An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of the variables "realism" and "context" on the performance of biology students on a visual test about the anatomy of a rat. The instruction was primarily visual with additional verbal information like Latin names and practical information about the learning task: dissecting a rat to gain…

This encyclopedia brings together in more than 200 entries, arranged in A-to-Z format, a portrait of the complex modern issue that birth control has become with advances in medicine and biochemistry during the 20th century. It is aimed at both the student and the consumer of birth control. Entries cover the following topics: birth control…

This paper describes a study of young children's understanding of what is on the inside of animals--skeletons and other organ systems. The study uses 2-D drawings based on the idea that a drawing is the representational model and is the outward expression of the mental model. The 617 drawings made by participants in the study were awarded one of…

Work supported in part by four U.S. Public Health Service grants. (VM)

The use of case histories to test a student's knowledge of the previous weeks' dissection in gross anatomy class is discussed. The test is seen as a way to integrate other basic sciences. An example of this type of test is provided. (MLW)

Provides a look at the methods of paleoanthropology. The shape of a bone, the location of a muscle, or the wear on a tooth can help define environmental context and the course of species evolution. (BB)

This article discusses the role of neurological damage in the form of lesions, as it relates to alexia. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Presents a scenario-based anatomy exercise designed for middle schools students. Investigates the anatomy of alfalfa and sweet clover plants while focusing on seedling anatomy. (YDS)

This study of 102 individuals with autism found that the brainstem and cerebellum increased in size with age but were significantly smaller in autistic patients than in controls. Analysis of the speed of development suggests that brainstem and vermian abnormalities in autism were due to an early insult and hypoplasia rather than to progressive…

Data from 80 deaf children and 190 hearing children, ages 5-15, indicated that there were no intergroup differences on the Draw-a-Person Test; deaf children in successively older age groups knew more internal body parts than younger subjects; and deaf children knew less about internal body parts than hearing children. (Author/JDD)

The discovery of the Nazi origins of the classic Pernkopf anatomy atlas is one example of scientific information obtained by doctors who violated the Hippocratic Oath. The ethical dilemmas that doctors and medical centers face as a result of this and other potentially tainted data is reviewed. (Author/AEF)

Explains the responsibilities of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and its decision making process as to who receives an organ for transplant. Presents an activity exploring ethics, human values, and human anatomy. (YDS)

Among the many ideas and theories in anatomy and physiology, one particular topic provides all the potential benefits of learning about the human body: the circulatory system, specifically the heart. Describes a distinctive way to study circulation and the heart that allows students to explore the basic principles of vertebrate anatomy and…

Discusses students' understandings of their own internal structure. Analysis shows the extent to which student understanding increases with age and the degree to which students know more about some organs and organ systems than others. Gender differences in the drawings were generally not large and there were some intriguing differences in the…