A 2019 study examined factors influencing student engagement in online courses. Researchers discovered that interactive multimedia elements significan...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
A 2019 study examined factors influencing student engagement in online courses. Researchers discovered that interactive multimedia elements significantly increased student participation rates. _____ the impact of multimedia was overshadowed by the influence of instructor responsiveness to student questions.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Admittedly,
Therefore,
For example,
Similarly,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "A 2019 study examined factors influencing student engagement in online courses." |
|
| "Researchers discovered that interactive multimedia elements significantly increased student participation rates." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "the impact of multimedia was overshadowed by the influence of instructor responsiveness to student questions." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[STUDY CONTEXT] → [FINDING 1: Multimedia helps participation] → [MISSING TRANSITION] → [FINDING 2: Instructor responsiveness greater than multimedia]
Main Point: A study found that while multimedia increased student engagement in online courses, instructor responsiveness had an even greater impact.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the study context, presents one positive finding about multimedia, then introduces a contrasting finding that shows instructor responsiveness was even more influential than multimedia.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The transition must acknowledge the multimedia finding from the previous sentence
- It needs to introduce a contrast or concession, since the next part shows something else was more important
- The relationship is: "Yes, multimedia helped, BUT instructor responsiveness was even more impactful"
- The right answer should signal a concession or acknowledgment that leads into a contrasting point
Admittedly,
✓ Correct
- "Admittedly" acknowledges that multimedia did increase participation (conceding the first finding)
- It perfectly sets up the contrast by suggesting "yes, this is true, BUT here's something more important"
- Creates the logical flow: acknowledging multimedia's impact while introducing the greater impact of instructor responsiveness
Therefore,
✗ Incorrect
- "Therefore" suggests the multimedia finding leads to or causes the instructor responsiveness finding
- This creates a cause-effect relationship rather than the contrast we need
- Students might think both findings are building on each other rather than recognizing the contrast between them
For example,
✗ Incorrect
- "For example" suggests the instructor responsiveness is an example of multimedia's impact
- This makes no logical sense since instructor responsiveness is separate from multimedia
- The sentence structure doesn't support an example relationship
Similarly,
✗ Incorrect
- "Similarly" suggests both findings are alike or support the same point
- This misses the contrast - the second finding actually shows multimedia wasn't the most important factor
- Students might focus on both being positive findings rather than recognizing that one overshadowed the other