing a practice DBQ on the Civil War’s economic effects.
Using it in Your Writing
Regular Practice: Engaging in frequent DBQ practice sessions hones document analysis skills, improves writing coherence, and familiarizes you with effective time management strategies.
Simulation of Exam Conditions: Replicate exam conditions during practice sessions, including time limits and adherence to the DBQ format, to simulate the actual test environment.
Integrating the Sample
“I dedicated 15 minutes to analyzing the provided documents, and identifying recurring themes and perspectives. Then, I spent 10 minutes outlining the essay, and organizing arguments based on document evidence. Finally, within the remaining 20 minutes, I crafted a well-structured response to the DBQ prompt on the Industrial Revolution’s impact on urbanization.”
Seek Feedback
Share your practice essays for constructive feedback to improve your writing and analysis skills.
Still Confused?
Writing a good dbq essay takes a structured process. From understanding the prompt to writing the facts and supporting them with evidence, every step takes good efforts from the students. Hopefully, the practical approach used in this blog post has helped you grasp the key elements of writing a good dbq. Such that you won’t have to search how to write a dbq again. If you are still in sixes and sevens about this writing, don’t hesitate to consult our professional writers.
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What is a DBQ? - What You Need to Know
Reviewed by:
Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University
Reviewed: 2/12/24
As you prepare for your AP exams, you might be wondering about the meaning of a Document-Based Question. This article provides you with everything you need to know about this topic.
As high school students think about applying for colleges, some take as many Advanced Placement (AP) courses as possible to increase their chances of getting into the college they want. While AP classes are not necessary for getting admitted into college, these classes do help your chances of being accepted.
The Document-Based Question is an essay you’ll have to write as a requirement for all AP History exams. In the sections below, we’ll cover how to answer this essay in detail.
What is a DBQ Essay?
DBQ stands for Document-Based Question in a timed essay used in AP History exams. Students are provided with 7-12 historical documents and must use their content to write a thesis-driven essay that answers a prompt.
DBQ essays test skills like document analysis, evidence usage, contextualization, complex understanding, and historical argumentation. Students have 15 minutes to review the documents and 45 minutes to write the essay response citing at least 6 documents.
Strong DBQ essays have a clearly stated thesis, strong organization, multi-faceted analysis, and integrate both the provided evidence and outside knowledge.
If you are taking multiple AP history courses, you may have to write multiple DBQ essays for each exam.
Here are key details about the historical documents provided on the DBQ:
- The DBQ will include 7 documents offering different perspectives related to the prompt's historical topic or theme. The documents are a mix of primary source texts, images, graphs, maps, etc. from the time period.
- The documents will represent a variety of viewpoints and purposes. Students need to analyze potential biases, the author's perspective, the audience, etc. when using them as evidence.
- The topics and time periods covered align with the curriculum. For AP US History that's units 3-7 (1754-1980). For AP World History it's units 1-6 (1200-1900).
- The types of documents are not pre-determined and can vary from exam to exam. Students should practice analyzing all formats - written texts, images, quantitative data, maps, etc.
- While the documents provide critical evidence, students also need to bring in outside information and historical context to earn the highest scores. The documents alone are not enough to answer the prompt.
- Authentic published DBQ questions and documents from past exams are available on the College Board website for practice. Teachers also create unofficial questions with the documents they select.
The purpose of a DBQ essay is to test the individual’s ability to identify and analyze patterns, issues, and trends from historical documents. The essay tests you on what you have learned and the skills you have gained throughout your AP History courses.
A DBQ medical assessment is completely different from a Document-Based Question as it stands for Disability Benefits Questionnaire. These are medical evaluation forms used to document a veteran's disability, so don’t mix the two up!
