Abstraction Ladder Way of classifying information from abstract (general) to concrete (specific) Level 4: Abstractions Level 3: Noun Classes, broad group names with little specification Level 2: Noun Categories, more definite groups Level 1: Specific, Identifiable nouns

Abstraction Ladder Cont. “...if Level One abstraction is used in writing, the audience will understand what ideas and concepts are being discussed...If a writer is trying to describe a person, and she mentions that the protagonist wore Birkenstocks and a jean skirt, an image is evoked in the reader's mind…if the writer states that the protagonist was dressed in casual attire, the reader's impression of the character is not as strong, and the audience will be free to interpret the writer's meaning in ways…using the levels of abstractions carefully will help convey meaning to the audience.” -Jan Streever [http://ol.scc.spokane.edu/jstrever/comp/Summer201/hw3.htm ]

Abstraction Ladder Activity Each table will have a zip lock bag with three sets of different colored cards. Each color set represents one abstraction ladder example. In pairs, take one of the colors and try to re-create the abstraction ladder, going from abstract to concrete (level 4 to level 1). Compare and discuss as a table when you think you are done.