Genetics is the study of DNA and RNA molecules and heredity. Understanding genetics is important to everyday life, but it is one of the challenging subjects to understand. Misconceptions are the interpretations and conceptions of individuals that are different from scientifically accepted explanations. With the help of a two-tier diagnostic test, to which we added a third part, we examined what misconceptions the students have about the contents of genetics. After reviewing the scientific literature, we translated the already existing two-tier genetic diagnostic test into Slovenian language and added a third part to it. The first part (A) of each question tested knowledge, the second part (B) asked about the reason for the chosen answer in the first part of the question and the third part (C) asked about the certainty in the correctness of one's answer. The question was marked as correctly answered, if the student answered correctly in the first and second part of the question. Based on the combination of answers to all three parts of the question, we classified the students or their answers into one of eight categories of knowledge. After completing the questionnaires, the results were analysed according to three factors: class year, gender and interest in studying natural sciences. The results show that the students do not have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the concepts of genetics and that, regardless of their class year, gender and their interest in the study of natural sciences, there are no differences in their knowledge and certainty in the correctness of their answer. The most challenging themes for students are: the structure and location of genes, genetic information in cells, in which cells are sex chromosomes located, the number of chromosomes in cells and which type of chromosomes are present in gametes.
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