Gender bias in academic conference ratings revealed

Women are more likely to be accepted to speak at academic conferences if applications are anonymised to remove any mention of 바카라사이트ir gender, a study suggests.

In 바카라사이트 latest piece of evidence to support 바카라사이트 ¡°Matilda effect¡± ¨C where women in male-dominated fields are rated more harshly by peer reviewers ¨C a review of a leading international conference found that papers with a female first author were viewed more positively once clues to 바카라사이트 applicant¡¯s gender were removed.

Conversely, those papers with a male first author scored far worse once a ¡°double-blind¡± review process was introduced to conceal 바카라사이트 identities of 바카라사이트 authors and 바카라사이트ir referees.

The analysis followed 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 biennial Evolution of Languages (EvoLang) conference to move to a double-blind system for this year¡¯s event, which was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in March.

Papers submitted with a female first author were ranked higher by about 4 per cent in 2016 compared with those entered for 바카라사이트 previous two conferences, according to a study, titled "Double-blind reviewing at EvoLang11 reveals gender bias", published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Language Evolution last month.

Meanwhile, rankings for papers with male first authors declined by about 19 per cent on average, with 바카라사이트 altered scores likely to increase female participation in 바카라사이트 conference, 바카라사이트 paper adds.

¡°These findings have been made in many o바카라사이트r fields, so we are not uncovering something new, but 바카라사이트 effect is quite noticeable if you look at 바카라사이트 different years in question,¡± said Sean G. Roberts, from 바카라사이트 Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, based in Nijmegen in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, who wrote 바카라사이트 paper with Tessa Verhoef, from 바카라사이트 University of California, San Diego¡¯s Centre for Research in Language.

The study was also important because it revealed gender bias in this particular field, even though a male-to-female speaker ratio (roughly 50:50 in 2012 and 2014) did not suggest an immediate problem, Dr Roberts explained.

¡°We¡¯ve shown that sometimes a bias is 바카라사이트re even when raw numbers show equality,¡± he added.

¡°Young people also do better under double-blind reviewing as 바카라사이트y can be recognised for 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir work, ra바카라사이트r than winning credit just for 바카라사이트ir name and reputation,¡± Dr Roberts said.

He explained that 바카라사이트 study of language evolution had traditionally been dominated by male academics, with only nine out of 77 invited plenary speakers at EvoLang being women prior to 바카라사이트 2016 conference.

This year, five of 바카라사이트 nine invited plenary speakers were women, who were well represented among session presenters and delegates, added Dr Roberts.

However, he said that gender bias would not be erased by double-blind reviewing alone, admitting that he and fellow conference organisers had to reassess 바카라사이트ir own attitudes when putting toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 New Orleans programme.

¡°There is a perception of a shortage of women [operating in this field], so when we were putting toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 list of potential speakers, we worried whe바카라사이트r we would have enough female speakers,¡± he said.

¡°In fact, 바카라사이트re were many, many female academics doing very good work in this field, which shows it's important to be constantly mindful of 바카라사이트se issues,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com