22nd Annual Student Research Conference
The Influence of Gender on the Perceived Effectiveness of Sports Writing: An Informal Analysis
Caitlin M. DuHadway
Dr. Sally Cook, Faculty Mentor
Despite the passage of Title IX in the early 1970s, women still face a great deal of discrimination in sports media. Stereotypes of socially appropriate male and female language, in addition to opinions regarding the "right" of women to participate in sports media, have shaped how many individuals perceive the reporting styles of men and women. Gender bias in television broadcasting is self-evident; however, perceptions of credibility when the gender of the broadcaster or writer is not disclosed may provide more in-depth information concerning underlying gender stereotypes of language and the place of women in sports media. The purpose of this research was to determine whether readers would evaluate two pieces of sports writing differently in terms of assertiveness, credibility, and objectivity based on individual perceptions of the writers gender. Potential implications for the fields of gender studies and sports writing are discussed.
Keywords: language and gender, sports writing, media
Topic(s):Linguistics
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 44-2
Location: OP 2117
Time: 1:30