Striking Lack of Women and Ethnic Minorities in CS

Many studies document the small percentage of women and other underrepresented groups in CS.

• The May 2008 CRA Computing Research News gives the most recent results of the Taulbee Survey:

  Percentage of women receiving CS degrees:

  	2006-2007	2005-2006	2004-2005	2003-2004
  Bachelor's degree:	12.2%	14.2%	15.1%	17.7%
  Master's degree:	22.7%	22.9%	25.5%	25.4%
  Ph.D. degree:	19.3%	18.5%	15.1%	18.5%

• Much research suggests several cultural, environmental, and behavorial issues beginning in the early school years.

• In "An ACM-W Literature Review on Women in Computing" (SIGCSE Bulletin, June 2002), Denise Gurer and Tracy Camp divide the ACM-W database into 12 areas; one is "Computer Games":

  • Many games target boys
  • Many boy-based games highlight "repetitive shooting, violent graphics, and loud noises — most of which do not appeal to girls"
  • If women are incoproated into games, the role is usually not flattering and presents negative images
  • "Girls tend to prefer games that encourage collaboration with other players and involve storylines and character development where female characters are powerful and not waiting to be rescued by their prince"
  • Behaviors in video arcades often are aggressive and loud, with offensive language
  • "All of these boy-dominated charcteristics turn girls off from using compuers at an early age." (p. 122)

• Overall, many experiences with computer games are negative for girls and other underrepresented groups.

• Conclusion: Including computer games in the undergraduate curriculum has the potential to trigger recollections of these earlier bad experiences.

created 4 March 2008 last revised 15 June 2008

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