The findings of this study also have implications for the assessment of scientific literacy in
a writing-to-learn context. The student interviews revealed a different depth of understanding
than was evident in the BioStories, which suggests that multiple assessment strategies are
required in combination in order to gain a fuller picture of the students’ developing scientific
literacy. Although it was expected that students’ levels of understanding would be reflected in
what they wrote, it was found that interviews with individual students showed deeper conceptual
understandings, and at the same time, they also identified evidence of superficial or problematic
understandings that were omitted from their writing.