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How to Write the Document Based Question (DBQ)

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If you’re taking a history AP exam, you’ll likely encounter the Document Based Question (DBQ). This essay question constitutes a significant portion of your exam, so it’s important that you have a good grasp on how best to approach the DBQ. In this post, we’ll cover what exactly a document based question is, and how to answer it successfully.

A Document Based Question (DBQ) is a measure of the skills you learned in your AP classes in regard to recalling history and analyzing related documents. These documents can be primary or secondary sources, and your responses are expected to be in the form of an essay. Your ability to relate the context of documents to concepts beyond the given text and creating meaningful connections between all your sources will help demonstrate your skills as a knowledgeable writer.

The number of documents for a DBQ varies from exam to exam, but typically will fall between five to seven documents. The following AP exams will require you to write a DBQ:

AP U.S. History

AP European History

AP World History

We’ve listed the formats for each exam below, and keep in mind that the number of documents is prone to changing from year to year:

Up to seven Documents
One hour recommended time (includes 15-minute reading period)
Up to seven Documents
25% of total exam score

With that in mind, let’s jump right into how to craft a strong DBQ response!

We’ve summarized how to write an effective DBQ into the following five steps:

1. Read the prompt first

Though you may be tempted to jump into the documents right away, it’s very important that you first look at what exactly the prompt is asking for. This way, when you eventually look at the documents, your focus will be narrower. A DBQ tests your reading comprehension and analysis skills more than the content itself, making it very important to understand your prompt thoroughly.

2. Skim the document titles

Each document will contain vital information regarding the context, and it’s important to scout key words regarding dates, authors, and anything pertaining to the general sense of what the documents are about. Skimming through your documents like this could save time and allow you to form a more structurally sound thesis.

Let’s take a look at the following graph and figure out how to skim the figure:

This document was in a real exam from the AP World History free response questions in 2019. It’s important to pay attention to data provided and what context can be drawn from it. In this case, we’re provided with a graph that displays the life expectancy of a country in relation to the GDP per capita of said country. Being able to skim this graph and notice the common trends in the data points could provide convenient information into the context of the document, without any further intensive reading.

For example, seeing how countries with a GDP below 4,000 to 5,000 have lower life expectancies already gives us a potential correlation between the two factors. We can use this information to start formulating a thesis, depending on what the prompt is specifically asking for.

Remember, just skim! Don’t worry about reading the entire document yet; this strategy can keep you calm and level-headed before tackling the rest of the document. Methods like this can make acing the AP World History DBQ less intimidating!

3. Formulate a tentative thesis

A thesis is a statement that should be proved and discussed upon. It’s important to have a strong thesis as the foundation of your DBQ, as it guides the rest of your response in relation to the context. Understanding the difference between weak and strong theses will be imperative to your success, so here is an example of a weak thesis:

“The Cold War originated from some scenarios of conflict between Soviets and some groups of oppressors.”

Such a thesis can be considered weak for its lack of specificity, focal point, and usability as a constructive tool to write further detail on the subject. This thesis does not take a clear stance or communicate to the reader what the essay will specifically focus on. Here’s how the same thesis can be restructured to be stronger and more useful:

“The Cold War originated from tense diplomatic conflicts relating to propaganda and conspiratorial warfare between the United States and the Soviet Union.”

The information that’s been included into the second thesis about the two groups involved with the Cold War gives you more room to build a structured essay response. In relation to the rubric/grading schema for this DBQ, forming a structurally sound thesis or claim is one of the seven attainable points. Being able to contextualize, analyze, and reason off of this thesis alone could provide for two to four points – this means that five out of seven of your points revolve around your thesis, so make sure that it’s strong! Doing all of this in your fifteen minute reading period is crucial as once this is set, writing your actual response will be much easier!

4. Actively read the documents

Simply reading a document doesn’t normally suffice for creating a well-written and comprehensive response. You should focus on implementing your active reading skills, as this will make a huge difference as to how efficient you are during your work process.

Active reading refers to reading with an intention to grab key words and fragments of important information, usually gone about by highlighting and separating important phrases. Annotations, underlining, and circling are all great ways to filter out important information from irrelevant text in the documents.

An example of where you might find important information via active reading is the description. Circle important names or dates to contextualize the document. If you still can’t find contextual value from the title, that’s totally fine! Just scope out the rest of the document in relevance to your thesis – that is, pinpoint the specific information or text that best supports your argument. Finding one or two solid points of interest from one document is usually enough to write about and expand upon within your essay.

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5. Make an Outline

If you like outlines, making one before writing your essay might prove helpful, just be aware of the time limit and act accordingly.

Start with your introduction, then work on the rest of your essay. This way, you can make sure your thesis is clear and strong, and it will help the graders form a clear view on what the general consensus of your paper is. Make sure to include evidence with your thesis within each paragraph and cite only relevant information, otherwise your citations could come across as filler as opposed to useful content. Every commentary or point you make should be tied in some way to the documents.

Format each body paragraph and organize your essay in a way that makes sense to you! The graders aren’t really looking at the structure of your essay; rather, they want to see that you analyzed the documents in a way that is supportive of your essay. As long as you have content from the documents which prove your thesis, the order or manner in which you present them doesn’t matter too much. What’s more important is that your essay is clear and comprehensive. As you write practice DBQs, try having someone else read your essays to make sure that the format is easy to follow.

Keep all these key details in mind as you construct your own DBQ response, and you’re well on your way to writing an effective essay!

Your chances of admission are actually not really impacted by your AP scores; however, the AP classes you take are more important than the exam scores themselves, meaning the impact of your AP scores isn’t as big as you think .

Instead, focusing on the AP classes on your transcript and the relevance of those classes to your future major is more impactful. For a further detailed understanding of the role AP classes play in regards to your college admissions, use CollegeVine’s free Admissions Calculator , which takes into account your GPA, standardized test scores, and more.

Additional Information

To dive deeper into DBQs, AP classes, and learning how to tackle each exam check out other resources at CollegeVine:

Acing the Document Based Question on the AP US History Exam
Acing the AP World History Document Based Question
Ultimate Guide to the AP U.S. History Exam
Ultimate Guide to the AP European History Exam
Ultimate Guide to the AP World History Exam

How to Write a DBQ Essay

Last Updated: February 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 676,844 times.

In the past, Document Based Questions (DBQ) were rarely found outside of AP history exams. However, they’re now used in social studies classes across grade levels, so you’re bound to take a DBQ test at some point. [1] X Research source Going into the test, you will need strong background knowledge of the time periods and geographical areas on which you will be tested. Your documents will always relate back directly to the major subjects and themes of your class. The key to success is to analyze the provided documents and use them to support an argument in response to the essay prompt. While DBQ tests are rigorous, they allow you to actually do historical work instead of merely memorize facts. Don’t stress, put on your historian hat, and start investigating!

Writing Help

Analyzing the Documents

Step 1 Review the documents for 10 to 15 minutes.

For an AP exam, you’ll then have 45 minutes to write your essay. Exact times may vary for other exams and assignments but, for all DBQ essays, document analysis is the first step.
For an AP exam, you will also need to include a thesis, set the prompt’s historical context, use 6 documents to support an argument, describe 1 piece of outside evidence, and discuss the point of view or context of at least 3 of the sources. Label these elements as you review and outline so you don’t forget something.

Step 2 Identify the prompt’s keywords and assigned tasks.

A prompt might ask you to analyze or explain the causes of a historical development, such as, “Explain how the Progressive Movement gained social, political, and cultural influence from the 1890s to the 1920s in the United States.”
You might need to use primary sources to compare and contrast differing attitudes or points of view toward a concept, policy, or event, such as, “Compare and contrast the differing attitudes towards women’s rights in the United States from 1890 to 1920.”
Keywords in these examples inform you how to read your sources. For instance, to compare and contrast differing attitudes, you’ll need to identify your sources’ authors, categorize their points of view, and figure out how attitudes changed over the specified period of time.

Step 3 Note your documents’ authors, points of view, and other details.

Suppose one of the documents is a suffragette’s diary entry. Passages in the entry that detail her advocacy for the Women’s Rights Movement are evidence of her point of view. In contrast, another document is newspaper article written around the same time that opposes suffrage.
A diary entry might not have an intended audience but, for documents such as letters, pamphlets, and newspaper articles, you’ll need to identify the author’s likely readers.
Most of your sources will probably be written documents, but you’ll likely encounter political cartoons, photographs, maps, or graphs. The U.S. Library of Congress offers a helpful guide to reading specific primary source categories at https://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html .

Step 4 Place your sources into categories based on the essay prompt.

Suppose you have a letter sent from one suffragette to another about the methods used to obtain the right to vote. This document may help you infer how attitudes vary among the movement’s supporters.
A newspaper article depicting suffragettes as unpatriotic women who would sabotage World War I for the United States helps you understand the opposing attitude.
Perhaps other sources include a 1917 editorial on the harsh treatment of imprisoned suffragists and an article on major political endorsements for women’s suffrage. From these, you’d infer that 1917 marked a pivotal year, and that the role women played on the home front during World War I would lead to broader support for suffrage.

Step 5 Think of relevant outside information to include in your essay.

For instance, perhaps you read that the National American Woman Suffrage association (NAWSA) made a strategic shift in 1916 from focusing on state-by-state suffrage to prioritizing a constitutional amendment. Mentioning this switch to a more aggressive strategy supports your claim that the stage was set for a 1917 turning point in popular support for women’s suffrage.
When you think of outside evidence during the planning stages, jot it down so you can refer to it when you write your essay. A good spot could be in the margin of a document that relates to the outside information.

Developing an Argument

Step 1 Review the prompt and form a perspective after reading the documents.

For example, after reviewing the documents related to women’s suffrage, identify the opposing attitudes, how they differed, and how they changed over time.
Your rough argument at this stage could be, “Those in opposition saw suffragettes as unpatriotic and unfeminine. Attitudes within the suffrage movement were divided between conservative and confrontational elements. By the end of World War I, changing perceptions of the role of women contributed to growing popular support for suffrage.”

Suppose your DBQ is, “How did World War I affect attitudes toward women’s suffrage in the United States?” A strong tentative thesis would be, “The roles women played in the workforce and in support of the war effort contributed to growing popular support for the suffrage movement.”
A weak thesis would be, “World War I affected how Americans perceived women’s suffrage.” This simply restates the prompt.

Step 3 Make an outline of your argument’s structure.

For example, under numeral I., write, “New Woman: perceptions shift in the 1890s.” This section will explain the 1890s concept of the New Woman, which rejected traditional characterizations of women as dependent and fragile. You’ll argue that this, in part, set the stage for shifting attitudes during and following World War I.
You can start your planning your essay during the reading portion of the test. If necessary, take around 5 minutes out of the writing portion to finish outlining your argument.

Step 4 Plug your document citations into the outline.

For instance, under “I. New Woman: perceptions shift in the 1890s,” write “(Doc 1),” which is a pamphlet praising women who ride bicycles, which was seen as “unladylike” at the time.
Beneath that line, write “(Doc 2),” which is an article that defends the traditional view that women should remain in the household. You’ll use this document to explain the opposing views that set the context for suffrage debates in the 1900s and 1910s.

Step 5 Refine your thesis after making the outline.

Suppose your tentative thesis is, “The roles women played in the workforce and in support of the war effort contributed to growing popular support for the suffrage movement.” You decide that “contributed” isn’t strong enough, and swap it out for “led” to emphasize causation.

Drafting Your Essay

Step 1 Keep your eye on the clock and plan your time strategically.

If you have 45 minutes to write, take about 5 minutes to make an outline. If you have an introduction, 3 main points that cite 6 documents, and a conclusion, plan on spending 7 minutes or less on each of these 5 sections. That will leave you 5 minutes to proofread or to serve as a buffer in case you need more time.
Check the time periodically as you write to ensure you’re staying on target.

Step 2 Include your thesis and 1 to 2 sentences of context in your introduction.

To set the context, you might write, “The Progressive Era, which spanned roughly from 1890 to 1920, was a time of political, economic, and cultural reform in the United States. A central movement of the era, the Women’s Rights Movement gained momentum as perceptions of the role of women dramatically shifted.”
If you’d prefer to get straight to the point, feel free to start your introduction with your thesis, then set the context.
A timed DBQ essay test doesn’t leave you much time to write a long introduction, so get straight to analyzing the documents rather than spell out a long, detailed intro.

Each body section should have a topic sentence to let the reader know you’re transitioning to a new piece of evidence. For example, start the first section with, “The 1890s saw shifts in perception that set the stage for the major advances in women’s suffrage during and following World War I.”
Be sure to cite your documents to support each part of your argument. Include direct quotes sparingly, if at all, and prioritize analysis of a source over merely quoting it.
Whenever you mention a document or information within a document, add parentheses and the number of the document at the end of the sentence, like this: “Women who were not suffragettes but still supported the movement wrote letters discussing their desire to help (Document 2).”

Step 4 Make sure to show how each body paragraph connects to your thesis.

For example, a private diary entry from 1916 dismissing suffrage as morally corrupt isn’t necessarily a reflection of broader public opinion. There's more to consider than just its content, or what it says.
Suppose a more reliable document, such as a major newspaper article on the 1916 Democratic and Republican national conventions, details the growing political and public support for women’s suffrage. You’d use this source to show that the diary entry conveys an attitude that was becoming less popular.

Step 5 Weave together your argument in your conclusion.

In your essay on World War I and women’s suffrage, you could summarize your argument, then mention that the war similarly impacted women’s voting rights on an international scale.

Revising Your Draft

Step 1 Proofread your essay for spelling and grammatical mistakes.

If you’re taking an AP history exam or other timed test, minor errors are acceptable as long as they don't affect your argument. Spelling mistakes, for instance, won’t result in a loss of points if the scorer can still understand the word, such as “sufrage” instead of “suffrage.”

Step 2 Make sure you’ve included all required elements.

A clear thesis statement.
Set the prompt’s broader historical context.
Support your argument using 6 of the 7 included documents.
Identify and explain 1 piece of historical evidence other than the included documents.
Describe 3 of the documents’ points of view, purposes, audiences, or context.
Demonstrate a complex understanding of the topic, such as by discussing causation, change, continuity, or connections to other historical periods.

Step 3 Check that your names, dates, and other facts are accurate.

As with spelling and grammar, minor errors are acceptable as long as the scorer knows what you mean. Little spelling mistakes are fine, but you’ll lose points if you write that a source supports suffrage when it doesn’t.

Community Q&A

Remember that you shouldn't just identify or summarize a document. Explain why a source is important, and tie each reference into your argument. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If you’re taking an AP history exam, find exam rubrics, practice tests, and other resources at https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses . Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Taking a timed test can be tough, so time yourself when you take practice tests. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ http://www.gpb.org/blogs/education-matters/2016/10/14/getting-started-document-based-questions
↑ https://sourceessay.com/tips-to-write-an-impressive-dbq-essay/
↑ https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/writing/writing1
↑ https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-us-history-dbq-2018.pdf?course=ap-united-states-history
↑ https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-us-history-course-and-exam-description.pdf
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

Document-Based Questions, or DBQ essays, are often used in social studies classes to test your ability to do historical work rather than simply memorize facts. Start by spending some time reviewing the documents and developing an argument. Pay special attention to keywords in the prompt that will help you construct your argument. For example, if the prompt includes the words "compare and contrast," you'll need to include 2 different viewpoints in your essay and compare them. Then, as you read your sources, note the authors, points of view, and other key details that will help you figure out how to use the documents. Once you’ve reviewed all of the material, come up with your response. Sketch out a tentative thesis that encapsulates your argument and make an outline for your essay. You can then draft your essay, starting with an introduction that gives context and states your thesis, followed by supporting body paragraphs. To learn how to write a conclusion for your DBQ, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a DBQ Essay: The Ultimate Guide

Post by: Professor Conquer
Last updated on: August 28, 2021

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Are you a student preparing for APUSH, or AP World History, or AP European History, who hasn’t quite mastered the art of writing the DBQ essay? Don’t worry — it’s a reasonably complex essay, but when broken down into steps, easy to figure out.

Read on for DBQ essay tips: how to annotate the documents, draft your DBQ essay outline, craft your DBQ thesis and argument, write the DBQ, and revise your essay. Included are DBQ examples from the 2018 AP U.S. History exam.

First Things First: What is a DBQ Essay?

A DBQ, or Document Based Question, is an essay question present on many of the history-based AP Exams , including AP U.S. History , AP European History , and AP World History .

The DBQ is one somewhat specific prompt about a historical context, and it includes six documents (either primary text excerpts, art pieces, political cartoons, or other types of archival media).

The goal of the DBQ is to write an essay arguing your specific stance on the question and to support your position with both a selection of the documents and other knowledge of historical events.

You’ll have to provide historical context for the prompt and demonstrate how some factor of each document supports your argument. You’ll also need a firm conclusion that restates your thesis and analysis.

The DBQ will be worth 25% of your score, so it’s essential to do well.

How to Outline a DBQ Essay (with Examples)

After you read the prompt, look through the packet of documents and take a second to analyze each in conjunction with the prompt. Does the message of the document seem to support or refute the prompt?

Jot down a few keywords about the historical context of the document — is it from a specific historical event or written by a member of a prominent historical movement? If so, make sure to reference that in your essay.

Also, note whether you can easily use the document to support the prompt.

Make sure to manage your time here — if you’re stuck on a document, just skip it. Don’t waste time trying to figure out something you may not even need in your essay. Don’t make detailed notes either — only one or two keywords you can reference later in your essay.

After you’ve looked at every document, you can determine your argument and your thesis. Are there enough documents that you can easily support the prompt statement? Pick three key points to use in your thesis, with one or two documents for each.

Your outline should not be long or detailed because the last thing you want to do is waste time. All you need is 5 points, one for each paragraph: intro, thesis points 1-3, conclusion (which is just restating the thesis).

For each point, write down the main idea of the paragraph, summed up into two or three words, any historical buzzwords you plan to use, and the documents you plan to reference. That should provide enough of a skeleton to get you writing.

Here’s an example, from the 2018 AP U.S. History exam DBQ , released by The College Board. The prompt is as follows:

Evaluate the relative importance of different causes for the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910.

For the outline, look at the documents and devise a thesis. In this case, the writer can group the documents by topic: 2 documents about the importance of a strong foreign presence, two documents warning about federal expansion, and two documents lamenting a divergence from social traditionalism. This means you might want to consider making those three categories your thesis points.

Then, figure out how to make an argument and answer the prompt.

Also, consider the historical context of the time.

Example outline (2018 question):

Contextualization: Post Civil War South in shambles, expansion of industrialization, favorable tariffs, prior isolationism halted in seeking new markets.

Thesis: Imperialism — attitudes of American superiority, foreign conflicts leading to territory gains/opportunities (Manifest Destiny idea), but also backlash to imperialism.

1. Attitudes of American superiority

If Anglo-Saxon Americans that if they don’t compete in global affairs, other nations and races will. (Doc 2)
A strong navy/military is necessary to defend superior American interests (Doc 3)
America as a country can take whatever territories it desires (Doc 4)
Attitude that America should not only use military power abroad but also indoctrinate people into American culture and education abroad (Doc 6)
Efforts to oppose America unsuccessful (ie in the Philippines)

2. Foreign conflicts and territory gains

US’s purchase of Alaska from Russia (Doc 1)
Teddy Roosevelt & the importance of foreign affairs (Doc 7)

Conclusion: These attitudes of American superiority continue into the 20th century.

Your outline doesn’t need to be detailed, just provide a roadmap for you to reference as you’re writing your essay, so you don’t lose the focus of your argument.

What Makes an Effective Thesis?

Start drafting your thesis by looking at the prompt and the documents in conjunction. Make sure you can support your thesis with some of the documents. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to back it up.

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Figure out what the prompt is asking: College Board tends to use an “action word” in the prompt, each one asking a slightly different thing. Underline the verb — what the prompt wants you to do. Examples:

Analyze, Discuss, Consider: Write about the causes and mechanizations of the prompt: basically how and why something occurred the way it did historically. Use evidence (the documents) to back up your claims.
Assess: Generally, in reference to a statement. Write about how historically defensible, or accurate the statement is. You can take any stance, but whichever one you choose needs to be backed up by evidence (the documents).
Evaluate: Determine which cause, or historical factor, proved most influential in the way a past event or movement played out. You can discuss several factors or causes, and figure out the extent to which each impacted the historical event, back up your evaluation with evidence.
Compare/Contrast: Identify key historical characteristics (social, political, economic) of the two movements/events/etc. listed in the prompt, and then draw comparisons between them and point out their differences. For your three-point essay, choose either two to be similarities and one to be a difference or two to be differences and one to be a similarity, depending on what you have evidence for/documents to back up.
Explain: Provide lots of detail about the causes or contributing factors to the historical event/movement/etc. listed in the prompt. Look at the social, political, and economic factors, and back up your explanation with the documents and other outside evidence.

Make sure your thesis answers the prompt, but moreover, makes a historically defensible claim that can be supported by the documents. You can then develop your thesis points using the context of the documents.

Your thesis also functions as a sort of roadmap for where your paper will go. Include your thesis points in an order that will make sense in your essay, especially if they build on each other.

Your thesis only has to be one to three sentences. Don’t start writing your body paragraph while still in your thesis statement — save all the evidence for later in your paper.

Here’s an introduction and thesis paragraph scoring full points, released by the College Board from the 2018 AP U.S. History exam. The first part of the paragraph functions as contextualization, and it introduces the period, setting up the prompt.

The next part is the thesis:

The United States primarily sought to increase its role in the world due to the notion that America and the American lifestyle was superior and to also gain strategic territory to expand their influence globally. Despite these strong imperialist sentiments, however, there were still many who were against the movement and considered it a moral wrongdoing.

The student takes a clear stance here: The US deliberately sought to increase their role in global affairs, and a rhetoric of American superiority and the quest to gain more territory together caused this increase.

The general assumption of American superiority
The government gaining strategic territory for global affairs
Pushback to imperialism

How to Develop a DBQ Argument

Again, develop your argument by looking at the documents. What about the goal or message of each document supports your argument? What does each document say about its historical period? Ask these questions and jot down some other buzzwords from the time period you could reference to support your argument.

You can put the documents into categories depending on what they’re saying — then you can use these categories to develop your thesis points, which back up your argument.

In the case of the 2018 DBQ referenced above, the student grouped their documents by body paragraphs.

For their first thesis point, the general assumption of American superiority,

A document telling Anglo-Saxon Americans that if they don’t compete in global affairs, other nations and races will.
A document stating the importance of a strong navy to defend American interests
A cartoon portraying America as a country in a position to take whatever territories it desires
A document suggesting America should not only use military power abroad but also indoctrinate people into American culture and education abroad.

Together, they used these documents to demonstrate attitudes both political and social driving American imperialism, and how the rhetoric of American superiority pushed the US to imperialism and into global affairs.

For their second thesis point, gaining strategic territory for global affairs

A document about the US’s purchase of Alaska from Russia
A document from Teddy Roosevelt about the importance of foreign affairs.

These demonstrated how the US’s direct intervention in foreign affairs could get them more territory and power — which increased the US’s global influence.

Since their third thesis point wasn’t a cause, more of a qualifying point, the student didn’t use any of the documents.

By grouping documents together based on their message, it’s easier to develop supportable thesis points. However, if you can think of several thesis points after reading the prompt, you can also jot them down and then see what documents fit under each.

What to Look for When Analyzing the DBQ Documents

You should contextualize/analyze at least three documents in your essay. Here are some options to analyze. For the examples, we’ll use document 3 from the same 2018 DBQ. For each example, sample notes and a sample essay analysis sentence are included. Remember, you only have to analyze one characteristic of each document for your essay.

Source: Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, The Interest of America in Sea Power, Present and Future, 1897.

To affirm the importance of distant markets, and the relation to them of our own immense powers of production, implies logically the recognition of the link that joins the products and the markets, that is, the carrying trade; the three together constituting that chain of maritime power to which Great Britain owes her wealth and greatness. Further, is it too much to say that, as two of these links, the shipping and the markets, are exterior to our own borders, the acknowledgement of them carries with it a view of the relations of the United States to the world radically distinct from the simple idea of self-sufficingness? … There will dawn the realization of America’s unique position, facing the older worlds of the East and West, her shores washed by the oceans which touch the one or the other, but which are common to her alone.

Despite a certain great original superiority conferred by our geographical nearness and immense resources, due, in other words, to our natural advantages, and not to our intelligent preparation, the United States is woefully unready, not only in fact but in purpose, to assert in the Caribbean and Central America a weight of influence proportioned to the extent of her interests. We have not the navy, and, what is worse, we are not willing to have the navy, that will weigh hersiously in any disputes with those nations whose interests will conflict there will or our own. We have not, and we are not anxious to provide, the defence of the seaboard which will leave the navy free for its work at sea. We have not, but many other powers have, positions, either within or on the borders of the Caribbean.

1. Author’s point of view

Was the author a member of a political party opposed to specific issues, or an activist leading a prominent social movement? Identify their outlook on the document.

Notes to take: 2018 example: importance of navy, military strength for imperialism

Analysis: 2018 example: The author, like some military leaders at the time, advocated for the strengthening of domestic fortification and the enlargement of the navy to extend America’s influence abroad.

2. The intended audience

Is the document a news article from a major newspaper? An excerpt from a political pamphlet? A diary entry? Ask yourself who would have read the document — this will help you identify the author’s intended message.

Notes to take: 2018 example: Military interests abroad

Analysis: 2018 example: The intended audience was military leaders interested in hearing how better to increase the US’s influence abroad and fortify the country domestically.

3. The message or purpose of the document

Was the document’s purpose to inform readers objectively? Was it to persuade them to join a political movement? Or to entertain them? Identifying the purpose can help you better understand the document, and use the document to strengthen your argument.

Notes to take: 2018 example: fortify the navy, influence military/political leaders

Analysis: 2018 example: The author attempted to influence United States political leaders to enlarge the United States Navy to extend its reach into Central America and the Far East

4. Historical influences on the document

Did a specific historical event motivate the author to create the document? Did the actions of other scholars, activists, or politicians noticeably inspire the author? This one might not be easy, but if you know about other historical movements or figures during the same or an earlier time period with a similar message, they might be related. Take note.

Notes to take: 2018 example: Federal expansion, desegregation, civil rights movt

Analysis: 2018 example: European endeavors in Latin America and in the Far East increased the need for the United States to extend its reach into the region to protect its growing economic interests.

3 Strategies to Use When Drafting Your DBQ

1. Be familiar with the rubric , and follow it.

The DBQ rubric is as follows:

Thesis: 1 point. Must answer the prompt with a historically defensible claim.

Contextualization: 1 point. Contextualization can be part of your introduction paragraph. Introduce the broader historical context of the time period — what, outside the specific events of the prompt, influenced public attitudes or policy during the time period? How might these other factors have influenced the events of the prompt?

Evidence: 3 points. Using at least 3 of the documents to address the prompt and strengthen your argument is 1 point. Using at least 6 of the documents to address the prompt and reinforce your argument will get you 2 points. Using outside evidence not discussed in any of the documents from your historical knowledge will get you 1 point.

If you use six documents and some outside evidence, you’ll get the full 3 points.

Analysis and reasoning: 2 points. One point if, for at least 3 of the documents, you analyze the author’s point of view, purpose, audience, or historical influences in reference to the prompt and support your argument. Explain why the author’s purpose, or audience, etc. is relevant to your case to get this point.

For the second point, you have to use evidence to demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the topic of the prompt. Does your argument answer the question in a way that’s supported with both the documents and other evidence? Does your writing show that you know what you’re talking about?

If you’ve reviewed the rubric ahead of time, make sure to mentally check off boxes as you go through and write. You could potentially miss something small (ie, only integrating five documents, or forgetting to reference outside evidence) and lose a whole point.

2. Use the documents as a guide.

Since you have to include at least six documents in your essay for the full 2 points, you should make sure they can fit into your thesis points and support your argument. When you’re stuck writing one of your body paragraphs, reference a document and analyze how it reflects historical attitudes at the time.

You should also add in the documents you plan to reference in your outline, so if you follow your outline, you can let the documents and other outside evidence guide your writing.

However, also remember to bring in at least one piece of outside historical knowledge — treat that as another document and analyze it to support your argument.

3. Use your historical knowledge to supplement the documents.

Bring in your knowledge beyond the documents and their contexts. Is one of the documents from a suffragette in the 19th century? Bring in some of the other knowledge you have about the early feminist movement and the push for women’s voting rights. Add in critical buzzwords the documents may not have directly stated, and talk about similar events and movements at the time that may have affected or been affected by the document.

You can also reference historical events, movements, or people not discussed in any of the documents at all, assuming they support your argument, to strengthen your essay outside the scope of the documents.

How to Conclude Your DBQ Essay

In the updated 2017 DBQ, you don’t need to write a synthesis paragraph. So conclude your DBQ essay by reiterating the main analysis points of your body paragraph briefly, and restate your thesis. Together, this will distill your essay down to its main points for a clear, strong conclusion.

Don’t add any new material — all your analysis should be in your body paragraphs, and anything more will just confuse your reader.

How to Revise Your DBQ Essay Effectively

If you have time before the end of the writing period and you’ve finished writing your DBQ, go back and revise it. Read through everything again, paying close attention to the following.

Contextualization:

Have you successfully “set the scene” by describing some of the relevant historical context of the time period, including other prominent social movements, policies and legislation, economic market changes, or religious movements?
Are your three original thesis points used as the foundation for your three body paragraphs? If not, change your thesis to make sure it lines up with the rest of your essay.
Does your thesis take a stance and make a historically defensible claim? Read it over in conjunction with the prompt and make sure it’s answering the entirety of the question and not just restating the prompt.

Body Paragraphs:

Do you use two or more documents per body paragraph for a total of 6 or more documents total? If not, look over which documents you haven’t used and integrate them into one of your body paragraphs.
Each time you use a document, do you effectively contextualize it? Do you discuss how the author’s purpose, intended audience, point of view, or historical influences support your argument? If not, add that.
Is your argument logically supported by each piece of evidence you offer?
Do you have at least one piece of evidence outside of the documents that supports your argument?
Does each body paragraph flow logically into the next? Make sure your transitions are smooth.

General Time Management Tips When Writing DBQs

You only have a limited amount of time for the entire essay, so manage your time intelligently . I wouldn’t recommend spending more than 10, 15 minutes max thinking about your argument and drafting an outline.

During the AP exam, they’ll give you a specific time period of 15 minutes to spend reading the documents and thinking about your argument, then 45 minutes to write the essay.

But 45 minutes isn’t a ton of time, use the 15 minutes intelligently, so you’re ready to start writing as soon as possible. You want the maximum possible amount of time for writing since that’s what’s going to be graded.

Ideally, you should try and finish with five minutes or so to revise your finished essay, check for readability errors, factual errors, parts where your argument isn’t cohesive.

Make sure to coordinate with the other essay: the LEQ to make sure you have enough time to write both essays successfully. You get 55 minutes for the DBQ and 35 minutes for the LEQ, so the longer you spend on the DBQ, the less time you get on the LEQ.

This is why practice is so important! You won’t be able to write a good DBQ in 45-55 minutes on your first try.

You shouldn’t need a ton of time to look over each document, just jot down a few keywords about what it’s saying and how that might fit into your essay. Your outline doesn’t need to be more than 5 points: an intro, conclusion, and three body paragraphs, each based on a thesis point, with the documents you plan to use for each.

What Delineates a Good DBQ from a Bad DBQ?

Good DBQs have theses with a strong stance and defensible claim, as well as three specific points that build on each other and can be backed up logically using six of the documents provided.

Good thesis examples (from the 2018 question):

“While some historians may argue that the US desire to expand its role in the world was due to the fact that the US felt it was its duty to civilize nations and act as a global police, the most important reason for America expanding its role in the world can be attributed to its competition with Europe over global influence, its desire to expand its economy through trading opportunities, and the U.S. ideal of manifest destiny.”

This thesis makes a claim and reflects the cause and effect prompt. You can tell where their essay is going to go: to discuss the US as global police and its competition with other global influencers.

“The country was doing this for a few reasons, such as expanding its territory, (manifest destiny or imperialism) preserving its national interests such as trading with China, and helping other nations.”

Same with this thesis — though this one isn’t as wordy. It outlines 3 body paragraph points and makes a defensible argument.

Bad DBQ theses don’t make a strong claim, instead opting for a vague statement that can’t be defended well either way. They pick thesis points that cannot be backed up well with the documents or other outside evidence.

Bad thesis example:

Due to this, America began to embark on an imperialistic mission in the latter half of the 1800’s in the name of economic, social, and political ‘necessities.’

Different causes and events had a major importance in expanding the role of the US in the world.

These theses aren’t specific to the time period. They restate the prompt, and we have no idea what the “necessities” might be.

Good DBQs integrate their documents logically, in a way that supports their claim. They analyze the historical context of the documents and note how the author’s intended audience, purpose, point of view, or historical influences play into their argument.

They also reference the specific names of related historical events or influences to strengthen their argument and bring in other outside evidence not related to the document that supports their point.

Bad DBQs don’t use the documents to support their argument, instead of discussing the documents outside of the context of their argument, or forgetting to use the documents. They might draw illogical or loose-fitting connections between the documents and their argument, while unable to entirely explain why they fit together.

They don’t use any evidence outside the documents, and they’re unable to provide specific historical names for events or movements related to the documents.

Conclusion:

Good DBQs go back to the prompt and restate the thesis, as well as a few main points of your analysis.

Bad DBQs add more material that should have gone in a body paragraph, that will just further confuse the reader.

College Board Resources for DBQs

The College Board website has lots of practice DBQs and DBQ resources to use. Make sure you look some over before the exam to get a sense of how the College Board tends to grade them and what easy mistakes you can avoid.