The DBQ format is similar to other essays, with an emphasis on extensive analysis of documents. A good DBQ essay will follow this format:
Introduction
- Hook and background context
- Clear thesis statement answering the prompt
Body Paragraphs
- Each paragraph supports part of the thesis with evidence from the documents and outside information
- Documents are analyzed, not just quoted
- Documents are properly cited using [document #]
- Restates thesis
- Summarizes overall argument with closing thoughts
Key aspects of the format include:
- Having at least 3 body paragraphs citing 6+ documents
- Balancing evidence from provided docs and outside info
- Explaining how outside historical factors affect the issue
- Analyzing the documents rather than just describing them
Following the standard DBQ format, analyzing the prompt, planning effective body paragraphs, and managing time are all critical skills for success.
During your AP exam , you will have 15 minutes to read over and familiarize yourself with the documents provided. You will have 45 minutes to write the essay.
How to Write a DBQ
To craft a compelling Document-Based Question, start by thoroughly understanding the prompt and documents. Next, devise a thesis that addresses the prompt and organize body paragraphs to cite at least 6 documents for evidence, incorporating external context.
Begin with an introductory paragraph that sets the stage and presents your thesis. In the body, analyze, rather than merely describe, the documents, linking evidence back to your thesis. Conclude by reaffirming your argument and offering final insights.
Make sure your argument directly responds to the essay question. You will need to provide strong evidence from the documents to support your observations throughout your essay. Like other essays, you must build a persuasive case for your argument.
Here is a breakdown of the writing process for the DBQ:
1. Read Over Your Materials
Read and familiarize yourself with the essay question before looking at the documents so you know what you are looking for.
2. Begin Your Analysis of the Documents
Read over the documents and identify patterns (or lack of), rhetoric, and other relevant information that relates to the essay question.
3. Present Your Thesis Statement
Once you have collected evidence and have an argument, write your thesis statement.
4. Plan What You Will Write, and in What Order
Ensure that you create an outline for your essay before you begin writing. This will help you organize your thoughts and make writing easier.
5. Start Writing!
Some people find it easier to write their body paragraphs first (with the thesis statement in mind) and then write their introductory and concluding paragraphs after, but write in the way that best suits you.
6. Finish With a Strong Conclusion
Your concluding paragraph will be the last piece of your essay that the markers read. Remember to avoid introducing any new ideas or arguments in the final paragraph.
7. Proofread and Edit
If you have time, proofread and edit your essay. The clearer your writing is, the easier it will be for the reader to get through your essay. Clear and concise writing will reflect in your final mark.
Keep in mind the time limit while you are writing. You only have forty-five minutes to write the essay, so you want to make sure you are using your time effectively.
Document-Based Question Examples
Here is an example of a Document-Based Question from the AP US History exam :
Analyze the responses of Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration to the problems of the Great Depression. How effective were the responses? Use the documents and your knowledge of the period 1929-1941 to construct your response.
In this DBQ, the main topic or subject is the responses of FDR's administration to the Great Depression during the period from 1929-1941. The key aspects examined are:
- The types of responses from FDR's administration - programs and policies such as the New Deal agencies and reforms
- The effectiveness of these responses in addressing the economic problems caused by the Great Depression
To write a successful Document-Based Question response, you would need to:
- Provide background context on the Great Depression
- Present and analyze the evidence provided in the documents about the responses from FDR's administration
- Include outside information about other relevant programs and policies
- Make an argument about how effective FDR's responses were in dealing with the Great Depression
Some examples of outside information you could provide:
- Background on the economic situation before the Great Depression
- Details about the impact of events like the Dust Bowl
- Information on the opposition FDR faced to his New Deal programs
Types of DBQ Prompts
There are three main types of prompts in a Document-Based Question. These questions test skills like analyzing evidence, making comparisons, explaining causation, and assessing change and continuity over time in relation to historical events, periods, geographical regions, social issues, and cultural trends.
- Continuity and change over time - e.g. analyze changes and continuities in the women's rights movement from 1848 to 1920
- Causation - e.g. analyze the causes of the rise of the New Conservatism movement in the 1960s and 1970s
- Comparison - e.g. compare and contrast the responses of Hoover's administration and FDR's administration to the Great Depression
Outside of these main types, the topics of DBQ prompts can vary widely, covering different time periods, geographical regions, events, movements, etc. But they tend to have some common themes like imperialism, revolutions, cultural trends, economic developments, demographic changes, etc.
