TABLE 2.

Survey items used to assess self-reported prior knowledge^a

	Mean	SeD	Item-total correlation
I can calculate the probability that an individual in a pedigree has a particular genotype.	2.75	1.18	0.55
I can discuss how various factors might influence the relationship between genotype and phenotype.	2.87	1.04	0.62
I can explain how independent assortment of alleles during meiosis can lead to new combinations of alleles of unlinked genes.	2.67	1.15	0.61
I can explain how genetic distance is different from physical distance.	2.15	1.16	0.55
I can calculate gene linkage and genetic map distances and interference from the frequencies of progeny with recombinant phenotypes from 2-factor and 3-factor genetic crosses.	1.56	0.86	0.64
I can discuss Beadle and Tatum’s “One gene–one enzyme” hypothesis.	2.11	1.38	0.35
I can design a screen for isolating antibiotic resistance mutants and auxotrophic revertants.	1.50	0.925	0.62
I can design a bacteriophage cross that will allow the calculation of genetic map distance between two genes.	1.34	0.77	0.59

^aScale ranged from 1 (not at all true of me) to 5 (completely true of me). Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84. N = 742.