Otto, J. L. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

IDENTIFYING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PROTEIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN A NON-MAJORS BIOCHEMISTRY COURSE

Understanding the structure and function of proteins is crucial for students as it provides fundamental insights into one of the central building blocks of life. Yet, undergraduate students struggle to make sense of proteins and apply knowledge about why structure affects function. Here, we expand on an existing typology of common protein misconceptions (Robic, 2010). We recruited participants from a large, lecture-based non-major biochemistry course to participate in a series of assessments that allowed us to qualitatively examine their responses. We found that the common misconceptions included: protein stability based on orientation, confusions about the inherent dynamic properties of proteins, and protein structure related to function. We surmise that all three of these newly reported, nuanced misconceptions are the product of difficulties with visuospatial reasoning.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2022

Preprint peer review enhances undergraduate biology students' disciplinary literacy and sense of belonging in STEM

Undergraduate education on science publishing and peer review is limited compared to the focus on experimental research. Since peer review is integral to the scientific process and central to the identity of a scientist, we envision a paradigm shift that makes teaching peer review integral to undergraduate science education, and hypothesize that this may facilitate the development of students scientific literacy and identity formation. To this end, we developed a curriculum for biology undergraduates to learn about the mechanisms of peer review, then write and publish their own peer reviews as a way to authentically join the scientific community of practice. The curriculum was implemented as a semester-long intervention in one class and as a module intervention embedded into a discipline-based class on vaccines. Before and after both interventions, we measured students scientific literacy, including peer review ability, using quantitative methods. We also carried out a longitudinal qualitative assessment of students perceptions of their scientific literacy and identity using thematic analysis of students writing. Here, we present data on the improvement in peer review ability of undergraduates in both classes, and data on the curriculums interrelated impact on students development of scientific literacy, identity, and belonging in academic and professional spaces. These data suggest that undergraduates can and should be trained in peer review to foster the interrelated development of their scientific literacy, scientific identity, and sense of belonging in science.

scientific communication and education↗