Log In | Register

Item EM029005: If tail length in mice is an inherited trait, the tail length of parents and offspring are related. (Recognize the relationship in a graph.)

Scientists measured the tail lengths of mouse parents and the tail lengths of their adult offspring. Then they graphed the data.

If tail length is an inherited trait, which of the following graphs and explanations shows how parent tail length would be related to offspring tail length?

  1. Because parents with long tails tend to have offspring with long tails.

  1. Because parents with long tails tend to have offspring with short tails.

  1. Because regardless of parent tail length, offspring tail length is dependent on the environment they are raised in.

  1. Because parent tail length does not affect offspring tail length.

 

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. 61% 57% 60% 56% 63% 59% 62%
B. 11% 17% 11% 12% 11% 12% 15%
C. 22% 13% 23% 26% 20% 23% 23%
D. 6% 13% 5% 6% 6% 6% 0%

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. 60% 67% 62% 64% 62% 63% 44%
B. 11% 11% 10% 15% 8% 11% 0%
C. 23% 6% 22% 13% 25% 21% 22%
D. 6% 17% 6% 8% 4% 5% 33%

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. 74% 100% 73% 68% 77% 73% 50%
B. 5% 0% 5% 4% 6% 5% 0%
C. 17% 0% 18% 21% 14% 16% 50%
D. 5% 0% 5% 7% 3% 5% 0%