APUSHR DBQ RUBRIC SCORING GUIDE Name:______

APUSHR DBQ RUBRIC SCORING GUIDE Name:_______________________________

A. Contextualization (1 point)

___Contextualization: uses knowledge not found in the documents to place the argument within broader historical events,

developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question. (1)

Improvement Needed:

___Attempts at contextualization are underdeveloped, lack explanation, hastily phrased, or non-existent.

B. Thesis (1 point)

___Thesis makes a historically defensible claim and specifically addresses all parts of the prompt. (1)

Improvement Needed:

___Thesis is properly argumentative but is too simplistic and lacks the necessary level of specificity.

___Thesis contains awkward organization and/or may simply restate the question.

___Thesis is incoherent, confusing, and/or off-topic.

C. Document Content Analysis (1 point) and Extended Analysis of Documents/HIPP (1 point)

___Utilizes the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument. (1)

___Explains the significance of the historical context, the audience, the author’s purpose, and/or the author’s point of view for at

least four documents.(1)

Improvement Needed:

___Document usage is lacking in the analysis of historical context, audience, purpose, and/or point of view.

___Essay utilizes the content of fewer than six documents in support of the stated thesis or relevant argument.

___Documents are simply listed, summarized, or quoted.

Document Usage

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

H I P - P H I P - P H I P - P H I P - P H I P - P H I P - P H I P - P

D. Using Evidence Beyond the Documents (1 point)

___Outside Evidence: provides numerous examples or additional pieces of specific supportive evidence beyond those found in

the documents and different from the evidence used to earn other points on this rubric. (1)

Improvement Needed:

___Outside evidence is the same as in the documents or other categories of this rubric, lacks explanation, is irrelevant

to the argument, or non-existent.

E. Synthesis (1 point)

Essay extends the argument by explaining the connections between the argument and ONE of the following:

___a) A development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area. (1)…OR

___b A course theme and/or approach to history that is not the focus of the essay (such as political, economic, social, cultural or

intellectual history). (1)

Improvement Needed:

___Attempts at synthesis are unsuccessful due to inaccuracy, irrelevancy, or a lack of specificity/proper development.

___There are no attempts at synthesis.

F. Argument Development

___Contains a well-developed and cohesive argument that accounts for historical complexity by illustrating contradictory, corroborative, and

qualified relationships among historical evidence. (1)

Additional Feedback:

___be specific! ___budget your time ___use past tense ___no shorthand ___no quoting docs ___improve doc usage ___more depth

___need more evidence ___oversimplifications ___improve organization ___study more ___writing needs more sophistication