Gender gaps in the evaluation of research: evidence from submissions to economics conferences (Updated March 2020)
Publication type
journal article
Publication date
2020
Author(s)
Hospido, Laura
Sanz, Carlos
Publisher
Banco de España
Language
English
Discipline(s)
Geographical area
Abstract
We study gender differences in the evaluation of submissions to economics conferences. Using data from the Annual Congress of the European Economic Association (2015-2017), the Annual Meeting of the Spanish Economic Association (2012-2017), and the Spring Meeting of Young Economists (2017), we find that all-female-authored papers are 3.3 p.p. (6.8%) less likely to be accepted than all-male-authored papers. This gap is present after controlling for number of authors of the paper; referee fixed effects; field; cites of the paper; authors’ previous publication record, affiliations, and experience; and connections between the authors of a given paper and the referees that evaluate it. We provide evidence suggesting that the gap is driven by stereotypes against female authors: it is entirely driven by male referees, only exists for lesser-known authors, and seems larger in more masculine fields, especially in finance.
Journal
Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics
ISSN
1468-0084
Volume
83
Issue
3
Pagination
590-618