Paper , Order, or Assignment Requirements

Part 1 (about two pages): Data Analysis
Each year, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) releases a report called The Status
of Women in the States. For this assignment, you will compare Colorado’s pay ratio to that of
another state and try to explain the difference. Specifically, use the state-level data compiled by
the IWPR (available in both PDF and Excel format under “Writing Assignment 2” on Canvas) to
do the following:

Part 1 (about two pages): Data Analysis
Each year, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) releases a report called The Status
of Women in the States. For this assignment, you will compare Colorado’s pay ratio to that of
another state and try to explain the difference. Specifically, use the state-level data compiled by
the IWPR (available in both PDF and Excel format under “Writing Assignment 2” on Canvas) to
do the following:
1. Choose one state with either a higher or lower gender pay ratio than Colorado.
2. Identify the gender pay ratio as of 2013 in Colorado and your other state.
a. In words, interpret the gender pay ratio number for each state. (i.e., what do the
number tell us?)
b. Use the pay ratios to determine the gender wage gap for each state.
c. Use Table 2 to determine how the gender pay ratio has changed in each state since1995.
3. Provide two reasons why you believe that the gender pay ratio is different in these twostates. For each reason, you should
a. Cite specific data from Tables 3 through 7 (i.e., provide the relevant numbers).
b. Be very clear in explaining how that data helps explain the wage gap. For example, it would not be enough to say “Women’s labor force participationrate is lower in Colorado, so the wage gap is larger.” You would need to explainhow low labor force participation might cause low wages. Use ideas from class.

Part 2 (about one page): Predictions and Reflection
Reflect on the following three questions:
1. Were you surprised by Colorado’s wage gap compared to the other state that you chose?
Why or why not? You can draw on your own anecdotal knowledge or experiences with
one or both states.
2. Do you think that these two states will become more or less similar in their gender wage
gap moving forward? Why?
3. Do you think that the wage gap in Colorado is too high, too low, or acceptable? Explain
why you feel this way.