This document provides a rubric for grading Advanced Placement DBQ (Document-Based Question) history essays. The rubric contains two sections - a basic core section worth up to 7 points, and an expanded core section worth up to an additional 3 points. The basic core assesses elements like having an acceptable thesis, understanding document meaning, supporting the thesis with evidence from documents, analyzing point of view, and analyzing documents in required ways. The expanded core provides extra credit for demonstrating comprehensive analysis, using documents persuasively, and bringing in outside historical context.

1. NAME: ___________________________ PERIOD: ________ DATE: _____________
ADVANCED PLACEMENT DBQ HISTORY RUBRIC
BASIC CORE EXPANDED CORE
Points Points
1) Has an acceptable thesis. 1 Expanded beyond the basic core of
1 to 7 points. A student MUST earn
seven points in the basic core area
2) Understands the basic meaning of 1 BEFORE earning points from the
documents. Uses all but may expanded core area. Students may
misinterpret one. earn from 0 to 3 points by doing
any of the following:
3) Supports thesis with appropriate 2  Has a clear, analytical and
evidence from all or all but one of comprehensive thesis. 0-2
the documents.
 Uses all documents.
(Supports thesis with appropriate
(1)  Uses documents persuasively as
evidence from all but two of the
evidence.
documents.)
 Shows careful, insightful
analysis of the documents.
4) Analyzes point of view in at least 1
three documents.  Analyzes bias or point of view
in most or all documents.
5) Analyzes documents by grouping  Analyzes documents in
them in three ways depending on 1 additional ways – groupings,
the prompt. comparisons, syntheses.
 Brings in relevant “outside”
6) Identifies and explains the need for historical content.
three types of additional document 1
or source.  Explains why additional
documents or types of sources
are needed.
SUBTOTAL 7 2
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
9
GRADES: 9=97, 8=92, 7=87, 6=82, 5=77, 4=72, 3=67, 2=62, 1=57, 0=50
301