Create Your Own DBQ
During the final quarter of World History Honors, all students will be creating their own Document Based Question with relevant historical background information, primary and secondary sources, and a full-length essay response.
Students will be required to turn in preliminary work on their DBQs throughout the quarter. All portions of the preliminary work will count as homework grades during the fourth quarter. Getting behind on the preliminary work will not only hurt your grade in the class, but will negatively impact your chances of doing well on the Final DBQ Submission. Your final DBQ submission will count as your SEMESTER 2 EXAM GRADE.
Students will be required to turn in preliminary work on their DBQs throughout the quarter. All portions of the preliminary work will count as homework grades during the fourth quarter. Getting behind on the preliminary work will not only hurt your grade in the class, but will negatively impact your chances of doing well on the Final DBQ Submission. Your final DBQ submission will count as your SEMESTER 2 EXAM GRADE.
Task
1. Pose a significant question about a topic from World History. The question should allow for various interpretations.
2. Include a collection of historical documents that will aid in the answering of the question
3. Answer your DBQ in an essay with a minimum of 5 paragraphs.
2. Include a collection of historical documents that will aid in the answering of the question
3. Answer your DBQ in an essay with a minimum of 5 paragraphs.
Process
1. Create a DBQ prompt in the form of an analytical question
2. Write a historical background paragraph in your own words providing a detailed explanation of the historical context of your question (i.e. time, place, and story)
3. Find a minimum of six (6) documents selected by you that relate to your topic
4. Analyze each of the documents using the SOAPStone strategy.
5. Create a DBQ Essay Outline
6. Write an exemplary Sample DBQ Essay response
7. Provide a Works Cited page with the citations for all documents in MLA format
2. Write a historical background paragraph in your own words providing a detailed explanation of the historical context of your question (i.e. time, place, and story)
3. Find a minimum of six (6) documents selected by you that relate to your topic
- Three (3) of the documents must be primary sources. These include information from people that were there. These should be brief excerpts, 1-2 paragraphs maximum. You may include any of the following sources: diaries, speeches, journals, letters, government documents, any printed material from the time period
- Two (2) of the documents must be visuals. You may include any of the following sources: historical maps, charts, artwork, pictures, artifacts
- One (1) of the documents must be a secondary source. These are sources created after the fact. You may include any of the following sources: histories, newspaper / magazine articles, biographies, textbooks
- All written documents must have a SOURCE LINE in the form of a detailed citation (MLA) and all visual documents must have a TITLE & SOURCE
4. Analyze each of the documents using the SOAPStone strategy.
5. Create a DBQ Essay Outline
6. Write an exemplary Sample DBQ Essay response
7. Provide a Works Cited page with the citations for all documents in MLA format
Step 1: Topic Selection
You have a choice of basically any topic in world history. What about the history of the world would you like to know more about? Your topic must have a world history perspective. I caution you not to choose topics that have happened in the last few years since it is often difficult to find substantial reference materials on recent subjects. Although several people in class may be focusing on the same general topic, only one person per class can sign up for a focused topic. For example, several people may chose to write a research paper on India, but only one person per class could write on the effects of the caste system on Indian society.
Worksheet for Topic Research: (to be completed in class 3/30)
Worksheet for Topic Research: (to be completed in class 3/30)
topic,_analytical_question,_thesis.docx | |
File Size: | 101 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Research Question Self- Assessment:
1. Your analytical question should allow for multiple interpretations and points of view. Throughout the research process you will be examining multiple perspectives in order to take position and form an argument. Are there multiple ways to answer your research question? What are they?
2. Your analytical question should reflect an enduring issue in the field of history. For example, examining causes and consequences of historical events, assessing the validity of certain historical beliefs, or identifying the purposes of different actions made by historical figures. Does your question reflect an enduring issue? How have other historians answered your question?
3. Your analytical question should reflect an issue that you find engaging. Are you interested in finding an answer to your question? Why is this question interesting to you?
If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you are prepared to move to the next step. If not, you should reconsider your question and/or adapt it to fit the purposes of this inquiry.
1. Your analytical question should allow for multiple interpretations and points of view. Throughout the research process you will be examining multiple perspectives in order to take position and form an argument. Are there multiple ways to answer your research question? What are they?
2. Your analytical question should reflect an enduring issue in the field of history. For example, examining causes and consequences of historical events, assessing the validity of certain historical beliefs, or identifying the purposes of different actions made by historical figures. Does your question reflect an enduring issue? How have other historians answered your question?
3. Your analytical question should reflect an issue that you find engaging. Are you interested in finding an answer to your question? Why is this question interesting to you?
If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you are prepared to move to the next step. If not, you should reconsider your question and/or adapt it to fit the purposes of this inquiry.
Step 2: Historical Background
Now that you have your analytical question, you should determine what supporting questions need to be answered before you are able to form an opinion.
Prior to beginning you Historical Background Essay, develop a list of questions that need to be answered before you can answer your driving research question.
