Gender Differences in Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Back Substitution in Multiple-Choice Assessment

A quantitative observational study exploring the relationship of gender to mathematics self-efficacy and the frequency of back substitution in multiple-choice assessment sampled undergraduates at a western United States parochial university. Research questions addressed: to what extent are there gender differences in mathematics self-efficacy, as demonstrated on multiple-choice test items; and to what extent are there gender differences in the frequency of employing back substitution as an informed guessing strategy on multiple-choice test items? Instruments were (a) a representative multiple-choice test algebra equation, and (b) a mathematics self-efficacy survey accompanying a standardized multiple-choice algebra examination. While results revealed no significant gender differences in mathematics self-efficacy or back-substitution strategy, findings concerning testwise strategies application and learner performance accuracy can benefit educators. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]