BYU ScholarsArchive

Title

Do Gender and Age Affect How College Students Address Their STEM Instructors?

Authors

Ashley Hale, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow
J. Greenall, Brigham Young University - Provo
J. Kilmer, Brigham Young University - Provo
E. G. Bailey, Brigham Young University - Provo

Files

Keywords

gender, STEM, Rate My Professor

Abstract

• No matter their level of education or preferred title, many university-level STEM instructors experience variability in how their students address them, with younger female professors having been addressed by their first name more than male professors in the past (Rubin, 1981).
• Titles hold certain implications and perceptions. For instance, a study found that female professors who were addressed as “Dr.” were perceived to be less accessible than their male colleagues were (Takiff, 2001).
• Rate My Professors is an anonymous platform allowing students to refer to their professors in whatever way is most comfortable for them
• A recent study using Rate My Professors found that male professors are more likely to be referred to by their surname alone. Female professors are more likely to be addressed as “Dr.”
• Our study focuses on the difference in titles used at a private, church university and two public universities, focusing on gender and age as predictors of title used to address professors.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Hale, Ashley; Greenall, J.; Kilmer, J.; and Bailey, E. G., "Do Gender and Age Affect How College Students Address Their STEM Instructors?" (2020). Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2020. 8.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/library_studentposters_2020/8

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2020-04-02

Language

English

College

Fine Arts and Communications

Department

Communications

University Standing at Time of Publication

Freshman

Copyright Use Information

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