Scientific Misconception: Type and Assessment Tool

Abstract

           Scientific misconception is knowledge, insight, or ideas that are incomplete and different from scientifically accepted concepts. There are 5 types of scientific misconception; 1) preconceived notion, 2) nonscientific belief, 3) conceptual misunderstanding, 4) vernacular misconception, and 5) factual misconception. In general, an assessment tool for evaluating scientific misconceptions is a diagnostic test, which have 6 types; 1) interview form, 2) open – ended test, 3) ordinary multiple – choice test, 4) two – tier multiple – choice test, 5) three – tier multiple – choice test, and 6) four – tier multiple – choice test. The process of developing   a diagnostic test consists of 3 main steps; 1) defining the concept boundaries, 2) obtaining information about students’ misconceptions, and 3) creating a diagnostic test.