Writing the perfect DBQ

1. Writing the perfect DBQ

2. What you need to do: • THESIS: create and discuss a perfect thesis • Must be analytical, and NOT just a repeat of the question • DOCUMENTS: Use all documents to prove your thesis correct • POV: Notice, and show bias of sources (4+ documents) • CONTEXTUALIZATION: show how this topic fits into a larger picture • Must be several sentences • OUTSIDEEVIDENCE: Introduce some “outside information” which was not found in documents, and be sure to analyze and explain how it fits into discussion – also, should be several sentences

3. Writing the perfect thesis: Write a thesis for this question: Analyze the purposes of Rituals and Festivals in traditional European life.

4. With a good thesis, you need to: • Be sure to answer the question, not anything else • Must focus ONLY on discussing purposes of Rituals and Festivals • Be sure to answer ALL PARTS of the question • Must discuss rituals AND festivals • It should mention several examples of evidence by name • You don’t have to talk about them all, but several are necessary • First and VERY first sentence should directly answer the question • It should be active, not passive. Hint: avoid the word “was.” • Create and argument which can be refuted, but you’ll provide all evidence needed to prove your thesis believable. • Plan to create a chart BEFORE reading the documents

5. Contextualization: • A good writer will notice the bigger picture, and will fit in this subject into a larger, more complex picture. Make this clear, like saying “this subject fits into context into a larger picture…” • The easiest is fitting this subject into a larger historical context • Discuss events leading to this specific topic • You can also discuss this as a subject that fits into a larger subject • For example, discussing nuances of Rituals and Festivals shows an understanding of life for common people • Common people have other issues concerning them, like living a life pleasing to God, protecting or providing for a family, etc. • If you do this, you have to describe in several sentences both the larger subject AND some other examples • THIS MUST BE SEVERAL SENTENCES LONG, and • THIS MUST BE FOUND CONTIGUOUSLY, NOT LITTERED THROUGHOUT

6. Outside Evidence: • Similar to Contextualization, you need to include evidence NOT found in the documents, to show you know more about this topic • Think of this like a document that’s not included • Be sure to make this clear. Example: “None of the documents discussed catholic rituals, like transubstantiation. Catholics believed you should go to mass often, and at every one, cleans your soul by ingesting the body and blood of Jesus. This ritual should happen at least once a week, or even several times a day. Such adherence to Catholic traditions served to (purpose…) bind Catholics together, keep religion fresh in the minds of believers, and remind Catholics that they are special, and others should be so lucky.”

7. What is POV (HAPP)? Good POV always has TWO elements: • Show that the source has some bias, AND • Show HOW his words in THIS article are showing that bias Ways to show POV: • HISTORICAL CONTEXT– discuss how this document fits into a larger picture • AUDIENCE– show that you know who the writer’s writing for • PURPOSE– show that you know WHY the writer wrote what he wrote. For example: • Because of his Position in society, he might say or believe things a certain way • Because he’s angry or sad or whatever, he could be expressing emotion or sarcasm in his writing • Because of who he is, he might be backing an specific idea or person • Certain types of documents have an obvious purpose. Example: speeches are meant to persuade, so if this is a speech, show the persuasion part • POINT OF VIEW – show that you know this person’s position in society, and doing so, he shows a bias you recognize in his writing

8. Hint for POV • Use the word “naturally” to show why he said what he said • Example:“naturally” because of who he is… or “naturally” he’d say ____ because he is a ______

9. What it means to analyze • Show you know what the intention of the document is, in relation to the question • DO NOT QUOTE • Show you’re using the document to prove your thesis

10. What it means to group docs • Goal is to have three docs in a paragraph • That way, you can mess one up, and still have two good ones • Start each paragraph with an explanation as to why you grouped those docs together. A sentence or two is fine. Don’t dwell on this. You don’t really get points for doing this, it just shows deeper analysis. • If you have four docs in a paragraph, split, and make two separate paragraphs

11. Getting the “super point” • Readers are locked into the previous six points. This last point is their opportunity to give “extra” to the most exceptional writing • This is where you see the writer is deep, exceptionally insightful, and surprises the reader by discussing nuances in unique ways or clarity • Almost nobody gets this point on the real deal. Almost nobody will get a 10 from me.

12. Final clean-up • Put numbers of docs in outside margin • Label POV in same margin where you attempted POV • Label OUTSIDE EVIDENCE • Verify you used all of the docs (cite by name of source) • Verify you attempted POV more than three times (more is better!) • Showing super deep analysis of docs and question