Correlations Between Tree Thinking and Acceptance of Evolution in Introductory Biology Students

Table 6 MATE and TTCI response for different student background categories

Category	N	TTCI_PRE	(SD)	TTCI_POST	(SD)	TTCI Pre-post	MATE_PRE	MATE_POST	MATE Pre-post
Year
Freshman	73	6.86^A	(2.56)	9.23^A	(2.58)	**	76.0^A	80.0^A	*
Sophomore	119	7.05^A	(2.82)	9.47^A	(2.36)	**	79.0^A	82.0^A	*
Junior	72	6.94^A	(2.56)	9.71^A	(2.85)	**	78.0^A	83.0^A	*
Senior	40	6.75^A	(2.53)	9.73^A	(3.03)	**	86.0^B	95.0^B	**
Life science major
No	25	7.16^A	(3.01)	9.44^A	(3.03)	*	80.0^A	82.0^A	n.s.
Yes	279	6.92^A	(2.62)	9.51^A	(2.59)	*	79.0^A	83.0^A	*
Previous introductory biology
No	98	6.15^A	(2.60)	8.95^A	(2.68)	**	72.5^A	73.5^A	n.s.
Yes	206	7.32^B	(2.60)	9.77^A	(2.56)	**	76.0^A	81.5^A	**
Have you seen diagrams like these previously?
No	70	6.19^A	(2.62)	8.47^{A B}	(2.89)	**	72.0^A	75.5^A	*
Maybe	62	6.19^A	(2.18)	9.52^A,B	(2.53)	**	79.0^A	82.5^A	*
Yes	172	7.52^B	(2.69)	9.92^B,ff	(2.39)	**	82.0^A	85.0^A	*
Have you learned to read diagrams like these previously?
No	144	6.33^A	(2.33)	9.10^A<B	(2.83)	**	76.5^A	81.0^A	**
Yes	160	7.49^B	(2.80)	9.90^AAB	(2.36)	**	81.0^A	84.5^A	**

Mean scores (SD) for TTCI_PRE and TTCI_POST, and median scores for MATE_PRE, and MATE_POST for total data pooled across the S11 through F12 semesters for year in school, major, previous introductory biology experience, and whether seen or learned to read phylogenetic trees previously. TTCI_PRE, TTCI_POST, MATE_PRE. and MATE_POST values for a given instrument followed by different letters are significantly different (p < 0.05). N = Sample size. Significance of difference between pretest and posttest scores for a given student category indicated by the following: n.s. = no significant difference, * p < 0.01, ** p < 0.001.

ISSN: 1936-6434