Most Updated DBQ Rubric : Here are the rubrics for all the AP History essays.

Practice DBQs:

Practice writing DBQs then read some sample essays and grade them with the rubric for more familiarity with the DBQ essay rubric.

AP U.S. History past DBQs

AP European History past DBQs

AP World History past DBQs

More information: AP Classroom

Specific information about AP History, including timing and question numbers, FAQs, plus practice resources:

AP World History

Wrapping Things Up: Key Takeaways on Writing a Good DBQ Essay

The biggest takeaways to writing a good DBQ should be: starting prepared by annotating the documents and drafting your thesis and a clear outline to guide you through the writing process. You need to make sure you have a robust and defensible argument and that your documents can back up your key points.

Hopefully, the listed tips have helped you better understand the DBQ rubric and the skills you need to ace the DBQ, but don’t forget the next step: practice! The DBQ essay style is a little complex, and the best way to better remember it for the test is to look at some of the sample prompts on the College Board website and practice! Then, go through the grading rubrics and identify your weak point, so next time you’ll be even better.

Did you enjoy this post? Then you may also want to check out some of our guides to the best AP review books .

We also created extensive tips guides for many of the AP History courses:

> AP US Government Tips and Test Taking Strategies

> AP US History Tips and Test Taking Strategies

> AP World History Tips and Test Taking Strategies

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How to Write a DBQ Essay?

01 October, 2020

20 minutes read

Author: Richard Pircher

AP (Advanced Placement) examinations are standardized tests designed to evaluate how well American students have mastered the course and acquired skills on specific subjects. Most AP courses presuppose final paper-and-pencil tests at the end of the year, but some courses come with different ways to assess students’ knowledge. AP tests cover the full content of each course and give college students an opportunity to obtain college credits and placements.

What Is a DBQ?

A DBQ essay is a type of academic paper written on the basis of a Document Based Question. It implies that students will have some documents to be used as sources of information for writing an essay. Since 2002, the DBQ essay format has been used to test college students for understanding historical development.

The time of US history usually covers a period from 1607 to 1980. At present, the DBQ method is also used to test students in AP European and world history, as well as social studies. The approach is the same, but sources of information are different. For writing DBQ essays, students are offered to analyze some historical events or problems based on the sources or materials provided.

The Purpose of A DBQ Essay

The point of document based question essays is that students are provided with seven documents to be analyzed and used to present evidence-based argumentation in their writings. Students have to formulate the thesis, which should be typically presented in the last sentence of the introduction. Further, this thesis has to be supported by evidence and historical facts. This test is aimed to evaluate the students’ abilities of:

Analyzing documents, taking into account their authors’ points of view, their purposes, and general context;
Formulating a strong thesis and substantiating it in an essay;
Using personal knowledge for supporting the thesis with additional facts.

However, students should not wholly rely on knowledge of historical facts during the test. They rather have to analyze the information contained in the provided documents. To successfully pass this test, students need to have the skills of logical thinking, as well as profound knowledge of civilization development, historical facts, and geographical regions. The task is to interpret historical material, draw conclusions based on existing knowledge, and answer the main question.

Preparing For The DBQ Essay

The DBQ test is based on the skills of historical analysis that you can acquire and put into practice. For writing a strong DBQ essay, you need to use the evidence provided to support an argument, make connections between different documents, and apply specific information in a broader context. Also, a historical essay with a Document Based Question answers the issues of the author’s intentions, general conditions, target audience, and so on.

It is recommended to practice writing this type of essays to be well prepared for the DBQ essays. When you exercise, you do not have to write a complete essay every time. The main point is to understand the main issue and related documents and then sketch out the thesis. Make sure you are aware of the general historical trends and periods.

The general flow of your preparation should include taking a practice of the DBQ test and focusing on analysis and exposing your suggestions in writing. How much you take the practice DBQs depends on how perfect preparation you need and how often you want to check your progress. Take practice to write DBQ essays so that this format becomes familiar to you, but not so much that you fail to apply other skills.

How to write a DBQ essay? Firstly, do not intend to fudge your way through the DBQ test by using only beautiful writing with no substance. Secondly, you should focus on the meaning of your essay. Thirdly, you can get your essay peer-reviewed online. Fourthly, ask somebody who has experience in this matter to review your practice with a DBQ essay. Listen to comments and ideas of that person to take these recommendations into consideration.

Stuck on writing an DBQ essay? Our Essay writers is always ready to help you!

DBQ Outline

The process of writing a DBQ essay requires a proper outline. Plan how much time you can spend on each paragraph. Read the main question carefully and make sure you understand what is being asked. As you read the documents, take notes about what information they contain, who the author is, and which historical period it belongs to. Before you start writing, think about the thesis. The materials provided and your notes will help you compose a thesis.

Read the essential hints and objectives carefully. Make sure you understand what evidence to look for in the documents and what the instructors want to see in your essay. Most probably, you might be asked to analyze or explain the reasons for the historical development. Use your knowledge to compare and contrast different perspectives on a concept. Show how public opinion has changed over a specified period.

The outline to plan and write a DBQ essay is similar to an FRQ (Free Response Question) test, but your evidence should be based on the supplied documents. When you read these documents, ask yourself what grabs your attention and what is the background information on the topic (date, place, and surrounding situation). State the question with key terms. Tell what the reasons to prove your point of view are.

Think about the thesis or roadmap of what the essay will be about. Typically, a statement credited as evidence from outside the documents will be more specific and relevant to an argument, analogous to the function of evidence drawn from the papers. In the body paragraphs, outline sub theses based on the information from either documents or sources, as well as provide two to three examples. Each sub thesis should be grounded by evidence.

Support details for reasons with references to the specific documents or sources and connect your evidence to your thesis. In the central argument or conclusion, restate your thesis. It should not be its exact duplication, but a periphrasis of your thesis statement in differing words. Explain and not simply identify how or why the documents, their purposes, historical situation, and audience are relevant to an argument. In the end, clarify relevant and insightful connections across time and space and explain why the issue is significant today.

DBQ Structure

Here are the main parts of the DBQ essay a student cannot forget about:

DBQ Essay Introduction: Starting DBQ Format

Problems and discussions usually characterize the DBQ essay outline. In this work, it is not enough to retell what is written in a textbook, as is often the case in a DBQ essay, or to apply a problem-solving technique, as in a test. When writing the DBQ essay outline, you can be guided by the example of the logic of construction, become familiar with the DBQ essay, and start with the relevance of the topic.

Strong Thesis Statement: What Should It Include?

The strength of your thesis statement influences how you write a DBQ. The standard number of theses for a DBQ essay is from 2 to 5. To determine the exact number of ideas, you must be guided by the required work. The larger the text, the stronger the thesis statement should be. It isn’t easy to write a DBQ on one thesis statement.

There are specific ways to write a DBQ with a strong thesis statement in the paper. The main DBQ essay outline has only four points:

DBQ outline requires you to determine why you are convincing the reader of the truth or falsity of the thesis statement. To do this, it is desirable to be clear about the target audience. Your thesis statement should be interesting to the reader. Otherwise, he will not read further;
Gathering information. You can write a good DBQ essay only if you have read enough literature on the topic before. In the process, you will be able to understand the relevance of your document-based question;
In any DBQ format, it is essential to identify keywords that will be the anchor points and skeleton of the DBQ essay outline.

DBQ Essay Example: Describe Your Main Ideas in Body Paragraph

It reveals the DBQ essay outline from the introduction from different angles. The central part of the DBQ format is not a continuous text; it is divided into smaller pieces. In the first part, you need to state your DBQ outline and describe how you understand and feel about the topic. Next, justify your opinion with arguments. DBQ outline demands facts from life, scientific studies, and views of scientists. You can cite facts from history to write a DBQ.

DBQ Essay Example: Logical Conclusion

The conclusion of a document-based question essay can contain such an essential, complementary element to the article as an indication of the application (implication) of your research, not excluding the relationship with other problems. DBQ essay example: “The DBQ essay is mainly about gender relations in agricultural labor, but a fuller examination would also require an examination of class relations,” followed by a few sentences explaining how the DBQ essay does that.

How to Write a DBQ essay With a Strong Thesis Statement

DBQ stands for a document based question. Such assignments require a student to demonstrate their ability to create well-researched arguments. If you have never written such tasks, read about the DBQ format.

Steps of Writing a DBQ

Create dbq essay outline: write an intro.

You will be provided with a historical context to help write a DBQ introduction. In addition, it will allow you to develop several ideas for writing your text.

Make sure to write a DBQ first sentence that answers 4 questions:

It will allow you to provide your reader with a context and briefly indicate what problem you will solve. This sentence should be the first part of your DBQ essay outline. It is followed by a couple of sentences preceding a thesis statement.

Write a Powerful Thesis Statement

To write a DBQ that will look well-researched, pay careful attention to this part of your essay. Likewise, consider the question you need to answer when writing a thesis statement.

To get tops marks for your document based question essay, follow these steps:

Make claims and provide pieces of evidence
When creating a DBQ essay outline, remember to describe the information that you will base your statements on
Write a paragraph explaining how you will answer the main question

If you have never written a thesis statement before, look at a DBQ essay example to see how another author coped with this task.

Correctly Structure a Body Paragraph in Your DBQ Essay Outline

A DBQ format doesn’t require you to limit the number of body paragraphs. However, when creating a DBQ outline, include at least 3 paragraphs to cover the main points.

The first paragraph should follow your thesis statement. Experienced writers start a DBQ essay outline by selecting the strongest point and analyzing it from several points of view. Then, use a transition sentence to move smoothly to the next part of your DBQ outline. It will enable you to write a DBQ more easily.

The second and third paragraphs of your DBQ essay outline should also refer to the thesis statement. You can also find a DBQ essay example with four or more paragraphs if you need to provide a detailed answer to your question.

DBQ format is quite easy to use. You can make your text logical by creating an easy-to-follow DBQ outline. Don’t forget to add another transition sentence at the end of this part of your text.

Draw a Conclusion

The last part of your DBQ outline should summarize your argument and show that you have answered the question. Use a DBQ essay example to see how such parts of these essays are usually written. The main thing is to list your main points and show that the opposing views are biased.

Wrapping Up

Following these tips, you can write a DBQ essay demonstrating that you can analyze complex issues and draw independent conclusions. Practice a lot to hone your skills and get the highest marks!

DBQ Essay Examples

If you are not sure of how to write a DBQ essay, you can always search and find good examples online. You can find them on the College Board website. This organization administers AP tests, and therefore, the provided DBQ essay samples can give you some prompts and responses to many questions. These samples are not only evaluated, but the score system is explained in accordance with the rubric.

Writing Tips to Succeed with Your DBQ Essay

The AP test typically consists of one or two DBQ essays, and 45 minutes is given to writing each of them. So, students have up to 90 minutes to draw up a plan and finish two papers. When you see the task for writing a DBQ essay, you will see instructions, a hint, and attached documents. Usually, up to seven different sources are provided. These can be newspaper clippings, articles, maps, drawings, photographs, and so on. However, you do not need to use all the documents, but at least four of them.

It is recommended that you first read the materials and schedule your time carefully. Organize these sources into categories and define how each document relates to your main question. Think about how to use documents to support your argument. If you are comparing different points of view, classify your sources based on opposing opinions.

Also, try to include relevant external information in your essay. You need to provide at least one piece of evidence besides the data from the provided documents. List some external evidence on a draft to refer to when writing your essay. As you write your DBQ essay, support your arguments with links to provided documents. Make sure that both your argument structure and supporting evidence back up your preliminary thesis.

You should describe how a particular event, movement, or somebody’s beliefs can support your statement. Outline the structure of your arguments in your DBQ essay. Start with your preliminary thesis and break your essay into multiple parts. In each of them, write one statement or element for the argument. Under each idea, list a few points supporting that part of your argument. Also, do not just cite sources without analysis.

Make sure you use documents to craft and highlight your point of view. Refine your thesis and make sure again that your thesis is clear, does not contain unnecessary words, and fully answers the main question. When writing an essay, general historical accuracy is essential, but not details. If minor details are not indicated correctly without affecting the general meaning, then this will not lead to a decrease in the overall test score.

How To Be Successful On The DBQ Test Day?

The matter of how to write a DBQ essay may seem challenging, but you are able to pass an AP test and get a high score provided that you have particular skills. It is recommended to get acquainted with the DBQ essay rubric that instructors use to evaluate AP tests. Information about this rubric can be found on the College Board website. It has four categories: abstracts, document analysis, use of third-party evidence, and synthesis.

You can get one point for the thesis and argument. An extra point is given for a perfect thesis presenting the close relationship between historical events and their causes. A strong thesis, supported by information from documents or any other source, is of great importance. Also, you need to reinforce this thesis in your paper. Demonstrate that you have generated a critical understanding of the given sources by focusing on what they mean rather than what they say.

Another three points are provided for the use of the maximum number of documents and their detailed analysis. This analysis refers to the authors’ points of view, target audience, or historical context. Be sure to reveal the connection between your research and your main argument. Providing an external example and establishing a link with another historical period or topic is estimated as one additional point. You are advised to give an extra specific example that is relevant to your argument.

When passing an AP History exam with a DBQ essay, you will lose one point out of seven if you do not relate your arguments to the broader historical context. Also, you will miss one point if you just mention sources or add quotes at random. You have to establish logical connections between the documents and the conclusions you draw.

For synthesis, you need to show the link between your arguments about a specific period with another historical time, social processes, geographic regions, etc. It is best done in the final part of your essay. This task will earn you one more point. In the end, take at least a few minutes to check everything and make corrections. Make sure the names, dates, and other facts are provided correctly.

Thus, the maximum number of points that you can get in the AP exam with DBQ essays is 7. For that, you have to clearly state your thesis, establish a broader historical context, support your argument with as many documents as possible, provide external evidence, and describe several points of view. However, you do not need to obtain the highest score to achieve your goals. You can get 5 or 6 points out of 7 on this exam, and it will be a success. Even 3 points can give you a credit score in many colleges.

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As you prepare for college, you will want to learn as much as possible about a DBQ essay. This type of essay is found in AP history exams and social studies classes in different grades.

A DBQ , or Document-Based Question essay requires students to develop an argument using evidence from a set of primary source documents provided to them. The DBQ essay tests a student's ability to critically analyze multiple documents, connect them to the historical context, and form a coherent, well-argued response. These documents may include written texts, images, graphs, or maps, and typically relate to a specific historical period or theme.

It deals with way more of historical documents then you might have thought. So, at some point, you can certainly find yourself at a loss. “How to write a DBQ Essay?”, you may ask. Don't worry! In this article, we will talk about how to write it. We will look at its format and show you an example. Are you ready to learn more now from proficient essay writers online ?

What Is a DBQ Essay: Main Definition

In simple terms, a DBQ Essay is an assignment that tests student's analytical and comprehension skills. There is a more formal definition of this term. DBQ stands for Document-Based Question. This type of essay is part of the AP US History (APUSH) exam established by the US College Board. Student's task is to provide their foliage knowledge and back it up with facts. Three to 16 reliable sources of information are required. To write quality work, you must understand more about the DBQ essay schema.

How to Write a DBQ Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

The first question that students have is “how to write a DBQ essay?” Students must familiarize themselves with an issue posed in a document. They should interpret presented material with particular historical period in mind. Student will have 15 minutes to read paper, take notes, and then 45 minutes to write their DBQ. Sounds a little complicated? No worries. We’ve prepared a basic step-by-step guide to help you complete this challenge for the highest score.

Step 1. Analyze the Documents Before Starting a DBQ Essay

If you are on an AP exam , you will have 15 minutes to familiarize yourself with the hint and document for writing a DBQ essay. During this short period, you need to read your given tip carefully (we recommend re-reading it several times), analyze attached documents, and develop your own argumentation. Document analysis is the first and most crucial step in writing a DBQ. Be sure to highlight the question for yourself. Otherwise, you risk losing points even for the most adequately structured and competent essay if it does not answer the question posed in the tip.

Step 2. Create Your Thesis for DBQ Essay

After reading an essay recommendation, you will need to highlight a DBQ thesis sentence. It is a summary of your arguments. Make sure your thesis is a well-founded statement that responds to clues rather than just repeats them. There should be several arguments in the thesis itself. Let's suppose that the question of your document is, “Why did movement for women's suffrage start in the 20th century?”. "Significant contributions of women in support of the war formed a movement for women's suffrage to the right” is a strong thesis. In this case, thesis speaks of participation in hostilities during the First World War. Therefore, it will be easier for you and your future reader to form some strong point of view when reading your work. Support your arguments with around 6 documents. Always highlight one of them whose vision of the situation is closer to you. You will decide on the main answer to the question based on your thesis and read the documents.

Step 3. Read the Documents and Note the Details Before Writing a DBQ Essay

As we said above, correctly highlighted abstracts are key to successful DBQ essay writing. Be careful when reading any information. Read the documentation carefully and take your time looking for answers. We have a few recommendations for you:

Indicate the document's author, their audience, and point of view.
Determine percentage of reliability of this source and try to identify what influenced the author's opinion (perhaps this is particular historical period that will help you in further analysis).
Highlight key points such as “evaluate,” “analyze,” and “compare and contrast.” Also, look for keywords such as "social,” "political," and "economical,” as well as information about the period and society in question (it is convenient to take notes in document margins so that you can return to desired passage).

