Tigger by Catherine Heath from Unsplash
Are animals capable of holding complex social relationships? “Do Animals Have Friends?” is a scientific article written by Mindy Weisberger that explores this very question by looking at animal relationships in the wild. Since this scientific article is written for a general audience to view, it must be written in a manner that is unique from research papers and scholarly articles. In her article, there are three important things that Weisberger did to improve her writing: she included scientific quotes, provided proper data to strengthen her points, and was plentiful with examples.
Firstly, Weisberger made use of many quotes she had gained from an interview with researchers who studied the topic of her article. “‘Individuals form social relationships to navigate their environment,’ said Delphine De Moor, a postdoctoral research fellow of behavioral ecology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.” This is an example of Weisberger’s use of proper quotation and how she notes the validity of the source. Quotations within an article can provide support without explicitly stating what the data says, although sometimes the two may overlap.
In fact, using raw data and facts in articles can also elevate the written work by providing solid support. That is why the second focus is on Weisberger’s use of data within her article. Generally, raw data is used more frequently within scholarly articles, where the target audience is typically similar researchers. However, data is used more sparingly in scientific articles intended for larger audiences, since too much raw data shoved in a reader’s face can either bore or confuse them. Due to this, scientific article writers must know how to appropriately apply data into their articles. Weisberger is a wonderful example of the proper amount of data used in an article aimed at a general audience, as she typically simplifies the data as needed. “Grooming a friend also reduces cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. In contrast, cortisol levels are unaffected when apes groom a group member they haven’t bonded with, Crockford added.” This piece from Weisberger’s article is a wonderful example of both her method of simplifying scientific data and how quotes may end up overlapping with raw data use.
Lastly, the third way Weisberger made her article interesting through her writing was with concrete examples. For instance, Weisberger wrote: “Orcas that have strong connections in their group are less likely to starve when resources are scarce. Hyenas with more friends tend to achieve greater success within their clans,.” These two examples support the article’s overall focus on platonic relationships in animals. “Do Animals Have Friends?” is a scientific article full of thought-provoking examples for a reader to linger on. Examples improve writing for a few reasons: they allow a real-world connection between the reader and the author, create a proper visual for the reader, and are a means of expressing the importance of the article through a dire example are only some of the reasons as to why.
“Do animals have friends?” is an intriguing article that clearly displays three positive writing skills that up-and-coming article writers should keep in mind. The proper use of quotations, raw data, and examples are some of the basic but integral parts of creating an article. To conclude, Weisberger’s article is a wonderful example for new writers to look to as a positive display of writing skills.
Science Writings 