Are the Predictors of Women’s Persistence in STEM Painting the Full Picture? A Series of Comparative Case Studies

Roxanne Hughes

Vol. 3 No. 3 (2011)

Research and theoretical papers

Are the Predictors of Women’s Persistence in STEM Painting the Full Picture? A Series of Comparative Case Studies

Published 01-08-2011

Roxanne Hughes

Roxanne Hughes
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

How to Cite

Are the Predictors of Women’s Persistence in STEM Painting the Full Picture? A Series of Comparative Case Studies. (2011). International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 3(3), 547-570. https://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/185

Download Citation

Abstract

This study provides an in-depth picture of seven college level women all of whom entered university with a declared science/engineering major. Comparative case studies are used to highlight how predictive factors regarding persistence in the current literature do not cover the unique and varying experiences that lead to women’s decisions to stay or leave their science/engineering majors. Specifically this study focuses on the following predictive factors: parental support and education level; pre-college preparation; ability to identify with the culture of science and engineering. By conducting narrative life histories with each of these women I was also able to delve in to the perception that each of these women associated with their experience. This study indicates that more research needs to be done to further explore the varying interpretations made by women in science/engineering majors that affect their persistence.

&

Keywords

Women, Gender issues, Science, Engineering, Persistence

PDF

Author Biography

Roxanne Hughes

Dr. Hughes is the educational research coordinator for the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Her research interests include programs and policies that attempt to address the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields.