"I will write my first DBQ when pigs fly."
A.P. European History
"I will write my first DBQ when pigs
fly."
DBQ HINTS AND HELPS
Return
to AP European History Title Page.
Don't panic; read the documents. That's why they call it a
"document-based question". Don't be surprised if the subject is
obscure. You'll learn as you read. You are being assessed on you
skill of document analysis. So get in there and analyze.
Make sure you understand the question.
Make sure you answer the question that is being asked.
Don't make up your own question and then answer it instead.
Remember that there is no one right answer on the
DBQ. Explanation and support for your answer is what makes it right.
Make sure you support your opinion by citing the documents.
Note the point of view of the author or
speaker in each document. Pay attention to the social status or profession
of the author/speaker.
Note the tone of the writer/speaker. Are
they serious, dogmatic or sarcastic?
Note the date of each document.
(The documents are usually in chronological order, but do not assume this
without checking.) Does
this relate in any way to events described or learned? Look for change-over-time in the documents.
Remember that the documents are not necessarily facts.
The documents quite likely express the opinion or perception of the
author/speaker. That's why you noted the point of view, social status,
profession, etc., above.
Do not
invent some further meaning for a document and make it say something it doesn't really say.
Assume the reader of the exam knows the documents inside and out but
cite the documents that you use. You can cite by author and/or number. Do not quote
extensively from the documents. This is a well-known way to pad an essay.
While
the documents are
usually given in chronological, do not use them in
chronological order. Use them as your thesis calls for them.
You
do not have to use all of the documents, but use at least a majority (over half) of the
documents. Use more, if possible, but don't force the use of a document.
Do
not use a "laundry list" approach, i.e. simply analyzing each document
in order as they are given.
Make
your thesis more than a simple restatement of the question.
Try
to use the three-prong approach in your thesis: 3 part analysis, cause /
course / consequence, 3 problems, 3 solutions, 3 arguments, etc.
Do not ramble.
Organize before you begin to write and try to stay with your working
outline. Stick to the subject.
Assume
the reader knows nothing but can understand your argument if expressed
intelligently. (Do not talk down.) Explain each point
completely. Make sure you relate each point to your thesis.
Have
a look at A.P.'s Rubric for
grading or look for more information at the links below provided by the College
Board.
Return
to AP European History Title Page.
Hints
for the DBQ: PowerPoint presentation used in class.
Thinking
About the Gin Act: PowerPoint on the DBQ on the Gin Act of 1751.
