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How to Ace the AP World History DBQ: Rubric, Examples, and Tips
Advanced Placement (AP)
AP World History is a challenging class, and in order to get credit for it you’ll have to take an equally challenging exam. And one of the toughest parts of the test is the AP World History document-based question, or AP World DBQ. This question asks you to read and analyze documents on the fly, then write an argumentative essay…all in one hour.
It can be hard to know what–and how–to study for the AP World History DBQ, especially when you don’t know which documents you’ll receive on test day. But don’t worry: we’ll break down everything you need to know about the AP World History DBQ so you can ace it on test day. (We’ll even give you AP World History DBQ example questions and an AP World History DBQ rubric example!)
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- An explanation of what the AP World History DBQ is
- A look at how the DBQ works on the AP World History exam
- A step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ
- A guide to studying for and answering the AP World History DBQ
Let’s get going!
What Is an AP World History DBQ?
The document-based question (DBQ) is a question on the AP World History exam in which you are given a selection of seven documents and are asked to write an essay that incorporates information from at least six of them in a coherent argument based on a given prompt.
In other words: you’ll be writing an essay on a topic and incorporating resources that you’re given on the day of the exam!
The DBQ tests over a wide range of skills , like writing, organizing thoughts, making arguments, making connections between different perspectives, and having a knowledge of world history. Yeah, the DBQs are definitely tough! That’s why it’s important to understand what the DBQ APWH is and how to best tackle it.
How DBQs Work on the AP World History Exam
The DBQ format AP World History uses consists of a single open-ended prompt , and will focus on the time period of 1450-2001 .
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 AP World History exam.
Here are some actual AP World History DBQ examples from previous years’ AP World History exams:
- “Evaluate the extent to which economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920).” ( 2021 )
- “Evaluate the extent to which the Portuguese transformed maritime trade in the Indian Ocean in the sixteenth century.” ( 2019 )
- “Evaluate the extent to which railroads affected the process of empire-building in Afro-Eurasia between 1860 and 1918.” ( 2018 )
Of course, one of the things that makes AP DBQ questions unique is that you’ll be given seven documents to analyze as part of your essay response. Not only will you have to read and analyze these documents on exam day, you’ll have to include them as evidence in your essay to prove your argument!
The seven documents you’ll receive 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 or interpret the time period
- Images: usually either political cartoons or artwork from the time period
How many of each type of document you get varies by year, so you’ll need to be comfortable using all three types to support an essay-based argument.
To answer the AP World History DBQ, you’ll have to read through all seven documents and write an argumentative essay that answers the prompt. So not only will you have to come up with an arguable point, you’ll have to prove that thesis using evidence contained in at least three of the seven documents. If you want to earn full credit for your DBQ, you’ll actually have to use six of the seven documents to support your position!
Just like in a sport, understanding how to score points on your DBQ is key to doing well on your exam.
Understand the AP World DBQ Rubric
First, y ou need to understand what the expectations are and how your answer will be graded. Doing this will help you figure out what you need to study and which skills you need to brush up on. It’ll also ensure that you know exactly what a great DBQ response requires so that you earn as many points as possible!
The good news is that the College Board has provided the AP World History DBQ rubric 2021 as part of their 2021 AP World History: Modern Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary document. The AP World History DBQ rubric contains all the information you need to know about how your response will be scored.
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.
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 the topic you’re writing about.
Some of this you’ll know from the provided documents, but some of it you will also be expected to know based on what you’ve studied in AP World History class. 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.” In other words, you’ll 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)
This category assigns points based on how well you use the documents provided to you on the test.
For this category, you get one of the potential three points solely for if you incorporate specific evidence that does not come from the provided documents in a way that is relevant to your thesis.
However, in order to earn the other two points, you must support your argument by using even more evidence from the documents provided . If you use three to five documents, you’ll earn an additional point. If you integrate six or more documents in your response, you can earn up to two points…and full credit for this category!
Just remember: 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,” and you get one 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 .
Here’s what that means: you’ll have to prove how the documents are relevant to your argument, and your argument has to show that you understand the period you’re writing about. Additionally, you’ll need to write an essay that proves your argument in a way that shows you understand that there are a variety of possible perspectives about that time period or issue, and that not everyone in that period had the same experiences.
If all that sounds like a lot...that's because it is! But don't worry. We'll walk you through the steps you can take to get prepared for your DBQ.
5 Steps for Tackling an AP World History DBQ
The AP World History DBQ is a complicated question that tests you over several different skills, so there isn’t a simple technique to ace it. However, if you master each of the individual skills it takes to do well on the DBQ examples, you’ll set yourself up to write a successful DBQ! response!
Here are five steps you can follow to prepare for–and tackle!--the AP World History DBQ.
Step 1: Use Past AP World DBQ Prompts to Practice
Taking practice exams is a great way to prepare for any standardized test–including the AP World exam. Not only do you get a chance to test your knowledge, practice tests also give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the test format…which is really important when it comes to AP World DBQs.
There’s good news when it comes to AP World DBQ prompts, though. College Board’s website has the actual AP World DBQ prompts from 2002-2020 available to download. This means you can take almost 20 practice AP World History exams, as well as access AP World History DBQ example responses and AP World History DBQ rubrics, for free!
It’s good to take one practice test before you start studying intensely for it because that will let you know where your skills are now (and it’ll let you track your progress). However, the nature of a free response means that it won’t be easy for you to grade by yourself. When it comes to assessing your response, use the AP World History DBQ rubric and honestly assess whether or not you incorporated the information thoroughly and accurately. If that doesn’t work for you, you can always ask a family member, tutor, or teacher to give you feedback on your response as well!
Don’t be afraid to use multiple AP World DBQ prompts as part of your test prep strategy. The more DBQs you do, the better prepared you’ll be on test day!
Step 2: Practice Creating a Thesis
A thesis statement is a sentence or two, located in your essay’s introduction, that explains what your essay will be about. In this case, your thesis will outline the argument you make in your AP World DBQ.
The most important aspect of your thesis is that it has to make a claim that is both arguable and 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. Say you’re given the following prompt:
“Evaluate the extent to which economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920).”
You don’t want your thesis to be “Economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution,” since that just restates the prompt without adding in your own argument. To write a great DBQ, you want to make a specific claim about how and why economic factors led to the Mexican Revolution, and you want to be able to use the AP World History DBQ documents provided to prove it!
Here are two AP World History DBQ examples that College Board considers acceptable theses for this prompt:
- “Mexico’s inability to resist the political dominance of the United States and European powers was the most significant factor in leading to the revolution because foreign dominance prevented the Mexican government from enacting economic reforms.”
- “Ethnic tensions were just as important in leading to the Mexican Revolution as economic factors because much of the economic exploitation that was occurring in Mexico affected poor indigenous communities.”
See how these two examples both make specific claims? The first argues that foreign influences prevented the Mexican government from enacting economic reforms. This is a claim that the author can prove by showing how foreign governments interfered with the Mexican government, and how that action led to reforms being stalled.
The second AP World History DBQ example thesis addresses something more complex: how ethnic tensions led to economic exploitation. The author can then use the provided documents as evidence that poor indigenous communities were exploited, and can argue that those actions led to the Mexican Revolution.
Outlines take a little time, but they'll keep your DBQ from derailing. (Staying on topic is key!)
Step 3: Practice Creating an Outline
Remember the AP World History DBQ is timed, and you’ll only have one hour to complete it! To keep your writing organized and on track, it’s a good idea for you to create a quick outline before you jump into writing your essay.
Having said that, you’ll need to be careful not to spend too much time on your outline so you have enough time to write your DBQ. That’s why we recommend spending 15 minutes reading documents, 5 minutes outlining your essay, and 40 minutes writing your response.
The most important things that your outline will need are an introduction and conclusion ! Your introduction sets up your thesis while your conclusion restates your thesis and explains how it’s relevant to the reader in some way–perhaps by showing that a similar claim could be made about another time period, or that the effects of the thesis are still being felt today.
Apart from your intro and conclusion, you’ll need body paragraphs. 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 make your argument. The most important thing about your body paragraphs is that each of them supports your argument and incorporates information from the documents!
To help you out, here is an example of a usable outline for the AP World History DBQ:
- Set up your argument and include your thesis.
- You can break down your thesis into several steps, which will then become the topics of each body paragraph
- 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 point you mentioned in your introduction.
- Use information from the documents to illustrate and prove your point.
- Include two or three documents that support your point
- Just like the previous paragraph, use two or three different documents to prove the second point of your thesis
- If you make a third point in your thesis, explain it here using one or two different documents as evidence
- Restate your thesis and summarize the main points you’ve made.
- Show how it’s relevant to the reader.
Your outline doesn’t need to be anything fancy–it just needs to give you an idea of how to structure your DBQ. Trust us: outlining might seem like a waste of time, but having a guide will make writing go much faster.
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, you’ll need to indicate which documents you pulled the information from . You’ll do this whether you are quoting your source or just paraphrasing it.
Here are two attribution examples that College Board considers acceptable for the AP World History DBQ:
- (Document 1): “The finance minister tells strikers that unemployment is the result of supply and demand and is out of the government’s hands, a position which probably increased people’s discontent with the government because they were unwilling to help.”
- (Document 2): “The newspaper cartoon shows that the government was willing to use violence to put down popular protests against a rigged election system. Such oppressive government policies may have contributed to increased support for the eventual revolution.”
Note that both of these connect the contents of the document to the argument the author is trying to make. They don’t just paraphrase or quote the contents of the document for the sake of using them– you should use documents to support your argument!
Keep in mind that the College Board is pretty specific about how they want you to use AP World history DBQ documents. In the 2021 AP World History Scoring Guidelines rubric, College Board makes the point that you should “ describe and explain ” the contents of the document: By “describe'' they mean you should point out to your reader what about the document is relevant and illustrate it as if the reader did not have the document in front of them.
From there, you’ll need to explain the document. That means you should use the document to show the reader why changes or situations in history have happened or why there is a relationship between two factors you’re writing about.
Step 5: Understand Time Management
One of the most important skills you can acquire by taking multiple attempts at the AP World 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’ll 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 AP World History DBQ rubric recommends that you spend 15 minutes reading the documents and 45 minutes writing the essay . When you write your practice DBQs, be sure to use this format so you can get a feel for how much time you do (or don’t!) have for the question. Practicing with a timer is a great way to make sure you’re using your time wisely on test day!
4 Tips for Studying for and Answering the AP World History DBQs
Now that you’ve read our step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ and have seen several AP World History DBQ examples, here are some expert tips on doing well on the AP World History DBQ . We’ve developed these tips based on the AP World History rubric to make sure you earn as many points as possible!
Tip 1: Know Your Rubric
Go through the AP World History DBQ rubric 2021 and notice that it tells you exactly how to earn points in each category . Most categories are worth multiple points, so you need to know how to earn all the points possible.
For example, the rubric is clear about how to earn points for your thesis statement. You’ll have to make sure that you have a thesis that states outright what argument you are trying to make if you want to earn credit for that category of the rubric!
The scoring for the DBQ is pretty objective, and knowing exactly what the scorers are looking for will help you earn the most points possible.
Tip 2: Your Essay Can Contain Errors
In an AP World History DBQ, you’ll be able to make tiny errors and still be able to earn full credit for your response.
Before you get too excited, there are big (and we mean big!) limits to this rule. For instance, you can’t misrepresent a document by saying an author makes one claim when they clearly aren’t. You also can’t write something that is obviously wrong, like that America continues under British rule because the revolution was unsuccessful!
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, you can make the mistake of saying that President Nixon’s impeachment hearings began in July 1974 (instead of May, when they actually began), and still earn full credit as long as you aren’t making an argument that depends on the accuracy of those dates.
Tip 3: Write for Clarity
One thing to keep in mind is that you’re graded on the quality of your argument and how well you prove it– 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 making your writing beautiful. Instead, focus on clearly explaining your ideas!
To this end, 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. So while you want your writing to be as error-free as possible, it’s more important that you’re making your argument as clearly–and as persuasively–as possible.
Tip 4: Write for Relevance
As you’re outlining and writing your AP World DBQ, ask yourself, why is this relevant to today’s readers? To earn a perfect score, you’ll have to tie your argument to another time period or historical situation.
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. So as you outline and write your DBQ, make sure you’re doing your best to show your reader why this historical moment or event is still important.
What’s Next?
No matter what AP course you’re taking, you’ll want to have a study plan in place when it comes to exam time. This blog article can help you put together a prep strategy that works.
Not sure what a “good” AP test score is for AP World History? This list of the average AP test scores for every exam will help you understand how your scores stack up.
Perfect test scores are great, but do you really need a perfect AP World History score? Our experts will explain the pros and cons of getting perfect 5s on your AP exams .
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Document-Based Question (DBQ)
What is a dbq, how to read the documents:, written documents, how to answer the prompt:, compare & contrast, cause & effect, change & continuity over time, how to earn all 7 points:.
Contextualization
Analysis & Sourcing
How to start writing the dbq, how to write a dbq:.
