I'm really striving to improve my DBQ skills for AP History. I think looking at successful examples would help a lot. Has anyone come across any great ones that I could study as samples?
For AP History DBQ samples, the College Board website is a helpful resource. After all, it's the organization that designs and administers the exam. Therefore, the examples provided on their site are directly in line with what they're looking for in high-quality DBQs.
Specifically, they offer sample student responses for past DBQs given in the AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, and AP European History exams. The resources include the given DBQ, student samples, and scoring explanations. What's particularly helpful is that some student samples are not perfect, but they still received high scores.
The scoring explanations break down why each response received the scores it did according to the DBQ rubric. This could be beneficial to understanding what aspects are critical for a top-scoring DBQ. As you review these examples, pay attention to the organization, argument construction, use of documents, and integration of outside knowledge.
Remember, practice is also key. The more you work on crafting DBQs and get feedback, the more comfortable you'll be when it comes time for the exam. Good luck!
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