Table 1 Overview of the reported misconceptions linked to teleological thinking and potential ways of confronting them
From: Teleological pitfalls in reading evolutionary trees and ways to avoid them
Misconception or educational pitfall | Possible measures/practices |
|---|---|
Pop-cultural portrayal | Tree design Address teleology |
Reading across the tips | Tree design Visualize rotations Adding additional information Convert topologies |
Order of teaching evolution | Start with families Start with circle in circle diagrams |
Teleological wording | Consider the wording Illustrate and address teleology |
Effects of different representational styles | Tree design Visualize rotations Convert topologies Adding additional information |
Diagonal trees | Tree design Adding additional information Convert topologies |
Anagenetic diagrams | Tree design |
Orientation of trees | Tree design Visualize rotations Convert topologies |
Lines represent no change | Adding additional information |
Unbalanced trees | Visualize rotations Adding additional information |
Age of groups | Address teleology Visualize rotations |
Interpreting focal taxa | Positioning of focal taxon Address teleology Consider the wording |
Different levels | Tree design |