Attached below is a worksheet with an outline organizer for your DBQ. When practicing for your DBQ, feel free to download & print this to use:
7 documents
You are given 7 documents, and you are given a prompt, similar to an LEQ prompt. You need to write an essay, responding to the prompt, using evidence from the documents. You have 60 minutes in total, but of those 15 minutes are recommended for reading. The sections below describe the types of documents, types of prompts, and the rubric and how to earn each point.
You are given 7 documents. The different types are described below:
Excerpt / Written Document
Graphic, Diagram, Map, Cartoon
General Tips
Look at the sourcing before you read each doc to get an idea of what the doc might say
Write a quick summary (~3 bullet points) to summarize the content of each doc
Write a note of how each doc fits in with the prompt
Does it support or refute your thesis?
Which side of the prompt does it cover?
Which aspect (which body paragraph) of your prompt / thesis does it cover?
Any document with written paragraphs
Newspaper, letter, speech, historian's interpretation, constitution, religious text, etc.
Special tips:
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might say
Take your time to understand the content of the doc; no need to rush
Write a few notes summarizing the doc
Figure out how the doc relates to the prompt
Does it argue one side or another?
Does it provide evidence for a specific geographical region?
Does it refute your thesis?
Which sub-category of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a photo
Any photo that a photographer might take, or an artist's depiction of a historical event
NOT a diagram, map, or something manmade or designed by historians
Read the sourcing & title to try to figure out what the photo might depict
Look at all aspects of the photo, get an idea of what it depicts
Does it represent a historical development?
Does it represent an artistic movement?
Look for all signs of bias in the photo
Is it depicting a specific point of view?
Does it portray a certain culture as superior?
Does it portray a certain culture as inferior?
Does it represent a military victory?
This would mean one side is better than the other
Does it portray something as bigger or exaggerated?
Means that the exaggerated thing is depicted as superior
Does it portray something as smaller?
Means that the thing that's depicted smaller is portrayed as inferior
Based on the point of view (bias) and the content, figure out how it relates to the prompt
Does it support / refute your thesis?
What aspect of the prompt does it answer?
Any document that is a man-made photo
Graphic, diagram, political cartoon, map, etc.
Before you read, read the sourcing & title and try to get an idea of what the doc might depict
Look at the doc and try to figure out what it represents, or what topic it depicts
Think about the bias or point of view of the doc:
Does it represent the views of one side or another?
Is it depicting one side as exaggerated or superior to another?
Cartoons are generally biased
If it's a map, what is it representing?
Is it representing the map of industrial factories, trade routes, westward expansion, deciphered wind patterns, etc.?
Once you figure this out, understand the historical context of the map
If it's a graphic or a diagram, what information does it detail?
If it's a population growth map, what allowed for population growth?
Think of what the diagram depicts, and what allowed for that, and what's the historical context of that historical development?
Involves comparing & contrasting 2 different things
Most important thing is the argument: Not what the differences/similarities were, but HOW THEY WERE SIGNIFICANT
How to use the documents:
Some docs might explain the features of one of the comparand (the thing you compare), other docs may explain the other comparand
Some docs might cover both comparands
Figure out what the docs are saying for each comparand, and write your thesis based on that
What are they saying are similar & different about the 2?
Involves examining what a certain historical development, and what were its causes & effects
What's more important is examining the significance of the causes, or how one cause/effect was more important than other causes/effects
Generally, 2 causes and 1 or 2 effects
Some docs might explain the event
Some docs might explain the causes, others might explain the effects
Draft a thesis based on the info about the causes & effects mentioned in the docs
Try to mention which causes were more significant than other causes
Involves examining what changed & what remained the same as a result of one event
Some docs might explain the catalyst (the event that caused the changes/continuities) you write about
Some docs might describe the changes
Some docs might describe the continuities
Draft a thesis based on what the docs say about the changes & continuities
How to Earn all 7 Points:
Contextualization (1 point).
Examine the historical context of the story
Kind of like a "recap" or a "flashback"
Like at the beginning of a TV show, it shows a recap of the previous episode
How to write one
Always include the time period & possibly the location
"In Europe in the period 1450 - 1750, ..."
Provide a brief 3-5 sentence recap of how the world arrived at the situation you are writing about in your essay
The contextualization should finish with how the world arrived at the historical development you write about in your thesis, so that there is a smooth transition from contextualization to the thesis
Sample Contextualizations
Topic: Related to the industrial revolution
Before the 1750s, people were performing manual labor, making items by hand, which was very inefficient. From 1750-1900, Europe and the rest of the world underwent an economic transformation called the Industrial Revolution. Starting in Britain due to its abundance of raw materials & strong financial support, industrial capitalists built factories powered by waterwheels or coal that artificially produced goods such as textiles, eliminating the need to make them by hand. This brought a lot more people from the countryside to the cities, where they worked in factories for low wages. From Britain, the industrial revolution spread throughout Europe as well as to US, Egypt, Russia, and Japan. [Insert Thesis Here]
Topic: Related to imperialism
In the period 1750-1900, Europe underwent an economic transformation known as the industrial revolution, where people would use artificial power to cheaply & efficiently manufacture goods in commercial factories in the cities, rather than making goods by hand at home. In order for these factories to produce goods, they needed raw materials, which is why they had to look to other nations like those in Africa and Asia to supply raw materials to them. This led to European imperialism, a development where Europeans started colonizing other nations throughout the world, especially in Africa and Asia, to establish export-oriented economies to get raw materials to supply to their factories. [Insert Thesis Here]
Thesis (1 point)
This is your argument
Must be something that can be opposed
Someone else has to be able to write an essay whose thesis is the opposite of yours
Must contain an argument, and generally 2-3 examples (topics for body paragraphs)
Better to have a concession
Useful for complexity point
Format of Thesis & Examples
Color Key:
Concession / Counterargument*
Similarities / Continuities / Causes
Difference for Comparand 1 / Changes / Effects
Differences for Comparand 2
*Concession is always optional. Described in the analysis section, it can be used to get the extra complexity point
Prompt: Compare & Contrast
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , w hile [comparand 1] and [comparand 2] both [insert similarities] , [comparand 1] was [insert difference for comparand 1], and [comparand 2] was [insert difference for comparand 2], which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although the Delhi Sultanate had very strict religious authority, while the Delhi Sultanate and the Chola Kingdom both used religion to maintain stability , the Delhi Sultanate was attempting to impose Islam on a Hindu-majority population , and the Chola Kingdom imposed Hindu on a Hindu population , which allowed for the Chola Kingdom to be more successful than the Delhi Sultanate.
Prompt: Change & Continuity over Time
Although some may believe [counterargument]* , as a result of [catalyst], while [continuity] stayed the same , [change] changed, which [is why / allowed for] [insert argument].
