School science textbooks and reference books used in New Zealand were examined to investigate the types and number of roles assigned to males and females and the place of men and women in the world as implied in science textbooks. Data recorded included the number of different types of roles and activities assigned to each sex, number of times each sex was shown in illustrations, number of references to famous males and females, number of references to male or female characters, and any incidence of sexism in language used. The overall orientation in science textbooks was in favor of males. Some of the roles shown for females were in fields which were traditionally assigned to males (physics professor, naturalist explorer), but males did not appear in fields traditionally assigned to females. Some books exhibited equal treatment of the sexes, showing science as being for both males and females, but others were still strongly oriented in favor of science as a male occupation. (PB)