DBQs
Updated Materials
As I'm sure you've heard before, this year marks a whole new testing format for AP Euro. The rubric for the DBQ has indeed changed as a result. The Live Lessons below are based on the old rubric, but the core of their information is still valuable. Here, however, is the new rubric:
| dbq_grading_rubric.pdf |
T.A.C.O.S.
Here's a helpful (hopefully) way to keep the various elements you need for the DBQ in your mind on exam day... T.A.C.O.S.!
Obviously, "Synthesis" is not the only (or even easiest) way to get the final point on the rubric, but we'll get into that more later on.
Overview Video
Contextualization
First, let's take a look at what the curriculum framework for the course has to say about Contextualization as a skill. The first of the four "AP History Reasoning Skills", Contextualization has three important elements:
Describe an accurate historical context for a specific historical development or process.Explain how a relevant context influenced a specific historical development or process.Use context to explain the relative historical significance of a specific historical development or process.
Here, I've included a handy-dandy example of Contextualization in practice. It's a sample Star Wars-style opening scroll:
Describe an accurate historical context for a specific historical development or process.Explain how a relevant context influenced a specific historical development or process.Use context to explain the relative historical significance of a specific historical development or process.
Here, I've included a handy-dandy example of Contextualization in practice. It's a sample Star Wars-style opening scroll:
Below, you'll find a recording of my Live Lesson on Contextualization using the lens of Star Wars!
Writing a Thesis
I know it seems like this should have been first, but when you read a full DBQ, it really does help to get the background and perspective offered by a quality Contextualization prior to arriving at the writer's main argument. But before we begin our exploration of the thesis point in earnest, here are the 3 Big Thesis Takeaways for this lesson:
Start off by watching the following video. While it was created by and for APUSH students, teachers, and readers, since the exams became aligned a few years ago the information is all still pertinent for your course. Once you've viewed the video, keep on scrolling!
- Establish a historically defensible/accurate (true) claim
- Create a line of reasoning
- Evaluate the prompt
Start off by watching the following video. While it was created by and for APUSH students, teachers, and readers, since the exams became aligned a few years ago the information is all still pertinent for your course. Once you've viewed the video, keep on scrolling!
The thesis requirement according to the AP History LEQ and DBQ rubrics:
Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
Historically, the thesis has been one of the biggest struggle for students. And yet, the thesis is the most important part of the essays. This is because the thesis sets the tone for the whole essay and clearly outlines the arguments the essay will defend. Simply put, without a strong thesis, you cannot have a strong essay.
So, how do you create a strong thesis? Well, all you have to do is follow these three easy steps!
1) Establish a historically defensible claim
A historical defensible claim simply means is the argument you present in the thesis historical accurate. For the thesis, you must make a claim or an argument. This claim/argument is what you will be supporting and defending throughout the essay. So if your claim/argument is not historical accurate, or historical defensible, then you will not be able to support it with historical evidence.
2) Establish a line of reasoning
A line of reasoning is simply the reasons you present to support your argument/claim. Any good thesis will make a historical defensible claim/argument. A line of reasoning is- what are your reasons for making this historical defensible claim/argument. Typically, each of the reasons you provide in your thesis will each be addressed in a body paragraph. So the line of reasoning lets the exam reader know what your body paragraphs will be about.
3) Evaluates the prompt
The prompt will ask you to evaluate the extent of a historical development. Your thesis must clearly state your evaluation of the extent of the historical development. One way to think about it: To what degree did the development influence the time period provided in the prompt?
Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
Historically, the thesis has been one of the biggest struggle for students. And yet, the thesis is the most important part of the essays. This is because the thesis sets the tone for the whole essay and clearly outlines the arguments the essay will defend. Simply put, without a strong thesis, you cannot have a strong essay.
So, how do you create a strong thesis? Well, all you have to do is follow these three easy steps!
1) Establish a historically defensible claim
A historical defensible claim simply means is the argument you present in the thesis historical accurate. For the thesis, you must make a claim or an argument. This claim/argument is what you will be supporting and defending throughout the essay. So if your claim/argument is not historical accurate, or historical defensible, then you will not be able to support it with historical evidence.
