SOAPS is an acronym for one way of studying the rhetorical situation in which a text is presented. Thanks to my AP colleague Lisa Weger for sharing her handout on SOAPS.
Rhetoric: the art of adapting the ideas, structure, and style of a piece of writing to the audience, occasion, and purpose for which the discourse is written.
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Subject: the general topic, content,
and ideas contained in the text/author and focused academic idea |
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Occasion: the time and place of the
piece, current situation, context that encouraged the writing/why is it an
important study for an academic reader or writer? why should we care?
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Audience: the group of readers to whom the piece
is directed (one person? small group? Large group?) what do
they know? what do they need to know? |
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Purpose: the reason behind the text--to inform?
to explain? to persuade?/ consider subject and audience/ how
is the thesis involved? |
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Style: incorporate specific rhetorical devices
used by the author and the how and why (effect--both intended and actual) of
this usage |
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{Speaker}: the voice telling the story--NOT synonymous with the author as authors may choose different points of view |
NOTE: the last S may be used as "statement of style" or as "speaker".