Kindly note that not all sources will be written documents. Occasionally, you will come across diagrams, maps, or political cartoons. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with some nuances of reading primary sources in advance.

Step 4. Create a DBQ Essay Outline

Before you start writing your text:

Make a brief DBQ essay template outline.
Organize your brief and write your central thesis at page's top.
Write a possible structure for your document.
Next to each item, write one statement that does not contradict your view.

If you indicate some sources as a confirmation to sections, it is recommended to draw up an essay in chronological order. Keep in mind that an essay structure should not be broken. Start with an introduction, then write at least three paragraphs with arguments. Your DBQ should end with a conclusion in which you again repeat your thesis, only in an affirmative manner.

Step 5. Write Your DBQ Essay

Find out time management tips when writing DBQ essays. Remember that you will have 45 minutes during which you must complete the entire paper. We recommend that you plan how much time you are willing to spend on each of your sections. Be sure that you take a few minutes and correct your essay at the very end. DBQ essays have a clear structure that cannot be deviated from introduction with a thesis sentence, body with enough evidence supporting your arguments, and conclusion. We will tell you more about what each section should include later in this blog post.

How to Start a DBQ Essay

It would help if you started with DBQ essay introduction. In this part of your text, indicate your thesis and several appropriate sentences in context. It is a natural and easy way that you can start your essay right and not get lost in thought. It should be noted that you must link your thesis with its historical implications. If you don’t, you will probably lose one point.

How to Write a Body Paragraph for a DBQ Essay

It is crucial to know how to write a body paragraph . DBQ essay body paragraphs occupy more than 80% of your text. It typically consists of at least three paragraphs. All sections should be logically related with each other. Stay tuned to chronology of events, especially if you mention periods or information that supports your arguments with documents' date. Each of the paragraphs can indicate some component of your thesis. You should mention dates, historical figures and cite papers as often as possible. Include document's number in parentheses when using a quotation.

How to Write a Conclusion Essay for a DBQ

Writing a conclusion in a DBQ essay is as easy as shelling pears. You shouldn't really indicate anything new that was not in your text. Summarize your arguments and point out to your reader that you have been able to prove your claim. You will most likely get an extra point if you can connect your arguments with history of other periods or other countries. Scale your thoughts. For example, if you are talking about the First World War period in the United States, then indicate that it had similar impact on citizens of other countries.

The Best DBQ Essay Example

Still, have some more questions? DBQ essay sample will be beneficial for you when preparing for an exam. An example helps you understand the structure and formation of arguments in your future text. You can check out our sample if you are in need of further help. Do not hesitate to contact professionals! After all, high-quality assistance is key to your good grade.

DBQ Essay: Bottom Line

We have detailed the way and structure of a DBQ essay. Its purpose is based on analyzing, drawing conclusions or tracing trends of events from the past. Writing a strong essay includes all your skills learned in the AP class. This way professors can assess student's knowledge, experience and evaluate their efforts. Your dbq score is one-quarter of your score on the entire AP exam. In general, you can achieve up to seven points for this assignment. Article above describes a few ways of getting more points...

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Frequently Asked Questions About DBQ Essay

1. do i need to use quotes in my dbq essay.

Yes. Use quotes in your DBQ essay as often as possible. In this way, you will provide evidence to support your argument. But do not forget to analyze these quotes every time and talk about your point of view. Use quotation marks when writing quotes.

2. Can I start a DBQ essay introduction with a question?

Yes, you can start the DBQ essay introduction with a question. Keep in mind that you must answer this question using an argument. Further down a text, you should not ask questions.

3. Is a DBQ essay an LEQ with documents?

A DBQ essay should consist of evidence from the documents provided in your task. LEQ (that stands for thesis-based response) should not contain any evidence at all.

4. How many documents usually need to be analyzed for DBQ essay?

Usually, before writing a DBQ essay, you need to analyze about 5 to 7 documents. But it is always a good idea to check with your professors for clear instructions.

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How to Write a DBQ

A DBQ essay is an assigned task which tests a student’s analyzation and understanding skills. They also test a student in thinking outside the box. These skills are essential for success in gaining this academic qualification. In this article from EssayPro — professional essay writers team, we will talk about how to write a DBQ, we will go through the DBQ format, and show you a DBQ example.

What Is a DBQ?

Many students may prosper: “What is a DBQ?”. Long story short, DBQ Essay or “Document Based Question” is an assigned academic paper which is part of the AP U.S. History exam (APUSH) set by the United States College Board. It requires a student’s knowledge of a certain topic with evidence from around 3 to 16 reliable sources. Understanding the APUSH DBQ and its outline is essential for success in the exam, itself.

DBQ Outline

We understand that learning how to write a DBQ essay can be difficult for beginners. This is why our professional writers have listed the DBQ format for your own reference while preparing for the exam. Like all essays, this involves an introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

An introductory sentence to hook your audience.
State the background of the topic. Using a source relating to a historical occurrence or historical figure can be helpful at this time.
Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence.
Create a brief description of the evidence that will be included in the body paragraphs.
Write a paragraph which talks about how the DBQ essay question will be answered.

Body Paragraph 1

Include the strongest argument. This should be linked to the thesis statement. Read our example of thesis statement .
Include an analysis of the references which relate to the strongest argument.
Write a statement which concludes the analysis in a different point of view. Include a link to the thesis.
Write a transition sentence to the next body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 2

Include a reasonable argument which links to the thesis, and the first argument in the previous body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 3

Include a reasonable argument which links to the thesis, and the second argument in the previous body paragraph.
Write a transition sentence to the conclusion.
Create a summarizing argument of the whole paper.
Include the main points or important information in the sources.
Create a concluding sentence or question which challenges the point of view that argues against these sources.

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How to Write a DBQ: Step-By-Step Instructions

For some students, writing a DBQ essay may be hard. Not to worry. Our easy-to-read step-by-step instructions talk about the essential points which includes how to write a DBQ thesis, analyzation, time-management and proofreading your work. It is always important to write your paper in accordance to the DBQ outline for achieving the success you’re capable of.

The DBQ involves:

Planning: 15 Minutes
Writing: 2 hours and 45 Minutes
Proofreading: 10 Minutes

Time management is essential for a successful grade in this form of examination. The general DBQ outline states that the duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Spend around 15 minutes planning, 2 hours and 45 minutes writing, and 10 minutes proofreading. Follow these easy-to-read step-by-step instructions to learn how to write a DBQ thesis, body and conclusion successfully.

Step 1: Planning (15 Minutes)

During the exam, it is important to study the provided sources. The exam is 3 hours, so 15 minutes for planning is a reasonable approach. During this time, analyze all of the important key-points from the sources provided. Then, take a note of all of the key points, and write them under the titles; introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion.

Step 2: Introduction (5 Minutes)

First impressions count. Keep the introduction short and brief. Don’t go straight into answering the question in this part of the paper. For a successful introduction, write a brief summary of the overall paper. It is also important to include an introductory sentence.

Step 3: Thesis (20 Minutes)

This form of essay requires a separate 3 paragraphs for the DBQ thesis. Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence. The second paragraph should include a description of the paper. The third paragraph should include how you’re going to answer the question.

The key difference with other essays is that the thesis plays an important role in the DBQ structure.
The APUSH DBQ thesis should not be two sentences long.
The thesis should be written with act least 2 or 3 paragraphs long.

Step 4: Body (2 Hours and 16 Minutes)

Write well-structured, categorized paragraphs. Each paragraph should include one point. Avoid mixing ideas in the paragraphs. Include your answer to the assigned question with the provided documents. It is also important to read between the lines. Each paragraph should link to the thesis.

Step 5: Conclusion (10 Minutes)

The final part of your paper. The conclusion plays a vital role in persuading your audience. A poorly written conclusion means a skeptical audience. For well-written conclusion, summarize the entire paper. Link the conclusion to the thesis. Answer the question in a concluding sentence, “the big idea”.

Step 6: Proofreading (10 Minutes)

Spend around 10 minutes proofreading your work at the end of the exam. It is important to proofread your work to make sure it does not contain any grammatical mistakes. Any writing errors can lower one’s grade. Please make sure that the body paragraphs answer the question and link to the thesis, this is the most important part of the paper.

Writing Tips to Success with Your DBQ Essay

Understand: Before writing, make sure that you understand the sources and the essay question. Duration: Remember that the exam duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Study: Practice how to write a DBQ before the actual exam. Identify: Find the key-points from the sources to include in your essay.

Read Between the Lines: Don’t just write about what you read, but write about what the passages imply. Read all Documents: Make sure you have read all of the sources, prior to writing the paper. Read the Outline: Following the DBQ essay outline is essential for understanding how to structure the paper during the exam. Categorize: Put each point into categories. This will come in useful for writing the body paragraphs. Write the Author’s Opinion: Show an understanding of the writer’s point of view. Write a Temporary DBQ Thesis on your Notes: Doing so will assist you during the paper writing. Follow DBQ Examples: Following a DBQ essay example, while studying, is an excellent way to get a feel for this form of assignment.

DBQ Example

Do you need more help? Following a sample DBQ essay can be very useful for preparation. Usually, when practicing for exams, students commonly refer to an example for understanding the DBQ structure, and other revision purposes. Click on the button to open our DBQ example from one of our professional writers. Feel free to use it as a reference when learning how to write a DBQ.

The Great War and the second ordeal of conflict in Europe, played a fundamental in the increase of the rights for women. During the second world war, the British government encouraged house-wives to do the work of what was primarily traditional for men to do.Such as growing crops and butchering animals, which was generally considered to be“men’s work”. One of the slogans was “dig for victory”. The reason for this was for people to take care of themselves during the difficult times of rationing.

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Following steps and outlines for custom writing is a great way to learn how to write a DBQ essay. As well as writing tips. Time management is vital for the positive result. Following our advice will enable you to get a good grade by learning how to write a good DBQ. Because learning the DBQ format is essential. Practice is very important for any form of examination. Otherwise, one could not do as well as his or her potential allows him or her to do so.

You might be interested in information about this type of essay, such as the definition essay .

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What is a DBQ? An Essential Guide to Document-Based Questions

As you prepare for your upcoming AP tests, you’ll likely hear the term DBQ thrown around multiple times. DBQs are crucial to your overall AP test score and help demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and analytical abilities.

But what is a DBQ, and how can you use it to your advantage on the AP exams? This article will answer your questions about DBQs, from what they look like and how they’re scored to what the rubric means. We’ll also look at the purpose of the DBQ as well as which exams include a DBQ. Read on for more information about DBQs and how to use them to your advantage.

What is a DBQ?

Let’s start by answering the essential question: what is a DBQ? The document-based question, or DBQ, is an essay question included in many Advanced Placement (AP) exams. DBQs are worth a significant portion of your overall grade on the AP test and are meant to assess your ability to analyze primary sources.

Which Exams Include a DBQ?

DBQs are included in many Advanced Placement (AP) exams, including AP History, AP English Language and Composition, and AP World History. They are also included in some SAT subject tests, such as SAT II US History, SAT II World History, and SAT II Literature. To correctly answer a DBQ, you must analyze historical documents as evidence to answer a primary question regarding historical events or issues.

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What Does the DBQ Format Look Like?

Students can format a DBQ response in the same way they would with a standard analytical essay. Generally speaking, you should format your DBQ as follows:

Introduction: In the introduction, you should explain what the essay is about, introduce your argument, write your thesis statement, and describe the main points that you will be addressing in the essay.
Body: The essay’s body should consist of several paragraphs, each focusing on one central point you outlined in the introduction. Each paragraph should begin with a comprehensive topic sentence and be supported with evidence from the documents.
Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the central points of your essay and restate your argument. It should also explain how your argument supports the prompt.

When writing your DBQ essay during an AP exam, you will be given 15 minutes to look over the documents provided for the essay. You will spend the remaining 45 minutes writing the essay following this period. Most DBQs provide numerous documents to consider when supporting your argument, so understanding each document is crucial.

AP exams usually include two DBQs. Students have 90 minutes to write their essays after reviewing the documents.

How is the DBQ Scored?

Your DBQ will be scored based on how thoroughly you answer the prompt, the strength of your argument, the quality of your evidence, and how effectively you use the source material. DBQs are the second-highest contributor to your final score. The DBQ rubric emphasizes your essay’s thesis, analysis, evidence, and synthesis. These essays are scored based on the following categories and points system:

Thesis (0-1 point)
Contextualization (0-1 point)
Evidence (0-3 points)
Analysis (0-2 points)

How Much is the Document-Based Question Worth?

The DBQ is worth a significant portion of your grade on the AP test. Typically, the DBQ will be worth 25% of your overall score.

What Does the Rubric Mean?

The DBQ rubric is a set of criteria used to evaluate essays. It is divided into the categories listed above. But what does the rubric mean, and what should you expect to be graded on for each category? Below is a breakdown of each category and how points are determined.

Thesis: You earn a point on your DBQ thesis if you successfully make a claim responding to the prompt and addressing all of your central points that will be argued in the body. The thesis statement should be no more than two sentences, though one is preferable.
Contextualization: The context of your essay is crucial to a comprehensive and highly graded DBQ response. This portion relates to whether your thesis and arguments are connected to broader historical contexts central to the question.
Evidence: Students will earn anywhere from one to three points based on how successfully they incorporate the document-based evidence. Two points are earned when a student’s response describes the document’s content. The third point is earned if students integrate a document’s evidence throughout the essay rather than taking large chunks and quotes from the documents without providing analysis.
Analysis: Finally, you can earn one point for your analysis if you can accurately depict the content from each document, including its purpose and perspective. Students earn two points for responses that display a nuanced understanding of historical events relating to the documents.

What’s the Purpose of a DBQ?

The purpose of a DBQ is to assess your ability to analyze primary historical sources. DBQs test your skills and whether you can comprehensively respond to each question with a detailed explanation of the documents. DBQs focus on your analytical skills, overall knowledge of the subject, and ability to understand and break down historical documents.

It tests your ability to identify critical points and analyze how the documents support them. Additionally, it tests your ability to write a strong argument and support it with evidence. DBQs also demonstrate your understanding of the political and cultural contexts behind historical documents and their related events.

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AP World DBQ Outline + Thesis Practice with Feedback

5 min read • december 31, 2020

Melissa Longnecker

Eric Beckman

Evan Liddle

DBQ Practice is very important when preparing for the AP World exam. It is recommended to write a short brief outline of your argument before writing your body paragraph.

Your task: In 20 minutes or less , read the documents and:

Outline arguments you would make, using LESS than a full sentence for each
List, but DO NOT describe, evidence, both documents and outside evidence
Write a thesis based on these arguments Note: on the actual exam spending more than 20 minutes on this will not leave you with enough time to complete what you plan

DBQ Revolutions in Americas Prompt

Use these documents to answer the following prompt:

Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which revolutions in the Americas between c. 1770 - c. 1825 successfully challenged social hierarchies.

Outlines and Feedback

Thesis and outline practice submission 1.

Thesis: Although the revolutions in the Americas themselves were successful, they did not successfully challenge social hierarchies because the lower class people including the Black and mixed races and the slaves still dealt with prejudice and the Whites stayed in power. However, there was some successful social hierarchy change for the Whites because a new class of Whites did gain more political power.

Lower classes and Prejudice continued: Doc 2, Doc 4 (Only Creoles benefited, slavery continued) Doc 5

White Creoles gained power: Doc 3 (Bolivar was a Creole, Hidalgo and Mexican Revolution)

But, still great divisions among social classes–> underdevelopment + neocolonialism

(My thesis starts with “although” but that was not what I was trying to set up the complexity with. Would I still need to prove that the revolutions themselves were successful? If so, I would use doc 1 for that).

DBQ Teacher Feedback

A way to improve your thesis would be to indicate a specific revolution which corresponds to your description. As for your question, abut complexity, that nuance could contribute to complexity but that itself is not complexity. Overall your structure looks good to me, but for your first paragraph you could be a bit more narrow. Prejudice against the lower classes? Race or labor based prejudice? Narrow that down.

Thesis and Outline Practice Submission 2

Revolutions in the Americas that took place from 1770 - 1825 were generally extremely successful at challenging established social hierarchies, as they diminished the power of traditional elites and led to the liberation of formerly enslaved peoples, mainly African Americans and their descendants. However, In some areas such as Latin America, the new elites that arose from revolutions to replace the old, leaving the rest of the social hierarchy intact.

Diminished Power of Elites: Doc 5, Doc 3, American Revolution (Freedom from Monarchy), French Revolution

Freed Enslaved People: Doc 1, Doc 2, Haitian Revolution

Social Hierarchy Intact: Doc 4, Creole Revolutions (Creole replace Peninsulares)

Your thesis is sufficient. If you want to make it better you could consider using hedging and qualified language such as the types of hierarchies reinforced/challenged (Labor, race, class). Your essay structure looks fine, but if you are running out of time consider combining paragraphs 1 and 2. Hope this helps keep practicing.

Thesis and Outline Practice Submission 3

Thesis: Although revolutions ranging from 1770-1825, made a profound effect on social hierarchies at the time through freedom of slaves and the destruction of monarchies in Britain, they did not last for the long term in most regions such as Latin America as the continuance of racism towards people of dark skin and harsh as well as inconsiderate ruling dominated these new changes.

Freedom of slaves: 1, 2

Destruction of monarchies: 3

Continued racism: 4

Continuance of harsh/inconsiderate ruling: 5

Could my complexity have to do something with racism still persisting in modern-day or would that not give me the point?

This thesis does a good job setting up your claim (the word “profound” works well here) and your line of reasoning. It’s clear what you plan to develop for your argument in your body paragraphs.

As you practice with DBQs, consider how you might bring documents together in your body paragraphs. This outline works, but a stronger (and easier to write) outline might find ways to bring documents together under a common argument and keep your overall essay to just 2 body paragraphs.

Complexity isn’t about bringing in modern examples necessarily. That skill point is about developing a complex argument throughout the whole essay. Think about how you could connect all of your ideas together throughout the paragraphs and fully explain your ideas. That will get you closer on many points, whether or not it earns that one complexity point.

Thesis and Outline Practice Submission 4

Thesis: Although the revolutions in the Americas successfully overthrew the direct rule of the European monarchies and led to an emergence of creoles who came to power, social inequality still plague the lower class peoples of the newly liberated nations and the obstacles of forming a fair government amidst the grievances of the mixed race and indigenous people did not greatly contribute to change the preexisting social structures.

Social inequality: Docs 2,4; continued to enslave African Americans in North America
Obstacles of forming a fair of government: Doc 5; instability and poor governance=poverty and economy dependent on former colonizer countries
Creoles gaining power: Docs 1,3; Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin

And also, are there more than one definitive, and correct answer to this prompt? I’m worried about misinterpreting the documents on the exam, thus leading to a non-historically defensible essay.

To start, I’ll address your question. Yes, there are multiple correct answers to this prompt (and any DBQ). The questions and document sets are designed to allow students to successfully defend any of a variety of claims. If your claim fits with your knowledge of history AND your understanding of the documents, it will likely count as “historically defensible.” (Basically, don’t stress it - you’ve got this!)

This is a really sophisticated thesis that addresses both political and social ideas. It looks like you know that to make the political/governance stuff work, you’ll need to connect it to social hierarchies. Good work.

I’m glad to see your body paragraphs include multiple documents. That’s the fastest/easiest way to be sure that you’re using them and actually developing an argument. Keep it up!

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The Expert’s Guide on How to Write a DBQ like a pro

Writing a Document-Based Question (DBQ) involves analyzing historical documents and crafting an essay that responds to a specific prompt or question.

Sometimes working on such an assignment gets very challenging for students. Especially those students who are not fully aware of the requirements of this academic activity.

That’s where this blog post becomes very handy as it will guide you on the right track of learning how to write a DBQ like the best paper writing help providers.

Table of Contents

What is a DBQ Essay?

A dbq essay is an essay-based assessment in history or social studies where you analyze and interpret primary source documents to craft an argument based on what you read and your own knowledge about the topic. Let’s explore what our writers think are some common problems students face while writing a dbq.

Common Problems Students Encounter While Writing a DBQ

Misreading the question might cause you to give an answer that isn’t relevant.
Difficulty in comprehending and analyzing provided documents affects argument construction.
Figuring out how to assemble arguments using documents and extra info can be tricky.
Crafting a clear thesis that incorporates documents and addresses the prompt can be tough.
Picking out evidence from documents and other sources and using it in the right way is really important.
Figuring out how to juggle analyzing, planning, and getting your writing done before the deadline can be stressful.

Steps to Write a Perfect DBQ

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps:

Get a Good Understanding of the Prompt

Thoroughly Read the Prompt: For your essay, you need to figure out the time period, the background history, and the exact question you’re trying to answer.

Example Prompt:

“Evaluate the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the workforce in the United States. Analyze at least five documents and your knowledge of the time period to develop your argument.”

Understanding the Prompt
Identify Key Elements

Historical Context: World War II in the United States.

Time Frame: The period during and immediately after World War II.

Specific Task/Question: Evaluate the impact of the war on women’s roles in the workforce.

Breakdown of the Prompt

Topic: Impact of World War II.

Focus: Women’s roles in the workforce.

Requirement: Analyze a minimum of five documents and incorporate outside knowledge of the time.

Task Verb: “Evaluate,” meaning assess or judge the impact.

Understanding the Scope

Think about how the war changed women’s roles in the workforce – not the war’s wider implications or other elements.

Developing the Approach

Documents and Outside Knowledge: You should take information from at least five of the given documents and combine it with your own understanding of the period.

Analytical Perspective: The emphasis is on evaluating and analyzing the impact, which requires critical thinking and interpretation of the sources.

Application to Writing

For this essay, it’s essential to get a handle on women’s roles in the workforce during World War II. Breaking down the documents should focus on how they show changes, difficulties, or changes in women’s jobs during that time.

For example, there could be government materials advocating for female workers, numbers on how many women are employed, stories from ladies about what it’s like to work in a factory, or pieces discussing people’s opinions of women joining jobs that are usually held by guys.

Analyze the Documents

Interact with the given sources, taking into account their background, who wrote them, who they were intended for, and their importance in history. Sort them into categories based on shared themes, points of view, or arguments.

Example Documents:

Document 1:

Type: Government propaganda poster encouraging women to work in factories during WWII.

Context: Produced in 1943 by the U.S. government to address labor shortages.

Authorship: Created by a government agency.

Intended Audience: Targeted at women to persuade them to join the workforce.

Historical Significance: Illustrates the government’s efforts to mobilize women for wartime production, portraying them as patriotic contributors to the war effort.

Document 2:

Type: Newspaper article published in 1945 discussing post-war employment trends.

Context: Written towards the end of WWII.

Authorship: Written by a journalist for a mainstream newspaper.

Intended Audience: General readership interested in post-war developments.

Historical Significance: Provides insights into societal expectations regarding women’s roles post-war and reflects on potential changes in employment patterns.

Document 3:

Type: Personal diary entry from a female factory worker in 1942.

Context: Written during the peak of wartime production.

Authorship: Authored by an anonymous factory worker.

Intended Audience: Intended for personal reflection, not public consumption.

Historical Significance: Offers a firsthand account of the challenges and experiences of a woman in the wartime workforce, capturing the emotional and practical aspects.

Analyzing the Documents

Understanding Context, Authorship, and Audience

Contextual Relevance: It’s really important to know where the documents come from and how long they’ve been around for to get the full picture of their importance with regards to World War II.

Authorship Impact: By figuring out who wrote the document, whether it’s from a government agency, a reporter, or an individual, it can help you understand if there might be any underlying bias or purpose.

Audience Influence: Figuring out who the document is meant for gives you an idea of what it’s trying to say and why.

Categorizing Based on Themes or Perspectives

Common Themes: Look for any similarities among the documents. They could be patriotism, societal expectations, or the difficulties women face in the workplace.

Perspectives: Organize documents that have different or similar points of view. For instance, government-issued material and people’s personal stories might provide different outlooks on women working during wartime.

How to Apply this Step

In the essay, these documents would be analyzed based on their unique contexts, biases, and perspectives. Government propaganda might highlight the state’s efforts to mobilize women, while personal diaries could reveal the emotional toll or day-to-day realities of working women.

Organizing documents by similar topics or points of view makes it easier to study them. For example, if you put together papers that talk about how women’s roles were seen after World War II, it could help you form ideas about how standards shifted.

Develop a Thesis Statement

Formulate a Clear Thesis: Create a brief thesis statement that answers the question asked and outlines what your essay will be about.

Coming up with a good thesis statement is really important for a DBQ essay. To help illustrate this, let’s check out an example based on a prompt about how World War II changed women’s roles in the US.

Example Prompt

Developing a Thesis Statement

Key Focus: Impact of WWII on women’s workforce roles.

Specific Task: Evaluate and analyze using provided documents and additional knowledge.

Crafting a Thesis

Sample Thesis Statement: “World War II significantly transformed women’s roles in the American workforce by catalyzing increased participation, altering societal perceptions, and setting the stage for long-term economic and social changes.”

Breaking Down the Thesis

Clear Response: The thesis directly addresses the prompt by acknowledging the transformative impact of WWII on women’s roles.

Three Key Arguments:

Increased Participation: Highlighting the rise in women joining the workforce during the war.

Societal Perceptions: Discussion on how perceptions of women’s capabilities shifted due to their wartime contributions.

Long-Term Impact: Indicating that these changes extended beyond the war, affecting the economy and society.

Evidence and Analysis

Supported by Documents: The thesis aligns with the analysis of the provided documents. For example, government propaganda may support increased participation, while personal accounts could reveal societal shifts.

Room for Analysis: It sets the stage for in-depth analysis in body paragraphs, allowing examination of specific document evidence to support each argument.

This Step Application in Writing

In the essay, each body paragraph would focus on one aspect mentioned in the thesis. For instance:

Paragraph 1: Analyzes how women’s participation in the workforce increased during WWII using specific document evidence.

Paragraph 2: Explores societal perceptions through various document perspectives and contextualizes these changes.

Paragraph 3: Discusses the long-term impact, drawing connections between wartime changes and post-war societal shifts using a blend of document evidence and external knowledge.

Outline your Essay

Organize your Thoughts: Create an outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Introduction: Set the context, present your thesis, and briefly outline the main points you’ll address.

Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect supported by evidence from the documents. Use topic sentences, evidence, and analysis to support your argument.

Conclusion: Summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and provide a broader historical context or implications of your argument.

Let’s create an outline for a DBQ essay based on the prompt about World War II’s impact on women’s roles in the American workforce:

Outline for a DBQ Essay

Here are complete details on the dbq structure or dbq outline:

Introduction:

Context Setting: Discuss the historical background of women’s roles pre-WWII and the societal norms regarding women in the workforce.

Thesis Statement: Introduce the thesis that highlights the transformative impact of WWII on women’s roles in the American workforce.

Preview of Main Points: Briefly outline the main arguments that will be explored in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs:
Increased Participation:

Topic Sentence: Women’s increased participation in the workforce during WWII was a notable shift in societal norms.

Document Evidence: Reference specific documents, like government propaganda or statistical data, showcasing the rise in female employment.

Analysis: Discuss the significance of this increase, its implications, and its portrayal in the provided documents.

Societal Perceptions and Changes:

Topic Sentence: The war prompted a shift in societal perceptions about women’s capabilities in the workplace.

Document Evidence: Utilize personal accounts or editorials from the provided sources reflecting changing attitudes towards women in traditionally male-dominated roles.

Analysis: Examine the evolution of societal views depicted in the documents and analyze their historical significance.

Long-Term Impacts Beyond the War:

Topic Sentence: The changes initiated during WWII had lasting effects on the role of women in the post-war American workforce.

Document Evidence: Extract examples from documents discussing post-war employment trends or societal adaptations.

Analysis: Explore how the changes during the war era influenced the trajectory of women’s employment and societal roles in the subsequent years.

Conclusion:

Summarize Main Points: Recap the key arguments presented in the body paragraphs, emphasizing their significance.

Restate Thesis: Reinforce the thesis statement while demonstrating how it’s supported by the evidence analyzed.

Broader Historical Context: Provide a brief discussion on the broader implications of these changes, connecting them to larger historical trends or societal impacts beyond the scope of the prompt.

Application of this Step

This outlined structure ensures a well-organized essay that adheres to the prompt’s requirements. Each body paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the thesis, supported by evidence from the provided documents and followed by insightful analysis. The conclusion summarizes the key points while expanding on the broader implications of the arguments presented.

Interesting Note

Many students hire a professional thesis writing service provider just to make them an outline for their DBQ essay.

Use Evidence from the Documents

Cite Document Evidence: Incorporate specific examples and quotes from the provided documents to support your arguments.

Analyze the Documents: Offer critical analysis of the documents, explaining how they support or contradict your thesis.

Let’s explore how to use evidence from documents and analyze them within the context of a DBQ essay about the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:

Incorporating Document Evidence:

Document 1: Government Propaganda Poster

“Join the Women’s Land Army – Help Farmers Win the War!”

Incorporating Evidence: The poster portrays women as vital contributors to the war effort by encouraging them to join agricultural work.

“Rosie the Riveter” by J. Howard Miller (1942)

Incorporating Evidence: The iconic “Rosie” poster symbolizes women’s participation in industrial work, urging them to take up factory jobs.

Document 2: Newspaper Article from 1945

“Post-War Employment Trends: Women Expected to Return to Domestic Roles”

Incorporating Evidence: The article reflects societal expectations, predicting a return of women to traditional domestic roles post-war.

Document 3: Personal Diary Entry from a Factory Worker (1942)

“Today was exhausting. Worked 12 hours at the factory. Proud to contribute, but worried about balancing home and work responsibilities.”

Incorporating Evidence: The diary entry provides a personal perspective, revealing the challenges and pride associated with working in the wartime industry.

Analyzing Document Evidence

Analyzing Document 1 – Government Propaganda Poster

Support for Thesis: The poster supports the thesis by illustrating the government’s effort to mobilize women into various sectors of the economy during wartime.

Contradictions: It might contradict the societal norms of women’s roles as homemakers, highlighting a shift in perceptions.

Analyzing Document 2 – Newspaper Article

Support for Thesis: The article aligns with the thesis by depicting societal expectations of women returning to traditional roles, showcasing the societal pressures women faced post-war.

Challenge to Thesis: However, it might challenge the notion of a long-term impact by suggesting a potential regression in women’s roles.

Analyzing Document 3 – Personal Diary Entry

Support for Thesis: The diary entry corroborates the thesis by portraying the challenges faced by women in balancing work and home responsibilities during the war.

Emotional Impact: It adds a human element, illustrating the emotional toll of working women during the wartime period.

How Can We Apply This One

In the essay, incorporating evidence involves seamlessly integrating specific examples from the documents into each body paragraph. For instance:

Paragraph on Increased Participation: Reference the “Rosie the Riveter” poster to illustrate the government’s push for women’s involvement in industrial jobs.

Paragraph on Societal Perceptions: Cite the newspaper article to depict societal expectations that contradicted women’s sustained participation in the workforce.

Paragraph on Long-Term Impacts: Utilize the diary entry to showcase the personal struggles faced by working women and its implications for their roles post-war.

Contextualize

Provide Historical Context: Integrate broader historical context beyond the provided documents to strengthen your argument and showcase a deeper understanding of the topic.

In a DBQ essay about the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce, integrating a broader historical context beyond the provided documents is crucial to offer a comprehensive understanding and strengthen the argument.

Contextualizing Historical Background

Pre-WWII Women’s Roles

Traditional Gender Roles: Pre-war society primarily depicted women as homemakers, limited to domestic responsibilities.

Limited Work Opportunities: Women had limited access to professional jobs and were often confined to specific roles, such as teaching or nursing.

The Impact of World War II on Society

Shift in Labor Dynamics: The war created labor shortages, prompting industries to recruit women to fill positions traditionally held by men.

Rise of Propaganda: Government campaigns like “Rosie the Riveter” aimed to mobilize women into industrial and agricultural sectors to support the war effort.

Societal Changes Post-War

Expectations vs. Reality: Post-war, societal expectations often pressured women to return to traditional roles despite their proven capabilities during the war.

Long-Term Impacts: Despite the post-war societal pressure, women’s increased participation in the workforce during WWII set the stage for gradual changes in societal perceptions and employment opportunities for women.

Integration into Writing

Incorporating this broader historical context into the essay strengthens the argument by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing women’s roles during and after WWII.

Introduction: Briefly touch upon the pre-war societal norms regarding women’s roles to set the stage for discussing the revolutionary changes brought about by WWII.

Body Paragraphs: Use the historical context to explain the significance of the wartime changes in contrast to pre-war expectations. For instance, contrast the limited opportunities for women before the war with the unprecedented employment opportunities created during the war.

Conclusion: Summarize how the war acted as a catalyst for altering perceptions of women’s capabilities and briefly discuss the lasting implications of these changes in the post-war era.

In a body paragraph discussing societal perceptions, you might incorporate the broader historical context:

“Contrary to pre-war societal expectations that confined women to domestic spheres, World War II served as a watershed moment. The labor shortages prompted a seismic shift in employment dynamics, challenging the traditional roles assigned to women. This unprecedented recruitment of women into various sectors previously dominated by men, as evident from the provided documents, laid the foundation for a fundamental reevaluation of women’s capabilities and their contributions to the workforce.”

Be Clear and Analytical

Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner, ensuring your ideas flow logically. Use historical reasoning to analyze the documents critically and offer insightful interpretations.

