Picture the start of Section II of the AP US History exam. You get one question, seven documents and a recommended 60 minutes, and about 15 of those minutes are suggested for reading the documents and planning. That is the document-based question, and it is worth 25% of your exam score. The College Board's scoring guidelines say these essays should be treated as first drafts, so readers are looking for skills, not polish.
To keep it concrete, we'll use one example prompt. Example prompt (made up for this deck, not from any exam): Evaluate the extent to which television changed American politics from 1950 to 1980.
How the 7 points add up
| Row | What it rewards | Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | Thesis/claim | 1 |
| B | Contextualization | 1 |
| C | Evidence from the documents | 2 |
| C | Evidence beyond the documents | 1 |
| D | Sourcing | 1 |
| D | Complex understanding | 1 |
Each point is earned on its own, except where the rubric says otherwise. A shaky thesis doesn't stop you earning the evidence points.
Thesis: a claim with a reason
You need a historically defensible thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. That means the claim gives some reason for itself or sets up the categories of your argument. "Television changed American politics" only restates the prompt. "Television changed American politics by making a candidate's image matter more and by bringing events like the Vietnam War into living rooms, though parties and local organizing still shaped how people voted" makes a claim and shows where the essay will go. It must sit in one place, in the introduction or the conclusion, and it can be more than one sentence.
Contextualization: the bigger picture
Describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt: something before, during or continuing after the time frame. For the example prompt, you might describe how television spread rapidly into American homes after World War II. A passing phrase or reference won't do: describe the context and connect it to the prompt.
Evidence from the documents: describe, then use
- 1 point: use the content of at least three documents to address the topic.
- 2 points: support an argument using at least four documents.
Quoting a document without saying what it shows earns nothing, and lumping documents together doesn't count either. Say what each document shows, then what that proves for your argument.
Evidence beyond the documents
Bring in at least one specific piece of evidence that isn't in any document and is relevant to your argument. For the example prompt, the televised Kennedy–Nixon debates would work if no document already covers it. It must be different from what you used for contextualization, and more than a name-drop.
Sourcing: why the source matters
For at least two documents, explain how or why the document's point of view, purpose, historical situation and/or audience is relevant to your argument. Many teachers use the memory aid HIPP (Historical situation, Intended audience, Purpose, Point of view). HIPP is a classroom shortcut, not a rubric term. The key word is explain. "The author is a campaign adviser" only identifies a point of view. "Writing a private memo to the candidate after a debate, the adviser had reason to stress how he looked on camera" explains why it matters.
Complexity: a complex understanding
The rubric asks for a complex understanding through sophisticated argument and/or effective use of evidence. The scoring guidelines list routes such as explaining both continuity and change, explaining multiple causes or effects, making connections across periods or regions, effectively using all seven documents, or explaining sourcing for at least four documents. Either way, it must be part of your argument, not a sentence tacked on.
Common mistakes students make
- Restating the prompt as a thesis. Add the "because" or the categories.
- Summarizing documents in order. A tour of Documents 1 to 7 isn't an argument. Group them by your claims.
- Identifying the source without explaining it. Naming the author's job isn't sourcing.
- Counting a document fact as outside evidence. If it's in a document, it doesn't count as beyond the documents.
- Using the same fact for context and outside evidence. The rubric needs two different pieces.
Frequently asked questions
How many documents are in the APUSH DBQ?
Seven. You need at least three for one evidence point and at least four, used to support an argument, for two.
How long should you spend on the APUSH DBQ?
The College Board recommends 60 minutes, including a 15-minute reading period.
What is HIPP in a DBQ?
A teachers' memory aid for sourcing: Historical situation, Intended audience, Purpose and Point of view. The rubric asks you to explain how one or more of these matters for at least two documents.
Does the DBQ thesis have to be one sentence?
No. It can be one or more sentences, but it must be in one place, in the introduction or the conclusion.
Try it
Write a thesis for the example prompt that argues for change and admits one continuity. Then pick any two documents you can imagine for it and write one sourcing sentence for each. What changed, and why then?
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