GENDER AND ETHNIC GROUP DIFFERENCES ON THE GMAT ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT

ABSTRACT Gender and ethnic group differences on the Analytical Writing Assessment that is part of the Graduate Management Admissions Test were evaluated. Data from the first operational administration in October of 1994 were used. Standardized differences from the White male reference group were computed separately for men and women in four ethnic groups: White, Asian American, African American, and Hispanic/Latino. Within the White, African American, and Hispanic/Latino groups, women received higher scores than men on the Analytical Writing Assessment; in the Asian American group, men received higher writing scores, but the difference was not as great as on the Verbal score. Examinees whose best language was not English scored relatively higher on the Analytical Writing Assessment than on the Verbal measure. Simulations of eligibility for an admissions pool suggested that the addition of the Analytical Writing score would noticeably increase the number of the women in the pool, but would have virtually no impact on ethnic minorities. Rater and score reliability were reasonably consistent across ethnic and gender groups.