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How To DBQHow To DBQ

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, with edits by JR Hellman

There are one story intellects,Two story intellects, and three story

intellects with skylights.All fact collectors who have no aim beyond

their facts are one story men, two story intellects compare, reason, generalize;

using the labor of fact collecting.

Three story intellects idealize, imagine, predict…

Their best illumination comes from above the skylight

And they create the skylights.

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Document-based questions (DBQs) Document-based questions (DBQs) require you to do several things well. . .require you to do several things well. . . You must understand the prompt and come up with an You must understand the prompt and come up with an

“answer” that will be your thesis.“answer” that will be your thesis. You must come up with AND USE outside You must come up with AND USE outside

information—names, dates, treaties, battles, significant information—names, dates, treaties, battles, significant events, etc.—from the time period.events, etc.—from the time period.

You must USE all or most of the documents that are You must USE all or most of the documents that are provided.provided.

You must create a clearly organized and well-written You must create a clearly organized and well-written essay.essay.

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Step 1:Before your read the DocsStep 1:Before your read the Docs Breathe and relax.Breathe and relax. Read the prompt several times, focusing on: Read the prompt several times, focusing on:

-directive words-directive words

-terms to define -terms to define

-categories for organization (potential -categories for organization (potential paragraphs)paragraphs)

-areas of complexity.-areas of complexity. Generate an outline of your essay.Generate an outline of your essay. Identify the time period/topic and brainstorm all of the Identify the time period/topic and brainstorm all of the

outside information you can think of.outside information you can think of.

Step 1 continued: Outlines do not have to be Step 1 continued: Outlines do not have to be formal, just sketch a structure to organize formal, just sketch a structure to organize your ideas, facts, and potential paragraphsyour ideas, facts, and potential paragraphs

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S-t: facts facts

S-t: facts facts

This outline will help you develop your thesis paragraph!

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Step 1: Before your read the Step 1: Before your read the Docs SummaryDocs Summary

You have quickly done some very important You have quickly done some very important preparation for the essay.preparation for the essay.– You have carefully read the prompt several times.You have carefully read the prompt several times.– You have “answered” the prompt, decided your thesis You have “answered” the prompt, decided your thesis

direction (hypothesis).direction (hypothesis).– You have generated a preliminary outline for your essay.You have generated a preliminary outline for your essay.– You have jotted down outside information to support You have jotted down outside information to support

your thesis.your thesis. Only now are you ready to deal with the Only now are you ready to deal with the

documents.documents.

Step 2: Use APPARTSor CCP

A – Author

P – Place and Time

P – Prior Knowledge C-Context

A – Audience

R – Reason (Purpose) C-Content

T – The Main Idea

S – Significance P-Point of view

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Step 2 : Analyzing the DocsStep 2 : Analyzing the Docs

All of the documents will be relevant to the All of the documents will be relevant to the topic.topic.

Plan on using all or most of the documents Plan on using all or most of the documents provided.provided.

Sometimes the date or the author in the source Sometimes the date or the author in the source notation may be significant.notation may be significant.

The documents are generally presented The documents are generally presented chronologically.chronologically.

Pay special attention to cartoons, charts, & Pay special attention to cartoons, charts, & graphs.graphs.

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Step 2: continued Step 2: continued Analyzing the DocsAnalyzing the Docs

Quickly read all of the documents.Quickly read all of the documents. Remember to consider the author, date, and Remember to consider the author, date, and

place in the source material.place in the source material. Underline any unusual phrases.Underline any unusual phrases. As you read, jot down any quick summary As you read, jot down any quick summary

thoughts about the documents and/orthoughts about the documents and/or

indicate where on your essay outline the info indicate where on your essay outline the info from the docs belong.from the docs belong.

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Step #2 (continued)Step #2 (continued) Look carefully at Look carefully at

political cartoons.political cartoons. Pay attention to any Pay attention to any

small print.small print. Jot down a quick Jot down a quick

summary of what the summary of what the cartoon is trying to tell cartoon is trying to tell you and use it in your you and use it in your outline.outline.

New York Tribune, 1923,

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Step #2 (continued)Step #2 (continued) Graphs and charts are Graphs and charts are

important, look at them important, look at them carefully.carefully.

Note the dates.Note the dates. Notice that they Notice that they

frequently show change frequently show change over time.over time.

Jot down a quick Jot down a quick summary of what they summary of what they indicate and/or include indicate and/or include the key ideas in your the key ideas in your outline.outline.

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Step # 2 (continued)Step # 2 (continued)

Look very carefully at Look very carefully at data presented in data presented in charts.charts.

Look for Look for – trends, trends, – for changes over time,for changes over time,– for sudden changes.for sudden changes.

Summarize what the Summarize what the chart tells you in a chart tells you in a quick sentence. quick sentence.

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Step #2 (continued)Step #2 (continued)

Notice dates, especially on pictures.Notice dates, especially on pictures. The picture on the left is dated 1915; the picture on the The picture on the left is dated 1915; the picture on the

right is dated 1919.right is dated 1919. What had changed for working women in those years? What had changed for working women in those years?

