Question

Many female undergraduates at four-year colleges switch from STEM majors into disciplines that are not science-based, thereby contributing to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. When female undergrads switch majors, are their reasons different from those of their male counterparts? This question was investigated in Science Education. A sample of 335 junior/senior undergraduates- 172 females and 163 males- at two large research universities were identified as “switchers”, that is they left a declared STEM major for a non-STEM major. Each student listed one or more factors that contributed to the switching decision.

(a) Of the 172 females in the sample, 74 listed lack or loss of interest in STEM (i.e., “turned off” by science) as a major factor, compared to 72 of the 163 males. Conduct a test (at α = .10) to determine whether the proportion of female switchers who give “lack of interest in STEM” as a major reason for switching differs from the corresponding proportion of males.

(b) Thirty–three of the 172 females in the sample indicated that they were discouraged or lost confidence because of low grades in STEM during their early years, compared to 44 of 163 males. Construct a 90 % confidence interval for the difference between the proportions of female and male switchers who lost confidence due to low grades in STEM. Interpret the result.

Answer 1

interval does not include null value hence it is significant .