How To Write An AWESOME D.B.Q.

Essay!

A “Dazzling” D.B.Q. Is Like a Tasty

Hamburger

The Introductory Paragraph

-The top bun of your essay!-4-6 Sentences

The Introductory Paragraph

Establish TIME and PLACE Create a clear, THESIS statement

Underline or highlight it Allude to the SUB-TOPICS or categories you

will discuss to support your thesis statement No laundry list

Focus on the question at hand (THE PROMPT)- do NOT begin with a “flowery” sentence

Thesis Statement First item on the Core Scoring Guides for all

essays is the thesis statement You cannot get additional points in the

expanded core without a decent thesis Thesis statement needs to:

1. It must be explicit. No subtlety here, it should be in-your-face.

2. It MUST be based on the documents. 3. It must deal with all parts of the question.

PROMPT:

Describe the efforts to create more

literacy in France as well as the

attitudes of those for and against these

changes in French  literacy during the

late 17th century. THESIS STATEMENT

Literacy spread through France quickly between 1686 and 1690 because of a determined group of clergymen and commoners who demanded educational rights. They were not stopped by their opponents in the aristocracy and the wealthy intellectual who wanted to preserve their power.

The “Meat” Paragraphs

The tasty part of your essay! 8-12 sentences per paragraph

The “Meat” Paragraphs

Identify your sub-topic or category in the first sentence.

Include the documents that are relevant to support the ideas in the paragraph.

Use ALL of the documents given throughout the body.

Bring in supportive outside information. Use at least one additional document

Point of View Why would this person say this? How reliable is this document? What makes this document different from other kind

of documents? What is the tone or the intent of this document? Example: John Smith would have said this because

he was a member of the upper class. Example: This document may not be reliable

because it was written by some one who was in another country at the time of the incident.”

How to Reference a Document in Your

Essay Thomas Paine, in his pamphlet, Common

Sense, said “……” Joe Smith, a mid-Western delegate to

the Republican convention in 1912, agreed with ……..

The 19th century historian, Frederick Jackson Turner, felt that ……. (Doc. E).

NEVER begin with: In Document 3, …..

The Concluding Paragraph

The bottom bun of your essay! It holds it all together 4-6 Sentences

The Concluding Paragraph

Start with a “concluding phrase” Restate your thesis statement a bit

differently Put your essay answer in a larger historical

perspective End of some trend/movement/idea, etc. Beginning of some trend/movement/idea End of one and beginning of another Do NOT end on the note that this is the reason

we are where we are today!

Put It ALL Together,

A Perfect Essay!