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Wood S, Henning JA, Chen L, McKibben T, Smith ML, Weber M, Zemenick A, Ballen CJ. A scientist like me: demographic analysis of biology textbooks reveals both progress and long-term lags. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200877. [PMID: 32576104 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Textbooks shape teaching and learning in introductory biology and highlight scientists as potential role models who are responsible for significant discoveries. We explore a potential demographic mismatch between the scientists featured in textbooks and the students who use textbooks to learn core concepts in biology. We conducted a demographic analysis by extracting hundreds of human names from common biology textbooks and assessing the binary gender and race of featured scientists. We found that the most common scientists featured in textbooks are white men. However, women and scientists of colour are increasingly represented in contemporary scientific discoveries. In fact, the proportion of women highlighted in textbooks has increased in lockstep with the proportion of women in the field, indicating that textbooks are matching a changing demographic landscape. Despite these gains, the scientists portrayed in textbooks are not representative of their target audience-the student population. Overall, very few scientists of colour were highlighted, and projections suggest it could take multiple centuries at current rates before we reach inclusive representation. We call upon textbook publishers to expand upon the scientists they highlight to reflect the diverse population of learners in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Jeremiah A Henning
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Life Sciences, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Luoying Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Taylor McKibben
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Michael L Smith
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Marjorie Weber
- Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ash Zemenick
- Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cissy J Ballen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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