Educational psychologist Maria Chen and her research team investigated how different types of classroom participation affect students' long-term reten...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Educational psychologist Maria Chen and her research team investigated how different types of classroom participation affect students' long-term retention of course material. Chen observed that classroom activities vary significantly in the level of cognitive processing they require: actively contributing to discussions or leading group presentations demands deeper mental engagement than simply taking notes during lectures or responding to yes/no questions. Based on these observations, the researchers hypothesized that participation methods requiring deeper cognitive processing would lead to superior long-term retention of the material.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers' hypothesis?
Compared with students who only took notes during class, students who led group presentations showed significantly better recall of the material when tested three weeks later.
Students who participated in class discussions were more likely to attend future classes than were students who remained silent during lessons.
Students who contributed to class discussions reported higher levels of satisfaction with the course than did students who primarily listened to lectures.
Although students who led presentations demonstrated excellent recall immediately after class, these same students showed declining performance on tests administered a month later.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Educational psychologist Maria Chen and her research team investigated how different types of classroom participation affect students' long-term retention of course material. |
|
| Chen observed that classroom activities vary significantly in the level of cognitive processing they require: actively contributing to discussions or leading group presentations demands deeper mental engagement than simply taking notes during lectures or responding to yes/no questions. |
|
| Based on these observations, the researchers hypothesized that participation methods requiring deeper cognitive processing would lead to superior long-term retention of the material. |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Chen's research team hypothesizes that classroom activities requiring deeper cognitive processing will result in better long-term retention than activities requiring shallow processing.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Chen's research focus on participation and retention, then presents her observation that activities differ in cognitive demands, leading to her hypothesis that deeper processing activities should produce superior retention outcomes.
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 right answer should compare a deep processing activity (like discussions or presentations) with a shallow processing activity (like note-taking)
- Show that students who did the deep processing activity had better long-term retention
- Measure retention over time (not immediate recall), since the hypothesis is specifically about long-term retention
Compared with students who only took notes during class, students who led group presentations showed significantly better recall of the material when tested three weeks later.
✓ Correct
- Directly compares shallow processing (note-taking) with deep processing (leading presentations) and shows better recall for the deep processing group after three weeks
- This perfectly demonstrates superior long-term retention for deeper cognitive engagement
Students who participated in class discussions were more likely to attend future classes than were students who remained silent during lessons.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on attendance patterns, not retention of course material
- Doesn't address the hypothesis about cognitive processing and memory
Students who contributed to class discussions reported higher levels of satisfaction with the course than did students who primarily listened to lectures.
✗ Incorrect
- Measures satisfaction levels, not retention of material
- Doesn't compare different cognitive processing levels
Although students who led presentations demonstrated excellent recall immediately after class, these same students showed declining performance on tests administered a month later.
✗ Incorrect
- Actually contradicts the hypothesis by showing declining performance over time for presentation leaders
- Demonstrates good immediate recall but poor long-term retention