Although some may believe the Catholic church actually became more powerful, as a result of the Protestant Reformation, while women still maintained strictly subordinate roles , there were more religious wars, and more monarchs were able to consolidate more power for themselves , which caused the Catholic church to decline in power.
Prompt: Cause & Effect
Although some may believe [counterargument]* are the most important causes of [event] , [causes] were the main causes** , which caused [effects].
Although some may believe that the desire to spread Christianity was the main cause of European imperialism , the desire to get raw materials and the need for more markets were the main causes , which led to a more integrated global economy and the development of technological infrastructure in the colonies.
**Here, the argument is that the causes you described in the blue section are more important than the causes in the yellow section. There is no need for an extra argument at the end
Evidence (3 points)
This is where you put examples / pieces of evidence to support your thesis
To get 1 point : Use evidence from 3 of the docs
To get 2 points : Use evidence from 6 of the docs, and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
It's always better to use all 7 docs in case you use one incorrectly
To get 3 points : Use an extra piece of evidence (from your own knowledge, not from the docs), and put an extra analysis to connect it to the thesis
Examples of How to Write your Evidence
How to earn the first point:
To earn the 1st point, you need to describe / state evidence from 3 docs without connecting it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France.
How to earn the second point:
To earn the 2nd point, you need evidence from 6* docs, and you also need to connect it to the thesis
According to document 3, the Chola Empire used Hinduism as the state religion. Because the population was also mostly Hindu, the Chola Empire was able to maintain stability by using a common belief in Hinduism to stabilize its rule.
According to document 7, there were more factories in Britain than in France. Thus, Britain had a larger industrial output than France, which is why it was able to manufacture more weapons during World War 1 and why France relied on Britain for support.
*Always use all 7 docs to in case you use one doc incorrectly
How to earn the third point:
To earn the third point, you need to include one piece of evidence that is not in the documents and is from your own knowledge.
Think of what evidence or what viewpoint is missing
If it's a compare & contrast: is there any other similarity or difference? Do you have any other evidence to support the topics of your thesis?
If it's a change & continuity over time: Is there any other evidence to support one of your changes or continuities?
If it's a cause & effect: Is there any other evidence or historical content that can support your causes or effects?
Analysis (2 points)
This is the hardest part
For 1 point, you need to explain how the source of 3 documents affects either your argument or what the document has to say
There are 4 parts of sourcing, and you ONLY NEED TO CHOOSE ONE
Explained in more detail below
For the 2nd point, you need to use complex analysis in your argument
This is the most confusing
The easiest way is to weave a counterargument through your essay, which the concession already sets you up for
The best way is to not think about it too much and just put a bit more complex arguments into your essay rather than sticking to a strict format
Historical Context
Point of View
You need to choose ONE of the above and follow the instructions below. Each of the sections below has information about each aspect of sourcing.
You need to do this for THREE different sources to earn full points (we recommend you do 4 in case one is wrong)
Historical Context:
Explain how the historical context of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written after WW1 when everyone was feeling depressed and economically poor, which explains why the priest is talking about a revival of religion and cheerful spirits.
This document was written in a time after the Protestant Reformation when there were a lot of religious wars, which is why the document argues that Lutheranism is better than Calvinism.
Explain how the intended audience of any document affects what the document argues
This document was written for the Armenians of the Ottoman empire, a Christian minority that was believed to conspire with the Allies, which is why the document is very aggressive toward them in asserting Ottoman dominance.
This speech was written to the American people to gain support for the Treaty of Versailles, which is why it intends to boost nationalist sentiment and promote American power.
Explain how the purpose of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written by the Republic party with the purpose of convincing its audience to vote for them, which is why it argues that Free Silver, a democratic idea, is bad.
This speech was written by John of Montecorvino, the Archbishop of Khanbaliq who sought to convert the Mongol boys to Christianity, which is why he emphasizes how Christianity allows one to achieve salvation.
Point of View:
Explain how the point of view of any document affects what the document argues
This speech was written from the point of view of an Indian cotton farmer, which is why he writes that the British completely destroyed the Indian handmade textile industry.
This document was written from the point of view of Grover Cleveland, an anti-imperialist president, which is why he writes about the harms of annexing Hawaii.
The Complexity Point
The final point is the complexity point. This is given if you have a complex argument, and it is hard to achieve. The best way to think about this is do more than the prompt asks, and add a bit of extra analysis into the essay.
The easiest way to do this is weave a counterargument through the essay. In our thesis samples above, we already set you up for this with our concession clause.
How to Start Writing the DBQ:
First step is to outline your essay. Follow the steps below:
Read through each document, write a brief summary, and figure out how it relates to the prompt (which side/aspect does it argue?)
Write your thesis. Write each aspect of the thesis (concession/counterargument, evidence 1, evidence 2, argument), and combine them
Write the outline for your body paragraphs. Write the topic for each body paragraph, and which docs you'll use in each. Also, denote where you'll use your outside evidence
Write an outline for your sourcing. Choose 4 different documents, and write the sourcing sentence following the guidelines in the sourcing section above
Start writing. Good luck!
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How to Write the Document Based Question (DBQ)
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What is the document based question, steps to writing an effective dbq, how do ap scores affect my college chances.
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
Related CollegeVine Blog Posts
APUSH Document Based Questions and Responses: A Study Guide
Document Based Questions tend to freak students out the most on the APUSH exam. This is understandable; not only do you have to read documents, you have to write a coherent essay about them.
However, we’ve got you covered here at Magoosh. For a step-by-step breakdown of what you need to do to write a Document Based Question (DBQ), check out my other blog posts on 3 Steps to a DBQ Essay that Works and How to Write a DBQ Essay . This post, though, will focus on what other students have done to make their Document Based Question essays successful.
I will take you through one DBQ on a prior APUSH exam and give you the ins and outs, and the dos and don’ts. At the end, I will provide a link to a DBQ essay for you to practice some of the things that successful test-takers have done. There, you can compare your essay to the scoring notes provided by College Board. In fact, everything I present on this post will be provided by College Board – you can (and should!) check out their website for more tips.
Sound good? Let’s go!
Document Based Question #1
This is taken from the 2016 APUSH Exam . The DBQ for this section asks you to do the following:
Explain the causes of the rise of a women’s rights movement in the period 1940–1975.
You will have 55 minutes to answer that question. The College Board suggests 15 minutes for reading and 40 minutes for writing, although if you are a fast and careful reader, you can start writing before your 15-minute reading period is done.
I won’t post all of the documents that you have to reference (there are 7 after all!), but the following two documents are representative of the types of documents you will encounter on a DBQ.
As you can see, there’s a mix of photographs, advertisements, and text that you will be expected to incorporate into your essay.
Still with me? Good. Next, let’s look into what an essay should have in it.
