Patterns of Gender Differences on Mathematics Items on the Scholastic Aptitude Test

Gender differences in performance on the mathematics section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) persist. To add to our understanding of these differences, we systematically examined differential item functioning (DIF) on six forms of the SAT in order to identify relative strengths and weaknesses for male and female students associated with three general areas: the points being tested, the format in which the test items are presented, and the subject matter in which the test items are embedded. In each set of comparisons, the DIF procedure matches male and female students on the basis of overall mathematics score on the test and then identifies test items on which groups with the same total score perform differently. Results suggest that there are identifiable patterns of gender differences in how male and female students arrive at their total scores. These differences have implications for test developers, policymakers, and teachers of mathematics.