2. Minding the Gap Institute of Education The Complexities of Gender, Assessment and Attainment Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology r.woodfield@sussex.ac.uk

3. Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology Women are more likely to achieve a good degree than men (First or 2:1) Men are nevertheless still more likely to achieve a First class degree, as well as a 2:2, Third, Pass and Fail

4. Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology Commonplace opinions about gender, assessment and attainment: Why men will always beat women in exams, The Independent, Alan Smithers, 2003 How exams are fixed in favour of girls THE SPECTATOR, 2001, Madsen Pirie `Feminised exams can produce only civil servants' The Independent, 2001, Judith Judd, Education Editor2001Judith Judd, Education Editor

5. Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology Of actual research, it has been claimed both that gender bias exists in the assessment systems in HE, but also that it does not exist. For those claiming bias, broadly 3 types of argument exist: 1. Examiners are biased against gender groups 2. Assessment modes, cultures, styles of learning etc. privilege one gender 3. Differences between Arts and Sciences in terms of subject matter privilege males

6. Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology Argument 1: Examiners, knowingly or not, bring their biases to the marking process Joan Smith will score less well than John Smith regardless of academic merit Evidence is contradictory Role of anonymity unclear

7. 2. Assessment modes, cultures, styles of learning etc. privilege one gender - Historically it was claimed that men were advantaged - In the last decade, the dominant claim has been that assessment privileges women Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology

8. 3. Differences between Arts and Sciences in terms of subject matter privilege males: - Sciences have more right/wrong answers - More First class degrees and more Thirds and Fails - More men are in the Sciences, the First-rich areas = more men get Firsts Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology

9. Some last points relating to the complexity of this subject: Much research has been undertaken at Oxbridge which has a skewed sample and assessment regime. -Is it an accident that there has been so much bad -press for coursework at a time that its identified -with girls and women? -Will a move to a GPA system undermine future equalities research? -Further readings … Ruth Woodfield Department of Sociology