What does the acronym SOAP stand for in documentation?

• A. Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan
• B. Subjective, Objective, Analysis, Plan
• C. Subjective, Observation, Assessment, Plan
• D. Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Protocol

Answer: (A)

SOAP notes organize clinical documentation into four parts: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. The Subjective section captures the client’s own words, experiences, and concerns—what they report about symptoms, mood, or goals. The Objective section records observable and measurable information, such as appearance, behavior, test results, vital signs, and concrete findings from the session. The Assessment section is where the clinician interprets the combined subjective and objective data, offering clinical impressions, diagnoses, or problems identified. The Plan section outlines the next steps: interventions, referrals, goals, and follow-up actions.

This order—Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan—is the standard framework for documenting in many healthcare and social work contexts. The other options replace one term with nonstandard wording (for example, using Analysis instead of Assessment, Observation instead of Objective, or Protocol instead of Plan), which does not align with the conventional SOAP structure.