Format and Questions

This exam will be in the "research preparation" format* and will focus
on a set of papers reporting studies of gender-related differences in
retention among students of computer science (CS).  The report will
present a framework for summary, comparison, and critical analysis of
the studies' settings, methods, and results.  It will also discuss
connections with broader retention studies in math/science fields.  A
substantial portion of the report will discuss future directions for
research.  More specifically, the following questions will be
addressed:

  Although all of the studies examine retention in CS, how do the
  goals of the studies differ, and how are they reflected in the
  choice of methods for data gathering and analysis?

  How coherent are the studies' results with respect to factors found
  to be relevant to retention in CS?  What assumptions about potential
  factors are implicit in the way data was gathered?  What factors
  remain unexamined?

  What are some practical implications of the findings, i.e., what
  changes do they suggest in the way CS departments teach
  undergraduates?

  What new factors and methods should future studies of retention in
  CS consider?  (This will include discussion of the examinee's
  specific plans for future work in this area.)

*See http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/grad/generals/, Section
 IV.B and Appendix A.
  
Papers

Bunderson, Eileen D. and Christensen, Mary Elizabeth. An Analysis of
  Retention Problems for Female Students in University Computer
  Science Programs.  Journal of Research on Computing in
  Education, 28(1):1-18, 1995.

Clarke, Valerie A. and Chambers, Susan M.  Gender-Based Factors in
  Computing Enrollments and Achievement: Evidence from a Study of
  Tertiary Students.  Journal of Educational Computing Research,
  5(4):409-429, 1989.

Cohoon, J. McGrath.  Toward Improving Female Retention in the Computer
  Science Major.  Communications of the ACM, 44(5):108-114, May, 2001.

Jagacinski, Carolyn M., LeBold, William K., and Salvendy, Gavriel.
  Gender Differences in Persistence in Computer-Related Fields.
  Journal of Educational Computing Research, 4(2):185-202, 1988.

Sackrowitz, Marian Gunsher and Parelius, Ann Parker.  An Unlevel
  Playing Field:  Women in the Introductory Computer Science Courses.
  Proceedings of SIGCSE 1996, 37-41, February, 1996.

Seymour, Elaine.  The loss of women from science, mathematics, and
  engineering undergraduate majors: An explanatory account. Science
  Education, 79(4):437-473, 1995.