How is a DBQ Scored?
The DBQ is worth 25% of the total exam score. Students have a 15-minute reading period to review the documents, followed by 45 minutes to write their responses. The DBQ is scored out of 7 possible points based on criteria such as thesis, context, evidence, analysis, reasoning, sourcing, and complexity.
Colleges consider your AP exam scores during the admissions process, so performing as best as you can on your AP exams does matter.
The DBQ essay is marked based on the following categories:
- Thesis statement (0-1 point)
- Contextualization (0-1 point)
- Evidence (0-3 points)
- Analysis and reasoning (0-2 points)
Here is an overview of the rubric for the DBQ essay:
Source : NEISD
The entire essay is worth seven points, each category carrying a different number of points. Keep the points system in mind when writing. It will help you strategize how much time to spend on each piece of the essay. Doing this will allow you to better manage your time and put in extra work on the factors that matter most.
You may still have other questions about the specifics of the essay. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the DBQ essay.
1. How Do You Write a DBQ?
Approach writing the DBQ like you would other persuasive history essays. Understand the question, address it directly, and use it as an opportunity to showcase your analytical and critical thinking skills. Also, prioritize well-written, grammatically correct content to enhance your essay's impact on your score.
2. What is the Purpose of a DBQ?
A DBQ tests your historian skills by checking how well you can analyze historical documents while considering their historical context. It's a way to see if you can apply what you've learned in your history classes.
3. How Long is a DBQ Essay?
You have 45 minutes for the DBQ essay, so aim for 5-6 paragraphs: an intro with your thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Keep your thesis short, and each paragraph 5-7 sentences. Quality is more important than quantity; focus on a clear and concise argument.
Final Thoughts
If AP classes are a good fit for you, you should consider taking as many as you can in areas that interest you. Top schools such as Yale , Cornell , Columbia , and Harvard take AP classes seriously when considering applicants and sometimes even give students credit for their AP classes.
Ultimately, the DBQ is similar to other essays you will find on exams but has a larger focus on the application of knowledge and skills. If you study and prepare before taking the exam, there is nothing to worry about.
While taking the exam, be aware of your time and use it wisely, develop a strong thesis statement, and create an outline for your essay. If you take all the right steps, writing your essay should be easier than you thought!
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Let's take a look at a sample AP World History DBQ question and techniques to construct a solid thesis. Using the following documents, analyze how the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups within its empire for the period 1876-1908. Identify an additional document and explain how it would help you analyze the views of the ...
If you're not sure how to write a DBQ thesis, check out this post for a failproof DBQ thesis formula and AP World History and APUSH DBQ thesis examples! If you're taking AP World History or AP United States History and feel unsure about how to approach the DBQ thesis, you've come to the right place! In this post, you'll learn about a DBQ ...
About.com has another exercise in choosing thesis statements specifically for short essays. Note, however, that most of the correct answers here would be "good" thesis statements as opposed to "super" thesis statements. This guide from the University of Iowa provides some really helpful tips on writing a thesis for a history paper.
Resources from Heimler's History: To master all the WRITING SKILLS you need, get my ESSAY CRAM COURSE: +AP Essay CRAM Course (DBQ, LEQ, SAQ Help): https://bi...
And one of the toughest parts of the test is the AP World History document-based question, or AP World DBQ. This question asks you to read and analyze documents on the fly, then write an argumentative essay…all in one hour. ... Step 2: Practice Creating a Thesis. A thesis statement is a sentence or two, located in your essay's introduction ...
AP World DBQ Contextualization and Thesis Practice. Practicing DBQ prompts is a great way to prep for the AP exam! Review practice writing samples of the opening paragraph of a DBQ and corresponding feedback from Fiveable teachers Melissa Longnecker, Eric Beckman, and Evan Liddle.
A DBQ is a "document-based" question that you'll have to answer on your AP exam. For these questions, you'll be given seven "documents," which are short readings that cover different, usually related aspects of US History. ... A thesis statement is essentially your argument in a nutshell, and it sums up the purpose of your essay. ...
