Research Symposium

BIO

Maria Aleman is a current sophomore completing a Political Science major and a minor in Museum Studies at FSU. Born in Cancun, Mexico, and raised in Monterrey, Mexico City, Indianapolis, and Weston, she currently resides in Tallahassee where she is doing her undergraduate degree. Later, she hopes to go to law school and focus on international business law. She is involved in FSU College Democrats as the Director of Membership, as well as works at FSU Campus Events Services as a Production Assistant. Her research interests surround gender bias, and intersectionality of gender and race in various spheres.

Gender Bias in Academic Letters of Recommendation

Abstract

This investigation evaluated the systematic effects of gender bias on the quality and integrity of letters of recommendation (LORs) from various academic disciplines. To do so, we analyzed the qualitative content of 54 LORs and calculated the relative frequencies of certain adjectives, descriptive phrases, and personal qualities in each letter. We then compared the frequency values to one another and identified any statistical disparities between male and female LORs. Our preliminary findings reflect the ongoing presence of gender bias in academia, as male applicants were more likely to be described as “reliable” when compared to their female counterparts. Similarly, a greater portion of letters written on behalf of male applicants contained “superlative” descriptions and references. Nevertheless, an unexpected proportion of male applicants were described using traditionally “feminine” language and terminology. These findings indicate that certain words have started to lose their gendered connotations in recent years. Ultimately, these results can be used to create educational resources that guide professors and faculty members through the process of writing unbiased LORs.

Keywords: Letters of Recommendation (LORs), Gender Bias, Higher Education, Florida State University, Teaching Assistant