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Document-Based Question (DBQ)
What is a dbq, how to read the documents:, written documents, how to answer the prompt:, compare & contrast, cause & effect, change & continuity over time, how to earn all 7 points:.
Contextualization
Analysis & Sourcing
How to start writing the dbq, how to write a dbq:.
Attached below is a worksheet with an outline organizer for your DBQ. When practicing for your DBQ, feel free to download & print this to use:
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis iconfinder_10_171505 (1).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/765483_ba5746ff47cb4feb9457d6771ed8ffa5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_117,h_117,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/iconfinder_10_171505%20(1).png)
7 documents
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis pngfind.com-documents-png-6607266 (1).pn](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/765483_2d1e9b8b5d504886a2bfe740ba542414~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_94,h_117,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/pngfind_com-documents-png-6607266%20(1)_pn.png)
You are given 7 documents, and you are given a prompt, similar to an LEQ prompt. You need to write an essay, responding to the prompt, using evidence from the documents. You have 60 minutes in total, but of those 15 minutes are recommended for reading. The sections below describe the types of documents, types of prompts, and the rubric and how to earn each point.
You are given 7 documents. The different types are described below:
Excerpt / Written Document
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis document-icon.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/765483_62ea6ba54a264168a54eac0ca86da722~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_117,h_117,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/document-icon.png)
Graphic, Diagram, Map, Cartoon
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis chart-646 (1).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/765483_34984ba57445469ea9bbba3eb50f1023~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_117,h_117,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/chart-646%20(1).png)
General Tips
Look at the sourcing before you read each doc to get an idea of what the doc might say
Write a quick summary (~3 bullet points) to summarize the content of each doc
Write a note of how each doc fits in with the prompt
Does it support or refute your thesis?
Which side of the prompt does it cover?
Which aspect (which body paragraph) of your prompt / thesis does it cover?
Any document with written paragraphs
Newspaper, letter, speech, historian's interpretation, constitution, religious text, etc.
Special tips:
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might say
Take your time to understand the content of the doc; no need to rush
Write a few notes summarizing the doc
Figure out how the doc relates to the prompt
Does it argue one side or another?
Does it provide evidence for a specific geographical region?
Does it refute your thesis?
Which sub-category of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a photo
Any photo that a photographer might take, or an artist's depiction of a historical event
NOT a diagram, map, or something manmade or designed by historians
Read the sourcing & title to try to figure out what the photo might depict
Look at all aspects of the photo, get an idea of what it depicts
Does it represent a historical development?
Does it represent an artistic movement?
Look for all signs of bias in the photo
Is it depicting a specific point of view?
Does it portray a certain culture as superior?
Does it portray a certain culture as inferior?
Does it represent a military victory?
This would mean one side is better than the other
Does it portray something as bigger or exaggerated?
Means that the exaggerated thing is depicted as superior
Does it portray something as smaller?
Means that the thing that's depicted smaller is portrayed as inferior
Based on the point of view (bias) and the content, figure out how it relates to the prompt
Does it support / refute your thesis?
What aspect of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a man-made photo
Graphic, diagram, political cartoon, map, etc.
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might depict
Look at the doc and try to figure out what it represents, or what topic it depicts
Think about the bias or point of view of the doc:
Does it represent the views of one side or another?
Is it depicting one side as exaggerated or superior to another?
Cartoons are generally biased
If it's a map, what is it representing?
Is it representing the map of industrial factories, trade routes, westward expansion, deciphered wind patterns, etc.?
Once you figure this out, understand the historical context of the map
If it's a graphic or a diagram, what information does it detail?
If it's a population growth map, what allowed for population growth?
Think of what the diagram depicts, and what allowed for that, and what's the historical context of that historical development?
Involves comparing & contrasting 2 different things
Most important thing is the argument: Not what the differences/similarities were, but HOW THEY WERE SIGNIFICANT
How to use the documents:
Some docs might explain the features of one of the comparand (the thing you compare), other docs may explain the other comparand
Some docs might cover both comparands
Figure out what the docs are saying for each comparand, and write your thesis based on that
What are they saying are similar & different about the 2?
Involves examining what a certain historical development, and what were its causes & effects
What's more important is examining the significance of the causes, or how one cause/effect was more important than other causes/effects
Generally, 2 causes and 1 or 2 effects
Some docs might explain the event
Some docs might explain the causes, others might explain the effects
Draft a thesis based on the info about the causes & effects mentioned in the docs
Try to mention which causes were more significant than other causes
Involves examining what changed & what remained the same as a result of one event
Some docs might explain the catalyst (the event that caused the changes/continuities) you write about
Some docs might describe the changes
Some docs might describe the continuities
Draft a thesis based on what the docs say about the changes & continuities
How to Earn all 7 Points:
Contextualization (1 point).
Examine the historical context of the story
Kind of like a "recap" or a "flashback"
Like at the beginning of a TV show, it shows a recap of the previous episode
How to write one
Always include the time period & possibly the location
"In Europe in the period 1450 - 1750, ..."
Provide a brief 3-5 sentence recap of how the world arrived at the situation you are writing about in your essay
The contextualization should finish with how the world arrived at the historical development you write about in your thesis, so that there is a smooth transition from contextualization to the thesis
Sample Contextualizations
Topic: Related to the industrial revolution
Before the 1750s, people were performing manual labor, making items by hand, which was very inefficient. From 1750-1900, Europe and the rest of the world underwent an economic transformation called the Industrial Revolution. Starting in Britain due to its abundance of raw materials & strong financial support, industrial capitalists built factories powered by waterwheels or coal that artificially produced goods such as textiles, eliminating the need to make them by hand. This brought a lot more people from the countryside to the cities, where they worked in factories for low wages. From Britain, the industrial revolution spread throughout Europe as well as to US, Egypt, Russia, and Japan. [Insert Thesis Here]
Topic: Related to imperialism
In the period 1750-1900, Europe underwent an economic transformation known as the industrial revolution, where people would use artificial power to cheaply & efficiently manufacture goods in commercial factories in the cities, rather than making goods by hand at home. In order for these factories to produce goods, they needed raw materials, which is why they had to look to other nations like those in Africa and Asia to supply raw materials to them. This led to European imperialism, a development where Europeans started colonizing other nations throughout the world, especially in Africa and Asia, to establish export-oriented economies to get raw materials to supply to their factories. [Insert Thesis Here]
Thesis (1 point)
This is your argument
Must be something that can be opposed
Someone else has to be able to write an essay whose thesis is the opposite of yours
Must contain an argument, and generally 2-3 examples (topics for body paragraphs)
Better to have a concession
Useful for complexity point
Format of Thesis & Examples
Color Key:
Concession / Counterargument*
Similarities / Continuities / Causes
Difference for Comparand 1 / Changes / Effects
Differences for Comparand 2
*Concession is always optional. Described in the analysis section, it can be used to get the extra complexity point
Prompt: Compare & Contrast
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , w hile [comparand 1] and [comparand 2] both [insert similarities] , [comparand 1] was [insert difference for comparand 1], and [comparand 2] was [insert difference for comparand 2], which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although the Delhi Sultanate had very strict religious authority, while the Delhi Sultanate and the Chola Kingdom both used religion to maintain stability , the Delhi Sultanate was attempting to impose Islam on a Hindu-majority population , and the Chola Kingdom imposed Hindu on a Hindu population , which allowed for the Chola Kingdom to be more successful than the Delhi Sultanate.
Prompt: Change & Continuity over Time
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , as a result of [catalyst], while [continuity] stayed the same , [change] changed, which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although some may believe the Catholic church actually became more powerful, as a result of the Protestant Reformation, while women still maintained strictly subordinate roles , there were more religious wars, and more monarchs were able to consolidate more power for themselves , which caused the Catholic church to decline in power.
Prompt: Cause & Effect
Although some may believe [counterargument]* are the most important causes of [event] , [causes] were the main causes** , which caused [effects].
Although some may believe that the desire to spread Christianity was the main cause of European imperialism , the desire to get raw materials and the need for more markets were the main causes , which led to a more integrated global economy and the development of technological infrastructure in the colonies.
**Here, the argument is that the causes you described in the blue section are more important than the causes in the yellow section. There is no need for an extra argument at the end
Evidence (3 points)
This is where you put examples / pieces of evidence to support your thesis
To get 1 point : Use evidence from 3 of the docs
To get 2 points : Use evidence from 6 of the docs, and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
It's always better to use all 7 docs in case you use one incorrectly
To get 3 points : Use an extra piece of evidence (from your own knowledge, not from the docs), and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
Examples of How to Write your Evidence
How to earn the first point:
To earn the 1st point, you need to describe / state evidence from 3 docs without connecting it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France.
How to earn the second point:
To earn the 2nd point, you need evidence from 6* docs, and you also need to connect it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion. Because the population was also mostly Hindu, the Chola Empire was able to maintain stability by using a common belief in Hinduism to stabilize its rule.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France. Thus, Britain had a larger industrial output than France, which is why it was able to manufacture more weapons during World War 1 and why France relied on Britain for support.
*Always use all 7 docs to in case you use one doc incorrectly
How to earn the third point:
To earn the third point, you need to include one piece of evidence that is not in the documents and is from your own knowledge.
Think of what evidence or what viewpoint is missing
If it's a compare & contrast: is there any other similarity or difference? Do you have any other evidence to support the topics of your thesis?
If it's a change & continuity over time: Is there any other evidence to support one of your changes or continuities?
If it's a cause & effect: Is there any other evidence or historical content that can support your causes or effects?
Analysis (2 points)
This is the hardest part
For 1 point, you need to explain how the source of 3 documents affects either your argument or what the document has to say
There are 4 parts of sourcing, and you ONLY NEED TO CHOOSE ONE
Explained in more detail below
For the 2nd point, you need to use complex analysis in your argument
This is the most confusing
The easiest way is to weave a counterargument through your essay, which the concession already sets you up for
The best way is to not think about it too much and just put a bit more complex arguments into your essay rather than sticking to a strict format
Historical Context
Point of View
You need to choose ONE of the above and follow the instructions below. Each of the sections below has information about each aspect of sourcing.
You need to do this for THREE different sources to earn full points (we recommend you do 4 in case one is wrong)
Historical Context:
Explain how the historical context of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written after WW1 when everyone was feeling depressed and economically poor, which explains why the priest is talking about a revival of religion and cheerful spirits.
This document was written in a time after the Protestant Reformation when there were a lot of religious wars, which is why the document argues that Lutheranism is better than Calvinism.
Explain how the intended audience of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written for the Armenians of the Ottoman empire, a Christian minority that was believed to conspire with the Allies, which is why the document is very aggressive toward them in asserting Ottoman dominance.
This speech was written to the American people to gain support for the Treaty of Versailles, which is why it intends to boost nationalist sentiment and promote American power.
Explain how the purpose of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written by the Republic party with the purpose of convincing its audience to vote for them, which is why it argues that Free Silver, a democratic idea, is bad.
This speech was written by John of Montecorvino, the Archbishop of Khanbaliq who sought to convert the Mongol boys to Christianity, which is why he emphasizes how Christianity allows one to achieve salvation.
Point of View:
Explain how the point of view of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written from the point of view of an Indian cotton farmer, which is why he writes that the British completely destroyed the Indian handmade textile industry.
This document was written from the point of view of Grover Cleveland, an anti-imperialist president, which is why he writes about the harms of annexing Hawaii.
The Complexity Point
The final point is the complexity point. This is given if you have a complex argument, and it is hard to achieve. The best way to think about this is do more than the prompt asks, and add a bit of extra analysis into the essay.
The easiest way to do this is weave a counterargument through the essay. In our thesis samples above, we already set you up for this with our concession clause.
How to Start Writing the DBQ:
First step is to outline your essay. Follow the steps below:
Read through each document, write a brief summary, and figure out how it relates to the prompt (which side/aspect does it argue?)
Write your thesis. Write each aspect of the thesis (concession/counterargument, evidence 1, evidence 2, argument), and combine them
Write the outline for your body paragraphs. Write the topic for each body paragraph, and which docs you'll use in each. Also, denote where you'll use your outside evidence
Write an outline for your sourcing. Choose 4 different documents, and write the sourcing sentence following the guidelines in the sourcing section above
Start writing. Good luck!
