Last Revised Fall PocatelloREND 323ISU Writing CenterStudent Success CenterwwwisuedusuccesswritingIdaho FallsCHE 2207925Although abstract discussion can have an important place in college writing co ID: 885515
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�� &#x/MCI; 0 ;&#x/MCI; 0 ;CONCRETE AND SPECIFIC LANGUAGEEffective writers use and mix language at all levels of abstraction, so we must learn to use language on all levels. But first, it's important to understand what is meant by abstract concretelanguage and also by general Last Revised Fall PocatelloREND 323ISU Writing CenterStudent Success Centerwww.isu.edu/success/writingIdaho FallsCHE 2207925 Although abstract discussion can have an important place in college writing, concrete specificword choices are essential to clear, memorable, and effective communication. Consider the following sentences: ABSTRACT:Americans must be willing to protect our freedoms. CONCRETE:Voters must be willing to give up some individual protections against wiretapping so that the government can track down terrorists and protect the nation as a whole. CONCRETE:Voters must protect their fourth amendment right against illegal se
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arches and seizures by calling or writing their representatives to protest theadministration's warrantless wiretapping program. Since the writer of the abstract sentence above might very well mean eitherof thecompletely opposite!ideas below it, the first sentence fails to clearly communicate its meaning. Moreover, mostreaders have read sentences like this abstract one so many times that they're unlikely to find it interesting or memorable. PracticeTake each of these general or abstract terms down three levels of abstraction. foodessertIce CreamChunky MonkeyStudents________________________________Nature__________________________________________________________________Injustice_________________________________Healthy_________________________________Prett_________________________________Boring_________________________________Sports_________________________________Nice day_________________________________Work________________________________