ABSTRACT
Like document-based questions (DBQ) framed as multiple-choice questions, DBQs framed as short-answer questions require students to make connections between their own content knowledge and the information they have gleaned from a text. The advanced placement (AP) World History, AP European History, and AP US History exams each consist of DBQs framed as short-answer prompts. Because these prompts require students to make the same connections they have to make when answering prompts in the form of multiple-choice questions, the authors can use the same strategy the authors used in the previous chapter to help students make those connections. Before they ever look at a prompt itself, the authors should have students ask themselves three important questions about the text on which that prompt is based: What time period is the focus of the text?; What is the text about?; What do the author already know about this topic and/or time period?
