 An
essay question that asks you to take a
position on an issue that has several
possible answers
 No “right” or “correct” response
 You must craft a thesis based on your own
knowledge and your interpretation of the
evidence presented
Analyze attitudes toward and evaluate the
motivations behind the Euro acquisition
of African colonies in the period 18801914.
 1. Highlight
the verbs in one color.
 2. Highlight what you’re going to discuss
in second color
 3. Highlight time period in third color
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Analyze,
Assess/Evaluate
Compare
Contrast
Define
Describe
Discuss or Examine
Enumerate or List
Evaluate
Explain
Illustrate
Identify
Interpret
Justify
Prove
Relate
Summarize
To what extent
Trace
 List
or cluster all facts you remember
about the prompt.
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Author: Who created the source? What do you know about
the author? What is the author’s POV?
Place and Time: Where and when was the source produced?
How might this affect the meaning of the source?
Prior knowledge: Beyond information about the author and
the context of its creation, what do you know that would help
you further understand the primary source? For ex, do you
recognize any symbols and recall what they represent?
Audience: For whom was the source created and how might
this affect the reliability of the source?
Reason: Why was this source produced at the time it was
produced?
The Main Idea: What point is the source trying to convey?
Significance: Why is this source important? What inferences
can you draw from this document? Ask yourself, “So what?”
in relation to the question asked.
 Ex: social, political, economic
 DBQ Documents:
• Charts, graphs, and maps
• Newspaper articles/editorials
• Speeches
• Letters
• Diaries
• Laws
• Treaties
• Executive orders
• Editorial cartoons
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Thesis with POA (plan of attack):
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I. Topic Sentence:
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a. Doc description:
•
b. Doc description:
•
c. Doc description:
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d. Clincher (use docs and thoughts to prove thesis):
POV (How and Why):
POV:
POV:
II. Topic Sentence:
•
a. Doc description:
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b. Doc description:
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c. Doc description:
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d. Clincher:
POV:
POV:
POV:
III. Topic Sentence:
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a. Doc description:
•
b. Doc description:
•
c. Doc description:
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d. Clincher:
POV:
POV:
POV:
Conclusion: (write one or two sentence conclusion restating the thesis)
 Insight: analysis, perspective, point
of
view
 Make a strong first impression
 Provide analysis of the question
 The reader should know your position on
the question unequivocally after the first
paragraph (Thesis)
BASIC CORE
(6 POINTS TOTAL)
(THESIS, DISCUSS MAJORITY,
MEANING, INTERPRETATIONS,
POV, 3 GROUPS) TDMIPG
1. Provides an appropriate, explicitly
stated thesis that directly addresses all
parts of the question. These may not
simply restate the question. (1
POINT) **If you don’t earn this
point, you can’t earn point #4. **Put
it in the first paragraph.
2. Discusses a majority of the
documents individually and
specifically. (1 POINT)
3. Demonstrates understanding of the
basic meaning of a majority of the
documents (may misinterpret no
more than one). (1 Point)
4. Supports the thesis with appropriate
interpretations of a majority of the
documents. (1 POINT)
5. Analyzes point of view or bias in at
least three documents. (1 Point)
6. Analyzes documents by explicitly
organizing them in at least three
appropriate groups. (1 POINT)
EXPANDED CORE
(3 POINTS Total)
Expands beyond basic core of 1-6.
The basic score of 6 must be achieved
before a student can earn expanded
core points.
Examples:
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Has a clear, analytical, and
comprehensive thesis.
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Uses all or almost all
documents.
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Addresses all parts of the
question thoroughly.
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Uses documents persuasively as
evidence.
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Shows understanding of nuances
in the documents.
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Analyzes point of view or bias
in at least four documents cited
in the essay.
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Analyzes the documents in
additional ways -- additional
groupings or other. (Go for four
groups, with 2 or more docs per
group).
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Brings in relevant “outside”
historical content.
Basic Core Point 1:
 Types of Thesis Statements:
• XYZ (refers to POA): Answer the question in the first part of
your thesis and then follow it up with you Plan of Attack (POA).
The POA should consist of your organizational categories.
 DBQ Prompt Ex: Analyze the causes of the Fr Rev of 1789.
 Thesis Ex: The Fr Rev broke out because of pol, econ, and social
problems in Fr, which had existed since the time of Louis XIV. The 3rd
estate lacked voting and pol power, the tax structure was unfair to
the lower classes, and the third estate still owed feudal dies and
obligations to the nobility, contradicting the Enlightenment idea that
all men are created equal.
• “Although”: Uses although to show an understanding of the
nuances of historical analyses.
 DBQ Prompt Ex: Evaluate the impact of reforms of Peter the Great
 Thesis Ex: Although the efforts of Peter the Great to westernize
Russia showed some promise during his lifetime, after his death most
of the reforms were lost. … POA
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Underline the thesis
 Basic
Core Point 2: Use half plus 1. More is
better. Refer to docs as (Doc 1). Ex: In the
letter by Rhodes … (Doc 5)
 Basic Core Point 3: Can’t misinterpret
more than 1 EVER. Read closely. Must
support an argument with majority of docs.
 Basic Core Point 4: Avoid laundry list.
Student must interpret docs. Placing docs
into thesis categories and linking them ???
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Basic Core Point 5: Analyzes bias or POV in at least 3 docs.
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Students need to demonstrate the awareness that Docs are NOT facts.
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Students must not only explain the POV but need to show WHY the author has a particular POV.
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Always use Attribution and put doc # in ( ). Ex: The reformer Luther explained … (Doc 2)
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Do a minimum or 3 to get the point but 4 or more is better. Try to discuss POV for as many docs as possible in an intelligent manner.
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Use APPARTS:
 Author: Who created the source? What do you know about the author? What is the author’s POV?
 Place and Time: Where and when was the source produced? How might this affect the meaning of the source?
 Prior knowledge: Beyond information about the author and the context of its creation, what do you know that would help you further
understand the primary source? For ex, do you recognize any symbols and recall what they represent?
 Audience: For whom was the source created and how might this affect the reliability of the source?
 Reason: Why was this source produced at the time it was produced?
 The Main Idea: What point is the source trying to convey?
 Significance: Why is this source important? What inferences can you draw from this document? Ask yourself, “So what?” in relation
to the question asked.
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Type 1: Authorial POV: Students show how the occupation, gender, class, religion, nationality, political position, ethnicity, etc.
influence the author’s POV. Look for anonymous or exile.
 Ex: Rhodes would have favored imperialism since he was a businessman who was benefiting from the profits (Doc 7).
 Ex: Luther, a reformer was influenced by his religious beliefs to love his children (Doc 2)
 Ex: Luther would not have supported the peasants because he needed the protection of the North German Princes ( Doc 2).
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Type 2: Reliability and Accuracy of Sources: Students show why a particular document is either reliable or unreliable (usually by
looking at the type of document). Good to use when looking at obvious propaganda. Good to use when looking at pictures that leave
info out or focus on select images. Look for unpublished paper (would it be more reliable if it was published?)
 Ex: Tristan’s analysis of the crowd is probably unreliable, since she is a outsider who probably doesn’t understand that the rioters
are just hoodlums who have gotten out of hand (Doc 7).
 Ex: The Japanese visitor’s account is probably reliable, because he is an outsider who would have no reason to lie about what he
saw (Doc 5).
 Ex: The photo is probably an unreliable source, since it was published by the German News Agency and would have been taken to
show support for the government (Doc 1).
 Basic
Core Point 6: Analyzes docs by
organizing them into at least 3
appropriate groups. Each group must
have 2 docs or more in it. Try to put 3 or
4 docs per group.