Using Multiple Sources to Tell the Stories of History

5. Primary Sources for DBQs

While developing your own DBQ may seem daunting, there are a number of websites where you can find collections of primary sources called, "primary source sets."  You can use these sets (or pull specific sources) from these sets to build your own.  Below are instructions for building your own DBQs and links to primary source sets.

How to Create Your Own DBQ

1. Determine what period, theme, or concept of United States History you would like to explore in creating your own original DBQ. 
2. Determine the focus of the DBQ you wish to create. DBQ’s do not have to be limited to advance placement or honor courses. DBQ’s can reinforce similarities (compare), differences (contrasting), change and continuity (trace), and a variety of other learning tasks. 
3. Select the specific section or sections from the websites listed below that best address the period, theme, or concept you have decided upon. 
4. Develop the question for your DBQ. A good question will challenge the students to combine their knowledge of the documents and outside sources in their essay. Concentrate on the words used when developing a question. 
5. Determine how many documents will be used in creating an original DBQ, most teachers recommend between 6-9 documents in a DBQ.  However, for elementary students, 3 - 4 documents are recommended.
6. Thoroughly read all the documents selected in order to edit the significant segments of each document to be used in the DBQ. The document segments selected should be relevant to the question and reinforce the material covered in the course. 
• When editing also keep in mind time restrictions, students should complete the entire DBQ in approximately a class period or hour.
7. In constructing your own DBQ, use the two HSP provided DBQ’s as templates. Make sure to include your directions, clarifying expectations, and the question at the top of the page. Below the question, list the edited documents (include the document title, author, year – as the source) in a logical order that will help the student best answer the question. You may consider labeling each document by a sequence of letters.
   

Here are a few examples of DBQs to help your in your DBQ creation!

1. The 10th Mountain Division (4th grade)
2. Contributions of the Classical Period (6th grade)
3. Multiple DBQs for the elementary level (grades 2 - 6) 
4. What Caused the Dust Bowl? (grades 9 - 12)

• You can also have students create their own DBQs!

Where to find primary source sets:

• The Library of Congress Primary Source Sets
• Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets
• CDE - Elementary Primary Source Sets & Primary Source Analysis Sheets!

Additional resources:

1. Using DBQs with Struggling Readers
2. How to Teach the DBQ Writing Process
3. How to: DBQs and Primary Sources