Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis

Peter van den Besselaar; Charlie Mom

Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis

Peter van den Besselaar
, Charlie Mom

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

In the Dutch academic system, PhD theses can be awarded with'Cum Laude', and only some 5% of all PhD graduates receive this selective award. In this paper, we investigate whether there is gender bias in awarding cum laude, using data from a major Dutch research university. We measure the quality of the PhD thesis using bibliometric data. A main result is that the set of PhD theses receiving cum laude do on average not have a higher quality than the best theses not getting cum laude. A second main result is that, after controlling for the quality of the PhD thesis, women have a substantially lower probability to be granted cum laude. These results strongly suggest that the distribution of awards may contribute to gender bias. These findings lead to a strong doubt about the adequacy of the procedures leading to awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers
Editors	Yong Yeol Ahn, Johan L. Bollen, Katy Borner, Kevin W. Boyack, Santo Fortunato, Stasa Milojevic, Filippo Radicchi, Andrea Scharnhorst, Caroline Wagner
Publisher	International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics
Pages	611-625
Number of pages	15
Volume	1
ISBN (Electronic)	9780000000002
Publication status	Published - 2024
Event	19th International Conference on Scientometrics and Informetrics, ISSI 2023 - Bloomington, United States Duration: 2 Jul 2023 → 5 Jul 2023

Conference

Conference	19th International Conference on Scientometrics and Informetrics, ISSI 2023
Country/Territory	United States
City	Bloomington
Period	2/07/23 → 5/07/23

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© Authors. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the authors © 2024 International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics (I.S.S.I.)

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van den Besselaar, P., & Mom, C. (2024). Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis. In Y. Y. Ahn, J. L. Bollen, K. Borner, K. W. Boyack, S. Fortunato, S. Milojevic, F. Radicchi, A. Scharnhorst, & C. Wagner (Eds.), 19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers (Vol. 1, pp. 611-625). International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics. https://zenodo.org/records/8305563

van den Besselaar, Peter ; Mom, Charlie. / Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis. 19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers. editor / Yong Yeol Ahn ; Johan L. Bollen ; Katy Borner ; Kevin W. Boyack ; Santo Fortunato ; Stasa Milojevic ; Filippo Radicchi ; Andrea Scharnhorst ; Caroline Wagner. Vol. 1 International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics, 2024. pp. 611-625

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abstract = "In the Dutch academic system, PhD theses can be awarded with'Cum Laude', and only some 5\% of all PhD graduates receive this selective award. In this paper, we investigate whether there is gender bias in awarding cum laude, using data from a major Dutch research university. We measure the quality of the PhD thesis using bibliometric data. A main result is that the set of PhD theses receiving cum laude do on average not have a higher quality than the best theses not getting cum laude. A second main result is that, after controlling for the quality of the PhD thesis, women have a substantially lower probability to be granted cum laude. These results strongly suggest that the distribution of awards may contribute to gender bias. These findings lead to a strong doubt about the adequacy of the procedures leading to awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis.",

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van den Besselaar, P & Mom, C 2024, Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis. in YY Ahn, JL Bollen, K Borner, KW Boyack, S Fortunato, S Milojevic, F Radicchi, A Scharnhorst & C Wagner (eds), 19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers. vol. 1, International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics, pp. 611-625, 19th International Conference on Scientometrics and Informetrics, ISSI 2023, Bloomington, United States, 2/07/23. <https://zenodo.org/records/8305563>

Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis. / van den Besselaar, Peter; Mom, Charlie.
19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers. ed. / Yong Yeol Ahn; Johan L. Bollen; Katy Borner; Kevin W. Boyack; Santo Fortunato; Stasa Milojevic; Filippo Radicchi; Andrea Scharnhorst; Caroline Wagner. Vol. 1 International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics, 2024. p. 611-625.

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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van den Besselaar P, Mom C. Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis. In Ahn YY, Bollen JL, Borner K, Boyack KW, Fortunato S, Milojevic S, Radicchi F, Scharnhorst A, Wagner C, editors, 19th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics Proceedings: Volume 1 Full Papers. Vol. 1. International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics. 2024. p. 611-625 Epub 2023 Jul 5.

Gender and merit in awarding cum laude for the PhD thesis

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