Some animal-behavior studies involve observing wild animals in their natural habitat, and some involve capturing wild animals and observing them...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Some animal-behavior studies involve observing wild animals in their natural habitat, and some involve capturing wild animals and observing them in a laboratory. Each approach has advantages over the other. In wild studies, researchers can more easily presume that the animals are behaving normally, and in lab studies, researchers can more easily control factors that might affect the results. But if, for example, the results from a wild study and a lab study of Western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) contradict each other, one or both of the studies must have failed to account for some factor that was relevant to the birds' behavior.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
When the results of a natural-habitat study and those from a lab study of a wild animal such as the Western scrub-jay conflict, the study in the natural habitat is more likely than the lab study to have accurate results.
Studying wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay in both their natural habitat and lab settings is likely to yield conflicting results that researchers cannot fully resolve.
Wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay can be effectively studied in their natural habitat and in the lab, but each approach has drawbacks that could affect the accuracy of the findings.
Differing results between natural-habitat and lab studies of wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay are a strong indication that both of the studies had design flaws that affected the accuracy of their results.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Some animal-behavior studies involve observing wild animals in their natural habitat, and some involve capturing wild animals and observing them in a laboratory.' |
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| 'Each approach has advantages over the other.' |
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| 'In wild studies, researchers can more easily presume that the animals are behaving normally, and in lab studies, researchers can more easily control factors that might affect the results.' |
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| 'But if, for example, the results from a wild study and a lab study of Western scrub-jays contradict each other, one or both of the studies must have failed to account for some factor that was relevant to the birds' behavior.' |
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Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Both wild habitat and laboratory approaches to studying animal behavior have distinct advantages, but each also has potential limitations that could affect the accuracy of research findings.
Argument Flow: The passage introduces two methods for studying animal behavior, acknowledges that both offer unique benefits, and then presents the key limitation when studies using these different approaches produce conflicting results, it indicates that important factors may have been overlooked in one or both studies.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main idea of the entire text the central message the author wants to convey.
What type of answer do we need? A statement that captures the passage's primary focus and overall point about animal behavior studies.
Any limiting keywords? Main idea tells us we need the broadest, most encompassing point, not a detail or specific example.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer must capture that both wild and lab studies are viable approaches to studying animal behavior, each with its own strengths, but also acknowledge that both methods have potential weaknesses or limitations that could affect research accuracy
- The answer should reflect the balanced perspective the passage presents neither approach is definitively better, but both have trade-offs that researchers need to consider
When the results of a natural-habitat study and those from a lab study of a wild animal such as the Western scrub-jay conflict, the study in the natural habitat is more likely than the lab study to have accurate results.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims natural habitat studies are more likely to have accurate results than lab studies
- The passage doesn't establish this hierarchy it presents both as having distinct advantages
Studying wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay in both their natural habitat and lab settings is likely to yield conflicting results that researchers cannot fully resolve.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests conflicting results are likely and cannot fully resolve
- The passage doesn't say conflicts are probable or unresolvable
- Focuses on inevitability of problems rather than the balanced advantages/disadvantages structure
Wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay can be effectively studied in their natural habitat and in the lab, but each approach has drawbacks that could affect the accuracy of the findings.
✓ Correct
- Captures that both approaches can be effectively studied matches the advantages mentioned
- Acknowledges each approach has drawbacks that could affect accuracy matches the final caveat about missed factors
- Perfectly reflects the passage's balanced structure showing benefits and limitations of both methods
Differing results between natural-habitat and lab studies of wild animals such as the Western scrub-jay are a strong indication that both of the studies had design flaws that affected the accuracy of their results.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims differing results are a strong indication that both studies had design flaws
- Too extreme the passage says one or both might have missed factors, not that both definitely have flaws