S.O.A.P.S.
A tool for analyzing text
Subject |
Although this chart does not need to be completed in order (top to bottom), usually it helps to begin with asking yourself what is the author writing about? Once you understand the topic the author is addressing, you can move on to the other details of the text. Then, after looking at the other elements, you should come back and ask yourself about the theme of the text: What is the main idea? What point is the author trying to make to the audience?
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Occasion |
The occasion, or context, sometimes involves speculation. More often than not you will have to research what the occasion is. The first question to ask is when was this written? That will clue you in to the rest of the context. Make sure you understand the difference between content (the text itself) and context (the frame of reference or circumstances surrounding the text). In a story, sometimes the setting and the context are the same, but not always! Careful not to confuse the time period in which the story takes place with the time period in which the story was written. A good question to ask is: What was going on in society or in the world that prompted the author to write this text?
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Audience |
Another question to consider when you are analyzing a text is To whom is the author writing? Think about the specific group of people the author seems to be targeting (location, age, gender, race, religion, subculture, experience). Another question to answer is Who would be interested in this subject? Think about the purpose, and who that purpose is meant to target.
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Purpose |
A text will often have more than one purpose to it, but there is always one main purpose that sticks out more than the others. First ask Why did the author write this? What was he/she hoping to accomplish with it? Generally there are three categories of purposes: to entertain, to persuade, and to inform.
Remember, every text is informing you of something, but if you know the author’s opinion on the subject, the primary purpose is not to inform. |
Style |
At times it would be a good idea to begin analyzing by looking at the author’s writing style. These are the small details that will clue you into the main idea, audience, and purpose of the text. There are four elements to consider when analyzing an author’s style:
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