Research on library utilization indicates that when institutional collections are comprehensive, students tend to conduct briefer investigation period...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Research on library utilization indicates that when institutional collections are comprehensive, students tend to conduct briefer investigation periods, yet information specialist Dr. Michael Torres noted that students actually broaden their research approach when accessible resources are _______: learners will utilize outside database systems in addition to collections with limited thematic coverage in order to secure varied reference materials.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
outdated
restricted
specialized
digitized
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Research on library utilization indicates that when institutional collections are comprehensive, students tend to conduct briefer investigation periods," |
|
| "yet information specialist Dr. Michael Torres noted that students actually broaden their research approach when accessible resources are ________:" |
|
| "learners will utilize outside database systems in addition to collections with limited thematic coverage in order to secure varied reference materials." |
|
Main Point: Students adapt their research strategies differently depending on whether library resources are comprehensive or have some other characteristic that limits their scope.
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 logic flow shows that when resources have some particular characteristic, students broaden their research by using outside systems in addition to collections with limited thematic coverage
- The missing word should describe resources that are narrow in scope or focus, which would logically explain why students need to supplement with outside sources
outdated
✗ Incorrect
- Outdated refers to age of information, not scope
- Doesn't connect logically to limited thematic coverage
restricted
✗ Incorrect
- Restricted suggests access limitations, but the passage is about subject scope, not access restrictions
specialized
✓ Correct
- Specialized directly connects to limited thematic coverage
- Specialized resources by definition focus on specific subjects, creating perfect logic: specialized resources lead to limited coverage which leads students to seek outside sources for broader materials
digitized
✗ Incorrect
- Digitized refers to format and has no logical connection to thematic coverage limitations