Extra Document

Yeah, I know it’s another new blog, why care about this one, there are thousands of blogs made each day!

To answer that, I’ll tell you about a class I’ve taken, AP World History. When it’s required write a Document Based Question, (an essay that requires the writer to interpret a set of primary documents, also known as a DBQ), it is imperative to always ask for an extra document to help strengthen an argument you make. When a set of documents given to you are all from a common source, such as members of the government, then your essay will not take in to account a complete view of your given topic. For example I used to following to ask for an extra document on a DBQ asking to compare the view of technology in Han China and Ancient Rome.

“Each of these documents were written by a court or district official, and it would be helpful to have a document from either an artisan, talking about what necessitated the need for a new technology, or from a laborer, describing how the a technology has benefited their work.”

This is just one example, but it order for any argument to be properly justified, you must have the view of another person incorporated; if you do not account for everybody your argument is very likely flawed.

Thats where I come in, amidst a sea of other blogs, I hope to insert my humble opinion, and serve as that Extra Document. The thing about these Documents is that they’re often just not there, it’s not so common is history to find a literate peasant in the 13th century, one who can write and also uses that skill to talk about things such as the one that historians want. As a student, and one that doesn’t like to follow with all the other “main stream culture”, that kids often are pressured in to at a students age, I can provide that Extra Document, the one that you need to fulfill your argument for life; for without the view of every person incorporated, your argument, and thus your perception, is very often flawed.