A policy researcher has gathered the following data points for analysis:Metropolitan planning agencies collect demographic statistics including popula...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
A policy researcher has gathered the following data points for analysis:
- Metropolitan planning agencies collect demographic statistics including population density and age distribution.
- These demographic metrics help planners project future infrastructure needs and service demands.
- Current urban development strategies frequently prioritize demographic data when allocating municipal resources.
- Economic indicators such as employment rates and income levels often provide more stable foundations for long-term planning decisions.
- Several recent studies suggest that demographic-focused planning can lead to resource misallocation when population patterns shift unexpectedly.
The researcher wants to build a case for why demographic-focused planning approaches may be problematic. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the data to accomplish this goal?
Metropolitan planning agencies collect demographic statistics including population density and age distribution to help project infrastructure needs.
Economic indicators such as employment rates and income levels often provide more stable foundations for long-term planning than demographic data.
Demographic-focused planning approaches can lead to resource misallocation during unexpected population shifts, and recent studies suggest that economic indicators offer more stable foundations for municipal planning decisions.
Current urban development strategies frequently prioritize demographic data when allocating resources, though economic indicators are often more stable.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan planning agencies collect demographic statistics including population density and age distribution. |
|
| These demographic metrics help planners project future infrastructure needs and service demands. |
|
| Current urban development strategies frequently prioritize demographic data when allocating municipal resources. |
|
| Economic indicators such as employment rates and income levels often provide more stable foundations for long-term planning decisions. |
|
| Several recent studies suggest that demographic-focused planning can lead to resource misallocation when population patterns shift unexpectedly. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The data presents information about current demographic-focused planning practices and suggests alternative approaches may be more effective.
Argument Flow: The data begins by establishing current planning practices that rely on demographic statistics for infrastructure and resource decisions. It then introduces economic indicators as a potentially more stable alternative. Finally, it presents research evidence suggesting demographic-focused planning can lead to problems when population patterns change unexpectedly.
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 build a case AGAINST demographic-focused planning, the right answer should include the evidence that demographic planning can cause problems (the misallocation study) and mention the alternative that is more stable (economic indicators)
Metropolitan planning agencies collect demographic statistics including population density and age distribution to help project infrastructure needs.
- Only describes what agencies currently do without building a case against demographic planning
Economic indicators such as employment rates and income levels often provide more stable foundations for long-term planning than demographic data.
- Mentions economic indicators are more stable but missing the crucial research evidence about misallocation problems
Demographic-focused planning approaches can lead to resource misallocation during unexpected population shifts, and recent studies suggest that economic indicators offer more stable foundations for municipal planning decisions.
- Includes the research evidence that demographic planning can lead to resource misallocation AND mentions the alternative approach (economic indicators being more stable)
- This effectively combines multiple data points to build the case against demographic planning
Current urban development strategies frequently prioritize demographic data when allocating resources, though economic indicators are often more stable.
- Too neutral and does not emphasize the problems with demographic planning strongly enough