In a research study by Dr. Maria Santos and colleagues examining student performance, data was collected from two high schools...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
In a research study by Dr. Maria Santos and colleagues examining student performance, data was collected from two high schools with different teaching approaches. At Roosevelt High, which uses traditional lecture-based instruction, 78.4% of students scored proficient or above on standardized tests. At Lincoln High, which employs project-based learning methods, 71.2% achieved proficiency. Despite Roosevelt High having significantly fewer resources per student than Lincoln High, the traditional approach yielded higher test scores. The researchers concluded that resource availability alone cannot account for the performance gap between the schools.
What point does the text make about the difference in academic performance between Roosevelt High and Lincoln High students?
It results from factors beyond the schools' resource availability.
It was significantly larger than other similar studies have found.
It may reflect inconsistencies in the testing procedures used.
It was determined using data from previous academic years.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'In a research study by Dr. Maria Santos and colleagues examining student performance, data was collected from two high schools with different teaching approaches.' |
|
| 'At Roosevelt High, which uses traditional lecture-based instruction, 78.4% of students scored proficient or above on standardized tests.' |
|
| 'At Lincoln High, which employs project-based learning methods, 71.2% achieved proficiency.' |
|
| 'Despite Roosevelt High having significantly fewer resources per student than Lincoln High, the traditional approach yielded higher test scores.' |
|
| 'The researchers concluded that resource availability alone cannot account for the performance gap between the schools.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A research study found that resource availability alone cannot explain why Roosevelt High (traditional teaching) outperformed Lincoln High (project-based learning) on standardized tests.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a study comparing two schools with different teaching approaches, shows that the traditional school performed better despite having fewer resources, and concludes that factors beyond resource availability must account for the performance difference.
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 passage makes a clear point about the performance difference: even though Roosevelt had fewer resources than Lincoln, Roosevelt still performed better
- The researchers specifically concluded that resource availability alone can't explain this gap
- This means other factors must be responsible for the difference in performance
- So the right answer should indicate that the performance difference stems from factors other than just resources
It results from factors beyond the schools' resource availability.
✓ Correct
- This directly matches the researchers' conclusion that 'resource availability alone cannot account for the performance gap'
- If resources alone can't explain it, then other factors beyond resource availability must be responsible
- Perfectly aligns with our prethinking about factors beyond resources
It was significantly larger than other similar studies have found.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage never compares this study's findings to other similar studies
- We have no information about whether this gap was larger or smaller than other research
- The passage is self-contained and doesn't reference external studies
It may reflect inconsistencies in the testing procedures used.
✗ Incorrect
- The text presents no discussion of testing procedures or their consistency
- The researchers seem confident in their data and conclusions
- Nothing suggests procedural issues with the testing
- What trap this represents: Students might think any unexpected result must involve methodological problems
It was determined using data from previous academic years.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage doesn't specify when the data was collected
- No mention of using previous years' data versus current data
- The timeframe of data collection isn't discussed at all