Cracking the DBQ

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Cracking the DBQ
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What is the DBQ?

• Document Based Question
• Interpretation of primary source documents
• Newspaper articles, editorials, letters diaries,
  speeches, excerpts from legislation, political
  cartoons, charts, graphs
• Rarely classic
• Authors usually obscure
• Theme/period should be familiar
• Usually 6 to12 lines long
• Begins with a 15 minute reading/planning period
• Writing period is 45 minutes long (not including
  reading period or break)

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Is there a right answer to each DBQ?

• NO
• You can take a number of positions
• Support your argument (thesis) with evidence
• Documents can be used to support whatever
  argument you take
• BUT you must include outside information!!

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How is the DBQ Scored?

• On scale of 1-9
• Graders guided by core-scoring method
• Can get 6 points for doing basic tasks
• Basic Core
• Having acceptable thesis
• Using a substantial majority of the documents
• Addressing all parts of question
• Understanding and proper utilization of docs
• Illustration point of view (in at least 3 docs)
• Grouping docs (at least 3 different categories)
• Expanded Core
• Can get 3 additional points
• Clear and comprehensive thesis
• Using all docs
• skillfully using docs as evidence
• Insightful analysis of docs
• Illustrating point of view in at least 4 docs
• Grouping docs (more than 3 categories)
• Incorporating outside knowledge (not mentioned)

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Thesis (Skills 1 and 3)

• Read the question at least 3 times
• Make sure your thesis reflects the question
• Remember, DONT use I or YOU
• Dont ignore any part of the question
• Social, economic, political

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DOCs (Skills 2 and 4)

• USE EVERY DOC! Skip one at most.
• Reference each doc
• (DOC 1). or As (author of doc) points out,
  many moderate Marxists felt.
• You may quote the docs, but make sure you explain
  how it relates to your thesis and to the other
  docs in the group
• Youre allowed to misinterpret one, but try not
  to

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Point of View (Skill 5)

• The docs are not facts, theyre opinions. In what
  ways) can such opinions reflect bias?
• Author?
• Place (and time)?
• Prior Knowledge?
• Audience?
• Reason/Goal?
• POV is not really The Main Idea or The
  Significance.

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Group the Docs (Skill 6)

• You must have at least 3 different groups
• Group at least 2 docs (AP)
• Good idea to use more than 2 (in case you
  misinterpret 1), so Mr. M requires three
• Docs can be used more than once
• Can be grouped as (for ex.)
• Pro v con
• Revolutionary v Moderate v Reactionary
• 19th v 20th century

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Expanded Core Points

• Skill 7
• Create a thesis that not only answers the
  question but indicates how your essay will be
  organized (grouped)
• Skills 8, 10, 11, 12 ask you to do the basic
  cores well
• Skill 9
• Cite the document
• State the author
• Cite it (Doc 2)
• DO NOT WRITE In document 2, blah, blah, is
  said, which is contradicted by doc 13.
• The essay is about the authors of the source!
• Also, paraphrasing makes for a boring and tedious
  read

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APPARTS (to determine POV)

• Author
• Who created the source?
• What do you know about the author?
• What is his/her point of view?
• Place (and time)
• Where and when was the source produced and how
  might this affect its meaning?
• Prior Knowledge
• Beyond information about the author and the
  context of its creation, what do you know that
  would help you further understand the doc?
  Symbols? Other names (a French Calvinist)
• Audience
• To whom was the source written and how does it
  affect its reliability?
• Reason
• Why was it produced?
• THE Main Idea
• What point is the doc trying to convey?
• Significance
• Why is it important? This about the question your
  trying answer?

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Check List

• Read the Question x 3
• Gather Outside information
• Scribble everything you can remember whether its
  relevant or not
• Create columns, grids, timeline
• Now Read Docs and apply APPARTS
• Write notes on the side
• Docs are usually arranged chronologically
• If theyre not, its usually indicated that you
  should be comparing/contrasting different points
  of view
• Watch for contradictions within the docs
• Consider the sources political ideology, class,
  race, religion, gender

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Lets practice

• Discuss the roles played by women in the
  religious conflicts of the sixteenth century.

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Think about the question

• What were the religious conflicts of the
  sixteenth century?
• Remember the 16th century the 1500s
• Didnt something happen on Halloween in 1517?
• Where did it happen?
• Wittenberg, Germany
• Who was involved
• Pope
• Martin Luther (What do I remember about this
  guy?)
• What were the issues?
• Sale of indulgences, faith alone, priesthood of
  all believers.

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Document 1
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Document 2
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Document 3
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Document 4
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Document 5
Source German mother teaching her daughter to
read the Bible. German woodcut, circa 1540.
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Document 6