MONSTER DBQ RUBRIC Name: ____________________________________

Element Standard Common Mistakes Points

Thesis/Claim Presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and No thesis.
responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must consist Thesis is a statement of fact- needs to be arguable
of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the Thesis is too vague, needs better organization, or
/3
introduction or the conclusion. simply restates the prompt.
Thesis doesn’t fully, directly, or clearly Answer the
Question.
Contextualizat To earn this point, the response must situate the topic of the No context (put it in the intro or conclusion)
ion prompt to broader historical events, developments, or Contextualization is too short. Provide more
processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time information. /2
frame of the question. Context must be thoroughly detailed, & Contextualization doesn’t relate to the topic of the
more than a phrase/sentence essay.
Evidence from To earn 1 pt. Doc You may have read and understood the documents,
the To earn one point, the response but you didn't cite them like this: “…(Doc. 3).”
1 11
Documents Make sure you read all documents carefully; your
must accurately describe—rather 2 12
description didn't prove you understood at least 3 of
thansimply quote—the content from 3 13
them.
SOME of the documents. 4 14
Don’t just write quotes from the documents. Describe
5 15 them in your own words.
To earn 2 pts: 6 16 /42
To earn two points, the response must 7 17 At least 3 documents correctly described=1 pt
accurately describe—rather than 8 18 At least 6 documents correctly described=2 pts
simply quote—the content from at 9 19
least six documents. In addition, the 10 20
response must use the content of the 21
documents to support an argument
in response to the prompt.
Evidence To earn this point, the response must describe the No noticeable outside evidence is included. (Include it
beyond the somewhere in a body paragraph)
evidence and must use more than a phrase or
documents Explain how your outside evidence is relevant to the
reference. This additional piece of evidence must be claim.
different from the evidence used to earn the point /4
Outside evidence needs to be specific: use course
for contextualization. vocabulary!
Outside evidence is inaccurate, unclear, or incorrect.
Check your notes/HW.
Analysis & To earn this point, the response must explain how or why  Doc __ H A P P
Reasoning: (rather than simply identifying) the document’s point of view, For at least 7
purpose, historical situation, or audience is relevant to an  Doc __ H A P P documents, write
Analyzing
Documents argument about the prompt for each of the SEVEN documents  Doc __ H A P P about at least one of
sourced. these:
 Doc __ H A P P /14
H: Historical context
 Doc __ H A P P A: Audience
 Doc __ H A P P P: Point of view
P: Purpose
 Doc __ H A P P
Analysis & Demonstrates a complex understanding of the historical To earn this point, you need to go a little
Reasoning: development that is the focus of the prompt, using evidence to deeper.
corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses
Essay Show that you have a nuanced, complex
the question.
Complexity historical understanding.
A response may demonstrate a complex understanding in a
& Quality
variety of ways, such as: (a great way to earn this point is to think about
-Explaining nuance by analyzing multiple variables the topic from an alternative perspective— /5
-Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and whose story isn’t being told in these
across periods documents? How do you think they might feel
-Confirming the validity of an argument by corroborating about what’s going on?)
multiple perspectives across themes This understanding must be part of the argument, not
-Qualifying or modifying an argument by considering diverse or merely a phrase or reference.
alternative views or evidence

SCORE: / 7  5-7: Exceed; 4: Meet; 3: Approaching; 0-2: Below