Summarise two conclusions which sociologists might reach about patterns and trends in women graduating in STEM subjects from the data shown in Source A.
OCR
A Level
2022
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Essay Outline: Women in STEM
Introduction
This essay will explore the patterns and trends in women’s graduation rates in STEM subjects, drawing conclusions from the data presented in Source A. The essay will focus on identifying both overall patterns and specific trends within the STEM field, highlighting any notable changes or consistencies over the given timeframe.
Conclusion 1: Persistent Gender Disparity
Supporting Data:
The data in Source A consistently indicates a lower proportion of women graduating in STEM subjects compared to men. This is evident across all four STEM disciplines: physical and mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, and computer science. Despite some fluctuations, the overall trend suggests a persistent gender gap in STEM graduation rates.
Sociological Conclusion:
This persistent gender disparity in STEM graduation rates highlights the continued influence of societal factors that contribute to women's underrepresentation in these fields. These factors could include gender stereotypes, societal expectations, and the lack of female role models in STEM careers. These factors create a cycle of self-selection and social barriers that discourage women from pursuing STEM education and careers.
Conclusion 2: Slow Progress and Stagnation
Supporting Data:
While there is a slight increase in women graduating in physical sciences and a decrease in computer science, the overall change in graduation rates between 2015-16 and 2017-18 is minimal. Mathematical sciences and engineering and technology show no significant change during this period.
Sociological Conclusion:
The limited progress in women's STEM graduation rates suggests that efforts to address gender disparities in these fields may be insufficient or insufficiently impactful. This slow progress could be attributed to a lack of effective interventions, a reluctance to challenge traditional gender roles, or insufficient support systems for women in STEM education and careers. The stagnation in certain areas further emphasizes the need for more comprehensive and targeted initiatives to promote women's participation in STEM fields.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the data in Source A reveals both persistent patterns and slow progress regarding women’s participation in STEM fields. Sociologists can conclude that significant societal barriers and challenges remain, requiring focused interventions and proactive initiatives to address gender disparities and encourage greater women's participation in STEM education and careers.
Sociological Conclusions on Women Graduating in STEM Subjects
Source A presents data on the proportion of women graduating in various STEM subjects between 2015 and 2018. From this data, sociologists might draw two key conclusions regarding patterns and trends in women's representation in these fields.
Firstly, the data suggests a persistent horizontal segregation of women within STEM disciplines. While the overall representation of women in STEM remains low, it is notably higher in physical and mathematical sciences compared to engineering, technology, and computer science. In 2017-18, 42% and 39% of graduates in physical and mathematical sciences, respectively, were women, starkly contrasting with the mere 15% in both engineering and technology and computer science. This pattern points to the enduring influence of gender stereotypes that steer women away from fields perceived as more masculine, technical, or aligned with "male" abilities. This conclusion aligns with feminist theories highlighting the societal construction of gendered career choices.
Secondly, the data indicates a lack of significant progress in improving women's representation in STEM fields over the observed period. Between 2015-16 and 2017-18, the proportion of women graduating in these subjects remained largely stagnant. While physical sciences saw a marginal increase of 2%, computer science experienced a slight decrease of 1%, and both mathematical sciences and engineering and technology remained unchanged. This stagnation suggests that current initiatives aimed at encouraging women into STEM careers may be insufficient to overcome deeply embedded societal barriers. Sociologists might conclude that more radical structural and cultural changes are necessary to challenge gender stereotypes and create a more equitable playing field for women in these critical fields.
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Drawing Conclusions from Data
Candidates should identify conclusions from the source which are supported by the data. Candidates may base their conclusions on patterns, for example:
- In 2017-18 a larger proportion of women graduated in physical and mathematical sciences at 42% and 39% respectively) than in engineering and technology or in computer science (both at 15%).
Or trends, for example:
- The proportion of women graduating in STEM subjects changed very little between 2015-16 and 2017-18 with no change in Mathematical Sciences, Engineering and Technology, a small increase of 2% in physical sciences and a small decrease of 1% in computer sciences.
Any other reasonable conclusion should be credited, so long as it is supported by the data in the source. However, candidates need to summarise data in some way to draw a conclusion, rather than merely reading off statistics from the graph.