Designing Better Quilts (for U.S. History) (a.k.a. the Document Based Question)

Designing Better Quilts(for U.S. History)

(a.k.a. theDocument Based

Question)

What is a D.B.Q.?

DBQ: a timed writing with documents to test your ability to read and evaluate multiple sources and integrate appropriate ones into a coherent (logically connected), cogent (convincing) essay.

In Short…

College professors wanted to know that students who used the AP US History exam for credit or placement out of freshman History knew how to write and think.

Types of Documents

Primary Sources• Public Documents• Records• Government

documents• Diary entries• Letters• Newspapers

Secondary Sources

• Journal articles• Historical writings• Textbooks• Newspapers

(editorials)

Document Analysis

S = Who is the speaker (voice telling the story)

O = What is the occasion? (time and place of the piece; context)

A = Who is the audience? (to whom is this piece directed?)

P = What is the purpose? (reason)S = What is the subject? (topic,

content)S = Why is this document important?

How does it relate to the prompt?

A = AuthorP = Place and time (where & when)P = Prior knowledge (context)A = Audience (for whom?)R = Reason (why?)T = The main ideaS = Significance (so what?)

APPARTS

Camp Sumpter

Andersonville, Ga

Sept 9, 1864

To Mrs. Ellea Byrnes

I want to leave to my mother the sum of $150 one hundred fifty dollars to support her during the rest of her life or in case of her death the sum above mentioned will be held in trust, by the Rev. P. Crudder of Gorham St. Catholic Church for my son Thomas Byrnes in case that he returns within one year from this date, in case he does not return the above mentioned sum will be left to my wife From John Burns

Prisoner at Camp Sumpter Ga

OPTIC – (good for visuals)O = Overview: What is it talking about?P = Parts: List all of the details or partsT = Title: Make a note as to how the title

helps you understand the visual I = Inference: Look for connections

between parts to derive the meaning. Look for a deeper meaning.

C = Conclusion: Write your conclusion to the visual. How does it

relate back to the prompt?

Cartoons

Cartoons can be a difficult means of interpreting an event. Difficult, because it uses a drawing and just a few words to convey an event. Not only does the reader need to “read” the event, but he/she must decide what devices the cartoonist uses to get that message across (satire, caricature, irony, etc.)

Contrasting Documents

You will find that just with a person’s point of view (p.o.v.), two or more documents may also contrast/disagree with each other. So what do you do? Evaluate each, pay close attention to the differences, and decide which document is the “best” to use for your purpose. However, if a document cannot be verified, run away from it! Treat it like the plague!

Understanding the D.B.Q.

(how to write one …)

Planning and Prewriting

A. Read the question carefully to determine what it is asking. Look for key words. Is there more than one part to the question? Formulate a preliminary thesis.

The PromptQUESTION: To what extent had the colonists developed

a sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution?

Use the documents and your knowledge of the period 1750 to 1776 to answer the question.

ASSIGNMENT: The question requires you to construct a coherent essay that integrates your interpretation of Documents A – H and your knowledge of the period referred to in the question. High scores will be earned only by essays that both cite key pieces of evidence from the documents and draw on outside knowledge of the period. You have 15 minutes to plan and 45 to write.


B. Think of the question first as a free response question. Write notes in the margin. Plan a possible answer.

C. Scan the documents. SOAPSS, OPTIC, or APPARTS each one. Look at the author and the date. Underline or circle key words and/or phrases. What is the context of each? Are the documents trying to trigger any additional information? If so, what?


D. Re-read the question. Make certain you know what it is asking. Revise your thesis if you need to.

E. Re-read each document. How do they interrelate? Summarize each in the margins


F. STOP!!!!!

Close your eyes Brainstorm.

Outline your answer.Plan.Think.Relax.

READY, SET, WRITE!!!!!

(You only have 45 minutes!)

Writing the Essay

A. Use proper format (Introduction, body, conclusion)

B. Do NOT paraphrase documents. Evaluate and use to prove your

thesis! Use all documents? NOC. Make your thesis specific. Have a thesis

statement in your introduction and make certain your essay consistently follows it! TAKE A STAND AND STICK WITH IT!!!

Writing the Essay

D. Are there contradicting documents? If so, account for the discrepancy (Is it the author’s point of view? Is the document reliable?)

E. If the source is questionable, question it…sources are real, but not always reliable – Use SOAPSS, OPTIC, or APPARTS

Writing the Essay

F. Refer to documents by their letter (i.e. Document A) or by their title (i.e. The Constitution) DO NOT LIST OR SUMMARIZE THE DOCUMENTS. Make certain that your documents support your thesis as you would use any other good, factual information.

Writing the Essay

G. Transitions – make your paragraphs flow...

H. Write neatly and legibly as possible. Print if you need to. Avoid excessive scratch-outs

I. Blue or black ink only – no pencils!J. Proofread your essay if there is time

Scoring a D.B.Q.

(a.k.a. how to grade it)

Scoring

Scoring is done on a 1 – 9 scale as follows:

8-9 = BRAVO!!!5-7 = GOOD JOB – a few flaws2-4 = SO SO…- underdeveloped,

confusing0-1 = HELLO, ARE YOU OUT

THERE? Parting gifts follow…..

Now, you give it a try…

In conclusion….

You’ve got the basics…

…You know how to do this…

…But, most of all……………

…Don’t panic! Do your best!

Good Luck!!!