The intent of this question was to assess students' ability to articulate and defend an argument based on evidence provided by a select set of historical documents. The Document-Based Question (DBQ) asked students to evaluate the extent to which European imperialism had an impact on the economies of Africa and/or Asia.
The thesis is a brief statement that introduces your argument or claim and can be supported with evidence and analysis. ... Section II of the AP Exam includes the one required Document-Based Question (DBQ.) Unlike the other free-response sections (SAQ and LEQ), there isn't any choice in what you write about for this essay. ...
A Document Based Question (DBQ) is a measure of the skills you learned in your AP classes in regard to recalling history and analyzing related documents. ... Formulate a tentative thesis A thesis is a statement that should be proved and discussed upon. It's important to have a strong thesis as the foundation of your DBQ, as it guides the rest ...
This page details all aspects of writing a DBQ including how to earn the contextualization, thesis, evidence, analysis, and sourcing points, how to write a compare & contrast essay, cause & effect essay, and change & continuity over time (CCOT) essay. It also has a free downloadable worksheet linked to it to help you organize your DBQ.
Step 3: Thesis (20 Minutes) This form of essay requires a separate 3 paragraphs for the DBQ thesis. Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence. The second paragraph should include a description of the paper. The third paragraph should include how you're going to answer the question.
Step 2. Create Your Thesis for DBQ Essay. After reading an essay recommendation, you will need to highlight a DBQ thesis sentence. It is a summary of your arguments. Make sure your thesis is a well-founded statement that responds to clues rather than just repeats them. There should be several arguments in the thesis itself.
A detailed video about the Thesis component of the Document Based Question and Long Essay Question for AP US History, AP World History, and AP European Histo...
The strength of your thesis statement influences how you write a DBQ. The standard number of theses for a DBQ essay is from 2 to 5. To determine the exact number of ideas, you must be guided by the required work. The larger the text, the stronger the thesis statement should be. It isn't easy to write a DBQ on one thesis statement.
2. Identify the prompt's keywords and assigned tasks. Ensure you understand what evidence to look for in the documents and what your essay needs to accomplish. Circle or underline task-oriented words such as "evaluate," "analyze," and "compare and contrast.".
The Document Based Question (DBQ) essay is a key feature of the APUSH exam. And at 25% of your total score, it's an important feature! Keep reading and you will get some great tips on how to write a DBQ for the APUSH exam. ... Have a clear thesis statement; Group documents and compare the groups; Don't shy away from complexity! Author ...
Whenever you write a thesis statement for class or for DBQ practice, make sure that you also take the time to find evidence that backs up your claim. Getting in the habit of doing this will make it easier for you to support your thesis statement when you answer a document-based question on an AP exam. Try taking practice DBQs.
Consider how you might integrate this castle into the DBQ that is your life. AP World History: Official College Board Examples. The World History AP exam transitioned to a new format to more closely resemble AP US History and AP European History for the 2017 test. This means that there are six past exams available that use the current DBQ format:
The thesis statement should be no more than two sentences, though one is preferable. Contextualization: The context of your essay is crucial to a comprehensive and highly graded DBQ response. This portion relates to whether your thesis and arguments are connected to broader historical contexts central to the question.
Analyze each document individually. 3. Identify patterns or themes across the documents. 4. Organize your thoughts into a clear thesis statement. 5. Support your argument with evidence from the documents. Here are some additional tips to help you tackle DBQs successfully: 1.
Writing a Document-Based Question (DBQ) involves analyzing historical documents and crafting an essay that responds to a specific prompt or question. ... Develop a Thesis Statement. Formulate a Clear Thesis: Create a brief thesis statement that answers the question asked and outlines what your essay will be about. Coming up with a good thesis ...
The DBQ is worth 25% of the total exam score. Students have a 15-minute reading period to review the documents, followed by 45 minutes to write their responses. The DBQ is scored out of 7 possible points based on criteria such as thesis, context, evidence, analysis, reasoning, sourcing, and complexity.