Scoring Notes for Document Based Questions
The following (including descriptions) comes straight from the APUSH scoring notes. I’ll break down parts of it later to make sure that you understand what they want to see.
Your DBQ essay should have the following (for a maximum of 7 points):
- Thesis: Present a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion.
- Argument Development: Develop and support a cohesive argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity by explicitly illustrating relationships among historical evidence such as contradiction, corroboration, and/or qualification.
- Use of the Documents: Utilize the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument.
- Sourcing the Documents: Explain the significance of the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, and/or audience for at least four documents.
- Contextualization: Situate the argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question.
- Outside Evidence: Provide an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument.
- A development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area.
- A course theme and/or approach to history that is not the focus of the essay (such as political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual history).
Yes, it’s a lot. But students have done it before, and so can you! Just because of the limits of space, I am only going to show you what to do – and what not to do – on the parts where I have seen students struggle most: thesis and synthesis.
Thesis Statements for Document Based Questions
Your thesis statement is the bread and butter of any essay you write for the APUSH exam. As I have stated before in previous posts, you should spend the most time on your thesis because a strong thesis will guide the rest of your essay.
But what makes a thesis strong? As mysterious as that question may seem, it is relatively straightforward:
A strong thesis directly answers the question being asked by referencing specific times, movements, or ideas.
It’s that simple! Well, it’s sort of simple. Developing a strong thesis is hard work, but let’s begin at the beginning. Here’s the question being asked: Explain the causes of the rise of a women’s rights movement in the period 1940–1975.
Notice that the question asks for causes, meaning MORE than one. Also, notice that the question gives you a defined time period to work with. Therefore, your thesis shouldn’t deal with any events, ideas, or people outside of that time period.
Let’s look at two student examples.
Example Thesis #1:
The women’s rights movement arose as a result of women’s experiences with inequality at work and the influence of other rights movements.
Does the student directly answer the question being asked? Yes. According to the student, the women’s rights movement was caused by the experiences of women dealing with inequality at work and the influence of other rights movements in the same time.
Is the student being specific? Yes. I know that this student will be organizing their essay in two big chunks: inequality in the workforce and civil rights movements.
Notice that this student didn’t give the longest answer possible, and the response was not necessarily the most eloquent, but that student still got a point for their thesis.
Example Thesis #2:
The woman’s rights movement was the product of unfair treatment in economics, politics, and society.
Does the student directly answer the question being asked? Well, yes, but I am unclear what “economics, politics, and society” means.
Is the student being specific? Not at all. There could be thousands of things that go under economics, politics, and society – and many things could be considered “unfair” – so I have no idea what the student will be arguing in this DBQ.
Thesis Statement Dos and Don’ts
- Directly answer the question being asked.
- Be specific.
- Write a thesis statement like the first example.
Don’t:
- Answer the question in a confusing way or answer some other question you think the test SHOULD be asking.
- Be general.
Synthesis in Document Based Questions
This is a newer component of the DBQ. You need to demonstrate your understanding of history by being able to go beyond the documents they provide you and make connections between different parts of history. This does NOT mean that you need to spend all of your time racking your brain for more evidence. However, it does mean that you should have a solid understanding of US History and can extend your argument to other time periods or themes. Let’s look at some student examples to explain what I mean.
Student Example #1:
The conditions that helped cause the rise of the women’s rights movement in the 20th century were similar to those that helped cause the rise of a movement for greater women’s rights in the 1840s. In both periods, calls for greater rights for African Americans led women to demand more of a voice in social and political reforms.
This student explains that the conditions for women’s rights movements were similar in two different time periods, extending the argument beyond this one moment in US history.
Student Example #2:
A development in a different historical period was when Alice Paul went on hunger strikes and protests in from of the White House to gain attention on passing an amendment that would give women their rights. Paul’s fight for women’s rights started with trying to get equal voting rights for women. This links to how in 1940-1975 women were fighting for equal rights in wages and other important rights.
This student makes a connection to another time period by arguing that the fight for equal rights did not begin in 1940; instead, women had been active for some time in US history to achieve equal rights.
Student Example #3:
The Seneca Falls convention also served to help inspire women around the world to gain equal rights. The speech given clearly stated the way things were being conducted was unconstitutional and women should not be socially inferior to men.
Unlike the first two student responses, this third response does NOT connect back to the time period in the question. I am unclear from this student response whether the connection is gaining equal rights for women, the persistence of inequality, or the changing interpretations of the Constitution. This student did not receive a point for the synthesis criteria.
Synthesis Dos and Don’ts
- Connect back to the time period of the question.
- State something that you feel is an “obvious” connection, but never make a connection yourself. You should be doing that work for your reader.
Document Based Question #2: Your Turn!
Although I haven’t outlined every single component of the DBQ, you should look at the two blog posts I linked to at the beginning of this article for more references.
But now it’s time for you to dive in! You will only get better by practicing.
You should practice with the 2015 Document Based Question 1 . In that document, you will have access to the questions and sample student responses.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Allena Berry loves history; that should be known upfront. She loves it so much that she not only taught high school history and psychology after receiving her Master’s degree at Stanford University, she is now studying how students learn history at Northwestern. That being said, she does not have a favorite historical time period (so don’t bother asking). In addition to history, she enjoys writing, practicing yoga, and scouring Craigslist for her next DIY project or midcentury modern piece of furniture.
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AP®︎/College US History
Course: ap®︎/college us history > unit 10.
- AP US History periods and themes
- AP US History multiple choice example 1
- AP US History multiple choice example 2
- AP US History short answer example 1
- AP US History short answer example 2
- AP US History DBQ example 1
- AP US History DBQ example 2
- AP US History DBQ example 3
AP US History DBQ example 4
- AP US History long essay example 1
- AP US History long essay example 2
- AP US History long essay example 3
- Preparing for the AP US History Exam (5/4/2016)
- AP US History Exam Prep Session (5/1/2017)
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Video transcript
- AP Calculus
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How to Approach the AP U.S. History Long Essay Question
The second part of Section II of the AP US History exam contains three long essay questions—you must respond to one. The long essay question assesses your ability to apply knowledge of history in a complex, analytical manner. In other words, you are expected to treat history and historical questions as a historian would. This process is called historiography—the skills and strategies historians use to analyze and interpret historical evidence to reach a conclusion. Thus, when writing an effective essay, you must be able to write a strong, clearly developed thesis and supply a substantial amount of relevant evidence to support your thesis and develop a complex argument.
The College Board’s characteristics of a high-scoring long essay question response are listed below. Note that the requirements are very similar to those of the DBQ ; the primary difference is that any requirements related to use of the documents are removed from the scoring requirements for the long essay question.
