No Gender Gap in Mathematics
July 24th, 2008 by SplineGuy
A study published in Science Magazine today puts to bed the question of gender differences in mathematics. (Sorry, I chose not to emply the use of some tired mathematical pun like "it doesn’t add up". I grew weary of them after reading a dozen articles in mainstream media outlets, each one seemingly trying to top the last.) There is no statistically significant difference in the mathematical test scores of the general population (grades 2 - 11) in the United States with respect to gender.
Over 7 million students’ test scores were compared from 10 different states to reach this conclusion. Thanks to the NCLB act, a surplus of data was available to address an issue that has been studied through meta-analysis in the past but can now be comprehensively analyzed. Much of the data made available by individual states were missing adequate statistical information. Soliciting from all 50 states, 10 were willing to comply with the study (Texas not included). The sample of states seems fairly representative:
Here is the study’s stated conclusion:
Our analysis shows that, for grades 2 to 11, the general population no longer shows a gender difference in math skills, consistent with the gender similarities hypothesis(19). There is evidence of slightly greater male variability in scores, although the causes remain unexplained. Gender differences in math performance, even among high scorers, are insufficient to explain lopsided gender patterns in participation in some STEM fields. An unexpected finding was that state assessments designed to meet NCLB requirements fail to test complex problem-solving of the kind needed for success in STEM careers, a lacuna that should be fixed.
There goes my reasoning for curving all my female students’ grades an extra five points. ;)
Please note, for my own protection and in case you live under a rock, the emoticon at the end of the statement means I am NOT serious.
For more information on the study:
- The original study published in Science: Gender Similarities Characterize Math Performance (requires subscription)
- Girls = Boys at Math by David Malakoff (ScienceNOW Daily News)
- Numbers don’t lie: Girls as good at math as boys, study finds (Dallas Morning News)
When I was a boy (a long time ago in a far away land), girls were encouraged to NOT take math and science courses, but to devote themselves to classes appropriate for women: home economics, typing, shorthand, and nursing.
I keep wondering about this supposed gender gap (which I guess no longer exists). When I was growing up, my oldest sister was in the top of her high school class in math and science, and then was at the top of her electrical engineering class in college. Most of the better math majors I was around in college were female. And then in grad school, in any given year at least half the grad students in the math department with me were female and they were ALL better mathematicians than I was. I’ve never had this sense that girls were being discouraged from studying math and science. Perhaps I jsut had a really atypical upbringing.