How to do a ‘DBQ’



How to Write a DBQ (Document Based Question)

DBQ Pre-write – Prompt: Using the shoes in the class, what types of people can be identified by the types of shoes worn to school.

Paragraph Categories Document #s POV ideas

Thesis Statement: ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________

Additional document described AND explained: ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Time management

Read and analyze documents 10 minutes

Pre-write and write 40 minutes

Pre-Writing

Dissect the prompt: (just like in all of the essays)

• What are the task and/or directive words?

• What are the parameters? (Time, place, class, categories, etc.)

• Are there any other key terms are in the prompt?

Planning:

• Read the documents, write summaries in the margin, look for patterns, content and author type. Patterns are often suggested in the prompt. Look for different points of view on the same topic.

• Plan your categories to match the supporting documents.(π Chart)

• A document MAY fit in more than one category.

• A category MUST have more than one document.

Directions: Read through the documents and divide them into at least three groups. Within each group identify AT LEAST one document that could be used to create a POV statement.

|Paragraph Categories |Document #s |POV ideas |

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Writing

Thesis: Write a thesis paragraph that sets the scene, addresses the prompt and has categories for analysis.

Body: Use the documents for evidence:

• One body paragraph per category, start each paragraph with a topic sentence

• Documents are not just summarized but are connected to a category (topic sentence). NEVER QUOTE THE DOCUMENTS, summaries gets understanding point.

• Refer to the document by author, title and number.

• Use all of the documents. (you may make one error without penalty)

• Analyze at least 3 POVs correctly. Attempt all POVs that seem reasonable.

• Outside information is NOT required, but can be used to gain credit outside the core score (on the right side of the rubric).

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS: The Missing “Voice”

Students must identify one or more additional documents (or voices) that would be helpful in addressing the prompt.

• Whose voice is missing?

• What group, class, gender, etc is missing that is relevant to the prompt?

One thing that the DBQ essay asks you to do is to identify one or more groups who are valid to the prompt but whose voice is NOT heard in the documents provided.

Example: The prompt is about religion in the Middle East and the documents come from Christian, Muslim and Zoroastrian sources. Who is missing?

Example: The prompt is about distinct group roles in society and the documents come from rulers, merchants and farmers. Who is missing?

Some groups to think about:

elite farmers warriors specific religions

women merchants scholars priests, monks, nuns

* Remember that the group must be valid to the prompt and you must EXPLAIN WHY they are valid.

POVs in a DBQ

Why is POV Important? It demonstrates to the reader that the student understands that the document is not a statement of fact, but opinions of events made by people at a particular time and place and often for a specific reason. YOU must point out the reason why the author should be taken seriously.

Types of POV:

1. Authorial – Awareness that the class, occupation, religion, nationality, political position, ethnicity, or gender (CORNPEG) may have influenced an author’s view.

Baldassare Castiglione; Italian author, courtier, and diplomat. He served in the courts of Mantua and Urbino and later served the Pope. His book, The Courtier, describes the conduct of the perfect courtier (aristocrat who serves at the court of a noble).

Employ in everything a certain casualness which conceals art and creates the impression that what is done and said is accomplished without effort and without its being thought about. It is from this, in my opinion, that grace largely derives.

POV: Castiglione explains that being graceful without seeming to work at it is essential for a good courtier, as a successful diplomat and a courtier who had worked for several important nobles; he would know what is needed to be a success in the courts of Italy.

Yuan Ts’ai, a Chinese provincial magistrate (government official) in the Song Dynasty; educated in Neo-Confucian philosophy he mastered the highest exam in the bureaucratic system; from his book titled Precepts for social Life, 1178.

For women who live a long life, old age is especially hard to bear, because most women must rely on others for their existence. Before a woman’s marriage, a good father is even more important than a good grandfather; a good brother is even more important than a good father...

After her marriage, a good husband is even more important than a good father-in-law; a good son is even more important than a good husband

POV: Yuan argues that women must rely on others for their existence. This Chinese provincial magistrate, as a member of the scholarly bureaucracy, was influenced by his Neo-Confucianism training which taught that women are relegated to subservient positions relative to men.

2. Authenticity reliability and accuracy – Examine the author and the type of source to determine WHY it is accurate and reliable. Is the document an official report, Propaganda, Private letter, etc. Is the author an inside or outside observer?

Vespasiano da Bisticci of Florence had a role in the formation of all the great libraries of his time. He left a collection of 300 biographies. He worked for Pope Nicholas V during the formation of his papal library and was a leading Humanist philosopher of the age. The following is from his biography on Cosimo Medici leader of the great Florentine family:

Cosimo became increasingly aware of the fact that if he wanted God to have mercy on him and conserve him in the possession of his temporal goods, he had to turn to pious ways... his conscience [bothered] him about some money which he had come by not quite cleanly. Wanting to lift this weight from his shoulders, he went to talk to Pope Eugenius... to satisfy himself and to unburden his conscience he... spent in all more than forty thousand florins...on the building [Church]...

