STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO WRITE PARAGRAPHS IN HASS
A good paragraph for any HaSS paragraphs is called DEED – define, explain, example and diagram. For any
short answers, or extended answers including essays, you will need to follow the DEED writing approach. HaSS teachers
will be looking for the following – that you can define the concept, explain it and provide an example (with short
explanation) before providing a diagram (where necessary). Below is a guide to drafting your answer before a suggested
paragraph.
Example short answer question: “Why does Volcanic Activity Occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire?”
Step One: Highlight the key words in the question.
Example short answer question: “Why does Volcanic Activity Occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire?”
Step Two: Plan your response according the DEED model.
Define
Explain
Example
Volcanic activity often occurs around destructive tectonic plated boundaries. The Ring of Fire is a
40,000km long belt of tectonic plate boundaries around the Pacific basin.
Volcanoes are often created through movement of volcanoes in a process called ‘subduction’. As the
denser oceanic tectonic plate is subducted below the continental tectonic plates, the rock melts and
become magma. This magma then rises through the overlying plate to erupt at the surface. Thus
volcanoes, such as the Andes, or volcanic islands, such as Marianas or Aleutians are formed.
The Ring of Fire traces several tectonic plates – the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian,
Nazca, North American and Philippine Plates. As a result, seventy-five per cent of the world’s
volcanoes can be found along the belt due to the abundance of movement.
Diagram (if
appropriate)
Step Three: After you have planned it, time to write it out into your final answer.
Volcanic activity often occurs around destructive tectonic plated boundaries. The Ring of Fire is a 40,000km long belt of
tectonic plate boundaries around the Pacific basin. Volcanoes are often created through movement of volcanoes in a
process called ‘subduction’. As the denser oceanic tectonic plate is subducted below the continental tectonic plates, the
rock melts and become magma. This magma then rises through the overlying plate to erupt at the surface. Thus
volcanoes, such as the Andes, or volcanic
islands, such as Marianas or Aleutians are
formed. The Ring of Fire traces several
tectonic plates – the Pacific, Juan de Fuca,
Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North
American and Philippine Plates. As a
result, seventy-five per cent of the
world’s volcanoes can be found along the
belt due to the abundance of movement.
Below is a diagram outlining the process
in the formation of a volcano.
YOUR TURN! Using the template below, plan your DEED paragraph.
Question:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step One: Highlight the key words in the question.
Step Two: Plan your response according the DEED model.
Define
Explain
Example
Diagram
Step Three: After you have planned it, time to write it out into your final answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________