Table 2.

Grouping of Meiosis CI questions into three different categories based on the distribution of answers obtained in a large, first-year biology majors course in which the Meiosis CI was completed at the end of term (n = 193)

Category	Frequent misconceptions (question, frequent incorrect answer, % of students)a
1. Questions with high proportion of correct answers: 2b, 9c, 10c, 11c, 12b, 15b, 16b, 17c	No frequent incorrect answers; these questions had a low difficulty index (posttest).
2. Questions with one common incorrect answer: 1b, 3b, 4c, 5c, 6c, 13b	The absolute number of a cell's chromosomes determines ploidy (Q.1, 31%).
	Haploid cells are characterized by what an expert would call “unreplicated chromosomes” (Q.4, 23%), diploid cells by what an expert would call “replicated chromosomes” (Q.5, 20%; Q.6, 34%).
	Normal/real chromosomes are composed of sister chromatids (Q.6, 25%).
	DNA replication occurs in prophase I (Q.13, 31%).
3. Questions with broader distribution of incorrect answers: 7c, 8c, 14c	Overall confusion in relation to DNA molecules, homologous chromosomes, and sister chromatids (Q.7, various answers).
	DNA replication in results in doubling of chromosome number (Q.8, 40%).
	DNA replication occurs at the start of meiosis, in prophase I (Q.14, 33%).

^aCompiled from individual validation interviews.

^bMC-type questions with four response items from which only one may be selected.

^cMTF-type questions with four response items, from which any number could be selected.