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AP World History: Sample DBQ Thesis Statements
Using the following documents, analyze how the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups within its empire for the period 1876–1908. Identify an additional document and explain how it would help you analyze the views of the Ottoman Empire.
Crafting a Solid Thesis Statement
Kaplan Pro Tip Your thesis can be in the first or last paragraph of your essay, but it cannot be split between the two. Many times, your original thesis is too simple to gain the point. A good idea is to write a concluding paragraph that might extend your original thesis. Think of a way to restate your thesis, adding information from your analysis of the documents.
Thesis Statements that Do NOT Work
There were many ways in which the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups.
The next statement paraphrases the historical background and does not address the question. It would not receive credit for being a thesis.
The Ottoman government brought reforms in the Constitution of 1876. The empire had a number of different groups of people living in it, including Christians and Muslims who did not practice the official form of Islam. By 1908 a new government was created by the Young Turks and the sultan was soon out of his job.
This next sentence gets the question backward: you are being asked for the government’s view of religious and ethnic groups, not the groups’ view of the government. Though the point-of-view issue is very important, this statement would not receive POV credit.
People of different nationalities reacted differently to the Ottoman government depending on their religion.
The following paragraph says a great deal about history, but it does not address the substance of the question. It would not receive credit because of its irrelevancy.
Throughout history, people around the world have struggled with the issue of political power and freedom. From the harbor of Boston during the first stages of the American Revolution to the plantations of Haiti during the struggle to end slavery, people have battled for power. Even in places like China with the Boxer Rebellion, people were responding against the issue of Westernization. Imperialism made the demand for change even more important, as European powers circled the globe and stretched their influences to the far reaches of the known world. In the Ottoman Empire too, people demanded change.
Thesis Statements that DO Work
Now we turn to thesis statements that do work. These two sentences address both the religious and ethnic aspects of the question. They describe how these groups were viewed.
The Ottoman government took the same position on religious diversity as it did on ethnic diversity. Minorities were servants of the Ottoman Turks, and religious diversity was allowed as long as Islam remained supreme.
This statement answers the question in a different way but is equally successful.
Government officials in the Ottoman Empire sent out the message that all people in the empire were equal regardless of religion or ethnicity, yet the reality was that the Turks and their version of Islam were superior.
Going Beyond the Basic Requirements
- have a highly sophisticated thesis
- show deep analysis of the documents
- use documents persuasively in broad conceptual ways
- analyze point of view thoughtfully and consistently
- identify multiple additional documents with sophisticated explanations of their usefulness
- bring in relevant outside information beyond the historical background provided
Final Notes on How to Write the DBQ
- Take notes in the margins during the reading period relating to the background of the speaker and his/her possible point of view.
- Assume that each document provides only a snapshot of the topic—just one perspective.
- Look for connections between documents for grouping.
- In the documents booklet, mark off documents that you use so that you do not forget to mention them.
- As you are writing, refer to the authorship of the documents, not just the document numbers.
- Mention additional documents and the reasons why they would help further analyze the question.
- Mark off each part of the instructions for the essay as you accomplish them.
- Use visual and graphic information in documents that are not text-based.
Don’t
- Repeat information from the historical background in your essay.
- Assume that the documents are universally valid rather than presenting a single perspective.
- Spend too much time on the DBQ rather than moving on to the other essay.
- Write the first paragraph before you have a clear idea of what your thesis will be.
- Ignore part of the question.
- Structure the essay with just one paragraph.
- Underline or highlight the thesis. (This may be done as an exercise for class, but it looks juvenile on the exam.)
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How to Write the Document Based Question (DBQ)
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What’s Covered:
What is the document based question, steps to writing an effective dbq, how do ap scores affect my college chances.
If you’re taking a history AP exam, you’ll likely encounter the Document Based Question (DBQ). This essay question constitutes a significant portion of your exam, so it’s important that you have a good grasp on how best to approach the DBQ. In this post, we’ll cover what exactly a document based question is, and how to answer it successfully.
A Document Based Question (DBQ) is a measure of the skills you learned in your AP classes in regard to recalling history and analyzing related documents. These documents can be primary or secondary sources, and your responses are expected to be in the form of an essay. Your ability to relate the context of documents to concepts beyond the given text and creating meaningful connections between all your sources will help demonstrate your skills as a knowledgeable writer.
The number of documents for a DBQ varies from exam to exam, but typically will fall between five to seven documents. The following AP exams will require you to write a DBQ:
AP U.S. History
AP European History
AP World History
We’ve listed the formats for each exam below, and keep in mind that the number of documents is prone to changing from year to year:
- Up to seven Documents
- One hour recommended time (includes 15-minute reading period)
- Up to seven Documents
- 25% of total exam score
With that in mind, let’s jump right into how to craft a strong DBQ response!
We’ve summarized how to write an effective DBQ into the following five steps:
1. Read the prompt first
Though you may be tempted to jump into the documents right away, it’s very important that you first look at what exactly the prompt is asking for. This way, when you eventually look at the documents, your focus will be narrower. A DBQ tests your reading comprehension and analysis skills more than the content itself, making it very important to understand your prompt thoroughly.
2. Skim the document titles
Each document will contain vital information regarding the context, and it’s important to scout key words regarding dates, authors, and anything pertaining to the general sense of what the documents are about. Skimming through your documents like this could save time and allow you to form a more structurally sound thesis.
Let’s take a look at the following graph and figure out how to skim the figure:
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis](https://blog.collegevine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Picture1.png)
This document was in a real exam from the AP World History free response questions in 2019. It’s important to pay attention to data provided and what context can be drawn from it. In this case, we’re provided with a graph that displays the life expectancy of a country in relation to the GDP per capita of said country. Being able to skim this graph and notice the common trends in the data points could provide convenient information into the context of the document, without any further intensive reading.
For example, seeing how countries with a GDP below 4,000 to 5,000 have lower life expectancies already gives us a potential correlation between the two factors. We can use this information to start formulating a thesis, depending on what the prompt is specifically asking for.
