SAA APUSH
DBQ/FRQ WRITING TIPS
8-Step Strategy:
1. Read the question three times. Do not move on until you fully understand it.
2. Identify the task by circling the main words. (For example: assess the validity, compare and contrast, evaluate relative importance, analyze the significance, etc.)
3. Ask yourself “what do I have to prove?” (e.g. Foreign policy is more important than domestic policy). Many FRQ/DBQ questions ask you to take a stand or defend an opinion, don’t do it!!! PRESENT BOTH SIDES of the argument, whenever possible compare and contrast, otherwise you narrow what you can write about.
4. Construct a thesis that is well-developed and clear. If the thesis is a mystery to the writer, it will be a mystery to the reader! Think Cause and Effect. As a last resort restate the question.
5. Make a SPRITEEND list (outline) of outside information (as if you were writing a standard essay).
Social
Political/military
Religion
Intellectual (new ideas information)
Technology (inventions – new tech)
Economic
Environment
Names and Dates (add to the list where appropriate)
6. Examine the documents, underlining any key words or phrases that you may use later in the essay. Reread the question again after reading the first three documents.
7. Write your essay. It is a race – you to prove that you have a good understanding of the answer against the clock! Do not waste time on writing things that are not outside information.
8. Wrap up with a conclusion that restates your thesis. Review the essay.
Some Key Points to Remember:
ü Start with outside information first & write it down (SPRITEEND) WARNING WARNING!!!!
If you read the documents first it will trap you – DO NOT GET Trapped by the DBQ!!
ü Then read the documents; then construct a thesis.
ü Make your life easier by constructing a thesis that can reasonably include most/ all of the documents (even if you don’t really believe your thesis). It is better to be “practical” than “right.” Argue both sides of a position – compare and contrast.
ü Use as many documents as you can as long as they fit your thesis.
ü Don’t explain documents -- that is not your task.! AP readers have a list and a summary for each document. Use documents to reinforce your main points and outside information.
ü Don’t rewrite large portions of documents. Limit quotations to 1 sentence or less.
ü Reference author’s you are citing (e.g. …“In the letter by Abraham Lincoln”)
ü Cite many documents used, e.g., (Doc. A), (Doc. F)
ü All fundamental writing principles you have learned regarding standard essays apply to DBQ essays.
You are trying to demonstrate that you have an understanding of US History and the topic by providing a great deal of relevant OUTSIDE information!! 5/8/2013