POV: Da Bisticci’s view of Cosimo de Medici is valid because he was a contemporary, first hand observer of the Medici family and as an insider to the court of Florence and a noted biographer of the day, he would have great insight into the Medici family. Also, being within reach of the powerful family it is not hard to see why Da Bisticci would produce a favorable view of Cosimo.

Zhou Daguan, Chinese envoy and high ranking member of a delegation sent to Cambodia by Kublai Khan. Written in a 1297 report to the emperor, after a year long stay.

In Cambodia, women attend to trade. Even a Chinese who arrives there and takes a woman will profit greatly from her trading abilities. They do not have permanent stores, but simply spread a piece of mat on the ground. Everyone has her own spot.

POV: Zhou Daguan, a Chinese envoy to Cambodia indicates that women played a vital role in Cambodia’s market place economy. His comments accurately describe these roles because he observed them for more than a year. He has little reason to report falsely to his superiors in China.

3. Tone – Examine the text of a document to determine its tone. (Satire, irony, fear, anger, sadness, etc.)

Leonardo Da Vinci, artist, inventor and practical engineer. Although his ideas were often seen as outlandish by the people of his day, modern engineers have found most of his plans to be sound and feasible even in his own day. The following is from a letter Da Vinci wrote to the Duke of Milan:

...I can also make a kind of cannon which is light and easy of transport, with which to hurl small stones like hail, and of which the smoke causes great terror to the enemy, so that they suffer heavy loss and confusion... When it is impossible to use cannon I can supply in their stead catapults, mangonels, trabocchi, and other instruments of admirable efficiency not in general use—In short, as the occasion requires I can supply infinite means of attack and defense.

POV: Da Vinci explains to the Duke that he is capable of inventing a variety of weapons. The confident, boastful nature of Da Vinci’s letter to the Duke is understandable when you consider that he was trying to sell himself and his abilities to the Duke.

Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, was the founder of the heliocentric ordering of the planets; challenging the beliefs of the Catholic Church. From his book, Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, published in 1453 when Copernicus was sure he was dying. (In fact he died 6 hours after receiving the first copy of the book.)

“I can easily conceive, most Holy Father, that as soon as some people learn that in this book which I have written concerning the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, I ascribe certain motions to the Earth, they will cry out at once that I and my theory should be rejected. ...I am aware that a philosopher's ideas are not subject to the judgment of ordinary persons ... For it is the duty of an astronomer to compose the history of the celestial motions through careful and expert study.”

POV: The tone of confidence in Copernicus’ “Revolutions...” is understandable because he was sure of his scientific method; also, being on the verge of death, he had very little to lose in challenging the Church.

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Discussing POV without using the word BIAS

The author is __________ because…

credible

reliable

accurate

believable

representative of the (times) (class) etc

The writer is ______

a contemporary of...

an admirer of...

an outsider so\an insider to the situation so...

a direct observer...

a government official...

a member of the (elite) (lower class)... etc

…the source of the document is a ________ therefore…

newspaper

private letter

speech

court record

government document (map) (chart) (graph) (picture)

A Better Way to Say “Said”

While there is nothing wrong with the word “said” there are better ways to convey tone and POV when writing the DBQ. Some AP teachers call these the “wonderful verbs.” You want to use a verb that denotes some kind of analysis of the author. Consider these:

Implies confesses

Suggests

Contends

Declares

Remarks

Reports

Affirms

Hints

Maintains

Proposes

Comments

Observes

Implores

Responds

Insists

Writes

Alleges

Asserts

Admits

Discloses

Insinuates

Reveals

Demands

Explains

Emphasizes

Proclaims

Insists

Acknowledges

Concedes

Replies

Divulges

Argues

AP World Generic DBQ Rubric

|Basic Core |Expanded Core |

|Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence. |Historical skills and knowledge required to show excellence. |

|1. Has acceptable thesis. 1 Point |Expands beyond basic core of |

| |1-7 Points. The basic core of a 0-2 Points |

|2. Understands the basic meaning 1 Point |score of 7 must be achieved |

|of all documents. |before a student can earn |

|(may misinterpret one document) |expanded core points. |

| | |

|3. Supports thesis with appropriate 2 Points |Examples: |

|evidence from all documents. |Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis. |

|(Supports thesis with appropriate (1) |Shows careful and insightful analysis of the documents. |

|evidence from all but 1 document) |Uses documents persuasively as evidence. |

| |Analyzes point of view in most or all documents. |

|4. Analyzes point of view in at least 1 Point |Analyzes the documents in additional ways – groupings, comparisons, |

|two documents. |syntheses. |

| |Explains why additional types of document(s) or sources are needed. |

|5. Analyzes documents by grouping 1 Point | |

|them in 2 or 3 ways, depending | |

|on the question. | |

| | |

|6. Identifies and explains the need for 1 Point | |

|one type of appropriate additional | |

|document or source. | |

| | |

|Subtotal 7 |Subtotal 2 Points |

|Points | |

TOTAL 9 Points

DBQ for Dummies: It’s like a matching game that you played as a kid.

