““Doing the DBQ”Doing the DBQ”

Do’sDo’s►Be sure that you understand the ?Be sure that you understand the ?►Be sure that you understand the ?!!!Be sure that you understand the ?!!!►Form your basic arguments before you look Form your basic arguments before you look

at the docsat the docs►Take notes on the documentsTake notes on the documents►Tie the document to the questionTie the document to the question►Develop a thesis that addresses the Develop a thesis that addresses the

question, takes a clear stand on the question, takes a clear stand on the question and falls within the limits givenquestion and falls within the limits given

►SUPPORT with documentsSUPPORT with documents

Don’tsDon’ts

►Restate the question in your thesisRestate the question in your thesis►Write, “In document (A) it says…”Write, “In document (A) it says…”►Forget to include outside informationForget to include outside information►Support two sides of an argument – Support two sides of an argument –

stick to your gunsstick to your guns►Write illegibly!Write illegibly!►Use generalizations: “ALL, EVERY”Use generalizations: “ALL, EVERY”►Panic!Panic!

How to think of the DBQHow to think of the DBQ

The QuestionThe Question

►What is the subject (duh..)?What is the subject (duh..)?►What is the time frame?What is the time frame?►What is the question asking you to What is the question asking you to

measure? What categories or criteria measure? What categories or criteria are given?are given?

►What do you KNOW about these areas What do you KNOW about these areas (before you examine the documents?)(before you examine the documents?)

The DocumentsThe Documents

►Do a quick analysis of each document first Do a quick analysis of each document first (APPARTS) (APPARTS)

►What part of the question does each What part of the question does each document address best?document address best?

►Are there related documents in the group?Are there related documents in the group?►What information (people, places, events) What information (people, places, events)

do you recall that are related to this do you recall that are related to this document?document?

►YOU MAY SKIP 1 or 2 Documents!YOU MAY SKIP 1 or 2 Documents!

Writing the DBQWriting the DBQ►Don’t include too much background – Don’t include too much background –

get to your point and end your 1get to your point and end your 1stst paragraph with your thesis (IF THE paragraph with your thesis (IF THE QUESTION ASKS YOU TO ADDRESS QUESTION ASKS YOU TO ADDRESS EXTENT, THEN ADDRESS EXTENT!)EXTENT, THEN ADDRESS EXTENT!)

►Use paragraphs to separate ideas, not Use paragraphs to separate ideas, not necessarily categories or criterianecessarily categories or criteria

►Use the docs to support your points, Use the docs to support your points, not the other way aroundnot the other way around

Writing, continuedWriting, continued

►Cite documents, avoid quotations: Cite documents, avoid quotations:

John Smith noted the difficulty he found in John Smith noted the difficulty he found in

organizing the self-interested Virginian organizing the self-interested Virginian

colonists in the early days of Jamestown colonists in the early days of Jamestown (Doc A).(Doc A).

►Use multiple documents to support one Use multiple documents to support one point if possible. point if possible.

► Include outside information to support the Include outside information to support the documents.documents.