After collecting extensive data from multiple research studies, Dr. Martinez needed to determine which findings were most relevant for her...

GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions

Source: Prism

Craft and Structure

Words in Context

EASY

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Notes

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After collecting extensive data from multiple research studies, Dr. Martinez needed to determine which findings were most relevant for her meta-analysis. Given the strict page limitations of academic journals, she could only ______ the results that directly addressed her research questions.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

question

dismiss

retain

summarize

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table

Text from Passage	Analysis
'After collecting extensive data from multiple research studies,'	What it says: Dr. M collected lots of data from many studies What it does: Establishes the starting situation - abundance of information What it is: Context/background
'Dr. Martinez needed to determine which findings were most relevant for her meta-analysis.'	What it says: Had to pick most relevant findings for her project What it does: Introduces the selection challenge she faced What it is: Problem statement
'Given the strict page limitations of academic journals,'	What it says: Journals = very limited space What it does: Explains the constraint forcing her decision What it is: Limiting factor
'she could only _______ the results that directly addressed her research questions.'	What it says: Could only [do something] to relevant results What it does: Describes her constrained action with most important findings What it is: Consequence/action

Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Visual Structure Map:
[STARTING SITUATION: Lots of data collected] → [CHALLENGE: Need to pick relevant findings] → [CONSTRAINT: Page limits in journals] → [RESULTING ACTION: Could only [?] most relevant results]

Main Point: Due to journal page limitations, Dr. Martinez had to be selective about which research findings to include in her meta-analysis.

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

Looking at our passage analysis, we see a clear logical flow: Dr. Martinez has lots of data, needs to pick what's relevant, but faces page constraints
So with the relevant results, she would need to keep them (not get rid of them) because they directly address her research questions
The blank describes what she does specifically with 'the results that directly addressed her research questions' - these are the good ones, the ones she wants to keep despite space limitations

Answer Choices Explained

question

✗ Incorrect

This would mean she could only 'question' the relevant results
Doesn't make logical sense - why would she question the results that directly address her research needs?
Contradicts the context that these are the findings she determined were 'most relevant'

dismiss

✗ Incorrect

This would mean she could only 'dismiss' the relevant results
Completely backwards logic - she would dismiss irrelevant results, not the ones that 'directly addressed her research questions'

retain

✓ Correct

Makes perfect logical sense - she could only 'retain' (keep) the results that were most important
Fits the constraint context perfectly - limited space means she can only keep the most relevant findings
Aligns with the selection process described earlier where she 'needed to determine which findings were most relevant'

summarize

✗ Incorrect

While she might summarize results, this doesn't capture the selection aspect that the passage emphasizes
The focus is on which results she can include at all, not how she presents them

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