SOAPSTone

SOAPStone Strategy

An acronym for "Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone" created by Ogden Morse that stands for a series of questions for students to ask and answer when planning or analyzing a composition, narrative, speech or essay.

Speaker

A term used for the voice (real or imagined) behind the speech or piece of writing

Question for Speaker

Who is giving the information? What do you know about the speaker's background., experiences, opinions, and credentials?

Occasion

The specific time and place (immediate); historical and social context (larger)

Questions for Occasion

What is the genre? When and where was it published or spoken? What historical or social issues contributed to the context of the piece?

Audience

One's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.

Questions for Audience

Who is the speaker hoping to reach? What details do we know about the audience? What is their background, experience, and opinions?

Purpose

The reason the piece was written or spoken.

Questions for Purpose

Why was this piece written? What does the speaker hope to accomplish through this piece? What is the author's motivation?

Subject

The topic of the piece. It should be stated in just a few words.

Questions for Subject

What is the piece about?

Tone

The attitude of the speaker toward the subject.

Mood

The audience’s feeling and reactions to the text.