Comparison of Women's and Coeducational College Classrooms: I. Course Assignments

Abstract

This study examined the number of assignments in 502 course syllabi collected from 18 women's colleges and 18 matched coeducational colleges. The number of assignments was significantly higher at women's colleges, at colleges with lower selectivity for admissions, and in introductory classes. Significant differences among the four disciplines examined (psychology, mathematics, English, and art history) were found. Three of the factors (gender, discipline, and level) interacted. The most prominent difference was that, in introductory courses with quantitative and scientific content (psychology and mathematics), women's colleges required many more assignments than coeducational colleges. The effect of institutional selectivity was smaller than these three effects and appeared to be additive rather than interactive. The number of term-long assignments was not significantly different. Women's colleges, however, had more short-term assignments and tests than coeducational institutions. The results are related to the historic mission of inclusion of nontraditional students at women's colleges.