Original: In 2002 , Hwang and colleagues utilized the work of Norell et al . , including new characters and better fossil evidence , to determine that birds ( avialans ) were better thought of as cousins to the dromaeosaurids and troodontids .
Simplified: In 2002 , Hwang and colleagues suggested that birds ( avialans ) were better thought of as cousins to the dromaeosaurids and troodontids .