The gender gap in math. Evidences of a study in the primary school in the Swiss canton of Ticino.

This work analyzes the gender gap in math results of an entire cohort of students attending the fifth grade of the primary school in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Three evaluation contexts have been considered: the mark itself assigned by the teacher at the end of the school year, the score obtained in a standardised math test and the evaluation provided by teachers in the same school year. Multivariate analysis allows to conclude that all things being equal, gender plays a significant effect on the mark in mathematics. Males are more likely than females to achieve a high mark and they are perceived as more active and participative, while females are seen as more conform to school rules, but less involved and more insecure.