Gender Differences in Performance on Mathematics Achievement Items

Gender differences in performance on three types of mathematics test items were investigated using data from students with three different course backgrounds. Eight randomly equivalent samples of high school seniors were each given a unique form of the ACT Assessment Mathematics Usage Test. Only students with three specific profiles of high school mathematics coursework were considered in the analysis. The three background conditions ranged from little mathematics (Algebra I only) to a modest background (two Algebra courses and Geometry) to a full mathematics program including Introductory Calculus. For each background condition, examinee performance was analyzed in a 2 (Gender) x 3 (Item Category) x 8 (Test Form) split-plot factorial design. The results indicated, that, at each of the studied background levels, females performed less well than males on geometry (strategic, geometric) and reasoning (strategic, nongeometric) items. On the other hand, females performed as well as males on algorithmic, operationsoriented items.