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Lesson Two |
Lesson Two: Creating Document-Based Questions
Accounting for the Needs of All Students
What different types of documents are used?
1. Document-based questions require students to do the work of historians and social scientists. The materials of social scientists are the “stuff” of the DBQ. Documents include:
graphs
charts
maps
cartoons
photographs
artwork
eyewitness accounts
historical passages
2. There are many sources for documents, including:
primary source texts
archives and museums
textbooks
3. There are many valuable Internet sites:
historical organizations and associations (e.g., American Historical Association, The World History Association)
government agencies (e.g., Library of Congress, New York State Archives)
educational institutions (e.g., the SUNY system)
How do teachers account for the needs of all students?
1. When preparing DBQs, work progressively.
Younger students generally work with fewer documents.
Older or more experienced students generally work with more documents and engage in higher-level analytical skills and more complex tasks.
2. It is imperative that students examine visual sources: charts, graphs, cartoons, photos, etc.
When designing a DBQ similar to a State assessment model, include 2 – 3 visuals.
3. Passage length is important. Readings should not be wordy or lengthy.
If the passage is longer than one-third of a page, it probably needs to be shortened.
4. Where vocabulary is difficult, dated, or colloquial, provide “adaptations” and parenthetical context clues. See the Sample DBQ.
How do teachers create “workable” questions?
1. The best DBQs center on such examples as:
2. Sample DBQ tasks:
OR
Compare and contrast the positive and negative effects of imperialism on native peoples.
Evaluate the extent to which imperialism helped or harmed colonial societies.
3. Achieve balance when selecting documents.
4. The Sample DBQ (on governmental decision making) illustrates balance. The
documents are grouped into two distinct patterns illustrating the principles of
rule by:
Democracy (Document 1, Document 3, Document 6, Document 7)
A single individual or group (Document 2, Document 4, Document 5, Document 8)
5. The DBQ should be linked to one of the themes for social studies taken from the “Concepts and Themes for Social Studies” section of the Social Studies Resource Guide with Core Curriculum.
HISTORY: Belief Systems, Change, Conflict, Choice, Culture, Diversity, Empathy, Identity, Interdependence, Imperialism, Movement of People and Goods, Nationalism, Urbanization
GEOGRAPHY: The World in Spatial Terms, Places and Regions, Physical Systems, Human Systems, Environment and Society, The Uses of Geography, Environment
ECONOMICS: Needs and Wants, Economic Systems, Factors of Production, Scarcity, Science and Technology
CIVICS, CITIZENSHIP, AND GOVERNMENT: Justice, Nation-State, Citizenship, Political Systems, Power, Government, Decision Making, Civic Values, Human Rights
How should the question be written?
1. Always ensure that the quality of all visual documents is excellent. Visuals must be clear, clean, and readable.
2. Begin the DBQ by stating the directions.
3. State the Historical Context. This context represents the theme of the DBQ as it applies to a specific time and place in history.
4. State the Task. This statement directs students to:
write the essay.
interpret and weave most of the documents into the body of the paragraph.
incorporate outside information.
write a strong introduction and conclusion.
What is scaffolding? What is its purpose? How should sound scaffolding questions be written?
1. Scaffolding questions are key questions included after each document in the DBQ.
2. Sound scaffolding questions:
are clear and specific.
contain information in the stimulus providing a definite answer to the question.
3. There is at least one scaffolding question for each document. However, if a document provides
opposing perspectives or contains multiple points, two questions are appropriate.
4. Refer to the following GENERIC DBQ FORMAT model below when constructing questions:
Generic DBQ Format
Directions:
This question is based on the accompanying documents. It is designed to test
your ability to work with historical documents. Some of these documents have
been edited for the purposes of this question. As you analyze the documents,
take into account the source of each document and any point of view that may be
presented in the document.
Historical Context:
Provide a general historical context, framework, or overview for the question.
Question:
State the question. Identify the task. Use bullets to segment each part of the
task. Use verbs such as describe, compare, contrast, analyze,
evaluate, etc.
After reading the documents, complete Part A.
Part A - Short Answer
Analyze the documents and answer the short-answer questions that follow each
document in the space provided.
Document 1:
Place the document here.
State the question. You may have 1 or 2 questions for each document. (Remember:
the purpose of the scaffolding is to lead students into a proper response to the
question.) Provide five or six lines on which students will write their responses.
Analyze the DBQ according to the attached criteria. If your classroom assessment also contains multiple-choice questions and/or a Thematic essay, you may want to ensure that no overlap exists between them in the content tested.
DBQ Checklist (Note: this is a Word document)