Men do better in exams, women do better in coursework – here’s the science why

Breaking news: girls aren’t silly. When women complain about having to do exams, they’re not being lazy. There are scientific reasons for why women are better at university coursework and men are better at exams.

The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) just published a new report criticising Oxbridge for how the male students there get more firsts than the female students. One of the reasons for this is that Oxbridge degrees are still very exam-orientated. Women often perform less well in exams.

So, here are all the sciency-y reasons this report gives for why the girlies should avoid exams at all costs.

Men take more risks in exams

Finding an empty spot in the library during exam season is always a gamble, tbf

This study on students at the Uni of Surrey shows men are more likely to take big risks in exams than women. Men do generally take more risks in other aspects of their lives – such as driving or dating.

So, male students are more likely to take a leap of faith in an exam and write a really wild essay that stands out to the markers.

This does work the other way, though. The HEPI report says men are also more likely to get a third in an exam-based subject like Maths. Basically, they’re more likely to write something so rogue that they flunk the exam.

The eternal pain of getting your period

The feminine urge to lie down and let nature take you

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I swear you should get special consideration marks if you’re on day two of your period for an exam. Literally anyone who gets their period can tell you that it’s a tad harder to focus if you’re, say, lying on the floor moaning in excruciating agony with a hot water bottle and an inadvisably large stash of Ibuprofen because your cramps are so bad.

Menstrual cycles can cause your energy levels to fluctuate. This makes it harder to cram notes in that all-important week before an exam.

People who experience symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) during an exam are at a real disadvantage.

Studies show women struggle with how some questions are structured

I wish Google translate had a Supervisorese option

So, a 2015 study analysed how Physics undergrads at Cambridge coped with the way different questions were structured. “Scaffolded” questions are ones with more of a clear structure. They help students apply their past knowledge and practice to the current situation. So, students can spend more time actually doing the exercise instead of figuring out what it’s asking of them.

The study shows that although all students get more marks when questions are “scaffolded”, women benefit more. The style “builds the confidence of women preferentially”. 19.5 per cent more women got firsts when the questions were “scaffolded”, instead of phrased in Cambridge’s usual style.

If an exam has fewer “scaffolded” questions, then women are more likely to struggle. This might also explain why women do better in coursework – they have more time to take apart the question and figure out what the examiner wants from them.

Gendered essay writing styles

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Psychologists have found that academic tutors still perceive different writing styles as gendered. I know this seems pretty ridiculous to us in 2024, but we’re trying to get inside the horrifying minds of UK uni professors here.

“Male” academic writing is more argumentative, confident and confrontational. “Female” academic writing is more multifaceted and measured. Basically, a “male” essay will pick the hottest take possible, defend the position with its dying breath, and either steamroll or just flat out ignore any other viewpoints. A “female” essay will give more consideration to different arguments, but have a flakier conclusion.

Essay-based exams often include lots of marks for “flair” or “style”. Many examiners seem to still define “flair” as male obnoxiousness. Unis expect people to do more research for coursework, so more marks are dished out for carefully considering lots of different viewpoints – the “female” style of writing.

In the 21st century, Oxbridge supervisors are legitimately still telling female students to “write like a man” and “sound less feminine” if they want more marks.

This might explain why so many more men get firsts in essay subjects at Oxbridge than women.