Evolution
Argumentation and Evolution
In a scientific argument, claims about the natural world should be supported or refuted by evidence, and by reas…
Item CA042002: Similar skeletal features (in dogs and fish) indicate a common ancestor. (Identify claim, evidence, and reasoning.)
A class of students is visiting a natural history museum. Students are looking at the skeleton of a dog, after which they walk over to an exhibit showing the skeleton of a fish.
As a homework assignment the teacher asks the students to think about the following question:
“Do dogs and fish share a common ancestor?”
Students are asked to write an argument to justify their answer. One student writes:
Common ancestors are a topic in evolution. Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Dogs and fish may have a common ancestor.
Identify the claim, evidence, and reasoning statement in the student’s argument.
-
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor.
Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar.
Reasoning: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features.
-
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor.
Evidence: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features.
Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar.
-
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor.
Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar.
Reasoning: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor.
-
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor.
Evidence: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor.
Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar
Pre-Test
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 559 |
6–8 n = 23 |
9–12 n = 499 |
Male n = 221 |
Female n = 300 |
English n = 516 |
Other n = 13 |
||
| A. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. |
20% | 30% | 19% | 21% | 19% | 20% | 15% |
| B. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. |
17% | 4% | 18% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 8% |
| C. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. |
47% | 43% | 46% | 43% | 49% | 46% | 38% |
| D. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar |
17% | 22% | 17% | 19% | 16% | 16% | 38% |
Post-Test (Control)
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 281 |
6–8 n = 18 |
9–12 n = 229 |
Male n = 109 |
Female n = 135 |
English n = 243 |
Other n = 9 |
||
| A. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. |
22% | 39% | 20% | 19% | 21% | 21% | 11% |
| B. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. |
18% | 28% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 18% | 11% |
| C. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. |
41% | 17% | 45% | 42% | 46% | 43% | 44% |
| D. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar |
19% | 17% | 19% | 22% | 16% | 18% | 33% |
Post-Test (Treatment)
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 305 |
6–8 n = 3 |
9–12 n = 280 |
Male n = 139 |
Female n = 150 |
English n = 276 |
Other n = 8 |
||
| A. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. |
23% | 0% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 38% |
| B. |
Claim: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Evidence: Dogs and fish have similar anatomical features. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. |
17% | 33% | 18% | 17% | 19% | 18% | 25% |
| C. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar. Reasoning: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. |
43% | 33% | 43% | 40% | 46% | 43% | 25% |
| D. |
Claim: Fish and dogs may have a common ancestor. Evidence: Similar skeletal features likely indicate a common ancestor. Reasoning: For example, they both have a backbone, a bony skull, and their ribcages are similar |
17% | 33% | 17% | 21% | 14% | 17% | 13% |