2) Establish a line of reasoning
A line of reasoning is simply the reasons you present to support your argument/claim. Any good thesis will make a historical defensible claim/argument. A line of reasoning is- what are your reasons for making this historical defensible claim/argument. Typically, each of the reasons you provide in your thesis will each be addressed in a body paragraph. So the line of reasoning lets the exam reader know what your body paragraphs will be about.
3) Evaluates the prompt
The prompt will ask you to evaluate the extent of a historical development. Your thesis must clearly state your evaluation of the extent of the historical development. One way to think about it: To what degree did the development influence the time period provided in the prompt?
using the documents
On exam day, your DBQ question will be comprised of 7 documents and a prompt. It will be up to you to properly read, analyze, and employ these documents in your written response to the prompt. I'd like for you to either watch this video or read through this PowerPoint, both of which are from Mr. Richey's Writing Clinic. In them, he shows us how to analyze and use the documents provided in a DBQ:
Point of view
Still a big part of the revised DBQ, analyzing the "point of view" inherent in the documents will come in handy on exam day. Take a look at the worksheet below for some tips and tricks on accomplishing this often elusive task.
| povholditdown.pdf |
outside evidence
As denoted on the rubric for the DBQ, a student who earns this point will be one who, "Uses at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt." It's a little bit more nuanced than randomly throwing in a "fun fact", so please take a few minutes to look over Mr. Richey's PowerPoint on how to ensure that you score this "easy" point!
COmplexity via Synthesis
he very last element of the LEQ and DBQ rubrics is what has come to be known as the "Complexity Point". It's an amorphous point that has proven elusive for all but the most advanced writers. Here's how it's described on the rubric:
Demonstrates a complex understanding of the historical development that is the focus of the prompt, using evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the question.
They elaborate on that just a little bit by providing a short list of vague descriptions of some of the ways that a student can earn the complexity point:
"A response may demonstrate a complex understanding in a variety of ways, such as:
While there are a fair number of choices there, some of which you should be doing as a good writer anyways (looking at you, #2), it is my personal and professional opinion that the best shot you've got at getting that point is #3 on the list above. We like to call it: synthesis.
Mr. Richey has been kind enough to put together a writing clinic that I highly recommend. In last year's clinic, he covered the complexity point with the PowerPoint below. Take a gander, concentrating specifically on what he mentions about synthesis.
Demonstrates a complex understanding of the historical development that is the focus of the prompt, using evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the question.
They elaborate on that just a little bit by providing a short list of vague descriptions of some of the ways that a student can earn the complexity point:
"A response may demonstrate a complex understanding in a variety of ways, such as:
- Explaining nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables
- Explaining both similarity and difference, or explaining both continuity and change, or explaining multiple causes, or explaining both cause and effect
- Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods (SYNTHESIS!)
- Confirming the validity of an argument by corroborating multiple perspectives across themes
- Qualifying or modifying an argument by considering diverse or alternative views or evidence
While there are a fair number of choices there, some of which you should be doing as a good writer anyways (looking at you, #2), it is my personal and professional opinion that the best shot you've got at getting that point is #3 on the list above. We like to call it: synthesis.
Mr. Richey has been kind enough to put together a writing clinic that I highly recommend. In last year's clinic, he covered the complexity point with the PowerPoint below. Take a gander, concentrating specifically on what he mentions about synthesis.
Over the course of your work in this class, I'm sure you'll see this video often, but it really does a fantastic job of covering what all needs to be in an essay to earn the complexity point by way of synthesis.
DBQ LiVE Lesson #1
In this Live Lesson held on 12.6.14, Mr. Nissen (from WRHS) and myself gave an overview of the Document Based Question on the exam, as well as some tips and tricks.
DBQ Live Lesson #2
In this Live Lesson held on 1.10.15 at 10AM, Mr. Nissen and I recapped our main "Tips & Tricks" for DBQs and used S.O.A.P.S.Tone to analyze some documents. Click the button below to download!
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