WHEN SCIENTISTS CHOOSE MOTHERHOOD

By: Wendy M. Williams and Stephen J. Ceci

Published: American Scientist; http://www.americanscientist.org

Level of Difficulty: ****

BEFORE YOU READ

1.       Are there more women or men doing academic careers in math based sciences?

2.       Why do you think there are more men in these fields? Explain.

3.       Do you think this difference is more pronounced or less pronounced now? Why?

4.       Read the title of the text. What is the implied reason for the difference? Do you agree?

QUESTIONS

Read the first six paragraphs.

1.       Jennifer never applied to become a professor for two reasons: …………………………………….

2.       What is the contradiction mentioned in the text concerning women with BA’s in science and math’s?

3.       What are the five reasons stated in the text to explain the above situation and what do they have in common?

4.       What is the main thesis of the essay?

Read the section titled “Ability Differences” to the end.

5.       What reason for the difference in number between men and women in math intensive fields is disproved in the text?

6.       The reasons why the above argument is untenable are: …………………………………………………………

7.       What does the phrase “the causal relationship” in paragraph 11 refer to?

8.       The writer reaches the conclusion that mathematical differences between the sexes are not primary factors in women’s underrepresentation in math heavy fields. What practical example does the writer base this conclusion on?

Read as far as “Perils of Motherhood”.

9.       There are three major differences between men and women in terms of career preference and life course. They are: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10.   How does the above reflect on the work men and women do?

11.   What conclusion can we draw from the examples stated in paragraph 16?

12.   What is the function of paragraph 18? Don’t give cliché answers; explain in full sentences.

Read “The Perils of Motherhood”.

13.   Summarize the information presented in paragraph 20 in one sentence. Use your own words.

14.   What does the phrase “This reality” in paragraph 21 refer to?

15.   According to the information provided in paragraphs 22 and 23, there is a negative correlation between ………………………………. and ……………………………………; as well as ………………………………. and …………………………………………………

16.   There is a positive correlation between …………………………. and ………………………….. in the case of men.

17.   It is claimed that the tenure system has not kept up with the times and this creates problems in the modern world. How does the writer support this claim?

18.   Young colleagues, postdocs and female students are put off the tenure track due to the fact that ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..(Be specific; don’t give an answer that requires explanation also)

19.   What does the phrase “This gap” in paragraph 28 refer to?

20.   There is a similarity between the career prospects of women in academia, investment banking, consulting, venture capital, sales and trading because ……………………………………. (You will need to tweak the texts to get the answer)

21.   What is the function of paragraph 30? Which paragraph in the text serves a similar function? Could these paragraphs be omitted?

Read “Policy Changes with Potential”

22.   Read the solutions suggested to address the problem in paragraph 32. What do they all have in common?

WRITING TASK

Discuss the reasons why fewer women have tenure track aspirations in math based sciences. You may refer to any notes you made while reading the text.

 Reasons

1.       Women are more likely than men to prefer other fields such medicine, law, biology, veterinary science.

2.       Family formation goals extinguish career track aspirations.

3.       The majority of child care, house work and household management is done by women

Solutions (for your conclusion)

Select from paragraph 32 and provide support.

WHEN SCIENTISTS CHOOSE MOTHERHOOD TEACHER’S NOTES AND KEY

This text is a wonderful argumentative essay which is very well organized. Although the questions themselves are not too hard, the text is, which makes it a four star activity. They will need to make notes as they read so as to be able to do the writing task comfortably. One word of advice, don’t time the writing activity too strictly.

1.       She could not imagine waiting to have children after her tenure at age 40; she could not imagine…

2.       Women who are talented enough to graduate from college with degrees in maths are not progressing through graduate school and ultimately earning full professorships.

3.       Women simply prefer…, early socialization practices, gender stereotypes, disenfranchisement of women once they enter academic science careers, sex differences at the extreme…/ they are instances of sex discrimination.

4.       The effect of children on women’s academic careers is so remarkable that it eclipses other factors in contributing to women’s underrepresentation in academic science.

5.       Sex differences favored men on tests of quantitative ability.

6.       Females outperform women in math classes throughout schooling including college. Also even if among the top 1% ….

7.       The causal relationship between extremely high math ability and success.

8.       45% of undergraduate degrees in math’s go to women as do 29% of PhD’s suggesting that…

9.       Females are more interested in careers that involve living things; more females find temporarily having a part time career acceptable; more females find having a part time career acceptable.

10.   It can lead to differences in research productivity and hours spent at the office.

11.   The frequent claim that women are derailed by sex discrimination in publishing their work, obtaining grant funding and being hired is wrong.

12.   It aims to summarize the arguments thus far. The text is a complex one and that being the case, such a paragraph is necessary.

13.   Possible answer: The process of earning a tenure is a long and arduous one with little room for anything else.

14.   Dealing with pregnancy, childbirth and childcare while simultaneously.

15.   Motherhood and a tenure track; a steady marriage and a tenure track.

16.   Productivity and the number of children.

17.   The tenure system was created at a time….

18.   The fact that women with children work 100 plus hours across all life domains

19.   The gap between the proportion of applications of women and the proportion of doctoral degrees awarded to women.

20.   They are all jobs associated with work weeks of more than 60 hours.

21.   It serves a similar function as paragraph 18 and can’t be left out. It rounds off the argument and looks tidy.

22.   They focus on the problems faced by mothers struggling to raise young families while building tenurable scholarly records.