Remember, just skim! Don’t worry about reading the entire document yet; this strategy can keep you calm and level-headed before tackling the rest of the document. Methods like this can make acing the AP World History DBQ less intimidating!
3. Formulate a tentative thesis
A thesis is a statement that should be proved and discussed upon. It’s important to have a strong thesis as the foundation of your DBQ, as it guides the rest of your response in relation to the context. Understanding the difference between weak and strong theses will be imperative to your success, so here is an example of a weak thesis:
“The Cold War originated from some scenarios of conflict between Soviets and some groups of oppressors.”
Such a thesis can be considered weak for its lack of specificity, focal point, and usability as a constructive tool to write further detail on the subject. This thesis does not take a clear stance or communicate to the reader what the essay will specifically focus on. Here’s how the same thesis can be restructured to be stronger and more useful:
“The Cold War originated from tense diplomatic conflicts relating to propaganda and conspiratorial warfare between the United States and the Soviet Union.”
The information that’s been included into the second thesis about the two groups involved with the Cold War gives you more room to build a structured essay response. In relation to the rubric/grading schema for this DBQ, forming a structurally sound thesis or claim is one of the seven attainable points. Being able to contextualize, analyze, and reason off of this thesis alone could provide for two to four points – this means that five out of seven of your points revolve around your thesis, so make sure that it’s strong! Doing all of this in your fifteen minute reading period is crucial as once this is set, writing your actual response will be much easier!
4. Actively read the documents
Simply reading a document doesn’t normally suffice for creating a well-written and comprehensive response. You should focus on implementing your active reading skills, as this will make a huge difference as to how efficient you are during your work process.
Active reading refers to reading with an intention to grab key words and fragments of important information, usually gone about by highlighting and separating important phrases. Annotations, underlining, and circling are all great ways to filter out important information from irrelevant text in the documents.
An example of where you might find important information via active reading is the description. Circle important names or dates to contextualize the document. If you still can’t find contextual value from the title, that’s totally fine! Just scope out the rest of the document in relevance to your thesis – that is, pinpoint the specific information or text that best supports your argument. Finding one or two solid points of interest from one document is usually enough to write about and expand upon within your essay.
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis](https://blog.collegevine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/guidance-service.png)
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5. Make an Outline
If you like outlines, making one before writing your essay might prove helpful, just be aware of the time limit and act accordingly.
Start with your introduction, then work on the rest of your essay. This way, you can make sure your thesis is clear and strong, and it will help the graders form a clear view on what the general consensus of your paper is. Make sure to include evidence with your thesis within each paragraph and cite only relevant information, otherwise your citations could come across as filler as opposed to useful content. Every commentary or point you make should be tied in some way to the documents.
Format each body paragraph and organize your essay in a way that makes sense to you! The graders aren’t really looking at the structure of your essay; rather, they want to see that you analyzed the documents in a way that is supportive of your essay. As long as you have content from the documents which prove your thesis, the order or manner in which you present them doesn’t matter too much. What’s more important is that your essay is clear and comprehensive. As you write practice DBQs, try having someone else read your essays to make sure that the format is easy to follow.
Keep all these key details in mind as you construct your own DBQ response, and you’re well on your way to writing an effective essay!
Your chances of admission are actually not really impacted by your AP scores; however, the AP classes you take are more important than the exam scores themselves, meaning the impact of your AP scores isn’t as big as you think .
Instead, focusing on the AP classes on your transcript and the relevance of those classes to your future major is more impactful. For a further detailed understanding of the role AP classes play in regards to your college admissions, use CollegeVine’s free Admissions Calculator , which takes into account your GPA, standardized test scores, and more.
Additional Information
To dive deeper into DBQs, AP classes, and learning how to tackle each exam check out other resources at CollegeVine:
- Acing the Document Based Question on the AP US History Exam
- Acing the AP World History Document Based Question
- Ultimate Guide to the AP U.S. History Exam
- Ultimate Guide to the AP European History Exam
- Ultimate Guide to the AP World History Exam
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6 APUSH DBQ Examples to Review
Every subject is easier to study using concrete examples; APUSH essays are no exception. The data-based question, or DBQ, differs from typical essays in only one way – the inclusion of five to seven historical documents. Your goal is to read through each historical document, then write an essay that clearly answers the given prompt while demonstrating your overall understanding of APUSH content. The following sources for APUSH DBQ examples are helpful to review before beginning your own writing .
What should I look in each APUSH DBQ sample?
In each sample, study how each author:
- formulates a thesis
- constructs an argument
- analyzes historical documents
- provides additional examples
- uses evidence to support argument
- synthesizes information
APUSH DBQ Example #1: AP College Board
College Board is always the best source for up-to-date information and resources. This APUSH DBQ sample is from 2016 , but provides three different variations of student responses. You can see how and why which writing sample scored best, as well as determine how to incorporate those elements into your own writing. ( Examples from 2015 are also available.)
APUSH DBQ Example #2: AP US History Notes
Although this site doesn’t explain why each sample is successful, it does offer a large selection of examples to choose from. You can get a good sense of what type of writing goes into a high-quality essay. Read through both the DBQ and long essay examples.
APUSH DBQ Example #3: Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan only provides one APUSH DBQ sample , but does go through the essay point by point, explaining how the author develops a well-supported argument. Another good view into the inner workings of a quality writing example.
APUSH DBQ Example #4: Khan Academy
If you haven’t already, visit Khan Academy. Khan’s Historian’s Toolkit is a four-part video series that not only explains how to approach the DBQ, but also deconstructs the thinking behind a question example. Definitely worth a look.
APUSH DBQ Example #5: Apprend
Although rather lengthy, the DBQ and rubric breakdown from Apprend is a comprehensive look into how a DBQ response can earn top points and why. Options are given for each step of the writing process, enabling you to see the best possible answer for all sections of the essay.
APUSH DBQ Example #6: Your Classroom
Looking for more examples? One of the easiest places to find APUSH DBQ samples is in your own classroom. Ask your current APUSH teacher to view previous students’ writing samples. As you know by now, reviewing other students’ work can be a very powerful and effective way to study for DBQ.
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AP®︎/College US History
Course: ap®︎/college us history > unit 10.
- AP US History periods and themes
- AP US History multiple choice example 1
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- AP US History short answer example 1
- AP US History short answer example 2
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- AP US History DBQ example 2
- AP US History DBQ example 3
AP US History DBQ example 4
- AP US History long essay example 1
- AP US History long essay example 2
- AP US History long essay example 3
- Preparing for the AP US History Exam (5/4/2016)
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Video transcript
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AP® US History
How to write a new ap® us history dbq.
- The Albert Team
- Last Updated On: March 1, 2022
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis How to Write a New AP® US History DBQ](https://www.albert.io/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/How-to-Write-a-New_AP-US-History-DBQ-1024x585.png)
Hey! We wrote an updated version of this post here . Check it out for helpful videos and FRQ tips.
The dreaded AP® US History Document Based Question. For years it has struck fear in the hearts of many, turned boys into men and rookie students into old, weathered veterans. Rumor has it that little Jimmy Walker once took the AP® US History exam and when he got to the DBQ section, proceeded to spontaneously combust. Okay, so maybe that is a little dramatic. But the DBQ can be a really intimidating process that stands in the way of success for many students. Lucky for you, with this comprehensive guide, it can be relatively painless, and you will be well on your way to academic success and glory.
To start with, it is a good idea to figure out what exactly you are trying to accomplish on the DBQ . The quickest way to a high score is to know what the test scorers are looking for, and then do it! The rubric for grading the AP® US History DBQ can be found here . Also lucky for you, we broke down the rubric to make it easy to understand. Before you continue through the rest of this how-to guide, be sure to go check out the DBQ rubric guide here .
All right, so now you know what they are looking for and what you are trying to accomplish. Let’s get started.
The DBQ Layout:
Okay, so here’s how it works. Basically, you will be given an essay prompt, a set of primary source documents (never more than 7), and only 60 minutes to come up with a well written, clear and coherent essay response. The general rule of thumb, recommended by the good people at CollegeBoard, is to dedicate about 15 of those precious minutes to planning and the last 45 to writing. That may seem a little overwhelming, but it is totally doable! Especially with these 6 easy steps!
1. Read the Question.
Then figure out what the question is asking you. I can’t stress this enough, figuring out what the prompt is asking you is critical. No matter how good of a writer you are, or how much history you may know, if you don’t answer the question, you are sunk. A neat tip might be to write out in your own words what the question is asking.
As you are reading the question, be on the lookout for which skills they are trying to test you on. Every DBQ is looking to test your skills of historical argumentation, use of historical evidence, contextualization , and synthesis. These things are outlined in the rubric and are consistent parts of every good DBQ. In addition to these critical skills, a DBQ will be looking to analyze one of a number of certain skills. These include: causation, change/continuity over time, comparison, interpretation, or periodization. Don’t waste too much time trying to figure this out, and don’t get so caught up in it that you forget to answer the actual question, just be sure to keep it in mind as you plan out your answer.
That probably seems like an insanely long first step, but all of that will really only take a couple of minutes and set you up to breeze through the rest of the process. Once you have thoroughly read and interpreted the question, you are ready for step number 2!
2. Dig into the Sources
While you want to make sure that you read each document, don’t waste your time on too focused of a reading. Underline or highlight things that stand out, and make notes out to the side. One suggestion is to write a quick sentence or two that summarizes the main idea of each document. And again, this is all just part of the 15-minute planning period; so don’t get too caught up on any document. You are just looking for main ideas and details that really stand out. To take this one step further, you can organize the documents into groups based on their main point. (For highest score possibilities, make sure to use either all or all but one of the primary source documents).
3. Make an Outline.
First decide on a thesis, and from there think about how you want to use your primary source documents to support that thesis. Think about what kinds of outside information you might want to bring in to further support your argument, and where it will fit into your essay as a whole. Once more, don’t get stuck mapping out every single thing that you are going to say, but be sure that you include documents where they fit in the response. This will make it much easier to incorporate them into your answer. Hopefully it has only been 15 minutes or less at this point and you are now ready to write!
4. Start Writing!
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis](https://www.albert.io/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/writing-923882_1920-1024x683.jpg)
Most of your highly intensive, critical thinking type stuff should already have happened and now it is just all about putting those thoughts into words. If you played your cards right and made good use of the first 15 minutes, this part of the process should be pretty straightforward. Start with a brief introduction that gives a little context to the subject matter and shows that you know some of the details surrounding the subject matter. Introduce your thesis, then a few of your main ideas that support your thesis. This part of your paper is not much different than a regular essay response.
5. Keep Writing!
As you get going on some longer paragraphs and stringing together lots of sophisticated and smart sounding sentences, it can be easy to lose sight of the main points of your paper. I have said it a couple times already, but it is absolutely essential that you answer the question!
A few key things to keep in mind as you write your body:
1. Use specific references from your documents, and always show where you are getting the information. At the same time, don’t just use huge block quotes to take up a bunch of space. Use what you need to answer the question.
2. Make sure you use some outside knowledge to support your argument, along with your documents. Specific examples that aren’t on the documents are super helpful in making your argument stronger, and just showing that you know what you are talking about.
3. Don’t forget to contextualize. Things that happen in history are not isolated events, and the circumstances surrounding things matter. Don’t forget to address that.
6. Wrap it up with a ballin’ conclusion.
Don’t draw it out and don’t introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Make it short and to the point. Summarize what your main thesis and arguments were and leave it at that. Don’t try to be too clever or witty or trite and you actually don’t have to use the term “In conclusion” every time you write a conclusion. (Mind blown, I know).
If you follow these 6 easy steps and ANSWER THE QUESTION , you will demolish the DBQ section of the AP® US History exam. (That’s a good thing). And at the very least, you will make it out better than poor Jimmy Walker.
Looking for AP® US History practice?
Kickstart your AP® US History prep with Albert. Start your AP® exam prep today .
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4 thoughts on “how to write a new ap® us history dbq”.
This says it was updated in May of 2020, bull crap! YOu are telling students they have 15 min to read the documents and 45 to write. Thats wrong! They have a total of 45 min. on the new 2020 online DBQ. So Im telling students to spend no more than 19 min with reading the docs. Come on guys! get this updated
I meant 10 min on reading Docs.
Paul, this was written several years ago as noted by the disclaimer. For the 2020 exam, please review our new guide here: https://www.albert.io/blog/ap-us-history-review/
Thanks for the comment!
Paul, this is an article from a few years ago (note the disclaimer). The updates made to this were just images, not core content. Our 2020 AP® US History guide can be found here: https://www.albert.io/blog/ap-us-history-review/
Comments are closed.
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Where to Find the Best DBQ Examples
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One of the best ways to prepare for the DBQ (the "document-based question" on the AP European History, AP US History, and AP World History exams) is to look over sample questions and example essays. Doing this will help you to get a sense of what makes a good (and what makes a bad) DBQ response.
That said, not all DBQ essay examples are created equal. We'll briefly cover what makes a good DBQ example and then provide a list of example essays by course. Lastly, we'll give you some helpful tips on how to best use sample essays in your own preparation process.
What's a Good DBQ Example?
Without a doubt, the best sample resources come from the College Board . This is because they are the ones who design and administer the AP exams . This means the following:
Any DBQ essay example that the College Board provides will include a real DBQ prompt
All samples are real student responses from previous years , so you know they were written under the same conditions you'll have when you write your DBQ—in other words, they're authentic!
They not only have scores but also explanations of each essay's score , in accordance with the rubric
Each prompt includes several sample essays with a variety of scores
Some DBQ examples outside those available from the College Board might be worth looking at, particularly if they highlight how a particular essay could be improved. In general, though, a superior example will do the following:
Include the prompt and documents: It will be much easier for you to see how the information from the documents is integrated into the essay if you can actually look at the documents themselves!
Have a score: Seems simple, but you'd be surprised how many DBQ examples out there in the uncharted internet don't have one. Without a real, official score, it's hard to gauge how trustworthy a sample actually is.
With that in mind, I have compiled lists, organized by exam, of high-quality example DBQs below.
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-pencil-notes-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-pencil-notes-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=414&height=250&name=body-pencil-notes-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
Don't spend all your study time on false starts with your practice DBQs.
Every DBQ Example Essay You Could Ever Need, by Exam
Here are your example essays! We'll start with AP US History, then move to AP European History, and finally wrap up with AP World History.
AP US History: Official College Board Examples
The APUSH test was redesigned in 2015 and again in 2018, so right now there are eight official College Board sets of sample essays you can use in your studies . Make sure to give yourself a 15-minute reading period and 45 minutes to write your answer. In addition, don't forget to use the current scoring guidelines when grading your own practice responses.
- 2023 Free-Response Questions | Scoring Guidelines 2023
- 2022 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2022
- 2021 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2021
- 2019 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2019
- 2018 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2018
- 2017 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2017
- 2016 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2016
- 2015 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2015
If you want additional sample question sets, you can look at older College Board US History DBQ example response sets . To look at these, click "Free-Response Questions" for a given year. For the corresponding DBQ examples and scoring guidelines, click "Sample Responses Q1."
Note that these examples use the old rubric (which is integrated into the Scoring Guidelines for a given free-response section). General comments on the quality of the essay, outside information, and document analysis still apply, but the score is on a 9-point scale instead of the current 7-point scale, and some of the particulars will be different. Older DBQs had up to 12 documents, while the current format has seven documents.
If you do look at older DBQ examples, I recommend using the current rubric to re-grade the essays in the sample according to the 7-point scale. I'll also give more advice on how to use all these samples in your prep later on.
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-eagle-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-eagle-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=320&height=376&name=body-eagle-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
Mr. Bald Eagle is an AP US History DBQ grader in his spare time.
AP European History: Official College Board Examples
Unfortunately, there aren't as many sample resources for the AP Euro DBQ compared to the other AP history tests because 2016 was the first year the AP Euro test was administered in the new format . Since then, more minor changes have been made in terms of time (you now have an hour on the DBQ) and individual parts of the rubric (you can view the current scoring guidelines here ).
This means there are seven sets of official samples graded with the current 7-point rubric:
The rest of the existing available samples were graded in the old 9-point format instead of the 7-point format implemented in 2016.
In the old format, there were 6 "core" points and 3 additional points possible. The old rubric is integrated with the sample responses for each question, but we'll highlight some key differences between the old and current formats :
With the old format, you were given a brief "historical background" section before the documents
There were more documents—up to 12—but the current format has seven
There was an emphasis on "grouping" the documents that is not present in the current rubric
There was also explicit emphasis on correctly interpreting the documents that is not found in the current rubric
While the essential components of the DBQ are still the same between the two test formats, you should definitely refer to the current rubric if you decide to look at any old AP European History samples . You might find it useful to look at old essays and score them in accordance with the current rubric.
Here are the old sample DBQ questions and essays, organized by year:
- 2014 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2014
- 2013 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2013
- 2012 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2012
- 2011 Free-Response Questions | Sample DBQ Responses 2011
You can get samples in the old format all the way back to 1999 from the College Board . (Click "Free -Response Questions" for the questions and "Sample Response Q1" for the samples.)
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-castle-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-castle-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=300&height=200&name=body-castle-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
Consider how you might integrate this castle into the DBQ that is your life.
AP World History: Official College Board Examples
The World History AP exam transitioned to a new format to more closely resemble AP US History and AP European History for the 2017 test. This means that there are six past exams available that use the current DBQ format:
Note that starting with the 2020 exam, AP World History will only cover the years 1200 to the present instead of thousands of years of history. As a result, both the course and exam have been renamed AP World History: Modern (a World History: Ancient course is in the works). What this means for you is that previous DBQs might have to do with time periods you're no longer required to study, so just keep this in mind.
In the old format, there were 7 "core" points and 2 additional points possible. The old rubric is integrated with the sample responses for each question, but we'll highlight some key differences between the old and current formats :
There were more documents—up to 10—but the current format has seven
There was an emphasis on "grouping" the documents on the old rubric that is not present in the current rubric
- In the old rubric, you needed to identify one additional document that would aid in your analysis; the new rubric does not have this requirement
The essential components of the DBQ are still the same between the two formats, though you should definitely look at the current rubric if you study with any old AP World History questions and samples. You might find it useful to look at the old essays and score them according to the current rubric.
Here are old AP World History questions and DBQ sample responses , organized by year:
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-sphynx-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-sphynx-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=320&height=214&name=body-sphynx-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
Don't worry, the old format isn't as old as this guy right here.
How Should I Use DBQ Examples to Prepare?
Now that you have all these examples, what should you do with them? In this section, we'll give you some tips on how to use example DBQs in your own AP history prep , including when to start using them and how many you should plan to review.
What Should I Do With These DBQs?
Official sample essay sets are a great way to test how well you understand the rubric. This is why we recommend that you grade a sample set early on in your study process—maybe even before you've written a practice DBQ .
Then, when you compare the scores you gave to the official scores and scoring notes given to the samples, you'll have a better idea of what parts of the rubric you don't really understand . If there are points you are consistently awarding differently than the graders, you’ll know those are skills you'll need to work on.
Keep giving points for the thesis and then finding out the sample didn't get those points? This tells you to work more on your thesis skills. Not giving points for historical context and then finding out the AP grader gave full credit? You need to work on recognizing what constitutes historical context according to the AP.
Check out my tips on building specific rubric-based skills in our guide on how to write a DBQ .
Once you've worked on some of those rubric skills you're weaker in, such as evaluating a good thesis or keeping track of how many documents were used, grade another sample set. This way you can see how your ability to grade the essays like an AP grader improves over time!
Obviously, grading sample exams is a much more difficult process if you're looking at examples in an old format. The old scores as awarded by the College Board will be helpful in establishing a ballpark —a 9 is still going to be a good essay using the current 7-point scale—but there may be some modest differences in grades between the two scales. (For example, maybe that perfect 9 is now more like a 6 out of 7 due to rubric changes.)
For practice grading with old samples, you might want to pull out two copies of the current rubric, recruit a trusted study buddy or academic advisor (or even two study buddies!), and have each of you re-grade the samples .
You can then discuss any major differences in the grades each of you awarded. Having multiple sets of eyes will help you determine whether the scores you're giving are reasonable, since you won’t have an official 7-point College Board score for comparison.
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How Many Example DBQs Should I Be Using?
The answer to this question depends on your study plans.
If it's six months before the exam and you plan on transforming yourself into a hard diamond of DBQ excellence, you might do practice grading on a sample set every few weeks to a month to check your progress to being able to think like an AP grader. In this case, you would probably use six to nine official sample sets.
If, on the other hand, the exam is in a month and you're just trying to get in some extra skill-polishing, you might do a sample set every week to 10 days . It makes sense to check your skills more often when you have less time to study because you want to be sure that you are focusing your time on the skills that need the most work. For a short time frame, expect to use somewhere in the range of three to four official sample sets.
Either way, you should be integrating your sample essay grading with skills practice and doing some practice DBQ writing of your own .
Toward the end of your study time, you could even integrate DBQ writing practice with sample grading. Read and complete a timed prompt and then grade the sample set for that prompt, including yours! The other essays will help give you a sense of what score your essay might have received that year and any areas you might have overlooked.
There's no one-size-fits-all approach to using sample sets, but in general they are a useful tool for making sure you have a good idea what the DBQ graders will be looking for when you write your own DBQ on test day.
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-ostriches-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-ostriches-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=344&height=187&name=body-ostriches-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
Hey, where can we find a good DBQ around here?
Closing Thoughts: Example DBQs for AP History Tests
Example DBQ essays are a valuable resource in your arsenal of study strategies for the AP history exams. Grading samples carefully will help you get a sense of your own blind spots so you'll know what skills to focus on in your prep.
That said, sample essays will be most useful when integrated with your own targeted skills prep . Grading 100 sample essays won't help you if you aren't practicing your skills; rather, you'll just keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
Make sure you aren't using sample essays to avoid writing practice DBQs either—you'll want to do at least a couple, even if you only have a month to practice.
And there you have it, folks. With this list of DBQ examples and tips on how to use them, you are all prepared to integrate samples into your study strategy!
![how to write a good apush dbq thesis body-whats-next-cc0-pixabay](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body-whats-next-cc0-pixabay.jpg?width=450&height=300&name=body-whats-next-cc0-pixabay.jpg)
What's Next?
Still not sure what a DBQ is? Check out my explanation of the DBQ to learn the basics.
Want tips on how to really dig in and study for AP history tests? We've got a complete how-to guide on preparing for and writing the DBQ .
If you're still studying for AP World History, check out our top AP World History study guide , or get more practice tests from our complete list .
Want more study material for AP US History? Look into this article on the best notes to use for studying from one of our experts. Also, read our review of the best AP US History textbooks !
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United States History Writing Study Skills
Frank Warren, a history professor at Queens College and a former Chief Faculty Consultant for AP U.S. History, offers the following suggestions for writing a good response to a document-based question (DBQ) or free-response essay question.
Write More Often
AP students need to write, and to write often. This practice is an excellent way to develop the skill of casting a thesis statement and marshalling evidence in support of a valid generalization.
Define Your Terms Where Necessary
Look especially at terms like liberal or conservative, radical or progressive. Be prepared to define other central terms, such as major change, that may appear to be obvious but can be ambiguous.
Start with a Clearly Stated Thesis
Some good essay writers begin with a thesis statement, back it up with supporting evidence from documents and outside knowledge, and, if time permits, restate the thesis at the end. Other writers analyze the material and build up logically to their thesis statement. On an AP Exam, you should use whichever method you feel most comfortable with. In any case, exam day is probably not a good time to experiment with a new, unfamiliar method of writing.
Organize Your Response Carefully
In addition to having a strong thesis, it is a good idea to have a guiding organizational principle—a stated agenda for making your point. Try to integrate your outside information into your response. Your exam shouldn’t read as if you threw in a few tidbits of outside information at the end.
Make Sure Thesis Matches Assessment and Knowledge
Many good essay writers demonstrate a sense of complexity in the documents, showing that most of the evidence may point in one direction but that part of the evidence points in a different direction. It is better, however, to support a clear, simple thesis than to create artificially a complexity that you can't support using the documents or outside knowledge. Almost every essay—including the DBQ—is designed to allow the student to agree or disagree with the statement. Your ultimate goal should be to present a well-argued and well-supported thesis, not merely to give the people scoring the essay what you think they want.
Build an Argument
The best essays—in terms of arguing their case—are those that marshal the positive arguments in favor of their position but that also refute or answer possible rival theses. Even if you think a statement is completely true, it is better to confront and negate the evidence that seems to refute it than to ignore the counterevidence completely.
Integrate the Documents and Your Analysis
Don’t merely explain what is stated in the documents. Rather, use the documents as part of an integrated essay in support of your thesis.
Don’t Quote Large Portions of the Documents
The readers of the essays are already familiar with the documents. You can quote a short passage or two if necessary, to make your point, but don’t waste time or space reciting them.
Choose Your Essays Wisely
Select the questions you are best prepared to answer. The questions that invite the easiest generalizations are not always the ones you should answer. As you read through the questions and make your choices, ask yourself for which of the questions are you best prepared to support your thesis.
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Learn how to write a good APUSH DBQ thesis and answer with the official rubric, examples, and tips. Find out what documents are, how to use them, and what outside information to incorporate.
If you can't exactly pinpoint what's taking you so long, I advise you to simply practice writing DBQs in less and less time. Start with 20 minutes for your outline and 50 for your essay, (or longer, if you need). Then when you can do it in 20 and 50, move back to 18 minutes and 45 for writing, then to 15 and 40.
AP US History DBQ example 1. Google Classroom. Microsoft Teams. About. Transcript. The document-based question (DBQ) is one of two main essays on the AP US History exam and usually requires analyzing changes or continuities over time in US history. In this video, learn about the structure of DBQs and tips and tricks to help you succeed on this ...
Learn how to read, analyze, and write a DBQ (document-based question) for AP history. Find tips, examples, and a worksheet to help you structure your essay and earn all 7 points.
During Step 1: Analyze the Prompt. Use the 15-minute reading period to read the documents and organize them into groups for analysis. Feel free to write notes in the test booklet and underline important words in both the source line and the document itself. Nothing in the booklet is read as part of the essay scoring.
Learn how to write a clear and analytical thesis for an AP World History DBQ essay by looking at examples and tips. See what works and what does not work for different kinds of questions and documents.
Resources from Heimler's History: To master all the WRITING SKILLS you need, get my ESSAY CRAM COURSE: +AP Essay CRAM Course (DBQ, LEQ, SAQ Help): https://bi...
To answer the AP World History DBQ, you'll have to read through all seven documents and write an argumentative essay that answers the prompt. So not only will you have to come up with an arguable point, you'll have to prove that thesis using evidence contained in at least three of the seven documents.
Learn how to approach the Document Based Question (DBQ) for AP U.S. History, a measure of your skills in recalling history and analyzing documents. Follow the five steps to write an effective DBQ: read the prompt, skim the documents, formulate a thesis, actively read the documents, and make an outline.
If you're not sure how to write a DBQ thesis, check out this post for a failproof DBQ thesis formula and AP World History and APUSH DBQ thesis examples!
Learn what contextualization is and how to write a good contextualization point for the Document Based Question (DBQ) on the AP US History exam. See examples of successful and unsuccessful contextualization points and tips to improve your writing skills.
Learn how to write a DBQ essay for the APUSH exam with tips on how to read, annotate, and synthesize documents. Follow the five-paragraph structure and use a table to organize your ideas.
A detailed video about the Thesis component of the Document Based Question and Long Essay Question for AP US History, AP World History, and AP European Histo...
Learn how to write a good thesis and synthesis for Document Based Questions (DBQ) on the APUSH exam. See a sample DBQ question, scoring notes, and student essays with feedback.
All documents are used as evidence to support a claim. The essay makes a complex and nuanced argument supported by strong evidence and analysis that goes beneath the surface. This sample essay was written in order to provide teachers and students with possible approaches to completing the AP US History DBQ.
APUSH DBQ Example #3: Kaplan Test Prep. Kaplan only provides one APUSH DBQ sample, but does go through the essay point by point, explaining how the author develops a well-supported argument. Another good view into the inner workings of a quality writing example.
AP®︎ US History worked examples. AP US History DBQ example 4. Google Classroom. About Transcript. Kim explains how to use the themes you identified in the primary documents as an outline, and demonstrates how to include those documents in the final essay. Questions Tips & Thanks.
3. Don't forget to contextualize. Things that happen in history are not isolated events, and the circumstances surrounding things matter. Don't forget to address that. 6. Wrap it up with a ballin' conclusion. Don't draw it out and don't introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Make it short and to the point.
One of the best ways to prepare for the DBQ (the "document-based question" on the AP European History, AP US History, and AP World History exams) is to look over sample questions and example essays. Doing this will help you to get a sense of what makes a good (and what makes a bad) DBQ response. That said, not all DBQ essay examples are created equal.
Create a Strong and Concise Thesis - Always, always, always follow the format " Answer because of reason ". This is the best way score the points for a strong thesis. Introduce, Contextualize, Explain - Whenever using evidence in your essay (which should be multiple times in each paragraph), follow this simple pattern.
o earn this point, yo. r thesis must do three things:1. Respond to the promptYour thesis must be a specific answer to the actual prompt, not a variation of the prompt. or something more generally on the topic of the prompt. This means that you have to read the question multiple. mes and identify everything you must do to address it. It's a.
Start with a Clearly Stated Thesis. Some good essay writers begin with a thesis statement, back it up with supporting evidence from documents and outside knowledge, and, if time permits, restate the thesis at the end. Other writers analyze the material and build up logically to their thesis statement. On an AP Exam, you should use whichever ...
Former teacher/current tutor here! Your thesis should fully reflect the breadth of the documents included in the DBQ. Ideally, three claims for 7 documents; each claim is a subargument that frames each paragraph. You need to be fully aware of what kind of thinking skill you're being asked to use, and ensure that your thesis fully answers the ...