THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

HOW TO ANALYZE A TEXT

SOAPSSpeakerOccassionAudiencePurposeSubject

SOAPSSpeaker

Who is the speaker?

• Name

• Writer’s Credentials

SpeakerOccasionAudiencePurposeSubject

SOAPSOccasion

What is the occasion?

• When was the piece

written?

• Where was the piece published?

• What is the context or situation that surrounds or affects this argument?

• What is the genre of the text?

SpeakerOccasionAudiencePurposeSubject

SOAPSAudience

Who is the intended audience?

SpeakerOccasionAudiencePurposeSubject

SOAPSPurpose

What is the

speaker trying to do

with this argument?

SpeakerOccasionAudiencePurposeSubject

SOAPSSubject

What is the

speaker writing

about? What is the

overall topic of the

argument?

SpeakerOccasionAudiencePurposeSubject

TIME TO ANALYZE• Using “The Language Police” analyze to

determine the SOAPS of the argument.

USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:THE FORMAT -1. Speaker, Occasion Subject

(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last name), in his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text), (strong verb) (writer's subject).

STRONG VS. WEAK VERBS

STRONG VERBS (Analysis)

• Implies

• Suggests

• Compares

• Emphasizes

• Defines

• Trivializes

• Denigrates

• Vilifies

• Demonizes

WEAK VERBS(Summary)• says

• this quote shows

• relates

• explains

• goes on to say

• states

• tells

• shows

USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:THE FORMAT -1. Speaker, Occasion Subject

(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last name), in his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text), (strong verb) (writer's subject).

2. Purpose

(Writer's Last Name)'s purpose is to (What the writer does in the text).

USING SOAPS IN YOUR INTRO:THE FORMAT -1. Speaker, Occasion Subject

(Writer's Credentials), (Writer's first and last name), in his/her (Type of Text), (Title of Text), (strong verb) (writer's subject).

2. Purpose

(Writer's Last Name)'s purpose is to (What the writer does in the text).

3. Audience

He/she adopts (or equivalent verb) a(n) (adjective describing the attitude/feeling conveyed by the writer) tone in order to (verb phrase describing what the writer wants readers to do/think)in his/her (intended audience).

NOTE: This would be followed by your thesis.

SOAPS IN THE INTRO EXAMPLE:Novelist, Amy Tan, in her narrative essay, “Fish Cheeks,”

recounts an embarrassing Christmas Eve dinner when she was 14 years old. Tan’s purpose is to convey the idea that, at fourteen, she wasn’t able to recognize the love her mother had for her or the sacrifices she made. She adopts a sentimental tone in order to appeal to similar feelings and experiences in her adult readers.

Use your SOAPS information to try to write the intro for “The Language Police.”

ANALYZE FOR USE OF APPEALSLogos

Hard Evidence• Facts• Polls/Surveys• Testimonies• Statistics

Common Sense• Enthymemes• Syllogisms• Cultural

Vaules/Assumptions

Pathos Who is the audience? Is the use of

emotion appropriate to the audience?

What emotion is evoked? Are specific kinds of emotion evoked such as sentimental or nostalgic appeals?• How does it work to connect the

argument with the reader?

• How does it work to show the reader that the author understands them?

Ethos Authority Credibility Motives

“THE LANGUAGE POLICE”Intro

I. Logos – A. “Censors on the political right . . . behavior.” (276 -277) AND “Censors from the political left . . . being.” (277)

i. This reflects differing cultural values or assumptions.B. Definition of censorship (276)

i. Fact, even though the source is not given (negative ethos)

C. Censorship vs. selection (276)

i. Logical - Syllogism

II. Ethos A. “Censors on the political right . . .” (276) and “Censors from the political left . . .” (277)

i. This shows that she is knowledgable and that she is addressing all sides of the issue which makes her argument more credible.

III. Pathos A. “The word censorship refers to the deliberate removal of language, ideas, and books from the classroom or library because they are deemed offensive and contraversial.” (276)i. B. “. . . Delete words, ideas, and topics from textbooks and tests for no other reason that their fear of controversy.” (276)i. C. “Arcadia . . .intruded. (276-277)

i. Great example of nostalgic appeal – may work with older educators but could go against the argument with younger educators or readers

COMPONENTS OF STYLE

ANALYZE FOR THE AUTHOR’S USE OF STYLE

1. Diction

2. Syntax

3. Details

4. Imagery

5. Tone

6. Etc.

DICTION

1. Look for SPECIFIC WORDS or WORD PHRASES that seem stronger than others. Diction is NEVER the entire sentence.

2. Look for a PATTERN (or similarity) in the words the writer chooses.

3. The pattern could include REPETITION of the same words or phrases.

The words a writer chooses to convey a particular meaning

DICTION

His adventures allowed him to slingshot around the world.

VS

His adventures allowed him to travel around the world.

1. Look for SPECIFIC WORDS or WORD PHRASES that seem stronger than others.

Diction is NEVER the entire sentence.

DICTIONDo the words used imply a

certain feeling?

Sadness?

Happiness?

Etc?

This pattern helps to create a particular kind of diction.

2. Look for a PATTERN (or similarity) in the words the writer chooses.

DICTIONRepetition helps the speaker

emphasize a point, feeling, etc.

2. The pattern could include REPETITION of the same words or phrases.

Be watchful of REPETITION in the argument.

OK WORDS VS. GREAT WORDS

•A coat isn't torn; it is tattered.•The US Army does not want

revenge; it is thirsting for revenge.•A door does not shut; it thuds.

SYNTAX

1. SCHEMES

A variance in the normal subject- verb- object pattern

2. SENTENCE LENGTH

Look at how the writer varies the length of sentences – What is the effect?

3. SENTENCE TYPE

Look at the types of sentences the author uses – What is the effect?

4. PUNCTUATION

Look at or for a variety in the punctuation – What does this change do to the meaning of the text?

The way words are arranged within sentences

SYNTAX

SENTENCE TYPE

look at the types of sentences the author uses – What is the effect?

• Simple: Subject - Verb (I went to the store.)

• Compound: two independent clauses joined by a conjunction (I went to the store, and I bought candy.)

• Complex: Independent clause and dependent clause (While traveling to the store, I saw my friend.)

• Compound-Complex: Two indepedent clauses and one or more dependent clauses (While traveling to the store, I saw my friend, and she gave me money for candy.)

• Declarative: a statement ( I went to the store.)

• Exclamatory: strong feeling (What a wonderful candy store!)

• Interrogative: question (Is this a store?)

• Imperative: command (Go to the store.)

The way words are arranged within sentences

SYNTAX

2. PUNCTUATION

Look at or for a variety in the punctuation – What does this change do to the meaning of the text?

• SEMICOLON: (;) gives equal weight to two or more independent clauses in a sentence. Writers use this to reinforce parallel ideas and show how both ideas are equally important

• COLON: (:) directs the reader's attention to the words that follow. Writers use this to show the reader that the information after the colon is important

• DASH: (-) marks a sudden change in thought or tone or sets off a brief summary

The way words are arranged within sentences

TONE

It is a special kind of rhetorical strategy because tone is created by the writer's use of all of the other rhetorical strategies:

• Diction and Tropes

• Syntax and Schemes

• Details and Lack of Details

t

the teller's attitude or feeling about the subject of his text