Development and application of a five-tier diagnostic test to assess misconceptions on life cycle of cells among senior high school students in Mainland China

This study aims to: (1) develop and validate a five-tier diagnostic instrument on the life cycle of cells; and (2) identify significant misconceptions among senior high school students in Mainland China, analysing the characteristics of their sources and the mechanisms underlying misconception formation. The study included 474 valid participants from four regions of China: east, south, west, and north. The results showed that the Five-tier Diagnostic Instrument for the Life Cycle of Cells (5DILCC) demonstrated high reliability and validity. Its scientific rigour was confirmed through analyses combining Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). The instrument identified six previously unrecognised significant misconceptions across the life cycle of cells. Further investigation revealed that these significant misconceptions originated from both single and compound sources. Interviews with 15% of students holding significant misconceptions from various sources revealed that single-source influences primarily originated from simplified textbook statements, poorly organised content, missing key concept comparisons, and reasoning errors such as faulty analogies and cognitive biases. Additionally, the interplay of diverse compound sources facilitated the development of these misconceptions, an area rarely addressed in previous studies. This study provides a reference for developing effective conceptual change instructional strategies and enhancing students’ scientific literacy.