5 Tips for Writing a Great DBQ Essay

Summary

This video script offers a humorous yet informative lecture on writing a Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay, particularly for New York State Regents exams. It emphasizes the 'peanut butter and jelly' approach, where 'peanut butter' represents the use of primary documents with citations, quotes, and explanations, while 'jelly' symbolizes the integration of outside historical knowledge. The speaker stresses the importance of addressing all 'dots' or prompts and provides a formula for success: cite documents, use strong quotes, explain their relevance, and combine with thematic outside information. The script also highlights the necessity of proper essay formatting and structure for achieving high grades.

Takeaways

• 📝 The DBQ (Document-Based Question) essay is about history, not just the documents themselves. It's crucial to understand the historical context and not just describe the documents.
• 🥜 The 'peanut butter and jelly' analogy is used to describe the balance between using the provided documents (peanut butter) and incorporating outside knowledge (jelly) in the essay.
• 🔍 'Peanut butter' refers to the documents provided in the DBQ, which should be cited, quoted, and explained in relation to the essay's thesis.
• 🍯 'Jelly' represents the outside information and thematic ideas that students bring to the essay, enhancing the analysis beyond the documents.
• 🎯 'Dots or die trying' emphasizes the importance of addressing all the points ('dots') in the DBQ prompt to maximize the essay's score.
• 📚 Using at least half of the provided documents is recommended, as it forms the backbone of the essay with citations, quotes, and explanations.
• 🧠 Brainstorming and finding connections to the documents is essential for incorporating 'jelly' or outside information, which can come from other courses, historical knowledge, or even multiple-choice questions.
• ✍️ The essay should be well-structured, with topic sentences for each paragraph that relate to the dots or points in the DBQ prompt.
• 📈 The use of strong quotes from the documents, followed by explanations, is vital for the 'peanut butter' part of the essay.
• 📑 Writing 'jelly' or outside information on the side of the documents can help in quickly referencing it when needed in the essay.
• 📝 The essay's appearance matters; it should have a clear introduction, body paragraphs that address the dots, and a conclusion, with attention to paragraph length and format.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lecture in the provided transcript?

The main topic of the lecture is how to write a Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay, specifically for New York State exams, but also applicable to other states and the AP exam.

What is the term 'peanut-butter-and-jelly' essay used to describe in the context of the lecture?

The 'peanut-butter-and-jelly' essay refers to the structure of a DBQ essay where 'peanut butter' represents the information from the documents provided, and 'jelly' represents outside information or additional historical context brought into the essay.

Why is it incorrect to say that a DBQ essay is about documents?

It is incorrect because a DBQ essay is about history, not just the documents themselves. The documents are used to support historical arguments, but the essay should focus on historical analysis rather than a document-by-document summary.

What is the significance of 'dots' in the context of the lecture?

In the context of the lecture, 'dots' refer to the specific instructions or tasks given in the DBQ essay prompt, such as 'discuss two groups' or 'analyze the conflict.' The lecturer emphasizes the importance of addressing all these instructions in the essay.

What does the lecturer suggest should be done with each document in a DBQ essay?

The lecturer suggests that for each document, one should cite the document, choose a strong quote or feature, and explain how it relates to the historical argument being made.

What is the importance of 'jelly' in writing a DBQ essay?

The 'jelly' is important because it represents the outside information or additional historical context that enriches the essay. Without 'jelly,' the essay may lack depth and fail to meet the requirements for higher grades.

How should a student approach the 'dots' or instructions in a DBQ essay prompt?

A student should address each 'dot' or instruction in the prompt by writing about the specific topics or questions raised, ensuring that all aspects of the prompt are covered in the essay.

What is the minimum number of sentences recommended for each document in a DBQ essay?

The minimum recommended is three sentences per document: one for introducing the document, one for stating a quote or feature, and one for explaining its relevance to the argument.

What is the lecturer's advice on the use of outside information in a DBQ essay?

The lecturer advises students to brainstorm and find relationships or concrete examples from outside the provided documents to enrich their essays, writing these 'jelly' notes on the side of the documents for easy reference.

What is the lecturer's stance on the importance of essay format and appearance?

The lecturer emphasizes that essay format, topic sentences, and overall appearance matter. They suggest that essays should be well-structured with clear paragraphs, an opening, and a concluding paragraph to ensure a good impression and higher grades.