Initially, I gained interest in the topic of STEM fields due to the fact that my mother had graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, GA with an undergraduate degree in Math and Computer Science. She then attended the Georgia Institute of Technology where she obtained an MBA in Computer Integrated Management Systems, an engineering specialty degree in the 1980s. I have heard her numerous stories on her perspectives of the math and computer science classes that she took during her undergraduate years, however there was one key point that always caught my attention. She always said that she was one of a few or sometimes the only women in some of her math and computer science classes. This then prompted me to investigate further why women are not pursuing degrees in Math and Computer Science and then brought me to STEM Fields. So, I began to delve into research concerning the overall advancement of STEM fields and why it is that more and more people have a decreasing interest in studying and working in such fields. Then my research prompted me to look into what seemed like an even bigger issue at hand, women more so than men are not looking into the possibilities of studying and working in STEM fields. The decline of women studying and working in such fields could prove to be detrimental to the economy now and in the future. The impact as a whole is unknown however, programs are being put in place to encourage and speak to women about STEM fields and what impacts they could have if they became involved in these such fields. 

To answer my research question I will be using these three following sources. My first source is a scholarly journal written about the book, "Women in Stem Careers: International Perspectives on Increasing Workforce Participation, Advancement, and Leadership" by Diana Bilimoria and Linley Lord. In this scholarly journal by Virginia Kleist, she suggests that it is best to look at the big picture. The best thing to do is to further our knowledge of women in STEM fields and what the true problem could be. Kleist suggests that this book, "focuses on positive drivers for retention, constructive actions that can be taken by organizations to support women, and progressive interventions, organized into three parts reflecting these areas" (Kleist 1). In this book, it focuses on positivity and how many improvements can be made in women participants' involvement in STEM fields. Moreover, the journal focuses on how "the underrepresentation of women in critically important STEM fields does a disservice to any societal goals of gender [equality]" (Kleist 1). I like this journal because it helps to give thorough and well-rounded research on the participation of women in STEM fields. 

The second source is an Academic Journal. Authors Patrice McDermott and Kelly M. Mack article, "The Twenty-First-Century Case for Inclusive Excellence in STEM," offers an insight to what could be a huge problem within the United States. This problem includes the issue of having enough United States born citizens that have the ability to help us not stretch the overall workload of our current STEM employees more than they already are. A great argument that this article states is, "[I]f we are to consider the most effective means of maintaining a diverse workforce, then the matter of gender equity in STEM at all faculty ranks as well as among student majors emerges as a national imperative for higher education reform, and requires our careful understanding of both historical and contemporary influences on trends in gender equity" (McDermott and Mack 4). This statement covers a lot of ground in terms of the overall problems in relation to STEM Fields and makes note of a few examples on how to combat these problems. This source is credible because both authors are a part of the Association of American Colleges & Universities in which Mrs. Mack serves as the VP for undergraduates STEM Education and Mrs. McDermott who serves as the Vice Provost for faculty affairs at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Their research overall is not bias because it focuses on the overall efforts used in combatting the multitude of reasons why many women do not participate in STEM Fields.

The third sample is also an Academic Journal. Written by Freeman A. Hrabowski III, "Broadening Participation in the American STEM Workforce," this article contains great information based on studies conducted by The Bayer Corporation in which they examined the "practices and attitudes within science departments at the nation's leading research institutions" (Hrabowski III 325). After conducting this survey, it was found that out of the "400 department chairs" interviewed that there was immense support in favor of increasing the amount of women and other underrepresented minorities in science (Hrabowski III 325). It focuses more specifically on how there needs to be even more emphasis on an overall approach to bringing more people into the field as scientists and engineers and even more so those who come from diverse backgrounds. The surveys and statistics that this study focuses on give great background information and help to back up further knowledge that may come to light on STEM fields. This source is credible because Mr. Hrabowski III is the President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and is a consultant for the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and various other educational institutions. This research itself is not bias because it draws on the effects that come into play within STEM Fields and Mr. Hrabowski is able to further his research in many incredible ways of study. 

Upon my initial research on the topic of STEM fields, I realized that the bigger issue was the amount of women participating in and studying STEM fields. After conducting further, more specific research I realized that I was curious as to what if anything, was deterring women from participating in these fields. My research question is arguable because of the immense amount of information that is available to support the need for more women to participate in STEM Fields. As a whole, my sources agree on the overall need for the participation of women in STEM fields, however, some articles use more data driven information such as statistics and surveys while others deal entirely with inventing new ways to garner women's attention in order to fill this need. The different sources effect my own outlook on this subject because they give me the ability to look at this present issue from many angles that all have or can have effects on the women in these fields, or the lack thereof. Finally, I do not feel that I need to revise my research question as I feel that it best fits my argument. 

