This is a brief summary of a research paper (apparently behind a pay wall, boo!) that looked at the language used in research grants submitted to the Gates Foundation. It found differences by gender in word choices. Men are more likely to choose “broad” words versus women who choose “narrow” words. These two terms are put in quotes because what you and I think they might mean are different from how the researchers defined them. Read the paper to find out more about this. It is definitely worth reading, even if you might disagree with the authors definitions of broad and narrow.
Katie Langin. Scientists’ grant writing styles vary by gender. That can lead to bias. Science Career blog, May 8, 2019. DOI: 10.1126/science.caredit.aax9105. Available in html format.
