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Name:________________________________APW HistorySuchoparEssay WritingThe AP World Modern DBQ EssayBefore you start writing:Know the rubric! You can earn 7 points on a DBQ essay. Points are binary, but some “weave together.” The components of the DBQ essay differ from the Long Essay Questions, therefore you need to confidently know how to structure each to be able to work in an efficient time frame (45 minutes for the DBQ!)Step 1: Read and Understand the QuestionWith only 45 minutes, it will be tempting to read the prompt quickly, go right to the documents and start reading, but don’t do that! Stop yourself and break down the question carefully!What is the historical thinking skill embedded in the question? (Comparison, CCOT, Cause and Effect)Is the question giving you any specific categories to focus on? (political, economic, social, something else?)Note the time period given. Your essay must stay within the time period otherwise it cannot be scored.What is the prompt actually asking you to do? If the prompt begins with the phrase “To what extent…” or “Evaluate the extent to which…”, it is asking you to measure. You should address, “to a large extent” or “to a minimal extent.” Step 2: Read and Annotate Through the DocumentsThere are seven documents. Your goal is to be able to read and annotate each of them in no more than 15 minutes.As you read, you should be looking for:What is the source of the document? Who is speaking and to whom? Where in the timeline of the prompt does this document sit? Note these because it will help later when it comes to sourcing these documents while you’re writing.Think: “if I only had this one document, how would it answer the essay prompt?”Think about how you will organize or “group” the documents together. When you form a thesis/position to answer the prompt, you’ll need to support it with at least two different arguments or “groupings.” Do the documents have trends? For example, do some of the documents focus on economics while others focus on religion? When writing your essay, avoid just listing the documents in order. This is a clear sign that you are stringing your documents together into a narrative, and that your essay lacks a clear argument/position._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Step 3: Write Your EssayThesis Paragraph Instead of a one-sentence thesis found within the introduction, you need to think of your entire first paragraph as a thesis made up of consecutive sentences. FIRST: Create a contextualization- a “historical context” in 2-3 sentences.Identify the larger historical themes, developments, ideas or trends relevant to the region and the time period of the essay prompt. You shouldn’t reach further back than 100-150 years prior to the dates given to you in the prompt. Make sure to include dates (use the dates in the prompt as a reference). The wording of your contextualization should specifically reference “who, what, where, when, why?” You cannot earn this point if your contextualization includes historical accuracies, and it must relate to the prompt.SECOND: Create a thesis- a defensible position that addresses the prompt. It should be 1-2 sentences. A strong thesis will help to keep your essay organized and analytical. You cannot earn this point by restating the prompt.You can create a thesis using these strategies:If the prompt begins with the phrase “To what extent…” or “Evaluate the extent to which…”, it is asking you to measure. You should address, “to a large extent” or “to a minimal extent.” You can also try using a sentence organizer: “Although X, because A and B, therefore Y.”?“Although [X= counterargument], because [A and B= specific evidence as two arguments or groupings], therefore [Y= argument].? “Although [the arrival of the Portuguese was a very important?change?in the?Indian Ocean maritime trade?in the?sixteenth century], because?[the?Portuguese never extended their control beyond a few ports?and?had to compete with Indian merchants and regional states such as the Ottoman Empire],?[it did?not completely transform the trade.]”THESIS KILLERS: Using words and phrases like, “all throughout history, always, very, many, things, lots, stuff, ways.” Body ParagraphsYou need: at least two arguments or groupings to support your position to the essay prompt.to incorporate evidence from all seven documents.to accurately source at least four documents (H-A-P-P-Y).to incorporate one piece of outside knowledge per argument/grouping.to incorporate the historical reasoning skill is given in the prompt, or best satisfies the prompt (comparison, CCOT, cause and effect).Remember: each argument/grouping needs to support your position (your thesis) that you created in your first paragraph.First: Create a topic sentence. Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence that re-states the first argument/grouping. Documents that will be used in the paragraph’s grouping must be cited parenthetically in the topic sentence. This outlines your focus for the grouping paragraph.Using Evidence FROM the Documents: The rubric says that you cannot earn evidence points by simply quoting or restating the document. You must do something with it, as in tie it back to your position that answers the prompt. The rubric specifically states that evidence should “support an argument.” Think to yourself: if I had only this document, how would I use it to answer the prompt?Sourcing at Least 4 DocumentsThink H-A-P-P-YHistorical situation?means placing the document in its larger historical context. For example, to?better understand Churchill’s “Sinew’s of Peace” speech, it might be important to analyze its?historical situation in the emerging Cold War.???Audience:?you need to demonstrate why it’s important for the reader to know?to whom the?document was written.? A personal letter might say something different to a person than a political?speech, and that difference comes down to the audience. ??Purpose:?Analyze what the document was intended to do.?Not what it says, but what it did.??For?example: If you have a nationalistic speech from a leader of a colonized nation than you need to?analyze what that speech actually accomplished.? Did the people rise up and demand?independence because of this??The Declaration of Independence?served the purpose of giving?colonists a cause to unite and rally around during the American Revolution. ??Point of View:?Why did he or she say what he or she said in the way that he or she said it?? And?what’s really important there is the,?