Genre Comparison

Genre Comparison

Scientific articles published in popular magazines tend to use simple diction to reach out to more people. Most of these articles aim at attracting larger masses, and therefore using a simple language is the most effective way of achieving the goal. It should, however, be noted that the articles base their ideas on scientific peer-reviewed journals. The language used in the journals is quite different and professional because it is addressing a specific area of expertise that involves empirical studies. As such, scientific terms are prevalent in the journals. However, it should be noted that the same cannot be applied to popular articles. Although the articles base their ideas on the findings of these journals, their language has to be eye-catching and simpler to reach a greater audience. As such, the paper provides a comparative analysis of a published popular article to its parent peer-reviewed journal article.

Article Summary

The article discloses that stress can lead to grey hair. The article explains that a study using mice was used to unearth the finding at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (Hopkin). The researchers were concerned about the correlation between stress and hair color issue and, therefore, carefully examined stem cells that bore melanocytes. The researchers observed that changes in stem cells lead to changes in hair color, which is significantly observable and easy to identify. At the beginning of the study, the researchers exposed the mice to rodent sized stressors, which included dampening their bedding. They found out that stress led to premature greying of hair in mice, thus making them turn their attention on the sympathetic nerves. When the team shut the connections, the stem cells were maintained; thus, the mice keeping their black hair. They, therefore, concluded that stress results in the greying of hair.

The article is intended for the general audience, ranging from the age of thirteen onwards. It is because it has synthesized and explained the findings of the source journal in a simple manner using common vocabulary that is easy to understand, except for a few. The age gap of sixteen onwards is relevant because it is a stage of development where an individual can understand the world around them. As such, anyone with a high school level of education in high school can understand what the article is explaining.

Critical Analysis

Zhang et al. “Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drive depletion of melanocyte stem cell, Nature.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1935-3

Thematically, the article effectively communicates the findings in the source journal. In both publications, stress is revealed as a causal agent of turning hair grey via rapid exhaustion of melanocyte stem cells. It should be noted that mice as a mammal are used as a test for humanity, by virtue that both have a similarity in nervous systems and physiology. However, even though the article formulates a conclusion that matches the conclusion in the source journal, there are some discrepancies to be noted.

The disparity majorly occurs in the nerves, glands, and tissues explained to be affected and have an impeccable to the result of greying the hair. In the article, the sympathetic nervous system is highlighted as the core is that influences and affects the hair color due to exposure of the stem cells to different stress levels. The article tends to focus more on nerves as making the color changes. The source journal presents a piece of otherwise and more in-depth information the collective impact and influence of various body systems on the result. For instance, the journal notes that although the adrenaline glands are central stress regulators, they fail to derive changes in melanocytes during stress levels. Nonetheless, another discrepancy occurs where the article majorly identifies stress as the primary causal agent of change in hair color. The source provides other reasons which have a major impact, just like extreme stress levels. They include the age of relevance as well as patients who have experienced partial sympathectomy. The latter develop unpigmented hairs on the sympathectomized side with age, thus conflicting the article on the basis that depletion of Melanocyte stem cells does not only occur due to extreme stress.

The popular article contains generalizations. They include a generalization that stress lead change in hair color due to the activity of the overactive nerves. They also generalized that changes in hair color is visible and observable. Additionally, they simplified that adrenal glands do not affect the change of hair color. The generalizations do not compromise the accuracy found in the source journal. It is because the simplified information is a representation of the data and findings represented in the source journal (Haig 47). Because not all details can be mentioned, the article chose the major premises from the journal, which have been proven via various stem cell experiments.  Because the simplified information echoes the core finding of the journal, which is empirical, it does not compromise the accuracy. Instead, it translates the journal into a smooth and comprehendible form.

The popular article also leaves some questions unanswered. The questions highlight the gap in the article (Bakker 67). For instance, the question of how the results were realized arises since the article only dispenses on conclusions that can easily be regarded as assumptions. The journal provides the answer by explaining that an injection of RTX was used during the Mice’s anagen stage, leading to the differentiation of melanocytes and MeSCs cells appearing near the bulge. Also, the question of why adrenal glands failed to derive the change in MeSCs despite being regulators of response arises. The answer is, however, explained in the journal.

Furthermore, there are various details in the journal that were not addressed in the article. For instance, noradrenaline, which is central to stress responses, is discussed in the journal and fails to appear in the article. The journal discloses that the researchers undertook an operation to determine the source of noradrenaline during stress. Hormonal responses during the experiment are explained during the surgical incisions. Also, the article fails to mention the methods that were used during the process, which is crucial in validating the conclusion. The journal comprehensively explains randomization as the first method that involved randomly putting the mice in different experimental groups. Also, radiation, statistical analysis, and examination of stress hormones are identified in the journal as significant areas of the experiment that failed to appear in the article. Nevertheless, all topics and details mentioned in the article were addressed in the journal,

Suggested Revision

To improve the quality of the article, there would need to increase the length of the article and ensure that it summarily covers all areas of concern in the journal, giving explanations to avoid questions arising from the article. Also, the use of more pictures from the journal with descriptive quotes could make the article more beautiful and appealing (Taylor 156). The vocabulary used in the article is not also friendly to the typical reader. Thus, using a more straightforward non-scientific vocabulary would attract more audiences. Similarly, the general structure of the article would require improvisation by the use of subheadings where relevant to make transitioning easier and leave an appealing and presentable work.

Although the article is well written and articulated, it is not comprehensive enough to cover all areas and reach the target audience. There are still some gaps in terms of content concerning the article as well as quality concerns. Thus, future articles should consider covering all relevant journal areas as well as use a friendlier vocabulary for appealing the audience.