DBQ Essay Checklist
How Did the Nile Shape Ancient Egypt?
Directions: Read a peer’s rough draft and check for the following items. (You may
also complete your own checklist.)
Introduction Paragraph
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Title
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Grabber (grab the reader’s attention… perhaps a quoted law)
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Background (historical context)
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States question with key terms defined
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Thesis and road map (answer to the question and statement conveys the organization of body
paragraphs)
3 Body Paragraphs
Paragraph 2
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Baby Thesis (topic sentence)
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Cited evidence (supporting details from documents with correct document citations)
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Argument (explanation of how the evidence connects to the thesis)
Paragraph 3
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Baby Thesis
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Cited evidence
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Argument
Paragraph 4
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Baby Thesis
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Cited evidence
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Argument
Remember: evidence must come from the following sources.
o Map of Ancient Egypt (Document A)
o The Nile River Flood Cycle (Document B)
o Transport on the Nile (Document C)
o Field of Reeds Tomb Painting (Document D)
o “Hymn to the Nile” (Document E)
o Textbook (Outside Information)
Cite the document correctly:
o After the sentence, show the document number.
Example: Ancient Egyptians understood that the Nile controlled
everything: “If he is sluggish... everyone is impoverished... If he
rises... everyone is in joy.” (Doc. E).
Conclusion Paragraph
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Restatement of main idea (the thesis) in the first sentence
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Summary of the strongest arguments from body paragraphs
Other Requirements
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Final Draft meets all, not just mostly, of RPEMS Writing Guidelines (see back for details)
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Formal Writing (no 1st person or 2nd person)
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Total Score (18 points possible)