Before You Write!

Make sure you have reviewed, read, and analyzed the documents.

Make sure you understand what the prompt is asking.

The Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is your answer to the prompt.

Take note of the steps to writing your thesis and the 4 rules to strengthen your thesis.

(on the next two slides)

Steps to Writing a Thesis Statement

• Step 1 – Answer the prompt/question• Example – Is Superman a good man?

• Step 2 – Find arguable reasons (things people may disagree with) that answer your question• Example – 1. He helps people in danger

2. He stands up for what is right3. He is patriotic

• Step 3 – Put them all together and be sure to answer the question• Example – Superman is a good man

because he helps people in danger, he stands up for what is right, and he is patriotic.

FOUR rules your thesis statement should follow the strengthen it

Choose SidesYour thesis statement should contain your position or opinion on the topic

INCORRECT: There are some advantages and disadvantages of being a member of the superhero team the Avengers.

CORRECT: There area advantages of being an Avenger team member like: having partners to help you save people and having new weapons and technology at your disposal

Be Brief and specificShow the specific information that will be discussed in your essay

INCORRECT: Captain America is a good leader.

CORRECT: Captain America is an admirable leader because he is honest, courageous and selfless.

Do Not State the ObviousThesis statements should not be a statement of fact without a claim (your academic and educated opinion)

INCORRECT: Wonder Woman is a fictional superhero in the American comic books published by DC Comics.

CORRECT: Wonder Woman is an important superheroine because she was one of the first female superheroes, she shows empowerment for women and fights for justice.

Focus on the One Main IdeaThesis statements should express only one main idea about a topic; otherwise, you run the risk of lack of unity and coherence.

INCORRECT: The Avengers is composed by the X-men, the Inhumans and the Defenders and I have found that the X-men are always being discriminated.

CORRECT: The X-men, who are part of the Avengers team, are always discriminated against because their film budgets are lower and they have inconsistent storylines.

REMEMBER! Your thesis should be arguable meaning someone is able to disagree with it. It shouldn’t be just a fact or something on the fence (there are some advantages and disadvantages)…take a stand! Be strong in your argument!

Body ParagraphsEach body paragraph should have the followingYou should have 2-4 body paragraphs in a DBQ, depends on how many arguable

reasons you gave when answer the prompt in your thesis.

1. Topic Sentence: One of the main arguable points given

in your thesis.

2. Evidence: Direct quotes introduced and cited. These

quotes should come from the Document set provided…that is why it is called a Document Based Question Essay!

3. Critical Thinking: Source your evidence from one source

and then corroborate it with another source.

Body of the Essay Main points = Topic Sentences

Find the arguable points you gave in

your thesis

• Example: The reasons Superman is a good man; patriotic, helps people, stands up for what is right.

The arguable points become the main

points in your essay.

The main points become the topic sentence in each Body Paragraph

• Example: Superman stands up for what is right which makes him a good man.

Each main point gets its own body

paragraph to be proven with

evidence!

Body of the Essay Evidence vs. Examples

EXAMPLE EVIDENCE

A connection you make based on another time period, historical person, current event, etc. It isn’t from a source but it helps prove your main point/thesis.

A quote or paraphrased argument from a SOURCE (in this case, one of the source you are provided). This needs to be cited!

Captain America is another example of a superhero who is patriotic just like Superman.

According to the article 13 Reasons Why Superman Isn't As Boring As You Think He Is”, the author, Zach Howe, argues,“Superman is such a powerful symbol, so culturally pervasive that he can carry out real world change.”

– Introduce your source! What is the source? Who is stating this information? (In paragraph 4, the author states…)

– Cite your evidence! Paraphrase (put short excerpts in your own words by changing the wording and sentence structure and don’t put quotation marks); Quote (Write the author’s words exactly from your source and put in quotation marks)

– Explain your Evidence! Tell the reader why this citation is important for your arguments/main ideas. This explanation should be thorough, longer than your citation, and should include analysis (connections, inquiry, inferences, interpretations, sourcing, corroboration, etc.)

SO YOU

KNOW THE

DIFFERENCE!

→

Introducing Quotes/Evidence:Don’t let your quote be like your awkward friend

at the party that doesn’t know anyone…introduce it! (or it will be awkward)

• Use the Author’s EXACT WORDS

• Use Quotation Marks

• Tell where you found

❖According to the author (or put author’s name)…

❖On page __, the author stated…

❖The author wrote…

❖As the author mentioned on page__...

❖In the __ paragraph, the author wrote…

❖One example of this in the text is…

Body of the Essay Critical Thinking

2 Things you should do to show critical thinking.

After stating your evidence (quotes) you need to do the following…

1. SOURCE! – explain the quote and how it relates to your main point and thesis; address its strengths and weaknesses

2. CORROBORATE! – Strengthen your argument by taking your quote and showing how another source says the same thing.

Sourcing a Document/Text

Questions to Consider: Sentence Starters:

• Who wrote/created this?

• What is the author’s perspective?

• Why was it written?

• When was it written?

• Where was it written?

• Is this source reliable? Why or why not?

• The author’s purpose is to…

• It was written in the year____ by ____ and it’s purpose was to…

• This source is reliable/isn’t reliable because…

• The strengths of this source are _________ making it reliable in supporting the argument that __________.

CorroborationQuestions to consider:•What do other documents say?

Do the documents agree? If not, why?What are other possible documents? •What documents are most reliable?

Sentence Starters:• Both sources argue that ______

therefore proving that _________.• Source 16.2 argues that ______ and

source 16.4 shows that blank. Therefore, it can be concluded that __________.• The author argues _______ and that

same thing can bee seen in source ____.•While source ____ may be weak

because ______, source ___ argues______ therefore increasing the reliability of what the first source states.

The ConclusionThe conclusion should do one main thing and that is

ADDRESS WHY THE TOPIC AND YOUR ARUGMENT ARESIGNIFICANT/IMPORTANT

Don’t just summarize your whole essay (you can if you want…I know English teachers like that but ultimately, from the

History point of view, it is a waste of time to restate what you already said in your essay)

Instead! Tell the audience why understanding this historical topic is important…connect it to something

going on in the world today. Why should we care?

Things to Keep in Mind1. Write in 3rd person…don’t use 1st or 2nd person!

a) Avoid I, we, me, you, your, etc.b) Use they, them, one, citizens, etc.

2. Be Specific!a) Avoid things, them, they, stuff, a lot, sort of, some,

kind of, almost, seems, basically, etc.

3. Pretend your audience knows nothing!a) This may help you be more specific in your writing

and in explaining things.