S / Speaker / The voice that tells the story. Students must decide
  • Who is the author
  • Whose voice is going to be heard? Whether this voice belongs to a primary or secondary source.
  • The author’s frame of reference (job title), perspective, orientation, or world view.
  • How the speaker’s attributes influence the perceived meaning of the piece. This is known as bias.
  • Whether the bias diminishes the speaker’s position.

O / Occasion / The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing.
  • Is there is the immediate occasion: a problem or issue an event or situation that catches the writer's attention and triggers a response.
  • All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that swirl around a broad issue.

A / Audience / The group of readers to whom this piece is directed.
  • Determine who the audience is that they intend to address.
  • It may be one person or a specific group.
  • This choice of audience will affect how and why students write a particular text.

P / Purpose / The reason behind the text.
  • What is at stake for the author in this text? Why do you think she or he wrote it? What evidence in the text tells you this?
  • Why did the author prepare the document? What was the occasion for its creation? Does the author have a thesis? What -- in one sentence -- is that thesis?
  • Students should ask themselves, "Why did the author prepare the document? What is the goal, objective, or function of the text?"

S / Subject / Students should be able to state the subject in a few words or phrases.
  • Identify the major claim, concepts, theories, definitions, laws, principles and models. (PERSIA)
  • Point out evidence data, facts, observations, and reasoning that support the claim.
  • Does the author make assumptions, presuppositions, or axioms?

T / Tone / The attitude of the author.
  • The spoken word can convey the speaker's attitude and thus help to impart meaning through tone of voice, thus conveying they are not neutral.
  • Writers may use satire, sarcasm, irony, political commentary, humor and other examples of tone to make a point. Such ideas signal to the readers that the author may have an interest in not portraying the past accurately, and hence may undermine his credibility, regardless of his reliability.
  • Students should point this out when they notice it in a document. Students should also explain how the tone changes the trustworthiness of a document.

Name: ______

SOAPS Document Analysis

S / Speaker / The voice that tells the story
O / Occasion / The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing.
A / Audience / The group of readers to whom this piece is directed.
P / Purpose / The reason behind the text.
S /
Subject / Students should be able to state the subject in a few words or phrases.
T / Tone / The attitude of the author.