Transcript The Document-Based Question

The Document-Based Question
What Is It?
• An essay question that requires you to
interpret primary source documents.
• Documents might include the following:
Newspaper articles/editorials
Letters/diaries
Speeches
Legislation
Political cartoons
Charts and graphs
What Are the Documents for?
• To discuss events and ideas with which you
are familiar.
• To support or refute the essay questions
• Focus around the essay topic
When Do I Take the DBQ?
• After the multiple-choice section
• You get a green booklet with the essay
questions and DBQ
• Begins with a 15 minute mandatory reading
period
– Evaluate and interpret the documents
Is There a Right Answer to Each
DBQ?
• No
• Multiple arguments
• Develop your argument (thesis) with
evidence (include outside information)
• Use a strong historical argument
I Have the Question, Now What
Do I Do? Getting Started
• Read the question thoroughly
• Explore all parts of the question (how many
parts)
• Highlight important aspects
• Ask these two questions
– Do I have an opinion about this subject?
– What must I discuss in order to write a
successful essay? (most important)
Getting Stated Cont.
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Gather information
Address issues
Decide on data
Organize plan of attack
Sample Question
1) To what extent and how valid were the fears
many Americans develop from the end of
World War II through the Eisenhower
administration that communism threatened
the existence and safety of the United States.
Use the documents and your knowledge of the
1940s through the 1950s, to answer the
question.
Circle or underline the key parts to the question.
Sample Question Breakdown
1. To what extent and how valid were the
fears many Americans develop from the
end of World War II through the
Eisenhower administration that
communism threatened the existence
and safety of the United States.
Sample Question Breakdown
1) To what extent and how valid
were the fears many Americans
develop from the end of World
War II through the Eisenhower
administration that communism
threatened the existence and
safety of the United States.
Sample Question Breakdown
1) To what extent and how valid
were the fears many Americans
develop from the end of World
War II through the Eisenhower
administration that communism
threatened the existence and
safety of the United States.
Sample Question Breakdown
To what extent and how valid were
the fears many Americans develop
from the end of World War II
through the Eisenhower
administration that communism
threatened the existence and safety
of the United States.
Sample Question Breakdown
1) To what extent and how valid were
the fears many Americans develop
from the end of World War II through
the Eisenhower administration that
communism threatened the existence
and safety of the United States.
Use the documents and your knowledge of the 1940s
through the 1950s to answer the question.
Sample Question Breakdown
1) To what extent and how valid were the
fears many Americans develop from the
end of World War II through the
Eisenhower administration that that
communism threatened the existence and
safety of the United States.
Use the documents and your knowledge of
the 1940s through the 1950s to answer the
question.
Sample Question Breakdown
• Thoroughly examined and analyzed the
questioned
• Create a information grid
– Pertinent information
Information Grid
Valid
Threats
from other
countries
Threats
from within
the U.S.
Not Valid
Maybe/maybe not
Gather Outside Information
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Jot down terms, ideas, and/or concepts
2 or 3 minutes
Decide what you can and cannot use
Insert into your grid
Information Grid
Valid
Threats
from other
countries
Threats
from within
the U.S.
Not Valid
Maybe/maybe not
Outside Information
• Information same as the documents
– That means you are on target
• Brainstorm outside of the grid
Reading the Documents
• Use the three levels of questions, soaps and
inferences.
Document Order
• Chronological - if so the test is asking you
trace the historical development.
• Otherwise – organized for compare and
contrast (draw comparisons in your essay).
Reading the Documents
Inconsistencies
• Not all documents agree
• Present different view points
• Recognize inconsistencies
Reading the Documents
Once you decided on your thesis: (documents)
1. Supporting evidence
2. Contradicting evidence
- incorporate and acknowledge these
3. Why was that document included?
4. Add more outside info (???)
Thesis Development
• Read question one more time
• Develop a argument you can prove
• Make sure your thesis addresses all pertinent
aspects of the question
Write Your Essay
• Get to the point
• Back thesis up with facts, solid evidence not
fluff
• 3 or 4 different issues or topic sentences
• Make sure you are addressing the question
• Refer back to the question several times
• Include as many documents as possible
Final Conclusion
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Stay confident
Don’t panic
Take a deep breath to relax
You prepared all year for the test
Everyone else is in the same boat as you
Question Breakdown
To what extent – amount, degree,
level…
how valid – what is the depth of
truth
Question Breakdown
The fears: why were Americans afraid
of Communism.
How valid were those fears?
Question Breakdown
that communism threatened
Where did these threats come
from?
1) Other countries
2) Within the United States
Question Breakdown
existence and safety
Both parts must be answered as
equally as possible
Was the U.S. existence threatened?
Was the U.S. safety threatened?
Question Breakdown
your knowledge of the 1940s through the
1950s
OUTSIDE
INFORMATION