AP LANG

SOAPS

Subject

Occasion

Audience

Purpose

Speaker

SOAPS

Subject (a short phrase)

SOAPS

Occasion (time, place, context)

SOAPS

Audience (consider multiple audiences)

SOAPS

Purpose (complete list in bullet form; use infinitives)

SOAPS

Speaker

Ethos

(authority & credibility of speaker)

Pathos

(emotional appeals to audience)

Logos

(logical appeals to audience)

Kairos

 (appeals concerning time & place)

Style

(imagery, syntax, figurative language, etc.)

Tone

 (consider multiple tones and tonal shifts)

How can you determine the tone of a text

DILDS - Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, and syntax

Diction

refers to the author’s choice of words and phrases

Syntax

The structure and organization of individual sentences and the piece as a whole

PURPOSE is the specific reason why they are writing/speaking.

-support a cause

-promote a change

-refute a theory/prove someone wrong

-provide information

-provide inspiration

-stimulate interest

-win agreement

-arouse sympathy

-provoke anger

-dispel a myth, etc

Consider how the writer appeals to his/her specific AUDIENCE (and that there may be multiple audiences)

-Who exactly is the audience?

-Does the audience agree/disagree with the writer? How can you tell?

-Does the speaker have any particular thoughts or biases towards the

audience?

Types of logical appeals/strategies (Logos)

-uses deductive reasoning (introduces a theory/idea and backs it up

with specific support)

-cites commonly held beliefs (traditions, customs, societal values)

-alludes to history, religious texts, great literature or mythology

-argues from precedent

-uses facts

-provides evidence

-theorizes about cause and effect

Types of emotional appeals/strategies (Pathos):

-uses language that involves the senses

-includes a bias or prejudice

-includes an anecdote or personal story

-uses description 

-uses figurative language

-develops tone

Types of ethical appeals (Ethos):

-makes the audience believe the writer is trustworthy

-shows their reliability and knowledge

-cites authorities