How long should a DBQ be?

A DBQ essay helps in evaluating the analysis and understanding skills of the students. They also help in highlighting the ability of the students to think outside the box. These skills are considered very important, and they help in gaining academic success in life. In this article, we will understand what a DBQ essay is, how to write one, and the format of a DBQ essay.

What is a DBQ essay?

DBQ, or “document-based essay." Is an academic paper that is part of the AP US History exam (APUSH) designed by the United States College Board. It requires the student to know about certain topics with proof from 3–16 verified sources. Understanding the DBQ APUSH and its outline is very important for the academic success of the student.

DBQ essay writing format

DBQ outline 

Understanding the process of writing a DBQ essay is a difficult task for beginners. Therefore, the professionals from The Assignment Ninjas have prepared the DBA format for your reference when studying for the exam. Like any other essay, DBQ essays consist of an introduction, thesis statement, body, and conclusion. 

Introduction

• It should consist of a hook statement to attract the audience.
• Provide the background topic. The background should be related to the historical occurrences for reference.

Thesis 

• Describe the claims made in the past and provide evidence for their support. 
• Provide a brief description of the evidence that will be provided in the body. 
• Write a paragraph that states how the DBQ essay questions are answered in the essay. 

Body Paragraph 1

• Include the most relevant argument in the first paragraph. The argument should be linked to the thesis statement of the essay.
• Provide an analysis of the references related to the strongest argument made.
• Provide a point that concludes the analysis from different points of view. Also, provide a link to the thesis.
• Provide the transition sentence for the next body paragraph. 

Body Paragraph 2

• Provide a statement that links to the thesis statement and also to the first statement in the first paragraph. 
• Provide an analysis of the references made for the strongest statement in the paragraph. 
• Provide a point that concludes the analysis from different points of view. Also, provide a link to the thesis.
• Provide the transition sentence for the next body paragraph. 

Body paragraph 3

• Provide a statement that links to the thesis statement and also to the argument made in the second paragraph. 
• Provide an analysis of the references made for the strongest statement in the paragraph. 
• Provide a point that concludes the analysis from different points of view. Also, provide a link to the thesis.
• Provide the transition sentence for the conclusion.

Conclusion

• Provide a submerged argument for the essay.
• Provide the main points and important information present in the sources.
• Make a concluding statement or question challenging the viewpoints that are against the sources.

Steps for writing a DBQ essay 

DBQ writing can be very difficult for students. However, the easy steps provided in this blog will make DBQ writing very easy and simple. The blog provides information regarding the process of writing a DBQ thesis, its analysis, time management, and proofreading of work. It is recommended to write the paper as per the outline of the DBQ essay, as it helps in achieving the success you deserve.

The DBQ includes

Planning: 15 minutes

Writing: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Proofreading: 10 minutes

Time management plays an important role in this type of examination. The general guideline for DBQ states that the duration of the exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Provide 15 minutes for planning, 2 hours and 45 minutes for writing, and 10 minutes for proofreading. The following steps will help in providing information regarding the steps for writing a DBQ thesis, body, and conclusion in a better way. 

Step 1: Planning 15 minutes

During the exam, it becomes important to gather information regarding the sources. The exam provides 3 hours for the exam. Therefore making use of 15 minutes for planning is very reasonable. In the planning time, it is important to analyze the key information from different sources, make a note of them and mention them under the titles such as introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion. 

Step 2 Introduction (5 minutes)

First impressions are very important when giving something to the audience. The introduction should be short and precise. The introduction should not contain the answers to the questions.  The introduction should carry a summary of the paper. Also, it is important to provide an introductory sentence. 

Step 3 Thesis (20 Minutes)

In this stage, the essay requires three different paragraphs for the DBQ thesis. Provide the claims made in the paper and provide evidence for the same. The second paragraph should contain a description of the paper, and the third paragraph should provide how the questions will be answered in the paper. 

Step 4 Body 2 (2 hours 16 minutes)

It is important to write structured and categorized paragraphs in the body. Every paragraph should contain only one point. Mixing of ideas should be avoided in the paragraphs. Provide the answer to the assigned question along with the documents. It is also important for the writer to read between the lines. This helps in ensuring that each paragraph is linked to the thesis statements.

Step 5: Conclusion (10 minutes)

This is the final part of the essay. A conclusion plays an important role in persuading the audience of the essay. The lack of a proper audience results in creating a skeptical audience. Therefore, a well-written conclusion should be able to summarize the entire paper. The conclusion should be linked to the thesis statement. Answering the question in a concluding sentence includes “the big idea.”. 

Step 6: Proofreading (10 minutes)

It is important to spend around 10 minutes proofreading the essay after completing it.  Proofreading is very important as it helps in the identification of any type of spelling or grammatical mistake. Spelling or writing errors in the exam can result in reducing the grades of the student. It is important to ensure that the body paragraphs answer the questions linked to the thesis statements, as they are the most important element of the paper. 

Tips for writing success with a DBQ essay

• Understand: Before starting the essay, it is important to understand the essay questions and sources. 
• Duration: It is important to remember the duration of the exam, which is 3 hours and 15 minutes. 
• Study: Practice writing the DBQ exam at home before giving the actual exam. It helps make the students familiar with exam patterns. 
• Identify: Identify the key points from the sources and provide them with an essay. 
• Read between the lines: The students need to follow the outline of the DBQ essay to understand the structure of the essay in the exam. 
• Categorize: Categorize every point. This helps in writing the body paragraphs. 
• Provide the opinion of the author. It is important to provide the opinion of the author regarding the questions.
• Write a DBQ thesis in the notes. This helps in writing the DBQ thesis during the process of writing.
• Examine the DBQ Examples: Examining the DBQ examples during studying is a very efficient way of getting the feel of the exam before the actual examination. 

Conclusion

Following the outlines and steps for customer writing can help improve the skills of DBQ essays. Also, time management plays an important role in gaining positive results in the actual exam. The tips provided by us in their blog will be very helpful in getting a higher number in the exam by making you learn a high-quality DBQ essay. However, it is also important for the students to learn the DBQ format along with continuous practice from the exam point of view. This is important as it helps the students perform as per their potential in the exam. 

In case you are still stuck or thinking that someone can write the essay for me,  Then today, you have great luck. The essay writing team in our company is designed to help students like you meet their custom essay requirements at your convenience. The DBQ essays delivered by our experts are original and meet the requirements of the universities.