DBQ Essay Writing Strategies

Exam Preparation Tips

  • Dates and Details:

    • When writing about a specific century, double-check that you get the dates correct.

    • For a 16th-century essay, ensure you write about the period from 1500 to 1599.

    • In timed situations you are dumber than you think, so be careful.

    • Use digital annotation tools to mark key points.

Prompt Analysis

  • Identifying Categories:

    • Mark key categories within the prompt to focus your essay.

    • Example: For the 2024 APUSH DBQ, which asked, "Evaluate the extent to which the institution of slavery shaped United States society between 1783 and 1840," the key word is "society."

    • Your essay must focus on the social, and not political affects of slavery.

  • Historical Thinking Skills:

    • Identify the historical thinking skill required by the essay (e.g., causation, continuity and change over time).

    • Sometimes the prompt specifies the skill; other times, it's up to you to choose the most appropriate one.

    • Example: A 2022 AP Euro prompt explicitly required a causation essay.

    • Example: A 2022 APUSH prompt did not specify allowing for writer's choice.

DBQ Resources

  • Planning Sheet:

    • Use a DBQ planning sheet.

    • Outlines for skills, and rubrics for the DBQ, LEQ and SAQ.

Document Analysis

  • Initial Reading:

    • Quickly read each of the seven documents for about one to two minutes each.

    • Save hard to understand docs for the end.

  • Graphs and Charts:

    • If you encounter charts or graphs save them for last.

    • Statistical info can reinforce textual information.

    • Example: A textual document might describe a positive experience in the Soviet Union, while a chart shows increasing education rates.

  • Source Citation Importance:

    • Start by reading the source citation before the actual document.

    • The citation provides context, bias, and point of view.

    • Always read the source line, read doc, re-read source line again.

    • Example: Knowing that William Lloyd Garrison is an anti-slavery activist helps frame his arguments.

    • Critical information: Author, dates, point of view if any.

    • Example: Charles Groeny's document is critical of Stalin's politics.

    • Unpublished source: Will typically contain information about why it was rejected.

  • Summarization:

    • Summarize the document's main idea in your own words.

    • Use annotation tools if available.

    • Grouping documents is not required, but recommended.

      • Document examples are: Economics, Religion, Social, Politics etc.

  • Time Management:

    • Spend about three minutes per document.

    • Focus on key words and phrases rather than complete sentences.

    • Synthesize don't summarize.

  • Thesis Integration:

    • Connect the document analysis back to your thesis statement.

    • Do not be afraid to reference the thesis.

  • Document Use:

    • Avoid writing an essay that simply summarizes each document in sequence.

    • Group documents thematically to demonstrate your ability to handle evidence effectively.

Essay Writing: Rubric Points

  • Thesis (1 point):

    • Write a historically defensible thesis that establishes a line of reasoning.

    • Take a clear position.

    • Ensure your thesis is factually correct.

    • Demonstrate how you will prove your argument by incorporating vocabulary.

    • Bad thesis: People hated Islam, good thesis: Spanish Christians hated Islam and why.

    • Acknowledge a counter argument.

    • Use the language of the prompt.

  • Contextualization (1 point):

    • Situate your argument within the larger historical context.

    • Explain relevant events before, during, or after the time period of your prompt.

    • Provide two to four content-rich sentences describing related historical events.

    • Give specific vocabulary.

    • Connect the time periods to what you are writing about.

    • General rule of thumb is to use 50 to 100 years before.

    • Avoid discussing religion on trade stuff of vice versa.

  • Evidence (Up to 3 points):

    • Describe the contents of three documents in relation to the prompt (1 point).

    • Support your argument with at least four documents (2 points).

    • Provide evidence beyond the documents (1 point).

  • Handling Documents:

    • Describing: Summarize the document (1 point).

    • Supporting: Use documents to support your argument (2 points).

  • Beyond the Documents:

    • Connect a specific piece of evidence not mentioned in the documents to your argument.

    • Name it, explain it, and connect it to your argument.

    • Evidence must come from the same time period given in the prompt.

  • Analysis and Reasoning (Up to 2 points):

    • Sourcing Documents: Earn one point for sourcing at least two documents.

      • Historical Situation: Place the document in its larger historical context (e.g., Lincoln’s second inaugural address during the American Civil War).

      • Audience: Demonstrate why it’s important to know whom the document was written for (e.g., personal letter vs. political speech).

      • Purpose: Explain what the document was intended to do (e.g., a nationalistic speech intended to incite demand for independence).

      • Point of View: Answer why the author says what they say in the way that they say it.