# SOAPSTone rhetorical analysis worksheet

A one-page scaffold for breaking down how any speech, letter, article, or
advertisement makes its argument. Work through the six letters in order, then
use the sentence scaffold at the end to turn your notes into an analytical
sentence.

Related reading: [Luma — SOAPSTone rhetorical analysis guide](https://lumanote.org/blog/soapstone-rhetorical-analysis)

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**Passage:** _______________________________________________

**Date read:** _____________________________________________

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## S — Speaker
Who is talking? Not just the name — what does the text show about their role,
background, and stake in the subject?

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

## O — Occasion
What happened that made this text appear now? Name the specific event, decision,
or deadline, not the general background.

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

## A — Audience
Who is being addressed, directly or indirectly, and what do they already believe
or want?

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

## P — Purpose
What should the audience think, feel, or do once they have finished? Use a verb:
persuade, reassure, warn, thank, pressure.

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

## S — Subject
State the topic in one short phrase, in your own words.

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

## T — Tone
The speaker's attitude towards the subject, in two words — and the words in the
text that prove it.

**Evidence:** _______________________________________________

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## One-sentence thesis

In ____________________ , ____________________ uses ____________________
to ____________________ for ____________________ .

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## Next step

Turn each row above into one body paragraph: quote the evidence, name the
choice, and explain the effect on the audience you identified.