The+Role+of+Women+Statistical+Analysis

Did the War Change Women's Role in the Workplace?
In this section we're going to deal with a real historical question using real historical statistics. We're asking the question, "did the war really change the role of women in the workforce?

Table 1: Female Population and Labour Force Participation, Canada. 1901-1931

 * Year || Female Population || Labour Force Participation Rate ||
 * 1901 || 1,957,000 || 14.4% ||
 * 1911 || 2,521,000 || 16.6% ||
 * 1921 || 3,184,000 || 17.7% ||
 * 1931 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">3,875,000 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">19.4% ||

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Table 2: Percentage Distribution of Working Women by Leading Occupational Groups, Canada, 1901-1931

 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Occupational Group || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">1901 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">1911 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">1921 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">1931 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Clerical || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">5.3% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">9.4% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">18.7% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">17.7% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Personal Service || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">42% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">37.1% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">25.8% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">33.8% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Professional || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">14.7% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">12.7% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">19.1% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">17.8% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Commercial and Financial || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">2.4% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">6.8% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">8.5% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">8.3% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Manufacturing and Mechanical || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">29.6% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">26.3% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">17.8% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">12.7% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Other || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">6.0% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">7.8% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">10.1% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">9.6% ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Total || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">100.00% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">100.1% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">100.00% || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">99.9% ||

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Interpreting Statistical Evidence

 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Look at Table 1. During which decade did women make the most gains in their participation rate in the workforce?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Why are these data useful or not in answering the question of whether the war changed the role of women in the workforce?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">WHat specific data would make the information in Table 1 more helpful in understanding women working during WW1?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Examine Table 2. In your notes, rank in order (most popular to least popular) the occupations in 1921 and 1931.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">WHere have significant changes occurred?
 * 6) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">How might you account for the changes or lack of change?
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Which occupational group increase the most as a result of the war years? Which occupational group decreased the least?
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Speculate on why the changes in question 7 occurred in these two areas. Can you make any connection with the war?

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Extension

 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Based on the evidence in Tables 1 and 2, state your preliminary observations and conclusions on the employment gains made by women during and immediately after the First World War