Table 2 Linkage of common student ideas to Mayr’s facts and inferences assessed
Mayr’s fact or inference | Dimension | Description |
|---|---|---|
Fact 4 | Target idea | New traits arise as a result of random genetic processes |
Mutation-based ideas | Changes occur as a result of genetic mutations in direct response to the environment | |
Student refers to mutations or random changes leading to new traits but does not describe a mechanism for how that happens | ||
Description of differences in traits not given at genetic level | ||
Target idea | Organisms do not purposefully change their traits in response to the environment | |
Transformation-based ideas | Organisms change as a direct result of environmental changes | |
Theoretically ambiguous description of change | ||
No mention of transformationist ideas | ||
Target idea | Individuals within a population vary among themselves, even though they may look generally the same | |
Variation-based ideas | Includes idea of variation but use is unclear or vague OR mentions variation but not at the level of population | |
No mention of variation | ||
Inference 2 | Target idea | Individuals in a population are fit if they are able to reproduce the most number of offspring who survive to reproductive age |
Fitness-based ideas | Confusing everyday meaning of fitness with fitness in its biological sense | |
No mention of fitness |