Paid Parental Leave in Correlation with Changing Gender Role Attitudes

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Line 28: insert space between "Hausen" and "1976."

Line 36: Change to read as follows: ... 20th century; however, in the late 20th/early 21st centuries, the boundaries ...

Line 38: ... Thus,...

Line 55: To what/which role does the adjective "this" refer? Unclear.

Line 58:  Write "We ask..." rather than "the presented research asks..." (The research can't ask anything.)

Line 59: Use "reach" or "arrive at" rather than "meet...."

Line 61: Use "allowed" rather than "allows..." (The research is done; it is past tense.)

Line 75: To what does "branch-specific" refer? Unclear.

Line 117: Use "is" rather than "are"

Line 257: Use "criterion" rather than "criteria."

A careful edit for clarity and proper English use is needed.

No reference is made to age disparity in the couples as an explanation of gender roles. In 12 instances, the woman is older than the man. In 26 instances, the man is older than the woman. In 4 instances, age is the same. Might this variable (age discrepancies) be examined just as income discrepancies were examined? Because age and gender exhibited a degree of multicollinearity, it may be difficult to attribute findings to gender alone. (Were income disparities examined similarly?)

Biological facts and their influence and cultural presence in childcare were not examined. First two weeks of leave for mothers acknowledged that women are the ones who give birth. But, what about practice of breast feeding? Was that variable examined at all? (Yes, I realize that mothers can pump milk and store it, but that is much more difficult and certainly not as culturally/socializing as actual breast feeding.) Is there literature examining the inherent BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES in men and women and child socializing and nurturing effects?) Perhaps acknowledgement of  obvious/known differences would be appropriate.)

Careful editing for English usage and clarity would improve manuscript. Stacking of nouns used as adjectives needs to be addressed. Examples: 

Line 118: " shorter childcare benefit periods..." Does "shorter" modify "childcare," "benefit," or "periods"? Writing this as "shorter periods of childcare benefits" is clearer.    AND

Line 128: "... , partnership bonus claims signal slight progress..."  In this phrase, it's difficult to determine what is the subject and what is the verb/predicate! Is "claims" a verb or noun or used as an adjective? Is "signal" used as an adjective to modify "progress," a noun/subject of the sentence, or a verb? Rewrite for clarity.

There are several of these (VERY COMMON in academic writing, but lead to lack of clarity/difficulty in reading and interpreting.)

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 1,

I would like to thank for your worthwhile comments: I revised the paper according to your comments and suggestions. Please find my detailed answers below.

(x) Minor editing of English language required

I checked the paper and it was edited by an English native speaker.

Line 28: insert space between "Hausen" and "1976."

Thank you, I inserted the space.

Line 36: Change to read as follows: ... 20th century; however, in the late 20th/early 21st centuries, the boundaries ...

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 38: ... Thus,...

Thus in the 20th century and in recent decades of the 21st century …

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 55: To what/which role does the adjective "this" refer? Unclear.

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 58:  Write "We ask..." rather than "the presented research asks..." (The research can't ask anything.)

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 59: Use "reach" or "arrive at" rather than "meet...."

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 61: Use "allowed" rather than "allows..." (The research is done; it is past tense.)

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 75: To what does "branch-specific" refer? Unclear.

Thank you, I revised the passage and referred more broadly to these inequalities.

Line 117: Use "is" rather than "are"

Thank you, I revised the passage.

Line 257: Use "criterion" rather than "criteria."

Thank you, I revised the passage.

A careful edit for clarity and proper English use is needed.

I re-checked the paper. Furthermore, it was roof-read and edited by a native speaker (AE).

No reference is made to age disparity in the couples as an explanation of gender roles. In 12 instances, the woman is older than the man. In 26 instances, the man is older than the woman. In 4 instances, age is the same. Might this variable (age discrepancies) be examined just as income discrepancies were examined? Because age and gender exhibited a degree of multicollinearity, it may be difficult to attribute findings to gender alone. (Were income disparities examined similarly?)

I included passages referring to the empirical material as well as to statistical Austrian data.

Biological facts and their influence and cultural presence in childcare were not examined. First two weeks of leave for mothers acknowledged that women are the ones who give birth. But, what about practice of breast feeding? Was that variable examined at all? (Yes, I realize that mothers can pump milk and store it, but that is much more difficult and certainly not as culturally/socializing as actual breast feeding.) Is there literature examining the inherent BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES in men and women and child socializing and nurturing effects?) Perhaps acknowledgement of obvious/known differences would be appropriate.)

I included a long footnote referring to breastfeeding which, among other biological inequalities between women and men, is also impacted by cultural, socioeconomic, institutional and organizational factors. However, due to limits in characters, in this paper I could not more widely refer to this topic (referring more broadly to sexuality and the perception of the female body in public space).

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Careful editing for English usage and clarity would improve manuscript. Stacking of nouns used as adjectives needs to be addressed. Examples: 

Line 118: " shorter childcare benefit periods..." Does "shorter" modify "childcare," "benefit," or "periods"? Writing this as "shorter periods of childcare benefits" is clearer.    AND

Line 128: "... , partnership bonus claims signal slight progress..."  In this phrase, it's difficult to determine what is the subject and what is the verb/predicate! Is "claims" a verb or noun or used as an adjective? Is "signal" used as an adjective to modify "progress," a noun/subject of the sentence, or a verb? Rewrite for clarity.

There are several of these (VERY COMMON in academic writing, but lead to lack of clarity/difficulty in reading and interpreting.)

I revised the mentioned passages and tried to identify and change similar passages.

Furthermore, an English native speaker (AE) edited the manuscript.

With kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper is very interesting an very well structured. Theoretical aspects and methodology are clear and logic.

I would only suggest to better define and discuss the term "traditional" in the beginning of paper. In very fast changing society, "traditional" could have different meaning and cultural references. Maybe a differnt term could be less tricky.

 

Plesae minor check required

Author Response

Dear reviewer 2

I would like to thank for your worthwhile comments: I have revised the paper according to your comments and suggestions. Please find below my detailed answers.

The paper is very interesting and very well structured. Theoretical aspects and methodology are clear and logic.

Thank you very much for this positive feedback, which I appreciate very much.

I would only suggest to better define and discuss the term "traditional" in the beginning of paper. In very fast changing society, "traditional" could have different meaning and cultural references. Maybe a different term could be less tricky.

I followed your suggestions and clarified more deeply what is meant in my paper. I revised some passages and or explained the usage of the term.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Please minor check required

I re-checked the paper. Moreover, it was edited by an English native speaker.

Kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf