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Abstract

Research suggests[1] that the context of physics questions found on widely used physics exams has some influence on students’ performance, transcending knowledge of physics material or ability to manipulate physics equations. Further studies[1,2] indicate that physics questions worded in a more "everyday" context tend to yield marginally improved performance by female physics students – a traditionally underrepresented demographic in many physics courses. This research aims to broaden the (presently limited) body of research demonstrating reduction of gender-gap through context variation, as well as to tease out students’ perceived stereotype threat[3] as a possible overarching factor.

Footnotes

1) “Gender, Context, and Physics Assessment”; Laura McCullough, J of Int. Women's Studies; V5(4), 2004. 2) The Role of Context and Gender in Predicting Success in a Modified Laboratory Course Keron Subero; Ph.D. Dissertation, New Mexico State University; 2010. 3) "A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance." Claude Steele, American psychologist, 1997

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