A comparison between the results achieved by women and men studying for first degrees in British universities

ABSTRACT The pattern of honours degrees awarded to women and to men by British universities in 1967, 1978 and 1979 is examined. Women gained lower percentages than the men of both first class degrees and the weakest honours degrees. Various explanations for the smaller percentage of women gaining firsts are considered. The only explanation that seems to fit all the facts is that this difference is linked to differences in the distribution of ability as measured by the scores gained in intelligence tests.