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Timely Completion of Class Requirements: Effects of Student and Faculty Gender

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Abstract

Male and female students have displayed different reactions to the gender of their faculty. This research was designed to explore whether biases exist early in the school term. Students’ unfavorable attitudes toward instructors were measured by the extent to which they delayed completing a course requirement: participation in a subject pool. Students scheduled a date upon which to participate in a research study. Discrepancies between their scheduled and their actual participation dates reveal that male students delayed their requirement (a) more when their instructors were female than when they were male, and (b) more than female students when the instructors were female. Supporting data suggest that the delayed completion time reflects lower evaluations of female faculty. Discussion focuses on implications in academic settings.

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Correspondence to Therese A. Louie.

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Louie, T.A., Tom, G. Timely Completion of Class Requirements: Effects of Student and Faculty Gender. Sex Roles 52, 245–250 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-1299-z

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