GENDER GAP: DOES IT EXIST?
The Gender Gap in Math and Science: Does it Exist?
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GENDER GAP: DOES IT EXIST?
The Gender Gap in Math and Science: Does it Exist?
The battle of the sexes and the ensuing debate regarding the mental acuity of men versus
women in math and science remains unsettled. While early research professed that men
overwhelmingly outperformed women in the areas of mathematics and science (Doolittle, 1989),
more recent research indicates that the gap is closing (Sohn, 2012). Indeed, several researchers
now argue that men and women are performing on par with one another in the areas of science
and math. (Scafidi & Bui, 2010; Hyde, Fennema, & Lamon, 2008). The purpose of this literature
review is to analyze the research regarding the gender gap in science and math and offer several
policy recommendations to help ameliorate any gender gaps that still exist.
It is difficult to provide a concise exploration of the literature regarding the gender gap in
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