- Thesis: Make a thesis or claim that responds to the prompt. The thesis or claim must be historically defensible and establish a line of reasoning.
- Context: Provide context relevant to the prompt by describing a broader historical development or process.
- Evidence: Use specific and relevant examples as evidence to support an argument in response to the prompt.
- Historical Skill: Use a historical reasoning skill (causation, comparison, or continuity and change) to develop an argument in response to the prompt.
- Complex Understanding: Demonstrate a complex understanding of an argument that responds to the prompt by using evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify the argument.
AP U.S. History Long Essay Strategy
Consider the following special strategies for the long essay question. Scoring requirements are highlighted in bold.
Step 1: Analyze the Prompt
- Each long essay question will ask you to “evaluate the extent” of some factor in American history. Since you are evaluating, you will need to develop an argument that addresses the prompt. Make sure to read all three prompts carefully. Think of the evidence you could use and the argument you could develop in response to each one, then choose the question you feel most confident about.
- Begin crafting your thesis statement. You must have a thesis that makes a claim and introduces the reasoning of your argument. It is not enough to merely restate the question as your thesis; you must take a position. Don’t be afraid of making a strong claim; just be sure you can provide relevant evidence to support your assertion. Your thesis may also outline the categories of analysis, or the major points, you will use in your essay.
- Part of developing your thesis should be considering how your essay’s argument will demonstrate a complex understanding, perhaps by analyzing multiple variables, by considering both changes and continuities, or by making an insightful connection to another time period.
Step 2: Plan Your Response
- Making a careful plan can help you make sure you address all the scoring requirements.
- Paraphrase your thesis statement. Knowing your claim will make it easier for you to plan an effective argument in your essay. In light of the documents, you must make a claim and/or demonstrate a line of reasoning that responds to the prompt. Avoid statements that are vague or general (“The Vietnam War was very significant”) and make a claim that responds to the prompt, uses both the documents and your historical knowledge, and sets up the rest of your essay (“The Vietnam War impacted Americans’ perceptions of the U.S. role in international politics, the power of the federal government, and the status of young people, influencing legal and social changes in American society”).
- Be sure your thesis or overall plan incorporates a complex understanding . You need to demonstrate that you have more than just a basic understanding of the content, so your thesis or overall essay should address complexity in the historical development—perhaps by including multiple variables, by considering both causes and effects, or by making an insightful connection to another time period. See below for a complete list of ways to demonstrate complex understanding.
- Make a note about how you will provide context for the topic of the prompt. This may fit well in the introduction or first body paragraph.
- List the documents you will use as evidence —remember that you must use six or seven to earn the maximum number of points for using the documents.
- Consider whether the paragraph is a good place to provide additional evidence —you must include one additional historical example.
- Think about when it would be beneficial to explain sourcing , or how a document’s context or situation is relevant to the argument—you must do so for three documents.
- Finally, review your plan and check off each requirement in your test booklet to ensure you addressed all six.
Step 3: Action! Write Your Response
- Nothing is more important in the first paragraph than the clear statement of an analytical thesis. The reader is most interested in seeing a strong thesis as soon as possible.
- Your thesis can be more than just one sentence. With the compound questions often asked by the DBQ, two sentences might be needed to complete the idea.
- Refer to the authors of the documents, not just the document numbers.
- A good idea is to write a concluding paragraph that might extend your original thesis. Think of a way to restate your thesis, adding information from your analysis of the documents.
Step 4: Proofread
- Skim for any glaring errors and, if you have time, check again to make sure your response meets each of the DBQ requirements.
AP Expert Note
Be prepared to demonstrate complex understanding The AP exam asks you to analyze sources and develop arguments in a sophisticated way. Demonstrating your complex understanding of the topic at hand is crucial to your success, and here are some ways you can do so.
- Analyze multiple variables
- Employ a complex historical reasoning skill by explaining both similarities and differences, both continuity and change, both causes and effects, or multiple causes
- Explain relevant connections to other regions or other time periods
- Corroborate perspectives across multiple course themes (such as environment, cultural developments, governance, economic systems, social organization, and technology)
- Qualify an argument using other evidence or views
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AP® US History
How to write a new ap® us history dbq.
- The Albert Team
- Last Updated On: March 1, 2022
Hey! We wrote an updated version of this post here . Check it out for helpful videos and FRQ tips.
The dreaded AP® US History Document Based Question. For years it has struck fear in the hearts of many, turned boys into men and rookie students into old, weathered veterans. Rumor has it that little Jimmy Walker once took the AP® US History exam and when he got to the DBQ section, proceeded to spontaneously combust. Okay, so maybe that is a little dramatic. But the DBQ can be a really intimidating process that stands in the way of success for many students. Lucky for you, with this comprehensive guide, it can be relatively painless, and you will be well on your way to academic success and glory.
To start with, it is a good idea to figure out what exactly you are trying to accomplish on the DBQ . The quickest way to a high score is to know what the test scorers are looking for, and then do it! The rubric for grading the AP® US History DBQ can be found here . Also lucky for you, we broke down the rubric to make it easy to understand. Before you continue through the rest of this how-to guide, be sure to go check out the DBQ rubric guide here .
All right, so now you know what they are looking for and what you are trying to accomplish. Let’s get started.
The DBQ Layout:
Okay, so here’s how it works. Basically, you will be given an essay prompt, a set of primary source documents (never more than 7), and only 60 minutes to come up with a well written, clear and coherent essay response. The general rule of thumb, recommended by the good people at CollegeBoard, is to dedicate about 15 of those precious minutes to planning and the last 45 to writing. That may seem a little overwhelming, but it is totally doable! Especially with these 6 easy steps!
1. Read the Question.
Then figure out what the question is asking you. I can’t stress this enough, figuring out what the prompt is asking you is critical. No matter how good of a writer you are, or how much history you may know, if you don’t answer the question, you are sunk. A neat tip might be to write out in your own words what the question is asking.
As you are reading the question, be on the lookout for which skills they are trying to test you on. Every DBQ is looking to test your skills of historical argumentation, use of historical evidence, contextualization , and synthesis. These things are outlined in the rubric and are consistent parts of every good DBQ. In addition to these critical skills, a DBQ will be looking to analyze one of a number of certain skills. These include: causation, change/continuity over time, comparison, interpretation, or periodization. Don’t waste too much time trying to figure this out, and don’t get so caught up in it that you forget to answer the actual question, just be sure to keep it in mind as you plan out your answer.
That probably seems like an insanely long first step, but all of that will really only take a couple of minutes and set you up to breeze through the rest of the process. Once you have thoroughly read and interpreted the question, you are ready for step number 2!
