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Nicole Bratu

Bringle

English 8 p.6

May 9, 2017

The Archerfish Experiment

“While most fish leap out of the water to catch insects, this fish swims about just beneath

the surface of the water. When it spots an insect on some overhanging plant it shoots a jet of

water at it. This causes the insect to fall into the water where the fish eats it.”(8) The experiment

that tells whether or not this animal using tools will be conducted on archerfish. This study will

prove archerfish do use tools because the experiment will have facts based on data and analysis,

multiple observations over time, and systematic methods. These factors will make sure the study

is reliable and credible.

One way this study will be reliable study and not an anecdote is that there will be facts

based on data. According to “The Great Crow Fallacy”, “Our observations suggest that crows

merely are using the hard surface the facilitate opening walnuts, and their interactions with cars

are incidental.” (8) There was a study do about whether or not crows use cars as nutcrackers. It

was a reliable source that people trusted because there were at least 400 observations done by

different scientists throughout the entire study. They did research and observed the birds. Based

on those observations, the scientists could conclude that crows weren’t using cars as tools. In

this study, there will be facts based only off of data, not opinions. The results will be analyzed

and a conclusion will be drawn only from that data that was recorded from the study.
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Another factor that will make this study reliable is multiple observations over the time

period of the study. In “The Great Crow Fallacy”, the experiment that proved crow aren’t using

cars as nutcracker it states, “ The scientists watched how the crows behaved when the cars were

approaching; then, soon after, they watched how crows behaved at the same places when the cars

were not approaching, during an equivalent time period. What they found, after 400 separate

observations, was that there was no real difference.”(6,7) They had multiple observations over

different periods of time so they were able to really find out if crows were using cars as

nutcrackers. There were other scientists that started the rumor that crows use cars as nutcrackers

simply because they saw a crow drop a nut on the street once. The crow experiment was

successful partially due to the fact that they made so many observations. In the study that is

being planned out, there will be multiple observers for each trial that is going to take place. Each

trial will have equivalent time periods, but will take place different days. There will be multiple

days where this study will take place. There will also be observations made in different areas.

The data will help conclude whether or not archer fish use tools.

A systematic structure will take place for this experiment. “...for a total of twenty-five

hours spread over fourteen days…”(6) “An estimated 10,000 crows were roosting nearby, and

150 walnut trees lined the streets where the study was conducted”(6) “400 separate

observations”(7) These are all some qualities of a systematic structure. There will be a little over

300 archerfish in the surrounding area that will be observed. Having a record of how many

archerfish will be watched and the study will be held over a longer period of time. There will be

observations every day along with records of how many times a day the archerfish was spotted

eating it’s prey by using the tool. The experiment will take place over the course of one month
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each day there will be scientists out observing for 5 hours. This will be enforced to make sure we

have the best results.

The end results of the experiment should have an abundance of evidence that the

archerfish may or may not be using the tool. The data from the study should make it very easy to

draw a conclusion on whether or not the archerfish is using its tool. There will be facts concluded

from the study that is based only on data created from this study. The end results will include

many, many observations the scientists working on this study have gathered. There will also be a

very clear way to how the data was gathered. This concludes the plan on how there will be a

guarantee that if this archerfish project happens it will be a reliable source for others to use.