Writing with clarity and adopting an analytical approach is pivotal in crafting a successful DBQ essay. Let’s explore this with examples in the context of the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:

Clarity in Writing

Clear and Concise Expression

Example: “The rise in female workforce participation during WWII challenged conventional gender roles, ushering in a new era of women’s contributions to the nation’s economy.”

Explanation: This sentence succinctly summarizes a significant impact of WWII on women’s roles, avoiding unnecessary complexity while conveying a clear message.

Logical Organization

Example: Using clear transitions between paragraphs to maintain a coherent flow of ideas.

Explanation: Smooth transitions help readers follow the essay’s progression, ensuring a logical and organized presentation of arguments.

Analytical Approach

Critical Document Analysis

Example: “The government’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’ campaign symbolized the pivotal role women played in industrial work, challenging societal norms.”

Explanation: This analysis goes beyond describing the document; it interprets its significance in challenging societal perceptions, offering a deeper understanding.

Historical Reasoning

Example: “The wartime surge in female employment not only addressed labor shortages but also reshaped societal attitudes towards women’s capabilities in non-traditional roles.”

Explanation: By connecting historical events to broader implications, this analysis demonstrates a deep understanding of the historical context.

Using This in Our Writing

Incorporating clarity and an analytical approach into the essay involves crafting clear and concise sentences while providing insightful interpretations of the provided documents and historical context:

Clear Writing: Ensure each sentence contributes directly to the argument, avoiding vague or ambiguous language.

Analytical Analysis: Go beyond summarizing the documents; instead, interpret their implications and connections to broader historical contexts. For instance, explore how the “Rosie the Riveter” campaign challenged gender norms and impacted societal perceptions of women’s roles.

Proofread and Revise

Proofreading: Review your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Content Revision: Ensure that your arguments are coherent, well-supported, and directly address the prompt.

Proofreading and revising are crucial steps in writing a DBQ essay. Let’s delve into these steps with examples in the context of the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:

Proofreading

Spelling and Grammar

Example: “The government’s propaganda played a vital role in mobilizing women.”

Revision: “The government’s propaganda played a vital role in mobilizing women.”

Punctuation

Example: “Women’s participation increased during WWII government propaganda played a crucial role.”

Revision: “Women’s participation increased during WWII; government propaganda played a crucial role.”

Content Revision

Coherence of Arguments

Example: Incoherent argument sequence: Discussing post-war changes before explaining wartime impact.

Revision: Reorganize paragraphs to present arguments logically, starting with wartime impact and leading into post-war changes.

Support for Arguments

Example: Making claims without documented evidence or analysis to support them.

Revision: Incorporate specific examples and analysis from the provided documents to substantiate each argument.

Applying the Concept in Our Writing

Proofreading: After completing the essay, review it carefully for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Use tools like spell checkers but also read the essay aloud or have someone else review it for better accuracy.

Content Revision: Ensure that each argument directly addresses the prompt and is supported by evidence from the documents. Revisit each paragraph to verify that it contributes to the essay’s central thesis and maintains a logical flow of ideas.

Sample Integration

“During World War II, women’s roles in the American workforce underwent a profound transformation. The government’s propaganda, such as the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster, served as a catalyst in reshaping societal perceptions about women’s capabilities. Women’s increased participation in traditionally male-dominated industries, as evidenced by government campaigns, directly countered pre-war societal norms.”

Revising for Clarity and Coherence

“The ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster is an iconic symbol of the seismic shift in women’s roles during WWII. Its depiction of a confident female worker challenged traditional gender roles, exemplifying the transformative impact of the war on societal perceptions. Moreover, personal accounts, like the diary entry of a factory worker, highlight the challenges and pride associated with women’s contributions to the wartime economy.”

Practice and Time Management

Practice Writing DBQs: Familiarize yourself with the format and practice analyzing documents to enhance your skills.

Time Management: Practice writing within the allocated time frame to ensure you can effectively complete the essay section in the given time.

Developing proficiency in writing DBQ essays involves practice and effective time management. Here’s a breakdown with dbq example in the context of analyzing the impact of World War II on women’s roles in the American workforce:

Practice Writing DBQs

Familiarizing with the Format

Example: Analyze various DBQ prompts on different historical topics, such as the Civil Rights Movement or Industrial Revolution, to understand the varied approaches and required analyses.

Practice Task: Answering a prompt on the Civil Rights Movement, exploring documents related to key events and societal changes.

Enhancing Document Analysis Skills

Example: Engage in document-based activities by examining historical texts, images, or speeches to sharpen document analysis skills.

Practice Task: Analyzing primary sources related to women’s suffrage movements and their impact on societal changes.

Time Management

Setting Time Limits for Practice Essays

Example: Allocate a specific time frame (e.g., 45 minutes) to complete a practice DBQ essay, mirroring the time constraints of the actual exam.

Practice Task: Answering a DBQ prompt on the impact of technological advancements on society within the given time limit.

Effective Planning during Practice Sessions

Example: Devote a set time for reading and analyzing the documents, outlining the essay, and writing the actual response.

Allocating 15 minutes for document analysis, 10 minutes for outlining, and 20 minutes for writing a practice DBQ on the Civil War’s economic effects.

Using it in Your Writing

Regular Practice: Engaging in frequent DBQ practice sessions hones document analysis skills, improves writing coherence, and familiarizes you with effective time management strategies.

Simulation of Exam Conditions: Replicate exam conditions during practice sessions, including time limits and adherence to the DBQ format, to simulate the actual test environment.

Integrating the Sample

“I dedicated 15 minutes to analyzing the provided documents, and identifying recurring themes and perspectives. Then, I spent 10 minutes outlining the essay, and organizing arguments based on document evidence. Finally, within the remaining 20 minutes, I crafted a well-structured response to the DBQ prompt on the Industrial Revolution’s impact on urbanization.”

Seek Feedback

Share your practice essays for constructive feedback to improve your writing and analysis skills.

Still Confused?

Writing a good dbq essay takes a structured process. From understanding the prompt to writing the facts and supporting them with evidence, every step takes good efforts from the students. Hopefully, the practical approach used in this blog post has helped you grasp the key elements of writing a good dbq. Such that you won’t have to search how to write a dbq again. If you are still in sixes and sevens about this writing, don’t hesitate to consult our professional writers.

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AP History: Document-Based Questions (DBQs) Decoded

Document-Based Questions (DBQs) are a central component of Advanced Placement (AP) history exams, including AP United States History (APUSH), AP European History (APEH), and AP World History (APWH). DBQs assess students' ability to analyze historical documents, synthesize information, and construct coherent arguments supported by evidence. To excel in AP History DBQs, it's essential to understand the structure of the DBQ, the skills required, and effective strategies for approaching these questions. Here's a comprehensive guide to decoding AP History DBQs:

1. Understanding the DBQ Prompt:

- Carefully read and analyze the DBQ prompt to understand the historical context, the main topic, and the specific tasks required. Identify key terms and directives such as "analyze," "evaluate," or "compare and contrast" to guide your response.

2. Examining the Documents:

- Review the provided historical documents, including primary and secondary sources such as texts, maps, charts, photographs, and political cartoons. Pay attention to the authorship, context, purpose, and point of view of each document.

3. Thesis Statement:

- Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that directly responds to the DBQ prompt. Your thesis should present an argument or claim that addresses the main topic and outlines the key points you will discuss in your essay.

4. Document Analysis:

- Analyze each document individually and in relation to one another. Identify the main ideas, arguments, perspectives, and biases presented in the documents. Consider how each document supports or contradicts your thesis statement.

5. Contextualization:

- Provide historical context by situating the topic of the DBQ within its broader historical period or theme. Explain relevant background information, events, and developments that help contextualize the documents and support your argument.

6. Evidence and Support:

- Use evidence from the documents to support your argument and analysis. Quote directly from the documents and cite specific examples to illustrate your points. Incorporate outside knowledge where applicable to enhance your argument.

7. Synthesis:

- Synthesize information from the documents and incorporate additional historical evidence or examples to strengthen your argument. Draw connections between the documents, historical events, themes, and broader historical trends.

8. Counterargument and Complexity:

- Acknowledge alternative perspectives or counterarguments and address them in your essay. Demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of historical issues and interpretations by considering multiple viewpoints.

9. Organization and Structure:

- Organize your essay logically and coherently, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph's main idea and transitions to connect ideas between paragraphs.

10. Revision and Proofreading:

- Take time to revise and edit your essay for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that your writing is concise, precise, and effectively communicates your analysis.

11. Practice, Practice, Practice:

- Practice writing DBQ essays under timed conditions to improve your speed and efficiency. Work on developing your analytical and writing skills by tackling practice prompts and seeking feedback from teachers or peers.

12. Seek Additional Resources:

- Utilize review books, study guides, online resources, and AP prep courses to supplement your preparation and deepen your understanding of historical concepts, skills, and exam strategies.

By mastering the skills and strategies outlined above, you'll be well-equipped to decode AP History DBQs and excel on the AP history exams. Remember to approach DBQs with confidence, critical thinking, and a thorough understanding of historical content and analysis. Good luck!

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Advanced Placement (AP)

You’ve been working hard in your AP US History class, and now it’s time to start prepping for your APUSH exam.

But there’s a lot you’ll need to know if you want to do well, especially on the APUSH DBQ section. For instance, you’ll need to understand the APUSH DBQ rubric so you know how you’ll be scored on your answers, and you’ll need to look at a few APUSH DBQ examples so you understand what it takes to

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about APUSH DBQs in one easy place. (That place is, uh, here. ) We’ll go over:

An explanation of what APUSH DBQs are and why they’re important
A walkthrough covering how APUSH DBQs work on the exam and what to expect
A six-step process for writing a great DBQ
Four tips for studying for and answering the APUSH DBQs

We’ll also give you an APUSH DBQ rubric and APUSH DBQ examples That’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get going!

The APUSH DBQ is an essay-based question, so you'll have to write quickly!

What Is an APUSH DBQ?

A DBQ is a “document-based” question that you’ll have to answer on your AP exam. For these questions, you’ll be given seven “documents,” which are short readings that cover different, usually related aspects of US History. From there, you’ll be asked to answer each DBQ in essay form using information from the documents you’ve been provided!

The good thing about APUSH DBQs is that they’re open-ended, meaning there are multiple correct ways to answer each question. The downside is that in order to answer the question and earn full credit, you’ll need to analyze and incorporate multiple documents as part of your argument.

And did we mention you’ll only have a limited amount of time to answer the DBQ, and that it's worth 25% of your total test score? That’s why APUSH DBQs can be stressful for test-takers!

How Do DBQs Work on the APUSH Exam?

The APUSH exam consists of 60 questions in total. Here’s how they break down across the test:

Of the two free response questions, one is a long essay (worth 15%) and one is a DBQ. This means that the sole DBQ is, by itself, worth 25% of your total grade, making it the single most heavily-weighted question on the APUSH exam.

The APUSH DBQ will consist of a single open-ended prompt . To answer it, you’ll have to create a persuasive argument that uses the documents you’ve been given on the exam itself. (More on that a bit later.)

To give you a little more context, here are some actual APUSH DBQ examples from previous years’ APUSH exams:

“Evaluate the extent of change in ideas about American independence from 1763 to 1783.” ( 2017 )
“Evaluate the relative importance of different causes for the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910.” ( 2018 )
“Evaluate the extent to which the Progressive movement fostered political change in the United States from 1890 to 1920.” ( 2019 )

APUSH Document Types

To answer these questions well, you’ll also have to read, analyze, and incorporate information from seven documents you’ll be provided on test day. These documents will be a mixture of:

Primary texts : texts that were actually written in the time period you’re being asked about
Secondary texts : texts written by later historians that explain the time period
Images: these are typically either political cartoons or artworks from the time period

How many of each type of document you’ll see on your exam varies from year to year, so you’ll need to be equally comfortable using all three types of documents.

You’ll have to read through all seven documents and understand them so you can use them to answer your DBQ question. The information in the documents will help you create a thesis, build your argument, and prove your point…so you can get a great APUSH DBQ score! Just remember: to earn full credit, you’ll also have to explain how at least six of the documents are relevant to your argument, using evidence to back those claims up.

Using Outside Information

Along with the provided documents, you’ll also be expected to use one piece of historical evidence that isn’t included in the documents , but you already know from your own reading. This is information that you’ll have studied in class (or read on your own!) that applies to the DBQ and supports your argument.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to bring any class notes with you on exam day. That means you’ll need to study ahead of time so you’ll be ready to incorporate outside information into your DBQ answer!

Whew! That’s a lot! However, if it makes it any easier, the APUSH DBQ will only cover the period from 1754-1980 . That means you’ll only need to focus on studying–and remembering!--information from about 230 years.

Understand the APUSH DBQ Rubric

First, you need to understand what the expectations are and how your answer will be graded. That means reading through and understanding the official APUSH DBQ rubric!

The good news is that the College Board has provided the APUSH DBQ rubric as part of their 2021 AP Exam Administration Scoring Guidelines - AP United States History document .

Here’s how the rubric breaks down:

Thesis (1 point)

First, you’ll need to create a thesis that “responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.” In order to get this point you’ll need to make an arguable claim based on the documents that answers the question of the prompt.

In other words, you’ll need to choose a position and then defend it with evidence from the documents and your knowledge base.

Contextualization (1 point)

In order to get a point for contextualization you’ll need to “accurately describe a context relevant” to the time period covered by the prompt. What this means is that you’ll have to describe the political, social, or economic events and trends that contributed to what your thesis is arguing.

Some of this you’ll know from the provided documents, but some of it you will also be expected to know on your own based on what you’ve studied in AP US History. You’ll also need to relate your knowledge to “broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question.” That means you have to show how the events of this time period are relevant now or how they are similar to some other historical situation .

Evidence (3 points)

For this part of the rubric, you’ll earn one point just for incorporating specific evidence that does not come from the provided documents in a way that is relevant to your thesis!

In order to earn the other two points, you must support your argument by using content from six of the seven documents . (If you don’t use six documents, but do use at least three of them, you’ll only earn one point.)

You can’t just randomly throw information from the documents into your essay, though, you have to use it in a way that supports your argument and accurately represents what the documents are saying .

Analysis and Reasoning (2 points)

For the analysis and reasoning section, you get one point for explaining “how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience is relevant to an argument.” You’ll earn another point for “complexity,” showing that you understand the time period that the prompt covers and use evidence to prove your understanding and back up your argument .

So to earn analysis and reasoning points, you have to prove how the documents are relevant to your argument, your argument has to demonstrate you understand the historical events of the time period, and you’ll have to create an argument that is well-reasoned and “complex.”

You’ll need to show graders you understand there’s a variety of possible perspectives about the issue you’re writing about and that people in that era did not all agree or have the same experiences.

Step-By-Step Process for Tackling an APUSH DBQ

The APUSH DBQ is a complicated question that tests you over several different skills, so there isn’t any simple technique to ace it. However, if you master each of the individual skills it takes to do well on the DBQ examples, rocking your APUSH DBQ will be much easier!

Here are five steps you can follow to build a foundation that’ll help you ace the DBQ.

Step 1: Take a Practice DBQ

The best way to master APUSH DBQs is by practicing with real APUSH DBQ examples.

The College Board’s website has the actual prompts from 2015-2019 available to download. This means you can take at least five practice APUSH exams, as well as read APUSH DBQ example responses and APUSH DBQ rubrics, for free!

This is excellent news because you can take several practice swings at answering APUSH DBQs before you have to tackle the real thing on test day.

Before practicing DBQ responses, it’s a good idea to take at least one APUSH DBQ practice test so you know what your baseline is. That way, you’ll understand your strengths and weaknesses and can really zero in on your weakest areas! From there, you can work through the practice APUSH DBQ prompts on their own.

However, the nature of a free response means that it won’t be easy for you to grade by yourself. To evaluate your DBQs, be sure to use the APUSH DBQ rubric we walked through above. Honestly try to assess whether or not you incorporated the information thoroughly and accurately. You can also ask a teacher, tutor, or even a family member to grade your APUSH DBQs for you as well!

Later, after you practice the skills outlined in the steps below, take another practice DBQ and see if it seems easier for you. Compare your score to the baseline score from your first attempt. Then, re-read over your textbooks and take it again. Repeat the cycle a couple of times. The big benefit will be that you will eventually get so used to the APUSH DBQ that you will be more comfortable in the actual testing environment .

Step 2: Practice Writing a Thesis

Because your DBQ response will have to choose a position and defend it, you’ll need to work on writing strong thesis statements. A thesis statement is essentially your argument in a nutshell, and it sums up the purpose of your essay.

The most important aspect of your APUSH DBQ thesis is that it has to make a claim that is both arguable (meaning you can use evidence to prove it) and is relevant to the prompt you’re given. However, you don’t want to just restate the prompt in your thesis!

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say your APUSH DBQ prompt is:

Evaluate the extent of change in ideas about American independence from 1763 to 1783.

You don’t want your thesis to be “Ideas about American independence changed a lot from 1763 to 1783. That’s just adding a few words to the prompt…and it’s not descriptive enough to cover the argument you’ll make later. Instead, make a specific claim about how and why ideas about American independence changed, and you’ll need to use the documents provided to prove it!

