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Semiparametric decomposition of the gender achievement gap: An application for Turkey

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  • Gevrek, Z. Eylem
  • Seiberlich, Ruben R.

Abstract

This study employs a semiparametric Oaxaca–Blinder (OB) decomposition to investigate the gender PISA test score gap in mathematics/science in Turkey. This technique, which has not previously appeared in the gender achievement gap literature, relaxes the parametric assumptions of the standard OB decomposition, accounts for the possible violation of the common support assumption, and allows us to explore the gender test score gap not only at the mean but also across the test score distribution. The results from the semiparametric OB decomposition of the mean test score gap indicate that girls outperform boys in science whereas the gap is not statistically significant in mathematics. We also find that the mean gap fails to uncover the heterogeneous pattern that the gap exhibits across the distribution.

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  • Gevrek, Z. Eylem & Seiberlich, Ruben R., 2014. "Semiparametric decomposition of the gender achievement gap: An application for Turkey," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 27-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:31:y:2014:i:c:p:27-44
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2014.08.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Huong Thu Le & Ha Trong Nguyen, 2018. "The evolution of the gender test score gap through seventh grade: new insights from Australia using unconditional quantile regression and decomposition," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-42, December.
    3. Muñoz, Juan Sebastián, 2018. "The economics behind the math gender gap: Colombian evidence on the role of sample selection," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 368-391.
    4. Farzana Munir & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, 2018. "Decomposing international gender test score differences," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 52(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Dries Lens & François Levrau, 2020. "Can Pre-entry Characteristics Account for the Ethnic Attainment Gap? An Analysis of a Flemish University," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 61(1), pages 26-50, February.
    6. Gevrek, Z. Eylem & Gevrek, Deniz & Neumeier, Christian, 2020. "Explaining the gender gaps in mathematics achievement and attitudes: The role of societal gender equality," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Gevrek, Z. Eylem & Neumeier, Christian & Gevrek, Deniz, 2018. "Explaining the Gender Test Score Gap in Mathematics: The Role of Gender Inequality," IZA Discussion Papers 11260, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Ha Trong Nguyen, 2015. "The evolution of the gender test score gap through seventh grade: New insights from Australia using quantile regression and decomposition," Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper series WP1507, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School.
    9. Romuald Foueka, 2020. "Analyse du différentiel de performances scolaires dans les pays PASEC sur la base de la régression quantile contrefactuelle," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(4), pages 605-618, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender test score gap; Semiparametric decomposition; Propensity score matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General

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