Analyzing Primary Sources with SOAPSTone
SOAPSTone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone) is the acronym behind a useful strategy for analyzing primary sources. This process will help you examine the different dimensions of a text, which can then be used to employ the text as evidence in discussion or writing. The description and guided application below are adapted from "Speed Dating Strategies: An Introduction to SOAPSTone" by Kerryann Tracy.
Acronym |
Description |
Speaker |
It is not enough simply to name the speaker. Search for details like:
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Occasion |
Occasion is not simply identifying the time and place. Consider the larger occasion or context:
|
Audience |
To whom is this text directed? It’s not enough to say: “Anyone who reads it.” Consider:
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Purpose |
What is the speaker’s reason for writing the text? What is its intended effect?
|
Subject |
The subject is the general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text. This can usually be stated in a few words or a phrase. The subjects of texts are frequently abstract: the right to die, racism, poverty, conformity, cloning, global warming, etc. |
Tone |
Tone is the attitude of the speaker towards his subject. For help with possible adjectives, see the “Talking about Tone” section just below this chart.
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Talking about tone
Below are examples of adjectives you might use to effectively describe the tone of a text.
aggravated
ambiguous amused angry apathetic apologetic appreciative |
apprehensive
arrogant dramatic ecstatic effusive elated elegiac |
factual
fanciful flippant foreboding moralistic mournful nostalgic |
objective
outraged passionate patronizing pedantic perplexed |
Guided application
Below are tips for using SOAPSTone on Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream" speech delivered in Washington, D.C. on 28 August 1963.
Acronym |
Description |
Speaker |
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Occasion |
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Audience |
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Purpose |
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Subject |
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Tone |
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Examples
- Example of brief SOAPSTone analysis (note: "Subject" and "Speaker" are reversed here)
- Example of extended SOAPSTone analysis