So for this example, a better thesis might be, “Between 1763 and 1783, American ideas about independence changed from being unsure about how the nation could survive without British rule to believing in (and fighting for) the nation’s independence.”

Because APUSH DBQs are open-ended, there are actually many different thesis statements you could come up with that would let you write an amazing answer. Here are two APUSH DBQ examples that College Board considers acceptable theses for this prompt:

“The ideas about American independence changed greatly from 1763 to 1783. In the beginning, colonists only wanted representation and a say in the legislation of new laws, but by 1783 Americans wanted true freedom from British rule.”
“From 1763–1783, ideas of American independence changed from the colonies blindly accepting the tyranny of the British by religious rights of divine kings to believing in natural rights of individuals against British rule.”

Let’s look at how these theses make specific claims:

The first thesis argues that colonists originally only wanted representation, but by 1783 wanted freedom from British rule. These are two different mindsets that the author can then use the documents to illustrate and prove actually existed.

The second example thesis addresses a more theoretical change in belief: one that changes from Americans of 1763 accepting the medieval notion of the king inheriting from God the right to govern, to one in which Americans of 1783 believed that individuals had the natural right of freedom from tyranny. The author can then use the documents as evidence that Americans in that time period had those beliefs, and can argue about what happened to change them.

By practicing thesis writing, you’ll be able to create a detailed–and defensible!--statement that will help you create a convincing DBQ argument.

An outline will serve as a roadmap that'll help you write a great essay—and it'll help you manage your time, too.

Step 3: Practice Creating an Outline

With only an hour to read the documents to write your essay, you probably won’t have time to revise. It’s very important that you make the best use of the limited time you will have available, so an outline will help you organize your thoughts and will keep you on track as you write.

Just be careful that you don’t take too much time with your outline–you need to write a whole essay! Five minutes (or less!) is all you need to put together an outline that’ll help you write an awesome DBQ.

With that said, let’s talk about what makes up a great outline.

Two important elements of a good outline are an introduction and conclusion ! Your intro will set up your thesis and your conclusion to restate your thesis while explaining why it’s relevant to the reader today. Because both of these sections center around your thesis statement, they’ll help you organize the rest of your argument…and your DBQ essay!

Once you have those in place, you can start adding body paragraphs to your outline. Since you only have about 45 minutes to write this essay, you don’t want too many of them. Three or four body paragraphs will be enough to get the job done.

The most important thing about your body paragraphs is that each of them makes a claim that a) supports your thesis and b) allows you to incorporate information from the documents as evidence. You may even want to make a note of which documents you want to use in each body paragraph!

Here’s an outline template you can use as you practice your APUSH DBQs:

Set up your argument and include your thesis.
You can break down your thesis into several component steps, which will then become the body paragraphs as you expand upon them.
Tell the reader what they need to know about the historical situation.
Include any information you might already know from outside the provided documents.
Make the first argumentative point you mentioned in your introduction/thesis.
Use information from two to three documents to illustrate and prove your point.
Make the second argumentative point you mentioned in your introduction/thesis.
Use two to three different documents to support this point.
If you have a third argumentative point, you’ll need to make it here.
Be sure to use at least one document to support your argumentative point.
Restate your thesis and summarize the main points you’ve made.
Show how it’s relevant to the reader.

Again, this outline doesn’t need to be fancy! Jotting down a few words–or a short sentence–for each point will get you to where you need to go.

Step 4: Practice Incorporating Quotes and References

As you write your essay, you’ll need to use examples from the documents provided–and each time you do so, you need to explain documents you pulled the information from. You’ll do this whether you are quoting your source or just paraphrasing it.

There are two ways to do this:

#1: Attribution

Attributing your information means you tell your reader in the sentence which document you’re quoting or paraphrasing from. Below are two attribution DBQ examples APUSH considers acceptable:

"Charles Inglis uses reason to note that the colonies would be unable to sustain themselves without British support because the colonies don’t make enough money through agriculture and commerce.”

Notice that even though this APUSH DBQ example doesn’t quote Inglis outright, the author still lets the readers know which source they’re using to prove their point.

#2: Parenthetical

Using a parenthetical citation means that you put either the author of the source’s name or which document it’s from, in parentheses, at the end of the sentence. H ere’s an example of parenthetical citation that the College Board considers acceptable:

“He claimed only man himself can direct his own actions and decisions, not the rule of any legislative authority or man (Doc. 3).”

Since the sentence does not say who “he” is, the author of this essay has included this parenthetical citation (Doc. 3) that the reader can use to read the document in question and see if the argument the author is making is correctly represented from the source.

As you use these sources, you need to make sure that you are using the document accurately and not plagiarizing. Your goal is to show that you understand each document and know how to incorporate it into an argument.

Step 5: Understand Time Management

One of the most important skills you can acquire by taking multiple attempts at the APUSH DBQ practice test will be time management . When you’re in the actual test environment, you won’t be able to use your phone to set a timer or alarm, so it can be difficult to keep track of how much time you’re spending on reading and re-reading the documents, brainstorming, and outlining.

You want to leave yourself the majority of the time allowed (which will be one hour) for writing. College Board’s APUSH DBQ rubric recommends that you spend 15 minutes reading the documents and 45 minutes writing the essay .

The best way to get your time management down is practice . Set timers during your APUSH DBQ practice test so you can get a feel for how much time it takes to put an answer together. That way you have a feel for the process and will have enough time to write your DBQ on test day.

4 Tips for Mastering APUSH DBQs

Now that you’ve read our step-by-step process for tackling the APUSH DBQ and have seen several APUSH DBQ examples, here are some expert tips on doing well on the APUSH DBQ .

Tip 1: Remember that Each Point Is Scored Separately

Go through the APUSH DBQ rubric and take note of each individual task since you’ll be scored on how well you complete each one . For each task, there are usually multiple points available.

For example, you’ll earn one point for using at least three documents in your DBQ. But if you want to earn the full two points for that category, you’ll need to incorporate at least six documents into your answer.

By understanding the rubric, you’ll be able to maximize how many points you earn on your DBQ.

Tip 2: Your Essay Can Contain Errors

Now, don’t misunderstand us: you can’t say an author makes one claim when they are clearly saying the opposite. You also can’t write something that is obviously wrong, like that America continues under British rule because the revolution was unsuccessful, and get full credit!

But you can make minor errors that don’t detract from your argument as long as you are demonstrating a knowledge of the time period and the ability to incorporate evidence to make an argument. So for example, if you said that the First Continental Congress ended in November instead of October of 1774, you’ll still be able to earn full credit despite making a small error.

Tip 3: Write For Clarity

One thing to keep in mind is that you will be graded on how well you make and argue a thesis, and how well you incorporate the evidence from the documents to support that thesis– you don’t get graded on how beautifully or fluently you write ! So, while you’ll want to use correct grammar and write as clearly as you can, don’t spend too much time thinking about how best to phrase things as if you were writing for publication. Just focus on clearly explaining your ideas!

You won’t have points taken away for grammatical errors unless they make it difficult for the graders to see how you’ve used the evidence to make an argument.

Tip 4: Connect the Dots

Not only for the APUSH DBQ, but for everything you write, you need to ask yourself, why is this relevant? In the contextualization section, you are required to relate the information you’re conveying to other time periods or situations to earn full credit.

This is your chance to show that while the period you’re writing about may have been long in the past, the events are still relevant to us today ! This is why we read, write, and study history in the first place!

What’s Next?

If you’re taking APUSH, you’re probably taking other AP classes as well! Here’s a general guide to preparing for AP tests that’ll help you get ready for any other AP exams you take.

Like we mentioned earlier, taking practice tests is one of the best ways you can get ready for your actual AP exams. Here’s a guide that’ll help you find the best AP practice tests for each exam.

If you’re taking multiple AP tests, you’ll need to maximize your study time. One way to do this is to study for each test based on when you’ll have to take it! Our complete breakdown of the AP exam schedule will help you manage your study time efficiently and effectively.

Looking for help studying for your AP exam?

Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to Write a DBQ (Document-Based Question)

Introduction to dbqs.

DBQs, or Document-Based Questions, are a common component of history-based exams and courses. They require students to analyze and interpret a collection of primary source documents to construct a coherent and evidence-based argument. How to write a DBQ is the first step towards writing an effective essay. DBQs assess students’ ability to think critically, contextualize historical events, and synthesize information from various sources. Understanding what a DBQ entails is essential for success.

Why DBQs Are Important

DBQs play a crucial role in historical analysis and understanding. They allow students to engage directly with primary source materials, which are the building blocks of historical research. By examining these documents, students develop skills in critical reading, source evaluation, and historical interpretation. DBQs also provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding of historical contexts and their ability to construct logical and well-supported arguments. Recognizing the importance of DBQs is key in preparing for the writing process.

Pre-DBQ Writing Steps

How to Analyze the Prompt

Before diving into the documents, it is essential to carefully analyze the prompt. The prompt sets the context and identifies the specific task or question that needs to be addressed. Read the prompt thoroughly, paying attention to the historical period, key terms, and the specific elements to be addressed in the essay. Understanding the prompt is a critical aspect of how to write a DBQ, ensuring that your essay remains focused and directly addresses the requirements.

How to Understand the Documents

Once you have analyzed the prompt, it’s time to delve into the provided documents. Take the time to read each document carefully, noting its source, date, and any significant details. Consider the author’s perspective, intent, and any potential bias. Pay attention to the content, main arguments, and key themes present in each document. Understanding the documents individually and as a whole will allow you to make informed connections and develop a comprehensive analysis. Knowing how to understand the documents is vital for crafting a well-supported argument.

Organizing and Grouping Your Documents

How to categorize the documents.

After familiarizing yourself with the documents, it’s important to categorize them based on common themes, perspectives, or arguments. Grouping the documents helps you to organize your thoughts and build a coherent argument. Look for patterns, similarities, and differences among the documents. Consider creating categories or groupings that reflect the main ideas or arguments presented in the documents. Proper categorization is an essential step in how to write a DBQ effectively.

Understanding the Importance of Grouping in DBQs

Grouping the documents serves multiple purposes in a DBQ essay. Firstly, it allows you to demonstrate your ability to identify patterns and connections between different sources. This shows a higher level of historical understanding and analysis. Secondly, organizing the documents into groups provides a logical structure for your essay, making it easier for readers to follow your argument. Lastly, clear and thoughtful groupings help you develop strong topic sentences for each body paragraph, providing a solid foundation for your analysis. Understanding the importance of grouping is key in structuring your DBQ essay.

The Art of Outlining a DBQ Essay

Once you have grouped the documents, it’s time to create an outline for your DBQ essay. Start by formulating a thesis statement that directly addresses the prompt and reflects your analysis of the documents. Your thesis should provide an argument or interpretation supported by evidence from the documents. Use your document groupings as the basis for your body paragraphs, ensuring that each grouping corresponds to a paragraph. Outline the main points and evidence you will use to support your thesis in each paragraph. A well-structured outline is crucial in how to write a DBQ effectively.

An outline is the backbone of your essay. It helps you organize your thoughts, maintain focus, and ensure a logical flow of ideas. A well-structured outline provides a roadmap for your essay, guiding your writing process and making it easier to expand on your ideas coherently. With a clear outline, you can avoid repetition, address all aspects of the prompt, and maintain a strong argument throughout your essay. Understanding the importance of a well-structured outline is essential in crafting a well-organized DBQ essay.

Writing the DBQ Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Writing the introduction.

The introduction is the opening of your DBQ essay and serves to provide context, engage the reader, and present your thesis statement. Begin with a brief historical background related to the prompt to set the stage. Then, clearly state your thesis, which should encapsulate your argument and response to the prompt. Your introduction should be concise, compelling, and provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. The introduction is a crucial part of how to write a DBQ effectively.

Developing the Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are the heart of your DBQ essay. Each paragraph should focus on a specific document grouping and support your thesis. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea or argument of the paragraph. Then, provide analysis and evidence from the documents to support your claims. Incorporate specific details, quotes, or examples from the documents to strengthen your arguments. Additionally, consider incorporating relevant outside knowledge to showcase your broader historical understanding. Developing strong body paragraphs is essential in mastering how to write a DBQ effectively.

Concluding Your DBQ Essay

The conclusion brings your DBQ essay to a close and emphasizes the significance of your arguments. Summarize the main points from your body paragraphs, restate your thesis, and connect your analysis back to the broader historical context. Avoid introducing new information or arguments in the conclusion. Instead, emphasize the importance of your analysis, highlight any broader implications, and leave the reader with a final thought that reinforces the significance of your essay’s argument. A strong conclusion is a key component of how to write a DBQ effectively.

The Importance of Reviewing and Revising Your DBQ Essay

Always set aside time to review and revise your DBQ essay. Once you have completed the initial draft, read through your essay carefully. Check for clarity, coherence, and logical progression of ideas.

Analyzing and Explaining the Evidence

Simply presenting evidence is not enough; you must also analyze and explain its significance. After providing a piece of evidence, take the time to explain how it supports your argument and contributes to your overall thesis. Analyze the document’s main arguments, underlying assumptions, and any biases present. Consider the broader historical context and how the evidence relates to other documents or events. By analyzing and explaining the evidence, you showcase your ability to critically evaluate sources and provide a nuanced interpretation.

Counterarguments and Refutation

A strong DBQ essay acknowledges and addresses counterarguments to strengthen its overall argument. Anticipate potential counterarguments or alternative interpretations of the evidence and address them in your essay. This demonstrates your ability to engage with multiple perspectives and strengthen your position through reasoned refutation. Presenting counterarguments and providing a well-reasoned refutation enhances the depth and complexity of your analysis.

Continuity and Change Over Time

In many DBQ prompts, continuity and change over time are central themes. When addressing these themes, consider how the evidence provided in the documents reflects continuity (the persistence of certain elements over time) or change (the evolution or transformation of certain elements). Examine how the documents relate to one another temporally and identify patterns or shifts that illustrate continuity or change. Incorporating a nuanced understanding of continuity and change over time showcases your ability to analyze historical developments and trends.

Mastering the effective use of evidence is essential in writing a high-scoring DBQ essay. By selecting relevant evidence, integrating outside knowledge, analyzing and explaining the evidence, addressing counterarguments, and considering continuity and change over time, you can craft a compelling and well-supported argument. Remember to always review and revise your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy. With practice and attention to detail, you can become proficient in writing DBQ essays and excel in your history-based exams and courses.

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DBQ - Introductions

Aim: How do you write an introduction for a DBQ Essay?

Do Now: Quiz - You have 5 Minutes

Lesson Overview:

1.1 DRL Formula
1.2 D efine
1.3.1 WRS (Word Replacement Strategy}
2 Classwork & Homework

Introduction

The introduction to the essay response should communicate what it is that the essay will show or prove. The DBQ essay generic scoring rubric states that to earn a five, the essay, “Introduces the theme or problem by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task and concludes with a summation of the theme or problem.”

Most points are lost on the introduction. For this reason, we have developed a formula for completing an introduction that would give you the highest amount of points.

DRL Formula

Define, ReWrite, List

Define the main idea or topic.

Historical Context: Culture and Intellectual Life

Culture is the traditions and practices of a society or civilization, and within that culture, intellectuals often have made a lasting change either for the positive or negative.

ReWrite the historical context or theme given in your own words. You may use the WRS (Word Replacement Strategy)below to ReWrite your theme.

WRS (Word Replacement Strategy}

How to re-write an introduction from the theme or historical context

Read the theme or historical context
Circle the important words.
Think of replacements for the most of the important words and phrases. (Multiple replacements may be necessary)
Paraphrase (put into your own words) the theme or historical context using the replacement words.

List the topics and/or items you will discuss in your body paragraphs.

Two of the most important intellectuals that have affected society have been Michiavelli and Marx. Both have negatively and positively changed society.

Classwork & Homework

Lesson Activity: DBQ Introduction Packet

Homework: Complete Packet for Homework

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Introduction:

The Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay is a vital part of the Advanced Placement (AP) history exams, challenging students to develop analytical skills and argumentative abilities. To write a coherent and insightful DBQ essay, outlining is essential. In this article, we will explore the process of organizing your thoughts and constructing a comprehensive DBQ essay outline.

I. Understanding the Prompt

The first step to creating an effective DBQ essay outline is to carefully read and understand the prompt. Keep these points in mind:

1. Identify the historical context or period under discussion.

2. Understand the specific question asked.

3. Take note of any required or relevant documents/sources provided.

II. Analyzing the Documents

Before drafting your outline, analyze each document and consider its significance in answering the prompt:

1. Determine the author’s point of view or purpose.

2. Identify any evidence supporting the author’s point of view.

3. Examine each document for possible biases and limitations.

4. Categorize documents based on themes or subtopics related to the prompt.

III. Crafting Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should answer the prompt directly while presenting a clear, defensible argument:

1. Review your analysis of each document.

2. Develop a specific argument that addresses all aspects of the prompt.

3. Ensure that your thesis can be supported by evidence from the documents.

IV. Organizing Your Essay Outline

Organize your essay into clear and logical sections while taking into account your thesis statement:

* Provide background information on the historical context or period.

* Introduce your thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs :

* Group documents by theme or subtopic to structure body paragraphs logically.

– Opening sentence addressing the theme/subtopic

– Document analysis, including the author’s point of view, purpose, and evidence

– Discussion of document limitations or biases

– Connection between the document and your argument/thesis

* Include at least one paragraph focusing on:

– Analysis of outside evidence (not provided in documents)

– Relationship between outside evidence and your thesis

Conclusion :

* Summarize your main points.

* Restate your thesis statement.

V. Finalizing Your DBQ Essay Outline

Review and refine your outline:

1. Double-check that all aspects of the prompt are addressed.

2. Ensure each body paragraph connects to your thesis and stands out as a separate idea.

3. Make sure the overall structure is clear and logical.

With a well-crafted DBQ essay outline, you will have a solid foundation to build upon while showcasing your analytical skills and historical knowledge. By following these steps, you will be well on your way to mastering the art of DBQ essay writing.

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DBQ Essays: What Are They and How Do You Write One?

Table of contents

As a student, you’ll come across different types of essays throughout your college journey. Essays provide a great way to portray your understanding of a topic and display your writing skills .

One of the most common types of essays in college is a Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay. You’ll occasionally be asked to write these types of essays, and it’s therefore important to understand the essentials of writing them.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what DBQ essays are and the step-by-step process you can use to write the best DBQ essays in college.

What are DBQ Essays?

A Document-Based Question (DBQ) Essay is an essay in which you carefully study a specific document, analyze it, and then answer questions based on the document.

This type of essay is meant to test your understanding and analysis skills. It also tests how much you can think outside the box. They are usually part of the AP U.S. History exam.

To write a good DBQ essay, you must portray an understanding of the topic and link it to evidence from reliable sources.

Limited-Time Offer: 15% Off on an Original DBQ Essay

How to format a dbq essay.

Like any other essay, your DBQ essay should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Let’s review the components of each section and how to write them for the best performance.

1. Introduction

The first paragraph of your essay is the introductory paragraph . Here, you review the historical background of the document and the main idea covered in the essay. Take five minutes to write this section, and keep it short and brief. Include a brief statement that summarizes the points you are going to discuss in the essay body.

2. Thesis statement

The final paragraph of the introduction should be your thesis statement. A thesis is a concise statement or a claim that summarizes your overall argument. Identify the claims you’ll make in your paper, which shall be backed by evidence.

Your thesis should be one to two sentences long, describing your opinion or stand on the idea under discussion.

3. Body paragraph 1

After the thesis stamen, start writing the first paragraph of your essay. Here, you identify the strongest argument that links to the thesis statement, then provide supporting details from your evidence sources. Start with a topic sentence to let the reader know what this paragraph is about.

After the topic sentence, discuss your argument and cite each piece of evidence that supports every argument you make. Analyze the evidence in relation to the main idea rather than merely quoting it. Use direct quotes sparingly if you have to.

4. Body Paragraph 2

In the second paragraph, you identify the second relevant argument and link it to the thesis statement. The argument in this paragraph should be less superior to the first paragraph but still relevant to the main idea.

Make a logical connection between your second argument and the relevant sources of evidence. Remember to cite the evidence appropriately and demonstrate that you’ve understood what they mean and not just what they say.

5. Body Paragraph 3

In the third paragraph, identify your third relevant argument, and like the other arguments, link it to the thesis statement. State your argument in the topic sentence and explain it in subsequent sentences citing the evidence.

Your argument in this paragraph can be inferior to the ones in the first and second paragraphs but relevant to the thesis statement.

6. Concluding paragraph

After discussing all your argumentative points in the essay body, it’s time to conclude your DBQ essay. Weave your arguments together in a conclusion paragraph , which links back to your thesis statement and shows you’ve sufficiently proven your claims.

Summarize the main points in the essay and let the reader see that you’ve adequately responded to the essay prompt. Don’t use this section to merely rephrase the introduction and your thesis statement. Instead, provide a conclusive analysis that reconnects the historical context to the main idea and your arguments.

How to Write a DBQ Essay in 9 Steps

So, how do you write a DBE essay so that it flows effortlessly and satisfactorily answers the essay prompt? Here are the steps you need to follow to write the best essay for your AP History exams.

1. Read and understand

Start by carefully reading the essay prompt and the provided document, word by word and understand the concept. Take the first 15 minutes of your time to review the prompt. Understand the document and develop your argument.

Identify all the key points and write them down as draft notes. As you analyze the main document, figure out how it relates to the other sources provided.

2. Identify the main idea

Once you’ve reviewed and understood the document, identify the main idea and note the keywords in the essay prompt. The keywords will help you understand what you need to accomplish in your assay and the type of evidence to look for in the provided sources.

For instance, the essay prompt may ask you to:

Compare and contrast

Also, take note of common keywords like ‘Social, Political, or Economic.’ Always keep the prompt in mind while writing to avoid being irrelevant and losing points. The prompts will also help you develop your arguments based on the main idea of the document.

3. Gather evidence

Now that you know the main idea, pick out the sources of evidence that support the main idea. Identify how each source relates to your essay prompt and categorize them based on the prompt.

Figure out how each source can support an argument. For instance, if you're comparing the attitudes towards women's rights in different historical times, you can categorize your sources of evidence based on the contrasting ideologies they represent.

4. Find external sources

When writing your DBQ essay, you’ll also need to cite other external sources that support the ideas in the main document.

Identify at least one external source that's relevant to your claims and use the events in the document to support your arguments in the essay. Jot it down somewhere so you can refer to it later when you start writing.

5. Identify the writer’s point of view

As you analyze your document and prepare to start writing, identify the author’s point of view concerning the main idea.

Who influenced them to write the document and what did they intend to achieve with it? How do they feel and what’s their take on the documented events? Also, identify their intended audience and how his writing might have influenced them.

6. Write your thesis statement

Now that you have the main idea and your sources of evidence, it’s time to develop your argument and put it down as a thesis statement.

Review the essay prompt again and form your own perspective or opinion that responds to the prompt without simply restating it. Remember the claim you make should be specific and supported by your sources of evidence.

For instance, when writing a DBQ essay about The Effects of World War II on Women's Rights, your thesis statement can be:

“ The selfless efforts of women in World War II promoted their human rights and empowered them to a higher social status in the society. ”

Here’s a useful video by Heimler's History on writing DBQ essays.

7. Polish your thesis statement

Re-read your thesis statement and polish it to ensure it’s clear and concise. Delete any unnecessary words that do not impact the meaning of the statement.

A good thesis statement has no fluff and responds directly to the essay prompt without being too short or too long.

8. Start writing by creating an outline

Once you’ve encapsulated your arguments into a thesis statement, it’s time to start writing. You start writing by creating an outline of your arguments first.

An effective outline should include:

The introduction
Thesis statement
First argument
Second argument
Third argument

After creating the outline, explain your arguments and fill in the evidence while citing the sources.

Creating an outline will help you organize your points and make your work easier when you start writing the main essay. Following the outline will also save you time and help you finish writing your essay on time.

9. Proofread and polish

After you finish writing, spare 10 minutes to proofread and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. Identify and rewrite weird sentence structures, add missing words, and replace those that complicate meaning.

While proofreading, delete fluffy sentences that don’t add value to your essay. Also, check that you’ve appropriately cited the evidence sources and that your essay is well structured before submitting it.

Final Thought

DBQ essays will significantly contribute to your final grade. It’s, therefore, necessary to take time to learn how to write an excellent one and practice before the final exams.

Remember your DBQ essay test will be timed, and that doesn’t leave you much time to include fluff. Go directly to your points and explain them in clear and concise sentences.

If you’ve been having trouble writing these types of essays , use the tips in this article to make it hassle-free onwards.

Need more help? Writers Per Hour is here to assist you with this writing assignment of yours. Our professional writers can help you research, outline, write, revise and proofread high-quality DBQ essays that are sure to give your grades a boost.

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COMMENTS

How to Write a DBQ Essay: Key Strategies and Tips
If you can't exactly pinpoint what's taking you so long, I advise you to simply practice writing DBQs in less and less time. Start with 20 minutes for your outline and 50 for your essay, (or longer, if you need). Then when you can do it in 20 and 50, move back to 18 minutes and 45 for writing, then to 15 and 40.
How to Write the Document Based Question (DBQ)
Steps to Writing an Effective DBQ. We've summarized how to write an effective DBQ into the following five steps: 1. Read the prompt first. Though you may be tempted to jump into the documents right away, it's very important that you first look at what exactly the prompt is asking for.
How to Write a DBQ Essay (with Pictures)
A timed DBQ essay test doesn't leave you much time to write a long introduction, so get straight to analyzing the documents rather than spell out a long, detailed intro. ... Check that your names, dates, and other facts are accurate. Ensure you've accurately cited names, dates, places, and points of view as they appear in the provided ...
Where to Find the Best DBQ Examples
One of the best ways to prepare for the DBQ (the "document-based question" on the AP European History, AP US History, and AP World History exams) is to look over sample questions and example essays. Doing this will help you to get a sense of what makes a good (and what makes a bad) DBQ response. That said, not all DBQ essay examples are created equal.
How to Write a DBQ Essay: The Ultimate Guide
For each point, write down the main idea of the paragraph, summed up into two or three words, any historical buzzwords you plan to use, and the documents you plan to reference. That should provide enough of a skeleton to get you writing. Here's an example, from the 2018 AP U.S. History exam DBQ, released by The College Board.
How to Write a DBQ Essay: Full Guide by HandmadeWriting
DBQ Essay Example: Describe Your Main Ideas in Body Paragraph. It reveals the DBQ essay outline from the introduction from different angles. The central part of the DBQ format is not a continuous text; it is divided into smaller pieces. In the first part, you need to state your DBQ outline and describe how you understand and feel about the topic.
How to Write a DBQ Essay Step by Step + Example
Support your arguments with around 6 documents. Always highlight one of them whose vision of the situation is closer to you. You will decide on the main answer to the question based on your thesis and read the documents. Step 3. Read the Documents and Note the Details Before Writing a DBQ Essay.
How to Write a DBQ: Definition, Step-By-Step, & DBQ Example
Step 3: Thesis (20 Minutes) This form of essay requires a separate 3 paragraphs for the DBQ thesis. Describe the claims made in your paper which can be supported by the evidence. The second paragraph should include a description of the paper. The third paragraph should include how you're going to answer the question.
What is a DBQ? The Document-Based Question Explained
The dreaded DBQ, or "document-based question," is an essay question type on the AP History exams (AP US History, AP European History, and AP World History). For the DBQ essay, you will be asked to analyze some historical issue or trend with the aid of the provided sources, or "documents," as evidence. The DBQ is an unfamiliar type of in-class ...
What is a DBQ? An Essential Guide to Document-Based Questions
The DBQ rubric emphasizes your essay's thesis, analysis, evidence, and synthesis. These essays are scored based on the following categories and points system: Thesis (0-1 point) Contextualization (0-1 point) Evidence (0-3 points) ... Check out our cohort of top-recognized colleges today by visiting Colleges of Distinction's website. With ...
How to Write a DBQ Essay: A Comprehensive Guide
DBQ essays are unique among report type questions because they test deep knowledge of a subject and expect complex answers. ... Check for punctuation issues that might change the meaning of your sentences. Finally, check the flow state of your sentences and paragraphs to make it easy for the reader to shift from one to the other.
How to Write a DBQ Essay: Top Academic Ways and Tips
Also, check that your main body answers the question and link to your thesis. Edubirdie's Top Tips on How to Write a DBQ Essay! As revision, grab a drink, get comfy, and chill while you read over a few DBQ example papers and then time yourself on a few practice runs! Ensure you have read and understood all the documents before beginning writing.
AP World Document-Based Question (DBQ) Overview
For this year's exam, the AP World History DBQ prompt will come from Units 1-6. For AP US History, the prompt will be derived from Units 3-7, with the option of using evidence from Units 1 and 2 for context. For AP European History, the DBQ will come from Units 1-7. The writing time on the AP Exam includes both the DBQ and the Long Essay ...
AP World History DBQ Outline + Thesis Practice & Answers
DBQ Teacher Feedback Your thesis is sufficient. If you want to make it better you could consider using hedging and qualified language such as the types of hierarchies reinforced/challenged (Labor, race, class). Your essay structure looks fine, but if you are running out of time consider combining paragraphs 1 and 2. Hope this helps keep practicing.
Learn How to write a DBQ like an Expert
Coming up with a good thesis statement is really important for a DBQ essay. To help illustrate this, let's check out an example based on a prompt about how World War II changed women's roles in the US. Example Prompt "Evaluate the impact of World War II on women's roles in the workforce in the United States.
AP History: Document-Based Questions (DBQs) Decoded
- Take time to revise and edit your essay for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that your writing is concise, precise, and effectively communicates your analysis. 11. Practice, Practice, Practice: - Practice writing DBQ essays under timed conditions to improve your speed and efficiency.
DBQ Online
DBQ Online offers a variety of ways for schools and districts to connect with DBQ Online. HTML platform compatible with ALL browsers except for IE and Edge. PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPad-friendly. Access from desktops, laptops, tablets. No new passwords with Single Sign-On Integration.
The Ultimate APUSH DBQ Guide: Rubric, Examples, and More!
Of the two free response questions, one is a long essay (worth 15%) and one is a DBQ. This means that the sole DBQ is, by itself, worth 25% of your total grade, making it the single most heavily-weighted question on the APUSH exam.. The APUSH DBQ will consist of a single open-ended prompt.To answer it, you'll have to create a persuasive argument that uses the documents you've been given on ...
How to Write a DBQ
Begin with a brief historical background related to the prompt to set the stage. Then, clearly state your thesis, which should encapsulate your argument and response to the prompt. Your introduction should be concise, compelling, and provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. The introduction is a crucial part of how to write a DBQ effectively.
What is a DBQ? An Essential Guide to Document-Based Questions
These essays are scored basing on the following categories and items system: Thesis (0-1 point) Contextualization (0-1 point) Evidence (0-3 points) Analysis (0-2 points) Like Much is that Document-Based Query Worth? Which DBQ is excellence a substantial portion of your grade on the AP test. Typically, the DBQ will be worth 25% of your ...
DBQ
The DBQ essay generic scoring rubric states that to earn a five, the essay, "Introduces the theme or problem by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task and concludes with a summation of the theme or problem.". Most points are lost on the introduction. For this reason, we have developed a formula for ...
DBQ Essay Outline
The Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay is a vital part of the Advanced Placement (AP) history exams, challenging students to develop analytical skills and argumentative abilities. To write a coherent and insightful DBQ essay, outlining is essential. ... Double-check that all aspects of the prompt are addressed. 2. Ensure each body paragraph ...
DBQ Essays: What Are They and How Do You Write One?
Here are the steps you need to follow to write the best essay for your AP History exams. 1. Read and understand. Start by carefully reading the essay prompt and the provided document, word by word and understand the concept. Take the first 15 minutes of your time to review the prompt.

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How to Write a DBQ Essay: The Ultimate Guide

First Things First: What is a DBQ Essay?

How to Outline a DBQ Essay (with Examples)

What Makes an Effective Thesis?

How to Develop a DBQ Argument

What to Look for When Analyzing the DBQ Documents

3 Strategies to Use When Drafting Your DBQ

How to Conclude Your DBQ Essay

How to Revise Your DBQ Essay Effectively

General Time Management Tips When Writing DBQs

What Delineates a Good DBQ from a Bad DBQ?

College Board Resources for DBQs

Wrapping Things Up: Key Takeaways on Writing a Good DBQ Essay

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How to Write a DBQ Essay?

What Is a DBQ?

The Purpose of A DBQ Essay

Preparing For The DBQ Essay

DBQ Outline

DBQ Structure

DBQ Essay Introduction: Starting DBQ Format

Strong Thesis Statement: What Should It Include?

DBQ Essay Example: Describe Your Main Ideas in Body Paragraph

DBQ Essay Example: Logical Conclusion

How to Write a DBQ essay With a Strong Thesis Statement

Steps of Writing a DBQ

Write a Powerful Thesis Statement

Correctly Structure a Body Paragraph in Your DBQ Essay Outline

Draw a Conclusion

Wrapping Up

DBQ Essay Examples

Writing Tips to Succeed with Your DBQ Essay

How To Be Successful On The DBQ Test Day?

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Writing a DBQ Essay: Key Strategies and Guidelines

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How to Write a DBQ Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1. Analyze the Documents Before Starting a DBQ Essay

Step 2. Create Your Thesis for DBQ Essay

Step 3. Read the Documents and Note the Details Before Writing a DBQ Essay

Step 4. Create a DBQ Essay Outline

Step 5. Write Your DBQ Essay

How to Start a DBQ Essay

How to Write a Body Paragraph for a DBQ Essay

How to Write a Conclusion Essay for a DBQ

The Best DBQ Essay Example