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Item RH024007: Both an organism's physical characteristics and the function of the organism's cells could be affected by the information in the organism's DNA molecules (no specific organism identified).

Which of the following could be affected by the information in the DNA molecules of an organism?

  1. Both an organism's physical characteristics and the function of the organism's cells
  2. An organism's physical characteristics but not the function of the organism's cells
  3. The function of the organism's cells but not the organism's physical characteristics
  4. Neither an organism's physical characteristics nor the function of the organism's cells

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. Both an organism's physical characteristics and the function of the organism's cells 61% 78% 60% 58% 62% 60% 77%
B. An organism's physical characteristics but not the function of the organism's cells 20% 4% 20% 21% 19% 20% 15%
C. The function of the organism's cells but not the organism's physical characteristics 15% 17% 15% 16% 16% 16% 8%
D. Neither an organism's physical characteristics nor the function of the organism's cells 4% 0% 4% 5% 3% 4% 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. Both an organism's physical characteristics and the function of the organism's cells 64% 72% 65% 65% 70% 66% 56%
B. An organism's physical characteristics but not the function of the organism's cells 20% 17% 20% 24% 14% 20% 22%
C. The function of the organism's cells but not the organism's physical characteristics 12% 6% 11% 7% 13% 11% 11%
D. Neither an organism's physical characteristics nor the function of the organism's cells 4% 6% 3% 4% 4% 3% 11%

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. Both an organism's physical characteristics and the function of the organism's cells 72% 100% 73% 68% 78% 74% 63%
B. An organism's physical characteristics but not the function of the organism's cells 14% 0% 13% 16% 11% 13% 0%
C. The function of the organism's cells but not the organism's physical characteristics 9% 0% 9% 12% 6% 8% 25%
D. Neither an organism's physical characteristics nor the function of the organism's cells 5% 0% 5% 5% 5% 5% 13%