2. Dig into the Sources
While you want to make sure that you read each document, don’t waste your time on too focused of a reading. Underline or highlight things that stand out, and make notes out to the side. One suggestion is to write a quick sentence or two that summarizes the main idea of each document. And again, this is all just part of the 15-minute planning period; so don’t get too caught up on any document. You are just looking for main ideas and details that really stand out. To take this one step further, you can organize the documents into groups based on their main point. (For highest score possibilities, make sure to use either all or all but one of the primary source documents).
3. Make an Outline.
First decide on a thesis, and from there think about how you want to use your primary source documents to support that thesis. Think about what kinds of outside information you might want to bring in to further support your argument, and where it will fit into your essay as a whole. Once more, don’t get stuck mapping out every single thing that you are going to say, but be sure that you include documents where they fit in the response. This will make it much easier to incorporate them into your answer. Hopefully it has only been 15 minutes or less at this point and you are now ready to write!
4. Start Writing!
Most of your highly intensive, critical thinking type stuff should already have happened and now it is just all about putting those thoughts into words. If you played your cards right and made good use of the first 15 minutes, this part of the process should be pretty straightforward. Start with a brief introduction that gives a little context to the subject matter and shows that you know some of the details surrounding the subject matter. Introduce your thesis, then a few of your main ideas that support your thesis. This part of your paper is not much different than a regular essay response.
5. Keep Writing!
As you get going on some longer paragraphs and stringing together lots of sophisticated and smart sounding sentences, it can be easy to lose sight of the main points of your paper. I have said it a couple times already, but it is absolutely essential that you answer the question!
A few key things to keep in mind as you write your body:
1. Use specific references from your documents, and always show where you are getting the information. At the same time, don’t just use huge block quotes to take up a bunch of space. Use what you need to answer the question.
2. Make sure you use some outside knowledge to support your argument, along with your documents. Specific examples that aren’t on the documents are super helpful in making your argument stronger, and just showing that you know what you are talking about.
3. Don’t forget to contextualize. Things that happen in history are not isolated events, and the circumstances surrounding things matter. Don’t forget to address that.
6. Wrap it up with a ballin’ conclusion.
Don’t draw it out and don’t introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Make it short and to the point. Summarize what your main thesis and arguments were and leave it at that. Don’t try to be too clever or witty or trite and you actually don’t have to use the term “In conclusion” every time you write a conclusion. (Mind blown, I know).
If you follow these 6 easy steps and ANSWER THE QUESTION , you will demolish the DBQ section of the AP® US History exam. (That’s a good thing). And at the very least, you will make it out better than poor Jimmy Walker.
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4 thoughts on “how to write a new ap® us history dbq”.
This says it was updated in May of 2020, bull crap! YOu are telling students they have 15 min to read the documents and 45 to write. Thats wrong! They have a total of 45 min. on the new 2020 online DBQ. So Im telling students to spend no more than 19 min with reading the docs. Come on guys! get this updated
I meant 10 min on reading Docs.
Paul, this was written several years ago as noted by the disclaimer. For the 2020 exam, please review our new guide here: https://www.albert.io/blog/ap-us-history-review/
Thanks for the comment!
Paul, this is an article from a few years ago (note the disclaimer). The updates made to this were just images, not core content. Our 2020 AP® US History guide can be found here: https://www.albert.io/blog/ap-us-history-review/
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DBQ Tips From Someone Who Earned a 5
What's up APUSH preppers?
My name is Steven and last year I scored a 5 on the AP US History exam. As someone who excelled in the class, I'd like to share some of the things I learned last year and what I believe helped me score a 5 on the exam overall. I know that the test will be a little different this year, but I've looked at the rubric for your DBQ and I know how to write a solid DBQ from my previous experience. These are probably some of the best tips I can give you for scoring well:
Put yourself in the mindset of an AP testmaker - When you read the prompt, circle or bracket the time slot provided (ex. 1820-1830) and think about what happened in those two years. What makes these two years significant? There are always critical events that happened in the years provided in the prompt, esspecially the first and last. The events in the first and last years are always major, such as a shift in political climate or a groundbreaking decision. This will help you to understand what the question is truely asking.
Contextualize the overall period in your intro - I cannot stress this one enough. You must provide context in your introductory paragraph that explains what was happening in the country at the time. How did the government and the public view the given topic? What were trends through these periods? What was the political climate of the time? Write 2-3 sentences of context before introducing your thesis so the reader can fully understand the claim that you are making.
Create a Strong and Concise Thesis - Always, always, always follow the format " Answer because of reason ". This is the best way score the points for a strong thesis.
Introduce, Contextualize, Explain - Whenever using evidence in your essay (which should be multiple times in each paragraph), follow this simple pattern. DBQs do not have to be artsy or beautiful . They can be formulaic and mechanical; That is the best way to get a solid score. Start by introducing your evidence, what is it? Who is this person? Now move on to the context of it. Why is this important at the time? What was the feeling of this at the time? Finally, explain how it relates to your claim. Tie your evidence with your claim, show how that are connected and why it is important. Following this pattern will keep your essay organized and make it easy to read for AP graders.
Make sure to read the docs thoroughly - Again put yourself in the shoes of an AP test maker. Why did they give you these documents? How does each one differ from each other? There's always going to be at least two that are completely different from the others. One will be contrasting all of the others, identify this one and use it as a counter argument. From my experience, a counter argument paragraph is a great place to use your outside information. At least one of the documents will be mostly irrelevant for the claim you are trying to make. Now that you've read each document, what is missing? What happened in this period (think about No. 1) that isn't mentioned in these documents? How can I fit it in with the contrasting document to debunk it and strengthen my claim?
Keep it Simple, Stupid - This isn't a creative writing piece. This isn't for your english class. You don't even need to use correct grammar or full words (would recommend against this though). Follow the pattern mentioned in No. 4. This will save you a lot of time and help you avoid misrepresenting a point or confusing your AP grader. You want your DBQ to be organized and formulaic, this is how you score the most points on the rubric.
I hope this helps all of you out there! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me on this thread or PM me for any other tips I may be able to provide. Good luck, you got this!
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United States History Writing Study Skills
Frank Warren, a history professor at Queens College and a former Chief Faculty Consultant for AP U.S. History, offers the following suggestions for writing a good response to a document-based question (DBQ) or free-response essay question.
Write More Often
AP students need to write, and to write often. This practice is an excellent way to develop the skill of casting a thesis statement and marshalling evidence in support of a valid generalization.
Define Your Terms Where Necessary
Look especially at terms like liberal or conservative, radical or progressive. Be prepared to define other central terms, such as major change, that may appear to be obvious but can be ambiguous.