Why?Why?

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Having read the documents. . .Having read the documents. . .

Note the documents you have added to your Note the documents you have added to your “outline” and add new facts and revise your “outline” and add new facts and revise your (hypo)thesis as needed.(hypo)thesis as needed.

UseUse APPARTS or CCP to add analysis. Remember, make sure that you have both—Remember, make sure that you have both—

outside information and documents—to outside information and documents—to support each point/sub-thesis of your essay.support each point/sub-thesis of your essay.

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Before the Docs and Analyzing Before the Docs and Analyzing the Docs Summarythe Docs Summary

You have now spent about 15 of the mandatory You have now spent about 15 of the mandatory preparation minutes preparation minutes – Reading the prompt,Reading the prompt,– Planning a basic structure for your response,Planning a basic structure for your response,– Brainstorming and listing relevant informationBrainstorming and listing relevant information

into the essay structure,into the essay structure,– Reading and analyzing the documents,Reading and analyzing the documents,– Adding the documents to your essay outline,Adding the documents to your essay outline,– Creating and clarifying a thesis paragraphCreating and clarifying a thesis paragraph

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Step #3: Writing the essayStep #3: Writing the essay Refer to the document; NEVER quote them at length! Refer to the document; NEVER quote them at length!

Use no more than a quick phrase or three or four Use no more than a quick phrase or three or four words!words!

Don’t Don’t explainexplain the document. Simply the document. Simply referrefer to it or use to it or use it to support your thesis.it to support your thesis.

Refer to the author of the document: “In Lincoln’s Refer to the author of the document: “In Lincoln’s letter” or “The Nast cartoon illuminates” or “The letter” or “The Nast cartoon illuminates” or “The complaints of the Rhode Island legislators exemplfy complaints of the Rhode Island legislators exemplfy (A)(A)

Cite every document by using its letter, e.g. (A). You Cite every document by using its letter, e.g. (A). You don’t need to write (doc. A).don’t need to write (doc. A).

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This document appeared in the 1999 This document appeared in the 1999 DBQ. Notice the source note.DBQ. Notice the source note.

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The most significant thing about this document The most significant thing about this document is the date, 1754, in the source note.is the date, 1754, in the source note.

This document was intended to bring to mind This document was intended to bring to mind the following:the following:– The 1754 meeting of the London Board of Trade,The 1754 meeting of the London Board of Trade,– Benjamin Franklin, printer from Philadelphia and Benjamin Franklin, printer from Philadelphia and

colonial agent,colonial agent,– Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union,Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union,– The Albany Plan of Union’s provisions for a The Albany Plan of Union’s provisions for a

colonial legislature,colonial legislature,– The ultimate failure of the colonies to accept the The ultimate failure of the colonies to accept the

Albany Plan of Union in 1754. Albany Plan of Union in 1754.

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This document might be used as This document might be used as follows:follows:

An excellent indication that the colonies An excellent indication that the colonies were unwilling to act together in a unified way is were unwilling to act together in a unified way is their failure to accept Franklin’s plan for a their failure to accept Franklin’s plan for a colonial legislature as put forth in his 1754 colonial legislature as put forth in his 1754 Albany Plan of Union. Despite Franklin’s belief Albany Plan of Union. Despite Franklin’s belief that the colonies must act together or “die” as that the colonies must act together or “die” as portrayed in his widely read cartoon (A), very portrayed in his widely read cartoon (A), very few of the colonial assemblies were willing to few of the colonial assemblies were willing to accept this contention.accept this contention.

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Here is a text passage from a recent Here is a text passage from a recent DBQ and a sample essay reference:DBQ and a sample essay reference:

One of the most significant attempts to extend democratic ideals One of the most significant attempts to extend democratic ideals throughout society was organized by the women's movement in the late 1840s. throughout society was organized by the women's movement in the late 1840s. Meeting at Seneca Falls, NY, a group of women brought together by Lucy Meeting at Seneca Falls, NY, a group of women brought together by Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, demanded their right to vote Stone, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, demanded their right to vote and their right to be represented in the government (I). These demands, and their right to be represented in the government (I). These demands, purposefully written in the model of the Declaration of Independence, are the purposefully written in the model of the Declaration of Independence, are the most fundamental and basic of rights in a genuinely democratic society.most fundamental and basic of rights in a genuinely democratic society.

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How to DBQ SummaryHow to DBQ Summary Thoroughly read the prompt: Question the Question!Thoroughly read the prompt: Question the Question! In an essay outline, organize how you will use both In an essay outline, organize how you will use both

the outside information and the documents.the outside information and the documents. Place the brainstormed list of outside information in Place the brainstormed list of outside information in

your outline, your outline, before before reading the documentsreading the documents Use all or most of the documents, without quoting, Use all or most of the documents, without quoting,

citing and placing them as you read, into your outline, citing and placing them as you read, into your outline, with the outside information.with the outside information.

Write a clear and well-organized essay that directly Write a clear and well-organized essay that directly responds to the prompt.responds to the prompt.