Thesis: Sort the documents into groups that match. Write an intro paragraph that mentions the prompt and those groupings.

Body paragraph 1: Look at the first group of matching documents

Create a topic sentence that matches the group

Explain how each document relates to the topic sentence

Include any POV analysis for documents that you used in the paragraph

Body paragraph 2: Look at the second group of matching documents

Create a topic sentence that matches this group

Explain how each document relates to the topic sentence

Include any POV analysis for documents that you used in the paragraph

Body paragraph 3: Look at the third group of matching documents (if you have a third group)

Create a topic sentence that matches the final grouping

Explain how each document relates to the topic sentence

Include any POV analysis for documents that you used in the paragraph

Conclusion: Write a concluding paragraph that mentions the prompt, groups that you wrote about and the missing voice

Practice DBQ: Africa and Meso-America

Prompt: Evaluate the achievements of the African empires, kingdoms and cities and the Meso-American empires, kingdoms and cities before the arrival of the Europeans. What additional document (voice) would be useful in creating a clearer picture of African and Meso-American societies?

This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents.

• Write a relevant thesis paragraph.

• Group the documents into at least THREE groups

• Use the documents below to develop body paragraphs. Remember to have a topic sentence, evidence sentences from each document for that topic and don’t forget a clincher-conclusion.

• Include at least TWO examples of POV (point of view) analysis of the documents in your body paragraph.

• Include the additional voice.

Document 1

[pic]

Trade routes to and from Aksum between 300 and 700 C.E.

Document 2

Ibn Battuta a qadi, world traveler and hajj taker, describing Mogadishu on the East African coast in his book Rihla,, dictated to his secretary after his return home in 1354.

“…there were raised over his [Abu Bakr’s] head four canopies of colored silk and on the top of each canopy was the figure of a bird in gold. His clothes that day were a robe of green Jerusalem fabric and underneath it fine loose robes of Egypt. He was dressed with a wrapper of silk and turbaned with a large turban.”

Document 3

Bobbie Kalman, author of over 200 educational books; description of an Inca fortress from Peru: The Land, 2003.

“The enormous Fortress of Sacsayhuaman covers an entire hill in the Cuzco Valley. This earthquake-proof fortress is made of massive stone blocks which weigh up to 200 tons each. The blocks were placed next to each other without mortar or cement. They fit together so tightly that not even a piece of paper can slide between them. The fortress was built by the Incas to protect the city of Cuzco from invaders and to shelter its inhabitants.”

Document 4

Leo Africanus, a Moroccan traveler, describing the city of Timbuktu from his home in Italy after his forced conversion to Christianity from Islam.

“Here are many doctors, judges, priests and other learned men that are well maintained at the king’s costs. Various manuscripts and written books are brought here…and sold for more money than other merchandise.”

Document 5

Bernal Diaz del Castillo, author of True History of the Conquest of Mexico. Castillo was with Cortez in 1519 during the conquest of the Aztec and wrote this account in 1568.

“…the Tlatelolco market impressed the Spaniards so much that they compared the city to an enormous anthill. The military exercises and the arrival and departure of the warriors were other colorful spectacles. In brief, the life of Tenochtitlan was that of a true metropolis. The city was visited by governors and ambassadors from distant regions. Gold, silver, rich feathers, cocoa, bark paper and other types of tribute, along with slaves…”

Document 6

Missouri Museum of Natural history, 2005. Cahokia was the largest Native American urban center in what is now the United States.

“The city of Cahokia was inhabited from 1300 to 600 CE. At its peak the city covered nearly six square miles and had a population of up to 20,000. Houses were arranged in rows and around open plazas. The main agricultural fields lay outside the city. Cahokia was a planned city with elaborate public buildings built on large raise-earth platforms and perhaps elite residences at its core. The construction of these features required an organized cooperative labor force as well as organized leadership. Astronomical, mathematical and engineering knowledge also appear to be necessary skills in the planning and construction of the site.”

Document 7

Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca, a conquistador shipwrecked on Galveston Island who journeyed for seven years across Texas and the southwest before being reunited with Spaniards in Northern Mexico. In a report to Emperor Charles V upon returning to Spain.

[the natives] “rest easy and settle again in their cities, tilling and planting their fields as usual….while it is beyond all doubt the best land in these Indies [New World], the most fertile and productive of food, where they raise three crops every year. It has an abundance of fruit…. and waters of good virtues.… the inhabitants are well conditioned….in short, it is a country that lacks nothing to make it very good.”

Document 8

Leon E. Clark PHD, professor of African Studies for over twenty years at American University in Washington DC. Through African Eyes, an excerpt from his book, An Explanation of the Kingdom of Ghana. Praeger Press, NY, 1970.

“the Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt, but both had to pass through Ghana to trade….Ghana controlled the land….it had the military forces….to maintain peace in the area, thereby assuring safe trade for the Arabs and the Wangara.”

DBQ Prewrite

Paragraph Categories Document #s POV ideas

Thesis Statement: _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Additional Document described AND explained:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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