Undergraduate Achievement Disparities between Demographic Subgroups in English Universities
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. The topic is relevant, although the approach does not add more light to the existing debate. It is well-known that minorities have some performance issues. So what? There are lots of studies saying the same…Explain that the paper intends to “map” or “portray” the trends in…
2. The title should mention “in the English context” or some region clarification.
3. The literature review needs to be more specific about what causes the DAG. It would improve the level of insight if more details were provided.
4. The “Empirical Framework” is confusing and has some elements that should be included in the research design.
5. This should be at the beginning of the paper: “Based on the findings, the study proposes specific interventions aimed at reducing the DAG. These recommendations are grounded in the observed data. The analysis culminates in a discussion that synthesises the findings with the broader implications for equity and social mobility in higher education. The study aims to provide a data-driven 153 basis for policy and practice changes that can address and potentially mitigate the disparities in educational achievements.”
6. This statement surprises the reader: “This study employs an empirical approach to examine the outlined disparities in educational achievements upon completion of degrees.” The initial ideas expressed initially did not seem to go in that direction. This is the first time the paper mentioned “educational achievements UPON completion”!
7. The methods section is incomplete. The author should have provided information about the population, characteristics of the universities, type of students, etc. The variables should be mentioned and explained. Provide a table to visualize them better. Things are mixed, like in the analytical framework, where some elements should be in the previous sections.
8. Tables lack comparison against the totals (Ns) of each ethnicity and each group compared to the total. This is super important to cement the argument. Provide percentages as well.
9. According to Figures 1 and 2, both groups (white and black) had similar patterns. This is striking! The difference is about the “quantity” of the cases. If both groups behave similarly and the black enrollment is lower, the central assumption of the study is compromised. Review these elements.
Author Response
Thank you for your suggestions. Please see attached document
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsAchievement Disparities by Demographics in Universities:
This is a very interesting article with a clear focus and message. I am looking forward to seeing it published. Below are my minor suggestions for improvement.
Title: I recommend designing the title with a clearer focus. As it is read for the first time, the reader is not sure what to expect. A national perspective could be added, e.g., the case of English universities …
Abstract: The abstract is clear, and all the necessary elements are covered. However, it is too long for a scientific article. Please shorten it to about 200 words maximum, ensuring all the IMRaD elements are still included.
Keywords: The keywords are appropriately chosen. APA style is fully and properly used. References are current and up-to-date. The article is clearly structured, following the IMRaD format.
The research gap and research questions are clearly highlighted, as well as the empirical framework.
Regarding the main focus of the article (the disparities in undergraduate degree achievements across different demographic groups in English universities), some ethical considerations with critical reflections should be added, at least in the final discussion or conclusion.
All the best to the authors in the further editorial process.
Author Response
Thank you for your suggestions. Please see attached document
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. The topic is relevant, although the approach does not add more light to the existing debate. It is well-known that minorities have some performance issues. So what? There are lots of studies saying the same…Explain that the paper intends to “map” or “portray” the trends in…
2. The title should mention “in the English context” or some region clarification.
3. The literature review needs to be more specific about what causes the DAG. It would improve the level of insight if more details were provided.
4. The “Empirical Framework” is confusing and has some elements that should be included in the research design.
5. This should be at the beginning of the paper: “Based on the findings, the study proposes specific interventions aimed at reducing the DAG. These recommendations are grounded in the observed data. The analysis culminates in a discussion that synthesises the findings with the broader implications for equity and social mobility in higher education. The study aims to provide a data-driven 153 basis for policy and practice changes that can address and potentially mitigate the disparities in educational achievements.”
6. This statement surprises the reader: “This study employs an empirical approach to examine the outlined disparities in educational achievements upon completion of degrees.” The initial ideas expressed initially did not seem to go in that direction. This is the first time the paper mentioned “educational achievements UPON completion”!
7. The methods section is incomplete. The author should have provided information about the population, characteristics of the universities, type of students, etc. The variables should be mentioned and explained. Provide a table to visualize them better. Things are mixed, like in the analytical framework, where some elements should be in the previous sections.
8. Tables lack comparison against the totals (Ns) of each ethnicity and each group compared to the total. This is super important to cement the argument. Provide percentages as well.
9. According to Figures 1 and 2, both groups (white and black) had similar patterns. This is striking! The difference is about the “quantity” of the cases. If both groups behave similarly and the black enrollment is lower, the central assumption of the study is compromised. Review these elements.
Author Response
Thank you for reviewing our manuscript. Please see response to the comments and the revised manuscript
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf