A feeling for science: Female students and biology texts

Abstract

Synopsis While the inclusion of more women in science will not in itself transform science, it may make the environment more supportive of anti-sexist and anti-racist approaches to science. This article discusses the issue of helping female students see science as enjoyable and desirable, with a specific focus on the role of science textbooks. Eight secondary biology texts were examined for their visual representations of scientists, which were divided into the categories of science-related careers, scientists at work, and specific contributions of scientists. In addition to examining these images in terms of gender equity and racial diversity, I attempted to evaluate their potential effectiveness at arousing student interest in science. An effort has clearly been made in texts to represent scientists who were not all white males, but work also needs to be done in identifying and recognizing the specific contributions of women.