Start with a Clearly Stated Thesis
Some good essay writers begin with a thesis statement, back it up with supporting evidence from documents and outside knowledge, and, if time permits, restate the thesis at the end. Other writers analyze the material and build up logically to their thesis statement. On an AP Exam, you should use whichever method you feel most comfortable with. In any case, exam day is probably not a good time to experiment with a new, unfamiliar method of writing.
Organize Your Response Carefully
In addition to having a strong thesis, it is a good idea to have a guiding organizational principle—a stated agenda for making your point. Try to integrate your outside information into your response. Your exam shouldn’t read as if you threw in a few tidbits of outside information at the end.
Make Sure Thesis Matches Assessment and Knowledge
Many good essay writers demonstrate a sense of complexity in the documents, showing that most of the evidence may point in one direction but that part of the evidence points in a different direction. It is better, however, to support a clear, simple thesis than to create artificially a complexity that you can't support using the documents or outside knowledge. Almost every essay—including the DBQ—is designed to allow the student to agree or disagree with the statement. Your ultimate goal should be to present a well-argued and well-supported thesis, not merely to give the people scoring the essay what you think they want.
Build an Argument
The best essays—in terms of arguing their case—are those that marshal the positive arguments in favor of their position but that also refute or answer possible rival theses. Even if you think a statement is completely true, it is better to confront and negate the evidence that seems to refute it than to ignore the counterevidence completely.
Integrate the Documents and Your Analysis
Don’t merely explain what is stated in the documents. Rather, use the documents as part of an integrated essay in support of your thesis.
Don’t Quote Large Portions of the Documents
The readers of the essays are already familiar with the documents. You can quote a short passage or two if necessary, to make your point, but don’t waste time or space reciting them.
Choose Your Essays Wisely
Select the questions you are best prepared to answer. The questions that invite the easiest generalizations are not always the ones you should answer. As you read through the questions and make your choices, ask yourself for which of the questions are you best prepared to support your thesis.
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If you're not sure how to write a DBQ thesis, check out this post for a failproof DBQ thesis formula and AP World History and APUSH DBQ thesis examples!
Resources from Heimler's History: To master all the WRITING SKILLS you need, get my ESSAY CRAM COURSE: +AP Essay CRAM Course (DBQ, LEQ, SAQ Help): https://bi...
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.
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.
Let's take a look at a sample AP World History DBQ question and techniques to construct a solid thesis. Using the following documents, analyze how the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups within its empire for the period 1876-1908. Identify an additional document and explain how it would help you analyze the views of the ...
Use the documents and your knowledge of the years 1860-1877 to construct your response. This was the third DBQ we had written, and students were now getting brave enough to move beyond a thesis and document analysis and started attempting to tackle the contextualization point. However, the attempts were all over the map.
All documents are used as evidence to support a claim. The essay makes a complex and nuanced argument supported by strong evidence and analysis that goes beneath the surface. This sample essay was written in order to provide teachers and students with possible approaches to completing the AP US History DBQ.
How DBQs Work on the AP World History Exam. The DBQ format AP World History uses consists of a single open-ended prompt, and will focus on the time period of 1450-2001. Question Type. # of Questions. % of Total Score. Multiple Choice. 55 questions. 40%. Short Answer.
This page details all aspects of writing a DBQ including how to earn the contextualization, thesis, evidence, analysis, and sourcing points, how to write a compare & contrast essay, cause & effect essay, and change & continuity over time (CCOT) essay. It also has a free downloadable worksheet linked to it to help you organize your DBQ.
During Step 1: Analyze the Prompt. Use the 15-minute reading period to read the documents and organize them into groups for analysis. Feel free to write notes in the test booklet and underline important words in both the source line and the document itself. Nothing in the booklet is read as part of the essay scoring.
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.
AP US History DBQ example 1. Google Classroom. Microsoft Teams. AboutAbout this video. Transcript. The document-based question (DBQ) is one of two main essays on the AP US History exam and usually requires analyzing changes or continuities over time in US history. In this video, learn about the structure of DBQs and tips and tricks to help you ...
As I stated in a previous post on what the APUSH exam is all about, the goal of the exam is to test your historical thinking skills. Historians write arguments based on documents, and for this exam, you will, too. For a DBQ essay, you will receive several documents of varying length. You will be asked to respond to some historical prompt that ...
Your DBQ essay should have the following (for a maximum of 7 points): Thesis: Present a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion.
Thesis should be packed, should be your argument in miniature Thesis Formula -- Although X, because A and B, therefore Y. X: Counterargument A and B: Specific Evidence Y: Your argument Ex. DBQ Prompt: "Evaluate the extent to which the Portuguese transformed maritime trade in the Indian Ocean in the sixteenth century."
For the DBQ we're gonna do a standard five-paragraph essay, which means introduction. . . with a thesis statement, paragraph 1, paragraph 2, paragraph 3. These will all be the body paragraphs where we'll give our evidence in support of our thesis. And then a conclusion, which wraps up what we've said before, and really drives home our point.
Step 1: Analyze the Prompt. Each long essay question will ask you to "evaluate the extent" of some factor in American history. Since you are evaluating, you will need to develop an argument that addresses the prompt. Make sure to read all three prompts carefully. Think of the evidence you could use and the argument you could develop in ...
3. Don't forget to contextualize. Things that happen in history are not isolated events, and the circumstances surrounding things matter. Don't forget to address that. 6. Wrap it up with a ballin' conclusion. Don't draw it out and don't introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Make it short and to the point.
SYNTHESIS = 1 POINT: Bring in SFI from another time frame. That's it. Just connect it to your thesis and you'll get the point. And now the part you've been waiting for: the template itself. fill in the parentheses with whatever's relevant to your prompt. INTRO. Don't waste any time here, get right to your thesis.
Former teacher/current tutor here! Your thesis should fully reflect the breadth of the documents included in the DBQ. Ideally, three claims for 7 documents; each claim is a subargument that frames each paragraph. You need to be fully aware of what kind of thinking skill you're being asked to use, and ensure that your thesis fully answers the ...
o earn this point, yo. r thesis must do three things:1. Respond to the promptYour thesis must be a specific answer to the actual prompt, not a variation of the prompt. or something more generally on the topic of the prompt. This means that you have to read the question multiple. mes and identify everything you must do to address it. It's a.
Create a Strong and Concise Thesis - Always, always, always follow the format " Answer because of reason ". This is the best way score the points for a strong thesis. Introduce, Contextualize, Explain - Whenever using evidence in your essay (which should be multiple times in each paragraph), follow this simple pattern.
Start with a Clearly Stated Thesis. Some good essay writers begin with a thesis statement, back it up with supporting evidence from documents and outside knowledge, and, if time permits, restate the thesis at the end. Other writers analyze the material and build up logically to their thesis statement. On an AP Exam, you should use whichever ...