Educational researchers investigated whether students' performance on a test could be influenced by their previous study experiences. They divided par...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Educational researchers investigated whether students' performance on a test could be influenced by their previous study experiences. They divided participants into two groups: one group studied material using traditional reading methods, while the other used interactive multimedia approaches. Subsequently, both groups took an identical assessment covering new material they had never encountered. Students who had previously used interactive multimedia methods scored significantly higher on the assessment than those who had used traditional reading methods. Based on these findings, the researchers determined that test performance can be influenced by _____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the type of study methods used previously.
the difficulty level of the assessment material.
the amount of time spent on each question.
the number of students taking the test.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Educational researchers investigated whether students' performance on a test could be influenced by their previous study experiences.' |
|
| 'They divided participants into two groups: one group studied material using traditional reading methods, while the other used interactive multimedia approaches.' |
|
| 'Subsequently, both groups took an identical assessment covering new material they had never encountered.' |
|
| 'Students who had previously used interactive multimedia methods scored significantly higher on the assessment than those who had used traditional reading methods.' |
|
| 'Based on these findings, the researchers determined that test performance can be influenced by _____' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A study found that students who previously used interactive multimedia study methods performed better on tests than those who used traditional reading methods, leading researchers to conclude that prior study experiences affect test performance.
Argument Flow: The passage follows a classic experimental structure - researchers posed a question about whether prior study methods affect test performance, designed an experiment with two different study method groups, tested both groups on new material, found the multimedia group performed significantly better, and concluded that test performance is influenced by the factor they manipulated.
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 study specifically compared two different ways of studying previously (traditional reading vs. interactive multimedia), then tested both groups on completely new material
- The multimedia group performed significantly better
- So the researchers would logically conclude that the factor they manipulated - the type of study methods used previously - influences test performance
- The correct answer should identify the variable that the researchers actually tested and found to make a difference
the type of study methods used previously.
- This directly matches what the study tested - they compared traditional reading methods vs. interactive multimedia approaches
- The significant difference in scores between these two groups supports exactly this conclusion
- This is the variable the researchers manipulated and found to affect outcomes
the difficulty level of the assessment material.
- Both groups took the identical assessment, so difficulty level was the same for everyone
- The study results cannot be explained by assessment difficulty since that was held constant
the amount of time spent on each question.
- The passage provides no information about how much time students spent on questions
- Time spent per question was not measured or discussed in the study
the number of students taking the test.
- The number of test-takers would not explain why one group consistently outperformed the other
- This does not connect to the key finding about different study methods leading to different results