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Table 7 Level 1 students’ ratings regarding the extent to which four scientific ideas are established (evolution acceptors and rejectors shown separately)

From: Evolution and Religion: Attitudes of Scottish Bioscience Students to the Teaching of Evolutionary Biology

Idea

Acceptors

Rejectors

P

Poor

N

Well

Poor

N

Well

Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity are the main cause of global climate change

26

16

58

25

18

57

NS

The equation E = mC2

10

13

77

18

30

52

***

The continents once formed a single large landmass, now known as Pangaea

14

23

63

21

33

46

*

Smoking greatly increases the risk of developing lung cancer

5

11

84

3

8

89

NS

  1. Data are shown as a percentage of those giving a ranking on a five-point scale from 1 = poorly to 5 = well established with 1, 2 combined as poor; 4, 5 combined as well; 3 neutral (N). Data from years 2008 to 2009 and 2009–2010 combined (n = 1,018). Results of X2 comparisons shown as P = NS (not significant); *0.01 < P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001