Where are the girls? Gender differences in secondary science and math grades

Jeff Matthew Ommen, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

To investigate gender differences in secondary science and math grades, I used a cumulative numerical grade, a method to reduce a single student's many grades into a single number. Subjects were 640 students, who graduated from two small, mid-west high schools from the years of 1986-1993. Gender differences in cumulative numerical grades were not continuously supported in single class tests, in single school tests, or combined school tests. There were instances gender differences in cumulative numerical grade were upheld, however. A definite interaction was evident between math and science cumulative numerical grades. The differences between male and female cumulative numerical grades were found to fluctuate over the time of the study.