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- Writing the Thesis Statement and DBQ Essay
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- Takes a stand
- Answers the question
- Previews the argument
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- Write a thesis statement that outlines what you plan to address in your
essay.
- The thesis statement is not a restating of the question.
- It is an introduction that includes a careful constructed paragraph that
lays out what you will write about.
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- If your thesis statement stated, “some things are similar and some
things are different;” that is not a thesis statement.
- If you begin to write your essay in the introductory paragraph, you have
not written a good thesis statement.
- A thesis statement introduces the three areas you were tasked to address
and weaves them into that paragraph.
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- Example of a good thesis statement:
- Two of the most important early civilizations were those of Mesopotamia
and Egypt. They developed strong
political and social systems that were structured around a strong
emphasis on religion. Yet the
development of both civilizations was shaped through each one’s
environment and resulted in two uniquely separate cultures.
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- Once you have written a strong thesis, you have an outline to help guide
your essay.
- Don’t include details in your thesis paragraph. You do that in succeeding paragraphs.
- Conclusion needs to restate the main ideas of your essay. In other words - tell them what you are going to tell
them, tell them with details that support your thesis and sum up by a
strong conclusion.
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- You will be given between 4 and 10 documents to group and analyze.
- There is a time limit of 40 minutes in which to write the essay and you
will be given an additional 10 minutes to group and analyze the
documents.
- Documents may include maps, pictures, and charts.
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- You must look for and state three (3) points of view (POV’s).
- POV’s are identified as to the following:
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- What is the main idea or topic being said in the document?
- Why would this person be saying/creating this document at this time and
place?
- How does the document help me answer the question that is being asked?
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- There are a total of 9 points for the DBQ.
- The basic core consists of either 6 or 7 points.
- The expanded core will make up the rest of the total points.
- YOU MUST SCORE ALL BASIC POINTS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE EXPANDED CORE
POINTS.
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- Thesis statement that is not just a restating of the question.
- Using all but one of the documents in your essay.
- Grouping and thoughtfully analyzing the documents. DON’T LIST DOCUMENTS!
- Stating the point of view/perspective on minimum of three (3) of the
documents
- Using the documents to support your thesis.
- Adding an additional document that would help support your thesis.
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- Extremely strong thesis statement.
- Adding more than one additional document to your essay.
- Completely and thoroughly answering the question.
- Remember, you must score all basic points in order to receive expanded
core.
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