Table 2 Questions used and/or modified from Gregory and Ellis (2009) used as part of the questionnaire
From: Improving How Evolution Is Taught: Facilitating a Shift from Memorization to Evolutionary Thinking
1. In your opinion, how well do the following people understand evolution? (1 = not at all, 5 = very well) | ||||
A—You | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B—Fellow students in your program | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C—Members of the general public | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
2. How relevant do you think evolutionary thinking is for the following? (1 = irrelevant, 5 = very relevant) | ||||
A—Your day-to-day activities | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B—The field that you are majoring in or the career you hope to have | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C—Scientists trying to understand the natural world | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
3. How strongly do you agree with the following statements? (1 = disagree, 5 = strongly agree) | ||||
A—The meaning of the word “theory” differs considerably in science versus in common language | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B—In science, what begins as a “theory” may be promoted to being considered “fact” once there is overwhelming evidence to support it | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C—In science, “theories” do not become “facts, but rather theories explain facts” | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |