Writing basics

1
Writing basics
2

• When addressing others (whether it is an essay,
  in a speech, in a text, or in any other method),
  one should always consider SOAPS.
• SOAPS is an acronym.
• An acronym is where each letter of a word stands
  for a word.
• Example SCUBA, PETA

3

• SOAPS
• Subject the topic you are addressing
• Occasion what prompted the speech or essay
  besides being assigned
• Audience to whom you are addressing the piece
• Purpose Why are you communicating? Common
  purposes are to persuade, inform, entertain
• Speaker who is presenting the information (Are
  you writing as a student? As a citizen of the
  U.S.? Etc.)

4
Why is SOAPS important?

• The different factors help you judge how best to
  express yourself.
• Factors such as audience and occasion might
  influence things such as your tone of voice and
  word choice. It can even affect what pieces of
  evidence will be more useful.
• Certain occasions may require you to be more
  precise and to stay on topic more than a chat
  with your friends.

5
Methods of writing

• There are three main ways to address your
  audience.
• Formal speech
• Informal speech
• Familiar speech

6
Formal writing/speech

• Purpose to inform, instruct, or convince
• Tone dignified and impersonal
• 3rd person
• Language formal diction and tightly structured
  syntax
• uses full sentences
• contains no slang
• contains no colloquial expressions
• What are some uses?

7
Informal writing/speech

• Purpose to entertain (more than to inform)
• Tone less serious and lighter than a formal
  essay
• Language less formal diction with more
  flexible syntax
• What are some uses?

8
Familiar writing/ speech

• Purpose often used to express innermost
  thoughts and feelings (reflections)
• Tone use of first person may create a warmer,
  more confidential tone rather than impersonal
  style
• Language less formal diction and relaxed syntax
  (may be more like a journal, for example)
• What are some uses?

9
Examples

• Think of an example of when you would write
  formally in the classroom.
• When might you write informally in the classroom?
• When might you write in the familiar in the
  classroom?

10
Essay expectations

• For most classroom essays, you will be expected
  to write a formal essay.
• This means you need to follow the department Do/
  Dont sheet.
• I will also expect you to have two pieces of
  evidence for every inference.
• Evidence should be as specific as possible, so
  direct quotations from the text are most often
  the best choice.

11
Other basics

• The thesis should be at the end of the
  introduction.
• Each paragraph should have a topic sentence (TS)
• The thesis should be reiterated at the beginning
  of the conclusion.
• You need to cite all of your direct quotations
  (DQ)
• This means you should have parenthetical
  citations as well as a works cited page

12
Wrap it up

• What does SOAPS stand for?
• When do you need to consider SOAPS?
• What are the three ways to address an audience?
• What font should you use?
• What size should the font be?
• What kinds of words should not be in a formal
  essay?