Digital multitasking in classrooms—students using devices for non-academic activities during instruction—significantly undermines learning outcomes. R...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Digital multitasking in classrooms—students using devices for non-academic activities during instruction—significantly undermines learning outcomes. Research shows that students who engage in multitasking during lectures score lower on comprehension tests than their focused peers. _____ multitasking creates distractions for nearby students, reducing classroom-wide concentration.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Furthermore,
However,
In contrast,
Consequently,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Digital multitasking in classrooms—students using devices for non-academic activities during instruction—significantly undermines learning outcomes. |
|
| Research shows that students who engage in multitasking during lectures score lower on comprehension tests than their focused peers. |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| multitasking creates distractions for nearby students, reducing classroom-wide concentration. |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Digital multitasking in classrooms significantly harms learning outcomes both for the multitasking students themselves and for their classmates.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that digital multitasking undermines learning, then provides research evidence showing multitasking students score lower than focused peers. The argument continues by presenting another negative consequence—that multitasking also harms nearby students by creating distractions.
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 analysis, the sentence before the blank provides research evidence that multitasking students score lower than focused peers
- The sentence after the blank presents another negative effect—that multitasking also distracts nearby students
- Both sentences support the same overall argument that digital multitasking is harmful
- The logical relationship here is continuation or addition
- We need a transition that says 'here's another problem with multitasking' or 'in addition to harming the multitaskers themselves, here's how it harms others too'
- So the right answer should be a transition that adds another supporting point in the same direction as the argument we've already established
Furthermore,
Furthermore
✓ Correct
- 'Furthermore' means 'in addition' or 'moreover'—perfect for adding another supporting point
- Creates the right logical flow: 'Multitasking hurts the students doing it (evidence provided), and furthermore, it also hurts nearby students'
- Maintains the argumentative momentum in the same direction
However,
However
✗ Incorrect
- 'However' signals contrast or contradiction
- Would suggest the information after the blank contradicts what came before
- The sentence about distracting nearby students doesn't contradict the research about lower scores—both support the same argument
In contrast,
In contrast
✗ Incorrect
- 'In contrast' explicitly signals opposition between ideas
- Would incorrectly suggest that distracting nearby students somehow contrasts with multitaskers scoring lower
- Both points actually work together to support the same claim
Consequently,
Consequently
✗ Incorrect
- 'Consequently' indicates cause and effect
- Would suggest that multitaskers scoring lower causes them to distract nearby students
- The passage doesn't establish this causal relationship—both are presented as separate effects of multitasking