1.  Read the question.
2.  Set up your answer:use scratch paper and construct a chart
   
•  your argument
•  how you will prove it (3 reasons you support your position) in 3 columns
  

Example: Question: How did the Revolution affect the development of the new nation?
 
In this example, the job is to prove that there were changes in the new nation caused by the Revolution and to discuss these.
1. Political chages left the same people still in power, but the heavy handed approach of Britain's rule over the colonies will make them fear both standing armies and a strong central government and they will attempt to avoid both.
2. Socially there was a new anti aristocratic tone that is the beginnings or a rise in Democracy, but social classes did not change much.
3. Economically the nation was developing more economic differences by region and these result in disagreements about how the new government will be set up.


Within this thesis you have already established 3 areas of support for your argument: social, political and economic.
Remember how you set up your argument in your introductory paragraph. You must stick to it through out.

Next, the paragrah to follow the intro continues to make that first point but in more detail.
Format: Start with a topic sentence that is an analysis of the situation.
    Example: While the nation was no longer ruled from overseas, the local officials and political interests remained largely unchanged. As they gegan to establish a system of government that allowed essentially for local rule with some national guidance, the Articles of Confederation were written.
To prove this to be true you now need facts to support this argument and for each fact you cite your sources.
Example: The state legislatures and legislators remained in control. (example, source)
Second point: The new interim government, the Articles of Confederation was modeled on the British system that the Americans were familiar with, and faced many of the same problems as well as some new ones. (examples, sources)
Third point: The northern states persued political solutions to the problems of their region while the South sought a different set of remedies to problems unique to their region. These involved the issues of the Tariff and Slavery.
    Explain, Give examples. Cite sources.

Your next point was about the non aristocratic leanings of the new nation.
Your points could include:
    a. The Shay's Farmers' rebellion illustrated the frustration farmes felt when after their sacrifices for the Rebolutionary war, they now sought relief from their own debts.
    b. Americans now addressed each other as citizen and strove to emphasize the equalzng effect of the revolution. But those in debt could not expect any forgiveness from their creditors.
   c. As the south re-inforced it's agrarian system supported by slavery it sought to protect it's insterests and to fight against tariffs and a banking system that unfarely favored the north. At the same time, they eagerly sought the assumption of state debts and to solidify their claims to western lands.

Each of these statements offers some analysis. Examples should be given as proof. To make these read as facts and not opinions, they need to be supported with additional facts and the sources must be cited. If this is in response to a DBQ much of the information should come from sources beyond the documents presented.
***Never never spend your entire essay describing the documents. This is parroting. Not higher level thinking.

Exact format of the essay:

1.  Introduction:
    a. Strong thesis statement.
    b. Explanation of this.
    c. Define any terms.
    d. Show how you intend to prove your thesis- ie: politically , socially and economically.
    e. Bridge or seguay statement

2. Body of essay: Paragraph #2
    a. strong topic sentence reflecting your first point that is consistant with your original argument.
    b. Facts to support this and sources  with a good amount coming from your text and otehr sources rather than parroting a DBQ document set.
    c. Sum up how this proves your point with some analysis. Why it is so, what the implications are, etc.

3. Repeat for next 2 paragraphs of body.

4. Conclusion that is all analysis based upon what came before; no room here to add facts.