A university library system permits students to keep research materials beyond standard loan periods without immediate penalties, though students who...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
A university library system permits students to keep research materials beyond standard loan periods without immediate penalties, though students who frequently exceed deadlines lose access to expanded borrowing privileges in subsequent terms. Research librarian Dr. Sarah Chen analyzed usage patterns and discovered that graduate students working in remote field stations return materials later than campus-based students, despite having regular opportunities to send items back through university courier services. Dr. Chen contends this represents calculated behavior that allows remote students to optimize their research efficiency per borrowed resource.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Dr. Chen's contention?
Packaging and shipping costs for returning materials to the library are substantial for remote students but remain constant whether they return one item or multiple items in a single shipment.
Remote students generally have access to fewer total library resources than campus-based students but typically work on research projects requiring more specialized materials.
University courier services are available to remote locations on a weekly schedule, though campus-based students can return materials daily.
Graduate students conducting field research typically require longer consultation periods with borrowed materials than laboratory-based students do.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'A university library system permits students to keep research materials beyond standard loan periods without immediate penalties,' |
|
| 'though students who frequently exceed deadlines lose access to expanded borrowing privileges in subsequent terms.' |
|
| 'Research librarian Dr. Sarah Chen analyzed usage patterns and discovered that graduate students working in remote field stations return materials later than campus-based students,' |
|
| 'despite having regular opportunities to send items back through university courier services.' |
|
| 'Dr. Chen contends this represents calculated behavior that allows remote students to optimize their research efficiency per borrowed resource.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Chen believes remote students deliberately return materials late as a strategic choice to maximize their research efficiency per borrowed item.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the library's lenient-but-not-unlimited policy, presents Chen's data showing remote students return materials later even when they have courier access, and concludes with Chen's interpretation that this represents deliberate optimization rather than mere convenience or carelessness.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which finding would most directly support Dr. Chen's specific contention about calculated behavior.
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that would strengthen Chen's interpretation that remote students are making deliberate, strategic decisions to optimize efficiency.
Any limiting keywords? 'Most directly support' means we need the strongest, most relevant evidence for Chen's claim specifically.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- For Chen's contention to be supported, we need evidence that remote students are indeed making calculated decisions rather than just being forgetful or careless
- The key word is 'calculated' - this implies rational decision-making based on some advantage or efficiency gain
- We'd want to see evidence of a logical reason why holding materials longer would be beneficial
- Something that shows this behavior is strategic rather than accidental
- An efficiency or optimization advantage that remote students gain
Packaging and shipping costs for returning materials to the library are substantial for remote students but remain constant whether they return one item or multiple items in a single shipment.
- Shows substantial shipping costs that remain constant whether returning one item or many
- Creates clear rational incentive: students save money per item by batching returns
- Perfectly matches 'calculated behavior' - waiting to return multiple items together is strategic optimization
- Directly supports the 'efficiency per borrowed resource' claim
Remote students generally have access to fewer total library resources than campus-based students but typically work on research projects requiring more specialized materials.
- Explains resource differences and project requirements
- Describes circumstances but doesn't show calculated decision-making
- Doesn't demonstrate that late returns are intentional optimization strategies
University courier services are available to remote locations on a weekly schedule, though campus-based students can return materials daily.
- Provides scheduling information about courier frequency
- Shows opportunity differences but not calculated behavior
- Could actually suggest remote students have less convenient access, undermining the 'calculated' aspect
Graduate students conducting field research typically require longer consultation periods with borrowed materials than laboratory-based students do.
- Discusses consultation time needs for different research types
- Explains why longer borrowing might be necessary but not why returns are strategically delayed
- Students might think longer consultation periods justify the behavior, but this doesn't show the behavior is 'calculated' - it just shows it might be necessary