Worried about the AP European history Document Based Questions (DBQ)? Lucky for you, these questions are scored based on a simple formula. If you know the material and the rubric, don’t be surprised when you get an awesome grade!
The AP European history exam’s document based question section is scored on a 9 point scale. If you demonstrate each of the six ‘Basic Core’ skills, you can earn an additional three points from the ‘Expanded Core’ section. You can only earn expanded core points if you are awarded all of the basic core.
To earn all 6 Basic Core points, your essay must:
-Provide a clear thesis that addresses all parts of the question
-Specifically discusses the majority of the documents
-Support the theses by interpreting a majority of the documents
-Show a solid understanding the documents (you can only misinterpret one document)
-Explain the impact or presence of bias in at least 3 documents
-Organize the documents into three appropriate groups (these can be your three paragraphs)
Assuming all of these skills are present, you can earn up to three additional points if your essay:
-Has a clear, analytical or comprehensive thesis
-Uses almost every document (maybe you don’t use one or two)
-Skillfully uses the documents to support your argument
-Shows that you understand the nuisances within the documents
-Discusses the bias in four documents instead of three
-Creates additional groupings for the documents or does something similarly complicated
-Incorporates outside information into the essay (you should get this one every time)
-Addresses all aspects of the question thoroughly
Before the AP European history exam, you need to practice taking Document Based Question tests. Learn to nail the basic core each and every time, and choose three or four Expanded Core criteria to incorporate. I would focus on the requirements that are concrete, like ‘Demonstrating bias in 4 documents.’ An essay reader can decide whether your thesis is comprehensive or not, but there’s no room for debate about numerical measurements. Personally, my four favorite expanded core points are:
-Uses almost every document
-Discusses the bias in four documents instead of three
-Incorporates outside information into the essay
-Shows that you understand the nuisances within the documents
Focus on getting these four nailed down and you should get a great grade.
Wait! Before you can hammer the DBQ, you’ll need to study, right? One of the best ways to cut down on preparation time is by using pre-made study materials. You need a mixture of detailed notes, outlines and full length essays for maximum preparation. So where can you get them? I’ll show you. Don’t leave your history grade to chance!