Using Multiple Sources to Tell the Stories of History

What is the Document Based Question strategy (DBQ)?

A DBQ requires students to create an essay in response to a historical or literary text, analyzing some historical issue, theme, or trend with the aid of the documents as evidence.  The DBQ is based on skills that can be learned and practiced by writing a strong thesis, using given evidence to support an argument, making connections between different documents and pieces of evidence, placing specific information in a broader context, analyzing an author's intent, bias, audience, etc.  DBQ's can be used with grades 3 - 12.  

Students analyze documents on a certain topic, answer questions about each document, and then answer in essay form an overriding question that pulls all the documents together. DBQs challenge students to go beyond their classroom instruction for a further, in-depth study on a topic. When analyzing sources, students must go beyond a surface analysis and inquire deeply about the source.

Having students engage with primary sources, especially if those sources have been selected to "tell a story," requires them to demonstrate disciplinary literacy.  That is, the content knowledge, experiences, and skills demonstrated through the ability to read, write, communicate, and think critically using approaches unique to a specific discipline, in this case, social studies.

Here is a "Tips for Teachers" document on DBQs.