In the 1990s, Maria Santos carried out pioneering investigations into solar cell efficiency. Throughout this era, numerous prestigious academic public...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
In the 1990s, Maria Santos carried out pioneering investigations into solar cell efficiency. Throughout this era, numerous prestigious academic publications showed hesitancy to accept research from scholars at less prominent universities, especially those specializing in renewable energy technologies. Santos faced difficulties securing acceptance of her research results via conventional scholarly publishing venues. Nevertheless, these obstacles did not stop Santos from disseminating her findings to fellow researchers. Santos established regular monthly gatherings where scholars from different academic institutions could showcase their unpublished research and obtain comprehensive feedback from colleagues. Consequently, these gatherings could serve as ________
Which choice most logically completes the text?
a platform for Santos to evaluate her concepts prior to official publication.
an alternative to conventional academic research initiatives.
an approach for Santos to discover work being performed at major universities.
motivation for Santos' subsequent renewable energy endeavors.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'In the 1990s, Maria Santos carried out pioneering investigations into solar cell efficiency.' |
|
| 'Throughout this era, numerous prestigious academic publications showed hesitancy to accept research from scholars at less prominent universities, especially those specializing in renewable energy technologies.' |
|
| 'Santos faced difficulties securing acceptance of her research results via conventional scholarly publishing venues.' |
|
| 'Nevertheless, these obstacles did not stop Santos from disseminating her findings to fellow researchers.' |
|
| 'Santos established regular monthly gatherings where scholars from different academic institutions could showcase their unpublished research and obtain comprehensive feedback from colleagues.' |
|
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The question asks us to complete the sentence about what function Santos' monthly gatherings served.
What type of answer do we need? We need a logical conclusion about the purpose or role of these gatherings based on the context provided.
Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Based on our analysis, these gatherings served as Santos' solution to the publishing problem
- The gatherings allowed Santos and other scholars to present their work and get feedback before (or instead of) going through traditional publishing channels
- The right answer should describe these meetings as an alternative platform for testing and refining research before formal publication
a platform for Santos to evaluate her concepts prior to official publication.
✓ Correct
- This perfectly matches our analysis
- The gatherings gave Santos a way to present her work and get feedback before attempting formal publication
- Addresses both the evaluation aspect and the timing
an alternative to conventional academic research initiatives.
✗ Incorrect
- Says the gatherings were an alternative to research initiatives themselves
- Too broad and misses the point
- Santos was not replacing research, she was replacing the publication/sharing process
an approach for Santos to discover work being performed at major universities.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on Santos discovering others' work rather than sharing her own
- The passage emphasizes Santos' need to disseminate her findings, not learn about others' research
motivation for Santos' subsequent renewable energy endeavors.
✗ Incorrect
- Treats the gatherings as inspiration for future work rather than a solution to current publishing problems
- Does not connect to the publishing difficulties that motivated their creation