While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Dr. Elena Vasquez began studying urban heat islands in Phoenix...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Dr. Elena Vasquez began studying urban heat islands in Phoenix in 2018.
- Urban heat islands occur when cities experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas.
- Initially, Vasquez used traditional temperature monitoring stations placed throughout the city.
- In 2020, she adopted drone-based thermal imaging technology for data collection.
- The drone data revealed heat patterns that ground stations had missed.
- Vasquez's findings led to new city policies for heat-reducing building materials and green space requirements.
The student wants to emphasize the evolution of Vasquez's research methodology. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Vasquez studied urban heat islands in Phoenix using temperature monitoring stations and later adopted drone-based thermal imaging.
After initially relying on ground-based stations, Vasquez's shift to drone thermal imaging revealed previously undetected patterns and influenced new city policies.
Drone-based thermal imaging technology allowed Vasquez to collect more comprehensive data than traditional monitoring methods.
Vasquez's research on urban heat islands, which began in 2018, led to new Phoenix policies for building materials and green spaces.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Dr. Elena Vasquez began studying urban heat islands in Phoenix in 2018.' |
|
| 'Urban heat islands occur when cities experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas.' |
|
| 'Initially, Vasquez used traditional temperature monitoring stations placed throughout the city.' |
|
| 'In 2020, she adopted drone-based thermal imaging technology for data collection.' |
|
| 'The drone data revealed heat patterns that ground stations had missed.' |
|
| 'Vasquez's findings led to new city policies for heat-reducing building materials and green space requirements.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Vasquez's research on urban heat islands evolved from traditional ground-based monitoring to drone technology, leading to better data and real policy changes.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Vasquez's research topic and timeline, then traces her methodological progression from traditional temperature stations to drone imaging. This technological shift produced superior data that ground stations had missed, ultimately resulting in concrete policy changes for Phoenix.
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
- To emphasize the evolution of methodology, the correct answer should:
- Show the progression from her original approach to her newer approach
- Use language that indicates change or development over time
- Ideally show why this evolution mattered
- The evolution here is clear: traditional ground stations to drone thermal imaging to better results. The right answer should capture this progression and show the impact of making this methodological change.
Vasquez studied urban heat islands in Phoenix using temperature monitoring stations and later adopted drone-based thermal imaging.
- Simply states that she used both methods without showing progression
- Missing any sense of evolution or development over time
- Does not explain why she made the methodological change
After initially relying on ground-based stations, Vasquez's shift to drone thermal imaging revealed previously undetected patterns and influenced new city policies.
- Shows the starting point with initial methodology
- Clearly indicates methodological evolution with transitional language
- Explains the benefit of this evolution
- Shows the ultimate impact
- Perfectly captures the complete arc of methodological development and its significance
Drone-based thermal imaging technology allowed Vasquez to collect more comprehensive data than traditional monitoring methods.
- Focuses on comparing the technologies rather than showing evolution
- More about the superiority of drones than the progression of her research
- Misses the developmental aspect
Vasquez's research on urban heat islands, which began in 2018, led to new Phoenix policies for building materials and green spaces.
- Emphasizes timeline and outcomes rather than methodological evolution
- Jumps from start date to final results without showing the methodological progression
- Confuses chronological information with methodological evolution