APUSH DBQ Rubric

What is required to earn the point for thesis/claim in a DBQ essay?

• restatement of the prompt with some added background information

• sentence that previews the structure of the essay

• historically defensible claim that establishes a line of reasoning

• claim supported by all the documents used in the essay

Where must the thesis be located to earn the thesis point?

• In the first or last sentence of any paragraph

• In either the introduction or the conclusion

• In the paragraph that uses the most documents

• Anywhere in the essay, as long as it's repeated clearly

To earn the contextualization point, a student must:

• Connect the prompt to a relevant broader historical development

• Begin with an anecdote or hook about the era in question

• Describe historical events or processes occurring before, during, or after the prompt’s time frame that are relevant

• Include a brief summary of events from the prior unit

What would NOT be sufficient to earn the contextualization point?

• Describing a relevant historical process that shaped the era

• Making a vague reference to prior events without elaboration

• Situating the prompt within a larger national trend

• Showing how the topic fits within a major turning point

What is the minimum number of documents a student must accurately describe to earn one document evidence point?

• Four

• Two and a counterargument

• Three

• Five

What must a student do to earn two document evidence points?

• Accurately summarize four or more documents

• Reference all documents at least once

• Use content from at least four documents to support an argument

• Explain the significance of three documents in a topic sentence

Which of the following would qualify as “evidence beyond the documents”?

• Mentioning a concept already used in contextualization

• Describing a relevant specific historical event not found in the documents

• Analyzing the point of view of one of the documents

• Referring to general knowledge about the time period

Which of the following would NOT earn the point for evidence beyond the documents?

• Describing the role of the Freedmen’s Bureau in Reconstruction

• Explaining a relevant court case not included in the documents

• Reusing the same outside information already used for contextualization

• Referencing a foreign policy that influenced the prompt’s topic

To earn the sourcing point for one document, a student must:

• Quote the author and explain the quote’s meaning

• Identify the author’s profession and background

• Explain how the author’s purpose, audience, historical situation, or point of view affects interpretation

• Use the author’s credentials to validate the document’s accuracy

Which element of a document can be used for sourcing?

• The tone of the passage

• Whether the author’s name is familiar

• The intended audience and how it shaped the author’s message

• Whether the document contains statistical evidence