Creating Document-based Questions for Classroom Instruction

Alexander III of Russia (1878 or 1881)
via Wikipedia

As a Social Studies teacher, I’ve found that Document-Based Questions (aka DBQs) were one of the most effective means for having my students analyze themes and related events in World History, U.S. History, Constitutional Law, and Economics. About eight years ago, I decided to start creating my own DBQs. I had used the Walch DBQ book (and I still do, for many lessons) for both World and U.S. History, and I realized I could also create my own DBQs for topics not covered by that book. Access to both primary and secondary sources has never been easier, and there’s really no reason to utilize this tool. I’m going to give a sort-of-tutorial on how I create a DBQ, and provide evidence from one of the DBQs I made previously for my 10^th Grade Global History class, on the topic of modernization of Russia in the 19^th century.

1. Have an idea of what you want your students to accomplish in class.That should sound familiar – any teacher is going to go through that before class, while making their lesson plan. Before I set an Aim, I make my objectives for my lesson plan. ‘SWBAT analyze steps toward the modernization of Russia in the 19^th century’. That’s where it begins for me, and I’m sure people go through different processes toward making their objectives.
2. Have some familiarity with both primary and secondary sources toward making that idea a reality.Most textbooks have some ideas on primary sources, which are the ideal documents for a DBQ assignment. With the development of the Internet, access to those sources has never become easier. Here is a list of some of the public access primary source sites that I’ve used:
• Internet World History Sourcebook http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
• The Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy (Yale University) http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp
• Word Digital Library www.wdl.org/en


I’m willing to expect that more sites are available. These three are reliable – in fact, these will probably supply every document and image needed for your own DBQ creation.  If you see other sites for primary sources, please let me know. I’ll be pleased to add them to the list. As always, confirm the integrity of the site when considering a document.


3.   Now that you’ve found your document, get it to fit your students’ needs!
This can be a challenge – how much of the document should one use with the students. Too short, and one risks not challenging the students enough. Too long, and one risks losing the students. Take some time with particular documents to know what your students need to make those objectives reality. Let’s go to the objective we developed previously. A little research, and I found a source:


Document 2, The Abolition of Serfdom in Russia, Alexander II, 1861
“Examining the condition of classes and professions comprising the state, WE became convinced that the present state legislation favors the upper and middle classes, defines their obligations, rights, and privileges, but does not equally favor the serfs, so designated because in part from old laws and in part from custom they have been hereditarily subjected to the authority of landowners, who in turn were obligated to provide for their well being. Rights of nobles have been hitherto very broad and legally ill defined, because they stem from tradition, custom, and the good will of the noblemen. In most cases this has led to the establishment of good patriarchal relations based on the sincere, just concern and benevolence on the part of the nobles, and on affectionate submission on the part of the peasants. Because of the decline of the simplicity of morals, because of in the diversity of relations, because of the weakening of the direct paternal relationship of nobles toward the peasants, and because noble rights fell sometimes into the hands of people exclusively concerned with their personal interests, good relations weakened. The way was opened for an arbitrariness burdensome for the peasants and detrimental to their welfare, causing them to be indifferent to the improvement of their own existence.”


This text is actually much longer in scope, and near impossible to cover in a class. There’s so much we can do with this. First let’s make a question to support this document.


Write down two ways how were serfs politically disadvantaged in Russia.


A great way to make this effective is for a teacher to have a student read the question first, then read the document. All kinds of students will bounce up as the answers practically leap in front of their eyes.


4.   Analyze the source of the document as well.
This isn’t done nearly enough in Social Studies, and I am the first to say I didn’t do this until recently. Analyzing a source of a document is an AP standard, but it doesn’t need to be limited to that intensive study of a particular curriculum. By analyzing a source, we are examining the perspective of the particular source.  Here is a question that would allow a non-AP student to analyze the source:


Note the title of this document. How did Alexander II attempt to reform this disadvantage?


A student could do a little pre-DBQ work to identify Alexander II as then-czar of Russia, to evaluate him as an absolute monarch, to compare 19^th century Russia to medieval European societies (who are serfs? Where have we discussed them previously in history? What can we infer about Russian society in the 19^th century if it had serfs long after other European states ceased to have this social class? At the very least, this kind of analysis will, in an essay, lead to that much-needed point in a DBQ essay: the use of relevant outside information.


In closing this note, as with any educational endeavor, I would suggest to see other DBQs as well to evaluate how documents were chosen, questions were written, and tailor those to your expectations to your students' abilities and goals. Be sure to check out my posts on working with images and maps. As always, check out my DBQ products at All Things History Lesson Plans.