Do Single-Sex Classes Affect Exam Scores? An Experiment in a Coeducational University

Alison Booth, Lina Marcela Cardona Sosa () and Patrick Nolen
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Lina Marcela Cardona Sosa: Central Bank of Colombia
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Lina Cardona-Sosa

No 7207, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We examine the effect of single-sex classes on the pass rates, grades, and course choices of students in a coeducational university. We randomly assign students to all-female, all-male, and coed classes and, therefore, get around the selection issues present in other studies on single-sex education. We find that one hour a week of single-sex education benefits females: females are 7% more likely to pass their first year courses and score 10% higher in their required second year classes than their peers attending coeducational classes. We find no effect of single-sex education on the probability that a female will take technical classes and there is no effect of single-sex education for males. Furthermore we are able to examine potential mechanisms driving the single-sex effect for females. We find that the results are consistent with a reduction in stereotype threat for females and are not due to a potential tracking effect.

Keywords: education; single-sex; experiment; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 C92 J16 J33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2013-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cwa, nep-dem, nep-edu and nep-exp
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Published - published in: Journal of Public Economics, 2018, 168, 109-126

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Working Paper: Do Single-Sex Classes Affect Exam Scores? An Experiment in a Coeducational University (2013)
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