Log In | Register

Item EH006001: Some mutations are harmful, some mutations are beneficial, and some have no effect on the organism.

What effect do mutations have on organisms?

  1. All mutations are harmful to organisms because they disrupt protein function or gene regulation.
  2. All mutations are beneficial to organisms, because they improve protein function or gene regulation.
  3. All mutations have no effect on organisms, because they do not significantly affect protein function or gene regulation.
  4. Some mutations are harmful, some mutations are beneficial, and some have no effect on the organism.

Pre-Test

Distribution of responses (prior to studying evolution in high school)
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. All mutations are harmful to organisms because they disrupt protein function or gene regulation. 6% 4% 6% 5% 7% 6% 8%
B. All mutations are beneficial to organisms, because they improve protein function or gene regulation. 7% 4% 7% 7% 6% 7% 8%
C. All mutations have no effect on organisms, because they do not significantly affect protein function or gene regulation. 6% 13% 6% 6% 7% 7% 0%
D. Some mutations are harmful, some mutations are beneficial, and some have no effect on the organism. 81% 78% 81% 81% 81% 81% 85%

Post-Test (Control)

Distribution of responses (following typical high school instruction on evolution)
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. All mutations are harmful to organisms because they disrupt protein function or gene regulation. 8% 0% 8% 6% 7% 7% 0%
B. All mutations are beneficial to organisms, because they improve protein function or gene regulation. 8% 17% 7% 6% 8% 7% 11%
C. All mutations have no effect on organisms, because they do not significantly affect protein function or gene regulation. 5% 6% 5% 7% 3% 5% 11%
D. Some mutations are harmful, some mutations are beneficial, and some have no effect on the organism. 79% 78% 80% 81% 81% 81% 78%

Post-Test (Treatment)

Distribution of responses (following completion of an evolution curriculum module)
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. All mutations are harmful to organisms because they disrupt protein function or gene regulation. 2% 0% 2% 2% 1% 2% 0%
B. All mutations are beneficial to organisms, because they improve protein function or gene regulation. 5% 0% 5% 3% 7% 5% 0%
C. All mutations have no effect on organisms, because they do not significantly affect protein function or gene regulation. 3% 0% 3% 5% 2% 4% 0%
D. Some mutations are harmful, some mutations are beneficial, and some have no effect on the organism. 90% 100% 90% 90% 90% 89% 100%