Peer Review

Primate Phylogenetics

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jun 25, 2002 by Biology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

Primate Phylogenetics is a guided exercise in the use of DNA sequences and
database tools to determine evolutionary relationships. It is difficult to
exactly classify as it has elements of both a simulation and a tutorial. The
exercise provides background information on phylogenetic trees through a link to
the University of California Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley. The site
provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the Biology Workbench, a
web-based tool for biologists to search protein and nucleic acid databases as
well as to do comparisons of nucleic acid or amino acid sequences. The exercise
also has a basic instruction area on how to use the Biology Workbench. The site
also provides data on five primates to use in the exercise to derive
phylogenetic relationships. A sample answer is also provided. Contains links to
other species' sequence data to broaden experience.

Type of Material:

Tutorial

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Learn how DNA sequences are used to determine evolutionary relationships.
Use DNA workbench and gain familiarity with it's operation

Target Student Population:

High school AP to undergraduate college.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Quality of Content: (4) (4.5) = 4.25

Features of Excellence

Instructions are adequate.
Accurate and with appropriate vocabulary.
Integrates current experimental procedures with concepts of phylogeny.
Highly interactive

Concerns:

Background information on mitochondrial D-loop DNA and why it is used
for comparison would help students to understand overall concept.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Potential Effectiveness: (5) (4) = 4.5

Features of Excellence

Excellent introduction to use of molecular data in phylogeny.
Clearly demonstrates conceptual relationships.
Easily leads to more difficult exercises.

Concerns:

A direct link to the Biology Workbench would be useful.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Ease of Use: (4) (4.5) = 4.25

Features of Excellence

Clear, step-by-step instructions provided.
No bugs or defective links
Assignment provided.
Remind students to be patient when loading data into Biology Workbench;
lost data may result from going to fast.

Concerns:

More detailed directions on the mechanics of using the Biology Workbench
site.

Other Issues and Comments:: Overall rating: (4.33) (4.33) = 4.33
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