READING BETWEEN THE LINES READING BETWEEN THE LINES Improve Your Scores on English & Social Studies Tests NEW YORK Barbara Dallon and Wendy Ratner Copyright © 2002 LearningExpress, LLC. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Dallon, Barbara. Reading between the lines : a student's guide to improving scores on English & social studies tests / by Barbara Dallon and Wendy Ratner.—1st ed. p. cm. ISBN 1-57685-415-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Test-taking skills—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. English language—Composition and exer- cises—Examinations—Study guides. 3. Social sciences—Examinations—Study guides. I. Ratner, Wendy. II. Title. LB3060.57 .D35 2002 371.26—dc21 2002003278 Printed in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Edition ISBN 1-57685-415-9 For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at: 900 Broadway Suite 604 New York, NY 10003 Or visit us at: www.learnatest.com Acknowledgments We have included many of our primary source documents with the kind permission of HistoryCentral.com. We highly recommend that you visit this site for accessing primary source documents. v Contents Introduction ix Chapter 1: DBQs: What Are They? 1 Chapter 2: A Glossary of DBQ Terms 3 Chapter 3: Parts of a DBQ 5 Chapter 4: Beginning Strategies 9 Chapter 5: Using Graphic Organizers to Write a Document-Based Essay 63 Chapter 6: How to Write a Document-Based Essay 97 Chapter 7: Revision Strategies 129 Chapter 8: The DBQ Self-Evaluation 151 Chapter 9: Sample Document-Based Essays 155 Chapter 10: DBQ Essay Rubrics 217 Chapter 11: Pitfalls 229 Chapter 12: Recommended Reading List 233 vii Introduction DEAR STUDENT, What do Britney Spears, N’Sync, Michael Jordan, The Rock, Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling, and Bill Gates have in common? They are able to entertain, compete, write, compose, or invent better than most, and are out- standing in their different fields. Each has developed an individual method to achieve excellence in what they do. We do not see the behind-the-scenes hard work these stars have done nor do we see the help and sup- port given them by their parents, teachers, coaches, consultants, and crews who help them succeed. Although this book is not intended to turn you into the next professional star, it is designed to help you understand, practice, and write effective responses to DBQs (Document-Based Questions) so that you may improve your scores on standardized tests and become a more successful student. It is important to read and review each chapter in sequence in order to gain the full benefit of the teaching strategies given to you. If you are in middle school or high school, using the strategies in this book can help you prepare for state exams. Most students in middle schools and high schools will have to answer document-based questions in their social studies tests and on their state assessment exams. Even teachers of high school advanced place- ment social studies classes expect their students to write effective answers to document-based questions. By writing an effective document-based essay, you will demonstrate your ability to be a successful, informa- tive author, as well as an interpretive, analytical historian. The job of a historian is to study the causes and effects of past events. When you begin to examine and interpret primary source documents, you are acting as a historian. It is your job to put the pieces of the history puzzle together to come out with an accurate, informative conclusion. The job of an author is to accurately inform the reader in an interesting and enlight- ening manner. By writing your essay, you will inform the reader of the historical position you are taking. You will use the primary source documents to support your position. The more appealing and enlightening the essay, the higher your score will be on the assessment. You can use this book to learn how to write great document-based essays. As you learn to master the skills in this book, you will be better prepared to organize and develop essays that you must write for homework INTRODUCTION READING BETWEEN THE LINES ix as well as in-class tests. It will also improve your reading and thinking skills. These skills will help you through- out your school career and will last a lifetime, whether or not you become the next Britney Spears or Michael Jordan. DEAR PARENT, The writers of this book are parents, as well as teachers.We have sat at the kitchen table countless nights won- dering just how much help should we give our kids. Are we saying the right things or not enough? Are we encouraging our children or making their lives more difficult? No doubt about it—school is more difficult for present-day students than it was just a few years ago. Higher standards, newly developed requirements, and exams have placed extra stresses on our children and on us. We would like to offer some suggestions, not as teachers, but as the parents of our own children who are going through the same uncharted waters as your children. Suggestions from two moms who have been there: 1. Be calm. Frustrated parents can frustrate their children. For some, the learning process is long and difficult. Let your child know that achieving a proper outcome takes hard work, time, and patience. 2. Do fun things together. The learning experience should be one of fun and laughter. Try to encour- age learning by targeting your child’s interests. 3. Balance doing and guiding. We are our children’s best advocate, but sometimes guiding can turn into doing. Be sure that it is the child who is doing the work and the parent who is guiding the child through the work. We cannot always be there for our children. It is important that we offer as much guidance as possible without actually doing the work for them. 4. Play. Children should lead playful, active lives. Try to encourage learning by playing. Computer games and family games can offer great support in a child’s education. 5. Eat. Healthy children who receive the proper nutrition become better students. Be sure that before going to school or taking an exam, your child has eaten a healthy meal. 6. Reward. Give your child a sense of accomplishment by rewarding them for a job well done. Rewards do not have to be elaborate, but you should show gratitude for their hard work. 7. Learn together. Children are more responsive when the learning process is shared. They enjoy watch- ing their parents learn along with them. They no longer feel isolated as a student, but begin to view the learning process as one which lasts a lifetime. 8. Be positive. Positive reinforcement and a positive attitude will encourage your child to continue on, no matter how stressful the situation may seem. 9. Support your child’s teacher. Consistency at home and school will lead to a positive relationship between you and your son or daughter’s teacher. Consistency will reinforce learned concepts and will help guide your child toward educational success. Familiarize yourself with the teacher’s class and home- work procedures. Talk about your child’s progress with the teacher at conference time. Follow up with phone conferences if you have questions or need advice. READING BETWEEN THE LINES INTRODUCTION x . vigorous road ahead. INTRODUCTION READING BETWEEN THE LINES xi READING BETWEEN THE LINES CHAPTER DBQs: What Are They? his section describes what document-based. directly relating to the theme Theme: the topic or main idea of the DBQ Thesis Statement: a statement that informs the reader of the main idea of the essay which