Ladder of Abstraction

The Concrete in SUCCEED

• Science writing balances concrete data and abstract ideas.
• Expert scientists correlate data points and details, converting them into abstractions.
• Balance core, simple, abstract ideas with concrete details.

Ladder of Abstraction

• Communicates concrete details and their relevance.

Structure of the Ladder

• Top: Abstract information (telling, meaning, knowledge, why it matters).
• Bottom: Concrete information (showing, scenes, descriptions, visualization).
• Middle: "The Muddle" (jargon, statistics).

Fluidity and Movement

• Move up and down the ladder to avoid losing the reader.
• Too many details: Reader asks, "What's that mean?"
• Too much abstraction: Reader asks, "Where's the proof? Says who? So what?"
• Too much jargon: Reader asks, "Who cares?"

Time and Perspective

• Top of the ladder: Collapses time (e.g., "over the last 50 years").
• Bottom of the ladder: Expands time (e.g., detailing the first thirty seconds of a panic attack).

Focus

• Top: Omniscient view, outcomes, what you hope to accomplish, why it matters, who cares.
• Bottom: Specific focus, process, how you'll get there, study design, impact, and experiences.

Writing Style

• Writing should have "hills and valleys".
• Avoid disorientation with rapid elevation changes.
• Avoid flatness, which is staying abstract, in jargon, or too detailed for too long.

Summary

• Communicate concrete information (bottom).
• Communicate abstract information (top).
• Use statistics and jargon sparingly (middle).
• Don't stay in one place for too long.