Transcript DBQ ESSAY OUTLINE FORMAT

DBQ ESSAY OUTLINE
FORMAT
While reading the documents the
first time:
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What is the prompt asking? – put into your
own words / take a position based on what
the documents show you
What 3 categories can you group the
documents to answer the prompt?
Where is the author’s point of view obvious?
What is missing?
I. THESIS – Pre Write
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A. Time period
B. Position/prompt
C. Categories /Doc #s / Because
D. Missing voice - b/c (how does it relate to
the prompt)
II. Body Paragraphs Pre-Write
A. Position/ prompt
B. Category
C. Topic statement - how do the docs relate to position & category
(1 sentence)
1. 1st doc used: Doc # and specific relation to
position and category
2. 2nd doc used, etc
D. Point of View (Choose 1 from the documents in each category)
1. Author’s name
2. Author’s country & date of document
3. Author’s POV - what does he believe?
4. What influences his opinion? (Background,
nationality, religion, position)
{Author X believes Y because Z}
DBQ Essay - Thesis
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Thesis: time period, address prompt, take a
position, identify the categories (doc #s), why they
relate to the prompt (b/c), missing voice (b/c)
No Personal Pronouns !!!
Make sure the categories are explained (B/C)
Use ALL the documents!
Missing voice must be specific, relate to the
prompt and have a B/C
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Ex: A document from Marco Polo might show the
Mongols in a positive light because he lived and worked
in Kublai Khan’s court for many years.
DBQ Body Paragraphs
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Topic Statement: category/prompt/position
statement
Explain each document in the category
specifically as it relates to category/prompt
no quoting!
Identify 1 POV per paragraph
Name the author or describe him (Doc#)
 Explain WHY he believes what he is telling us
Author X (name) believes Y (what) because Z (why)
Ex: Genghis Khan’s shaman (1) believes that Khan is a
positive influence because of the violence that the
shaman lived through before Khan’s conquest of the
Central Asian Mongol tribes.
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Essay reminders
use the author’s name
 avoid listing (doc#1 says, doc 2 states)
** persuade the reader of your position using the
documents as your evidence - TELL THE STORY (it
is much more interesting than your lists are! - but be
accurate - don’t make stuff up!)
 avoid plagiarism – you must explain the docs in your
own words - you may not quote the docs
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