Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures
ABSTRACT Scientific publications, textbooks, and online educational resources rely on illustrated figures to communicate about molecular structures like genes and chromosomes. Published figures have the potential to shape how learners think about these molecular structures and their functions, so it...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00083-25 |
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| author | Crystal Uminski Dina L. Newman L. Kate Wright |
| author_facet | Crystal Uminski Dina L. Newman L. Kate Wright |
| author_sort | Crystal Uminski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Scientific publications, textbooks, and online educational resources rely on illustrated figures to communicate about molecular structures like genes and chromosomes. Published figures have the potential to shape how learners think about these molecular structures and their functions, so it is important that figures are clear, unambiguous, and free from misleading or incorrect information. Unfortunately, we found numerous examples of figures that contain representations of genes and chromosomes with errors that reflect common molecular biology misconceptions. We found published figures featuring Y-shaped Y chromosomes, replicated chromosomes incorrectly shown with different alleles on sister chromatids, single genes portrayed as wide bands on chromosomes, and genes consisting of only a small number of nucleotides. Drawing on our research on student thinking about visual representations in molecular biology, we critique these published figures that contain such misconceptions and provide recommendations for simple modifications to figures that may help scientists, science illustrators, and science educators more accurately communicate the structure and function of genes and chromosomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-94a8a29cd1f045f29cfc1bc8fbfaa4fd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-94a8a29cd1f045f29cfc1bc8fbfaa4fd2025-08-21T13:01:40ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852025-08-0126210.1128/jmbe.00083-25Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figuresCrystal Uminski0Dina L. Newman1L. Kate Wright2Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USAThomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USAThomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USAABSTRACT Scientific publications, textbooks, and online educational resources rely on illustrated figures to communicate about molecular structures like genes and chromosomes. Published figures have the potential to shape how learners think about these molecular structures and their functions, so it is important that figures are clear, unambiguous, and free from misleading or incorrect information. Unfortunately, we found numerous examples of figures that contain representations of genes and chromosomes with errors that reflect common molecular biology misconceptions. We found published figures featuring Y-shaped Y chromosomes, replicated chromosomes incorrectly shown with different alleles on sister chromatids, single genes portrayed as wide bands on chromosomes, and genes consisting of only a small number of nucleotides. Drawing on our research on student thinking about visual representations in molecular biology, we critique these published figures that contain such misconceptions and provide recommendations for simple modifications to figures that may help scientists, science illustrators, and science educators more accurately communicate the structure and function of genes and chromosomes.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00083-25misconceptionsfiguresillustrationsdiagramschromosomesgenes |
| spellingShingle | Crystal Uminski Dina L. Newman L. Kate Wright Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education misconceptions figures illustrations diagrams chromosomes genes |
| title | Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| title_full | Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| title_fullStr | Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| title_short | Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| title_sort | misshaped chromosomes mismatched chromatids and missized genes easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures |
| topic | misconceptions figures illustrations diagrams chromosomes genes |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00083-25 |
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