How To Answer A Document Based Question

How To Answer A DocumentBased QuestionMr. MulryU.S. HistorySeptember 2013Sunday, September 22, 13

What is a DBQ?DBQ Stands for Document Based QuestionType of essay that provides youwith documents to serve as sourcesof information for your writing.Sunday, September 22, 13

What is a DBQ?DBQ’s do not testyour contentknowledge.Sunday, September 22, 13

What is a DBQ?.but they do test forreading comprehensionand analysis skillsSunday, September 22, 13

What is a DBQ?Each DBQ that you do should look very similar.You will usually be given three things:Sunday, September 22, 13

1. Historical ContextA paragraph that tells you somebackground information about thetopic of the essay.You will use this information to helpyou write your introduction.Sunday, September 22, 13

Historical ContextThe Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., head of the Southern ChristianLeadership Conference (SCLC), founded in 1957, was the leader andthe spokesman for the African American nonviolent protest movement ofthe 1950’s and 1960’s. King was arrested and jailed in the spring of1963 during a civil rights demonstration and boycott in Birmingham,Alabama, and while in prison wrote the now famous “Letter fromBirmingham Jail” in reply to criticism he had received from eightBirmingham clergymen. In this letter, which was published in the June12, 1963, issue of Christian Century, Rev. King explained the aims andmethods of his movement and philosophy. King’s life was endedviolently by an assassin’s bullet on April 4, 1968, in Memphis,Tennessee.Sunday, September 22, 13

2. TaskThis is the actual question that youare attempting to answer in the essay.This will help you to write yourThesis.The Thesis can be the first or lastsentence of your introduction.Sunday, September 22, 13

What is a Thesis?Sunday, September 22, 13

Thesis:A statement that someonewants to discuss or prove.Sunday, September 22, 13

Example of a Weak Thesis StatementThe North and Southfought the Civil War formany reasons, some ofwhich were the sameand some different.Sunday, September 22, 13

Example of a Good Thesis StatementWhile both sides fought the CivilWar over the issue of slavery, theNorth fought for moral reasonswhile the South fought to preserveits own institutions.Sunday, September 22, 13

Example of a Great Thesis StatementWhile both Northerners andSoutherners believed they foughtagainst tyranny and oppression,Northerners focused on theoppression of slaves whileSoutherners defended their own rightto self-government.Sunday, September 22, 13

3. Documents and Scaffolding QuestionsThere will typically be 5-7 documents thatwill be used to help you write your essay.Each document may have anywhere from1-3 questions that you must answer beforewriting the essay and will help you to shapeyour essay.Sunday, September 22, 13

What are Scaffolding Questions?The questions that make thelearner think critically aboutthe means to solve a problem.Scaffolding questions will helpbuild the knowledge you willneed to write a great essaySunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 1: Analyze the TaskWithout a clear understanding of the task is asking you to do, you cannot writea strong answer in a full sentence.The task may ask you to do any of the following:Analyze: Examine in detail.Assess/Evaluate: Judge the value or character of something; appraise;evaluate the positive points and the negative ones; give an opinionregarding the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of.Compare: Note similarities and differences between the documents.Contrast: Examine in order to show points of difference.Describe: Give an account of ; tell about; give a word picture of.Discuss: Talk over; write about; consider or examine by argument or fromvarious points of view; debate; present the different sides of the topic.Explain: Make clear or plain; make known in detail.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 2: Understand Key Terms within the QuestionAll DBQ’s should address either attitudes and reactions or political,economic, social, cultural, and technological aspects within the question.*You will know what to address because these words will be inthe question*Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 3: Pay Attention to the Time period of the DocumentsDuring the 1860s.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 4: Read the Documents and Answer the Scaffolding Questions*Read the documents carefully and answer the questions (Theseadditional questions will help you think critically about thetopics).*Each document may have 1-3 questions that follow that youmust answer before writing the essay.*These questions will help get you thinking about how to shapeyour essay and will help in writing the thesis statement.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 5: Develop a Thesis(This is your opinion on the topic)Your thesis must be stated in your opening paragraph. It isnormally the last sentence in your opening paragraph. Thereader must immediately know your position on the questionbefore reading the rest of your essay.*You must clearly state your position to receive fullcredit on any DBQ response*Sunday, September 22, 13

How To Write A Thesis StatementState your opinion on the topic. Your thesis mustargue a position and state your opinion.A DBQ thesis should be one sentence.Use the documents in the DBQ to come up with3 supporting reasons that help explain yourposition. Your DBQ can use outsideinformation, but you must use all of thedocuments in the DBQ to help explain youranswer.Sunday, September 22, 13

Tips For Writing A Successful DBQ ThesisIf you are stuck turning yourthesis into one sentence, use“because” as a link between youropinion statement and the threereasons why your opinion iscorrect.Sunday, September 22, 13

ExampleYou are asked to respond to the following:“The United States of America is thegreatest country in the world AGREE orDISAGREE?Your thesis statement could be:“The United States is the greatestcountry in the world because.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 6: Outline Your EssayBefore beginning theessay, you should ALWAYScreate an outline toproperly arrange yourthoughts.Sunday, September 22, 13

Outline ExamplesSunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 7: Write the Introductory Paragraph-Start with a sentence that grabs the reader’sattention-State your thesis-Explain what you are going to talk about(Lead the reader through your essay)Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 8: Write the Body ParagraphsAnalyze. Do not just list facts. Tie them to the thesis andexplain how they prove your thesis.-It is important that you support your thesis whilereferencing the documents.-When referencing the documents, make sure to analyzewhat the document or person is saying and, if possible, whythey are saying what they are saying (explain theirbackground).Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 8: Write the Body Paragraphs-If you quote a document, cite it properly:“In line 8 of document C, President Lincoln states.-Name the person and explain what they are in yoursentence:“Thomas Sowell, an economist, believes that.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 8: Write the Body Paragraphs-Do not just list documents as they are presented inthe DBQ. You must have some kind of analysisinvolved-Facts should be organized in a logical sequence-Each set of facts should be in a separate paragraph.-Refute arguments that are the opposite of your thesisif you can.Sunday, September 22, 13

9 Steps to Answer a DBQStep 9: Write the ConclusionThe conclusion should bring thereader back to your thesis and thequestion.No new information should be added.Sunday, September 22, 13

DBQ Stands for Document Based Question Sunday, September 22, 13. What is a DBQ? DBQ’s do not test your content . War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions. Sunday, September 22, 13.