If you've taken or are currently enrolled in AP Euro or AP US, then you are familiar with the DBQ essay. Basically, a Document Based Question provides a number of texts (including political cartoons, photos, commercials, advertisements, etc.) and then it is up to the writer to draw some connections and answer a given prompt about the documents. However, for this assignment, you are the creator of the DBQ. You will choose a quote (a list will be supplied, but you are not required to pick a quote from that list) and then you will locate at least 6 documents which support or refute that quote. This is your out-of-class essay for the third nine weeks.
Your first task is to choose a quote. Your quote actually becomes your topic. Some newsworthy topics are immigration, stem cell research, job outsourcing, adoption of foreign babies/children, alternative energy sources, civil liberties, etc. However, initially, it might be useful to choose 3 or so quotes so that if a couple of them prove hard to find documents for, then you already have a backup plan. With the help of my AP colleague Charles Steltenkamp, I offer this list of quotes because I believe that they are "arguable". Regardless of whether you choose a quote from this list, be sure that your quote is arguable. In other words, documents should exist on both sides of the quote. If you do not choose a quote from this list, please identify the author and his/her lifespan when you first reference the quote.
When I first mentioned this project, Saeed R. immediately suggested quotegarden.com as a good resource for locating quotes on a specific topic.
Bartleby.com also offers a searchable index of quotes. So, if you know of a particular subject that you're interested in researching, or a particular person, then this site may prove more valuable.
Links to other quote websites are available on the Minor Projects page of my website.
After you've chosen your quote, then you need to think of examples which support or refute the major claim. (This is very similar to how you would approach a given quote on the new SAT essay.) Make a list of examples for yourself. Then, consider what type of document might you be able to find to support that example. Then, commence your search.
For this paper, you will need to supply the 6 documents, so be sure to print out or Xerox each one and take note of the Bibliographic information from your source. Also, you will need to isolate the key part of the information such as AP would use for a document. Remember the Solon website offers a questionnaire to check for the validity of your sources. Choose wisely.
Possible written genres: speeches, letters, journals, newspaper articles, etc.
Possible visual genres: chart, graph, published photograph, art, advertisement, cartoon, etc.
Please obtain documents which support both sides of the issue.
Write a 3-4 page essay in which you explain the validity of that quote with regard to the documents you located. Your essay must be written in 12-point font, be double spaced, follow MLA style, include a Bibliography Page, and be submitted to turnitin.com. As with all major assignments, it is recommended that you visit the writing lab with several specific questions and make changes before submitting your final essay.
My main goal in allowing you to work with a partner is so that you will share the responsibilities and have a chance to consider complex topics from more than one vantage point. Also, I hope that you will learn from each other's strengths. As a partner is optional, by choosing a partner you agree to accept a common grade on the assignment with your partner. If you opt to work with a partner, you should first consider all of the hassles that are involved. If you still opt to have a partner, you should submit the name of your partner along with your quote by Wed. Feb. 28. Plus, you will also need to submit a list of responsibilities for completing the steps of this project and who is responsible for each step. Divide the work evenly. Both students must read all of the documents, work on writing the paper, and proofread the final text. Both students must sign the "division of work contract" and submit it by Feb. 28. When time in class is offered to work on the project, both members of the partnership should come prepared to work on the assignment; points will be deducted from the final score if either member of the group does not come prepared to work on the assigned section. If a problem arises within your duo, the option is to nullify the partnership. Each person will then work independently on a new topic. The final paper for each partner will still be due on Friday, March 16, 2007.
