T.A.P.S.– General literary analysis
Topic: What is the topic of the text?
Audience: To whom is the message directed?
Purpose: What is the writer’s goal?
Speaker: What can be inferred about the speaker’s attitude toward the topic or the audience?
Audience: To whom is the message directed?
Purpose: What is the writer’s goal?
Speaker: What can be inferred about the speaker’s attitude toward the topic or the audience?
D.U.C.A.T.S. – The “six gold pieces” of writer’s voice
Diction refers to a writer's word choice with the following considerations:
- denotation /connotation of a word
- degree of difficulty or complexity of a word
- level of formality of a word
- tone of a word (the emotional charge a word carries)
- the above will often create a subtext for the text
Unity refers to the idea that all of the ideas in a written piece are relevant and appropriate to the focus. Some considerations: - each claim (assertion, topic sentence) supports the thesis
- each piece of evidence is important and relevant to the focus of the paragraph or the piece of writing as a whole
- occasionally, a writer may choose to purposely violate the element of unity for a specific effect (some humorists/satirists will sometimes consciously do this)
- it is important to consider what has been omitted from a piece and examine the writer's intent in doing so
Coherence refers to the organization and logic of a piece of writing; some considerations include: - precision and clarity in a thesis and supportive arguments
- the arguments ordered in the most effective way for the writer's intent
- the sentences and paragraphs "flow smoothly" for the reader; there should not be any abrupt leaps or gaps in the presentation of the ideas or story (unless the writer makes a conscious choice for a specific and appropriate effect)
Audience refers to the writer's awareness of who will be reading his or her piece of writing; some considerations are: - Who are the targeted readers?
- How well informed are they on the subject? What does the writer want the reader to learn as a result of this piece?
- What first impression is created for the reader and how does the author's voice shape this first impression?
- How interested and attentive are they likely to be? Will they resist any of the ideas?
- What is the relationship between the writer and the reader? Employee to supervisor? Citizen to citizen? Expert to novice? Scholar to scholar? Student to teacher? Student to student?
- How much time will the reader be willing to spend reading?
- How sophisticated are the readers in regard to vocabulary and syntax?
Tone refers to a writer's ability to create an attitude toward the subject matter of a piece of writing; the tools a writer uses to create tone: - Diction, Figurative language, Characterization, Plot, Theme
- Type of sentence
- Length of sentence
- Subtle shifts or abrupt changes in sentence length or patterns
- Use of punctuation
- Use of repetition
- Language patterns/rhythm/cadence
- How all of the above factors contribute to narrative pace
- The use of active and/or passive voice
Syntax refers to the arrangement--the ordering, grouping, and placement--of words within a phrase, clause, or sentence. Some considerations:
S.O.A.P.S.Tone - Analyzing point of view
Speaker: Is there someone identified as the speaker? Can we make some assumptions about this person? What class does the author come from? What political bias can be inferred? What gender?
Occasion: What may have prompted the author to write this piece? What event led to its publication or development?
Audience: Does the speaker identify an audience? What assumptions can we make about the audience? Is it mixed in terms of: race, politics, gender, social class, religion, etc.? For whom was the document created? Does the speaker use language that is specific for a unique audience? Does the speaker evoke: Nation? Liberty? God? History? Hell? Does the speaker allude to any particular time in history such as: Ancient Times? Industrial Revolution? World Wars? Vietnam?
Purpose: What is the speaker’s purpose? In what ways does the author convey this message? What seems to be the emotional state of the speaker? How is the speaker trying to spark a reaction in the audience? What words or phrases show the speaker’s tone? How is this document supposed to make us feel?
Subject: What is the subject of the piece? How do we know this? How has the subject been selected and presented by the author?
Tone: What is the author’s attitude toward the subject? How is the writer’s attitude revealed?
Occasion: What may have prompted the author to write this piece? What event led to its publication or development?
Audience: Does the speaker identify an audience? What assumptions can we make about the audience? Is it mixed in terms of: race, politics, gender, social class, religion, etc.? For whom was the document created? Does the speaker use language that is specific for a unique audience? Does the speaker evoke: Nation? Liberty? God? History? Hell? Does the speaker allude to any particular time in history such as: Ancient Times? Industrial Revolution? World Wars? Vietnam?
Purpose: What is the speaker’s purpose? In what ways does the author convey this message? What seems to be the emotional state of the speaker? How is the speaker trying to spark a reaction in the audience? What words or phrases show the speaker’s tone? How is this document supposed to make us feel?
Subject: What is the subject of the piece? How do we know this? How has the subject been selected and presented by the author?
Tone: What is the author’s attitude toward the subject? How is the writer’s attitude revealed?