‘in the way that he or she says it.’??Here’s where its useful to cite?specific words or phrases (NOT COPY ENTIRE SENTENCES OR PASSAGES) that help to?demonstrate?the way that he or she said it.?You only need to use ONE of the four sourcing skills per document that you are sourcing. ? You?don’t?have to go through all of H-A-P-P each time you try to source a document, just the?one?that you think makes the most sense or is most beneficial to supporting your?thesis/position.??The “Y” Part of HAPPY??“Y” as in “WHY?”? Why does sourcing this document help us to support your thesis /and answer the prompt?Using Evidence from OUTSIDE the DocumentsState, briefly explain, connect. Once per body paragraph.The Complexity Point: The rubric suggests that there are many ways to add complexity to your analysis:You’ve woven that reasoning skill (comparison, CCOT, cause and effect) throughout your essay to move from document to document.You’ve supported your position/thesis in a persuasive way that incorporates significant evidence.You’ve incorporated the specific words: “corroborate,” “refute”, or “modify.” You’ve analyzed “voices” that may be “missing”- meaning ideas or perspectives that the documents do not represent them or take into account. By doing so you are acknowledging perspectives that could demonstrate both side of an argument. Conclusion: Do you need one?You can only earn points for a thesis and for contextualization in 2 places: Your first paragraph or your last. If you followed the rules of writing a solid thesis paragraph, do not waste your time by writing a conclusion.First Paragraph:?Contextualization (2-3 sentences).?Thesis Example:?“Although the arrival of the Portuguese was a very important?change?in the?Indian Ocean maritime trade?in?the?sixteenth century, because?the Portuguese never extended their control beyond a few ports?and?had to compete?with Indian merchants and regional states such as the Ottoman Empire,?it did not completely transform the trade.”??First?argument/grouping?to support my?position.?The Portuguese never extended their control beyond a few ports?(documents _____).?Source and include evidence from 2-3 of the documents.? Make sure this evidence connects to this argument.???Incorporate a reasoning skill.? In this case, the prompt is asking you to use?changes and continuities over time.??Make sure this is connecting to your argument. ?Connect this argument/grouping back to your thesis/position which answers the prompt.??Second??argument/?grouping to?support my?position.?The Portuguese did not completely transform the trade of the Indian Ocean?(documents _____).?Source and include evidence from 2-3 of the documents.? Make sure this evidence connects to this argument.???Incorporate a reasoning skill.? In this case, the prompt is asking you to use?changes and continuities over time.??Make sure this is connecting to your argument. ?Connect this argument/grouping back to your thesis/position which answers the prompt.??Conclusion?IF YOU HAVE TIME (you probably won’t), use this to restate your thesis/position in answering the prompt.? This is the?only other location you can earn thesis points, so if you don’t think you did a good job in your first paragraph, here’s?where you can re-word your position and try again.??It does not make sense to copy from your first paragraph.?14303243608705Evidence Beyond (aka: outside knowledge)Outside information that is relevant to the grouping, task, or historical reasoning process, but is not represented or included in document;A perspective and the specific information it would provide that would support the thesis, but is not included by or addressed in the document. 00Evidence Beyond (aka: outside knowledge)Outside information that is relevant to the grouping, task, or historical reasoning process, but is not represented or included in document;A perspective and the specific information it would provide that would support the thesis, but is not included by or addressed in the document. 49303531329789Point of ViewAnalyze how the origin and purpose of the document impacts what information and content is presented, how information and content is presented in the document, and why.How does understanding the the point of view provide valuable information for us as historians?00Point of ViewAnalyze how the origin and purpose of the document impacts what information and content is presented, how information and content is presented in the document, and why.How does understanding the the point of view provide valuable information for us as historians?939801275790Reasoning Process: Does this document’s point of view or evidence support a-similarity;-difference;-continuity;-changeto another document within the grouping? 00Reasoning Process: Does this document’s point of view or evidence support a-similarity;-difference;-continuity;-changeto another document within the grouping? 1622425661555“Group Name”: __________________________________How does this document connect with other documents? Think PERSIAN. 00“Group Name”: __________________________________How does this document connect with other documents? Think PERSIAN. -6223051730000One of the biggest student mistakes is spending too much time on the DBQ Essay, and running out of time for your Long Essay Question. To organize yourself and tackle the documents in a quick and efficient way, use this strategy of annotating around the document ................
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