Summary
Highlights
The DBQ (Document-Based Question) is a common source of stress for AP students due to the time constraint. This video aims to provide strategies to write DBQ essays faster, helping students manage the 60 minutes allocated for reading seven documents and writing a coherent essay, which accounts for 25% of the overall AP score.
To be more efficient during the 15-minute suggested reading period for documents, use a DBQ planning sheet. While the physical sheet cannot be brought into the exam, practicing with it beforehand will internalize the planning steps, making you more prepared when the writing period begins.
Instead of randomly reading documents, understand that they are curated by the exam creators to be related and groupable into different categories. Look for these connections and categories while reading, such as political realities from treaties or legislation, to efficiently answer the prompt.
To write faster, you must know precisely what is required to earn points and avoid writing more than necessary. Familiarize yourself with the scoring rubric and analyze past high-scoring DBQ examples on the College Board's website. This will show you how many sentences are typically needed for each point, such as contextualization, which often only requires one strong sentence, though three are recommended for safety.
Explore other videos for various DBQ aspects and consider the AP SA cram course for point-by-point guidance on all exam writing requirements. The more familiar you are with these requirements, the faster and more effectively you will be able to write.