Sample Analytical Question:
What is the most important consequence of the printing press?
Sample Supporting Questions to be answered within the Historical Background Essay:
- How was the printing press created?
- What was the printing press used for?
- Who are some major historical figures who used the printing press?
- In what ways did the printing press impact society?
The Historical Background Essay is meant to provide a historical context for the Document Based Question. This will set-the-stage for your question and provide context to the reader. The beginning of your essay should address the time period(s) and place associated with your historical investigation. Then, you will address the story behind your question, i.e. address your supporting questions. Finally, your analytical question will be the last sentence of this paragraph.
The Historical Background “Essay” must also include a visual, such as a simple map or timeline. This portion of your DBQ should be 5 – 8 sentences minimum.
Feel free to read the following Background Essay from the Printing Press DBQ to get an idea of what is expected.
Prior to beginning you Historical Background Essay, develop a list of questions that need to be answered before you can answer your driving research question.
Sample Analytical Question:
What is the most important consequence of the printing press?
Sample Supporting Questions to be answered within the Historical Background Essay:
- How was the printing press created?
- What was the printing press used for?
- Who are some major historical figures who used the printing press?
- In what ways did the printing press impact society?
The Historical Background Essay is meant to provide a historical context for the Document Based Question. This will set-the-stage for your question and provide context to the reader. The beginning of your essay should address the time period(s) and place associated with your historical investigation. Then, you will address the story behind your question, i.e. address your supporting questions. Finally, your analytical question will be the last sentence of this paragraph.
The Historical Background “Essay” must also include a visual, such as a simple map or timeline. This portion of your DBQ should be 5 – 8 sentences minimum.
Feel free to read the following Background Essay from the Printing Press DBQ to get an idea of what is expected.
printing_press_background_essay_.pdf | |
File Size: | 430 kb |
File Type: |
Step 3: Document Selection
Now that you have constructed your analytical question and addressed supporting questions, it is important to determine what sources are available to help you to answer your questions and how you will use those sources.
How do you know if a website is credible?
How do you know if a website is credible?
Run a background check on the website by seeing who is behind the domain using easy Domain Check.
Once you find out who owns a particular domain, run a search. Who is making this information available and for what purpose? Is there any bias?
Personal website are not reliable sources.
Once you find out who owns a particular domain, run a search. Who is making this information available and for what purpose? Is there any bias?
Personal website are not reliable sources.
How can you get around all of the questionable search results from Google?
Try RefSeek! RefSeek is an academic search engine created for students and researchers with the goal of making academic information easily accessible.
Try RefSeek! RefSeek is an academic search engine created for students and researchers with the goal of making academic information easily accessible.
Where can you find primary source documents?
Internet Archive
https://archive.org
Ancient History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.asp
Medieval History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/sbook.asp
Modern History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
World Digital Library
http://www.wdl.org/en/
Smithsonian Museums
http://www.si.edu/Museums
Internet Archive
https://archive.org
Ancient History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.asp
Medieval History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/sbook.asp
Modern History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
World Digital Library
http://www.wdl.org/en/
Smithsonian Museums
http://www.si.edu/Museums
Step 3: SOAPStone
Complete a SOAPStone analysis for each document created.
soapstone.docx | |
File Size: | 4 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Step 4: DBQ Outline
Organize your documents into analytical categories or buckets. Then, develop your essay response argument into the outline structure.
dbqessayoutline.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Preliminary Deadlines
DUE DATES REQUIRED SUBMISSION POINTS POSSIBLE
Fri, April 10 Topic & Analytical Question 10
Mon, April 13 Historical Background with citations 20
Wed, April 29 Minimum of six (6) documents 10
Fri, May 8 SOAPStone of all documents 20
Wed, May 20 DBQ Essay Outline 20
Wed, May 27 Rough Draft 20
Preliminary Work Total: 100
Fri, April 10 Topic & Analytical Question 10
Mon, April 13 Historical Background with citations 20
Wed, April 29 Minimum of six (6) documents 10
Fri, May 8 SOAPStone of all documents 20
Wed, May 20 DBQ Essay Outline 20
Wed, May 27 Rough Draft 20
Preliminary Work Total: 100
Final DBQ Submission: Monday, June 1, 2015
Compile all required elements and place them in a folder to be submitted for grading.
Prompt & Historical background – 10 points
Documents (6 minimum – 3 primary, 2 visual, 1 secondary) with source line – 20 points
Analysis of each document (SOAPStone) – 20 points
Sample DBQ Essay*- 100 points
Total Points Possible: 150
Prompt & Historical background – 10 points
Documents (6 minimum – 3 primary, 2 visual, 1 secondary) with source line – 20 points
Analysis of each document (SOAPStone) – 20 points
Sample DBQ Essay*- 100 points
Total Points Possible: 150
final_dbq_project_submission_specifications.docx | |
File Size: | 86 kb |
File Type: | docx |
final_dbq_submission_rubric.docx | |
File Size: | 130 kb |
File Type: | docx |