The authors define "genetic analysis" not merely as the memorization of terms like "heterozygous" or "recessive," but as a specific way of thinking. It is the use of genetics to investigate biological processes. The book posits that the best way to understand how a biological system works is to break it and observe the consequences—essentially, the mutant approach.
The title is deliberate: Introduction to Genetic . This is not a book for passive reading. It is a workout manual for the genetic mind. A student who merely memorizes the definition of "recombination" will struggle with the problems. A student who learns to calculate the coefficient of coincidence and interpret a three-point cross will succeed. The 10th edition repeatedly asks the question: "Given this data, what can you conclude?" rather than "What is the definition of a gene?" Introduction to Genetic Analysis -10th Edition-