Developer experience · Mining of GitHub contribution and network data

Is perceived gender related to contributions and standing in open-source software projects?

Empirical Software Engineering · 2025

Christian Hechtl, Mitchell Joblin, Sven Apel

Original paper ↗

Summary

Tests relationships between perceived gender, contribution volume, and standing/coreness in OSS networks.

For your marketing

Possible founder application

Audit participation and recognition gaps; avoid assuming visible contribution equals inclusive access.

Reported result

What the study found

Tests relationships between perceived gender, contribution volume, and standing/coreness in OSS networks.

Research question

What the authors investigated

How does the study’s stated design explain its reported outcome in this setting?

Design

Mining of GitHub contribution and network data

Sample and setting

Open-source GitHub projects; exact sample unavailable on abstract page.

Scope and transfer

Limitations to keep in view

Abstract/page evidence limits detailed sample and external-validity assessment.

Research sources

full_text

Study strength

4/5 Research record provides a clear design and context; apply the finding within its stated limits.

How this was assessed

The 1–5 evidence-check score is a practical reading aid, not a formal peer review or a probability that a conclusion is true. It combines design strength (2 points), sample reporting (1), comparison/control clarity (1), and how much of the paper could be checked (1). Access affects how confidently this directory can assess a study, not the study's underlying quality. Blinding is reported separately because it is not relevant to every design.

Design transparency · 2/2

Based on the reported study design in the retrieved source.

Sample and setting · 1/1

The sample context is stated; a numerical count is preserved only when reported.

Outcome clarity · 1/1

The finding is summarized from publisher or article metadata.

Access for checking · 1/1

Full text was identified.

Double-blind? The retrieved publisher record does not establish whether participants or outcome assessors were blinded.