(A) The first provides information that supports a conclusion; the second is the conclusion. -- Between A and D, D is a better choice. The 1st BF, if you look closely at the language, is a conclusion in itself. The fact that wait times are reduced as an outcome of electronic database is a conclusion drawn by the author. I'll go with D on this one. Eliminate.

(B) The first is information that illustrates a problem; the second is a remedy for that problem. -- "first BF" isn't illustrating any problem. Eliminate. The 2nd BF is also wrong. No remedy has been suggested in the 2nd BF.

(C) The first is background information not directly linked to a conclusion; the second is a conclusion. -- "not directly linked to conclusion". Well it is. This is completely wrong. Eliminate.

(D) The first is a conclusion; the second is a further conclusion supported by the first one. -- Correct answer.

(E) The first is an observation that supports a specific conclusion; the second is a related observation that supports a more general conclusion. -- The 2nd BF is not a "observation". The author has concluded that benefits far outweigh problems and has not sought to give us any information. Eliminate.

Wait times to see a doctor are reduced when patient data is efficiently stored in an electronic database. Additionally, storing the results of examinations and tests allows patients greater access to their own health history. Though some patients have expressed annoyance at the process involved in accessing the records this way, the benefits of electronic data storage far outweigh the drawbacks.

The two sections in boldface play which of the following roles in the economist’s argument?

(A) The first provides information that supports a conclusion; the second is the conclusion. Correct

(B) The first is information that illustrates a problem; the second is a remedy for that problem. Incorrect

first is not illustrates a problem

(C) The first is background information not directly linked to a conclusion; the second is a conclusion. Incorrect

first is related with conclusion

(D) The first is a conclusion; the second is a further conclusion supported by the first one. Incorrect

first is seems a conclusion but it is not; conclusion has no additional information - second line express more info

(E) The first is an observation that supports a specific conclusion; the second is a related observation that supports a more general conclusion. Incorrect

second is not an observation

Wait times to see a doctor are reduced when patient data is efficiently stored in an electronic database. Additionally, storing the results of examinations and tests allows patients greater access to their own health history. Though some patients have expressed annoyance at the process involved in accessing the records this way, the benefits of electronic data storage far outweigh the drawbacks.

BF1: It is observation/claim/view point.
BF2: Main conclusion, the author has written the whole argument to convince us that "the benefits of electronic data storage far outweigh the drawbacks.:

and

BF1 is one of its benefits


The two sections in boldface play which of the following roles in the economist’s argument?

(A) The first provides information that supports a conclusion; the second is the conclusion.
BF1: Yes
BF2: Yes

(B) The first is information that illustrates a problem; the second is a remedy for that problem.
BF1: it is not illustrating the problem rather it is an observation
BF2: NO


(C) The first is background information not directly linked to a conclusion; the second is a conclusion.
BF1: Yes, we can say that first is background information, but we CANNOT say that "it is not directly linked to a conclusion"
BF2: YES

(D) The first is a conclusion; the second is a further conclusion supported by the first one.
BF1: NO
BF2: Yes, We can say that 2nd is a conclusion supported by 1st one

(E) The first is an observation that supports a specific conclusion; the second is a related observation that supports a more general conclusion.
BF1: The first is an observation (YES) but it is not clear which specific conclusion, it is referring to
BF2: the second is a related observation - NO, it is the main conclusion . that supports a more general conclusion - NO, the argument has only one conclusion i.e BF2

Official Explanation:

Wait times to see a doctor are reduced when patient data is efficiently stored in an electronic database. Additionally, storing the results of examinations and tests allows patients greater access to their own health history. Though some patients have expressed annoyance at the process involved in accessing the records this way, the benefits of electronic data storage far outweigh the drawbacks.

The two sections in boldface play which of the following roles in the economist’s argument?


(A) The first provides information that supports a conclusion; the second is the conclusion.
(B) The first is information that illustrates a problem; the second is a remedy for that problem.
(C) The first is background information not directly linked to a conclusion; the second is a conclusion.
(D) The first is a conclusion; the second is a further conclusion supported by the first one.
(E) The first is an observation that supports a specific conclusion; the second is a related observation that supports a more general conclusion.

Question Type: Boldface / Role in the Argument
Boil It Down: There is no need to ‘boil it down’ in a role in the argument question, but I will anyways just for educational purposes: Efficiently storing data reduces doctor-visit wait times. Further, storing data has other benefits; although some patients don’t like it, the pros are greater than the cons.
Goal: Find the option that correctly identifies the role of each boldface section in the passage.

Analysis:
Again, you don’t have to break down every sentence by any means. But for practice, I’m going to break down every sentence in case you need it. If you only need to break down the bolded questions to get the correct answer, then there is no need for you to do every sentence.

Wait times to see a doctor are reduced when patient data is efficiently stored in an electronic database.
This first sentence is evidence. This sentence is some sort of information which serves the purpose of proving the ultimate conclusion that the pros outweigh the cons. This sentence is not trying to convince you it is right or wrong, rather, it is introduced as an absolute truth. It shouldn’t be a conclusion, because it has no evidence to support it. The author introduces this as building block information which he believes is an absolute truth.

Additionally, storing the results of examinations and tests allows patients greater access to their own health history.
Just like the first sentence, this introduces evidence. It is evidence which is used to support the ultimate conclusion that the pros outweigh the cons. Here, this sentence introduces a pro.

Though some patients have expressed annoyance at the process involved in accessing the records this way,...
This is evidence which is used to argue against the author’s conclusion. Unlike the past two sentences which laid out the pro’s, this lays out a con. The author concedes that there may be some negative consequences of electronic data storage, but that it still does not undermine his final conclusion.

...the benefits of electronic data storage far outweigh the drawbacks.
This is what the author is trying to prove. Pros > Cons. The first two sentences are pros, the last part was a con; 2 is greater than 1 therefore he is right. This is the author’s suggestion; this is what he is trying to convince us is true.

With that in mind, we have our prediction. The answer needs to say: the first bolded part is evidence. The second bolded part is the conclusion. Let’s find the answer choice which says that:

(A) The first provides information that supports a conclusion; the second is the conclusion.
Yes. This is correct. Keep in mind that the phrase “information that supports a conclusion” is a complicated way of saying it is evidence. This answer choice says the first is evidence and the second is a conclusion, which is exactly what we wanted.

(B) The first is information that illustrates a problem; the second is a remedy for that problem.
Is this a problem? The first sentence is saying that efficient data storage is a good thing. Even if you want to make the argument that the first sentence ‘illustrates a problem,’ the second bolded sentence is clearly not a solution. It just says that the pros are better than the cons, it does not give a way to fix anything.

(C) The first is background information not directly linked to a conclusion; the second is a conclusion.
Even if the first bolded sentence was background information, it is definitely linked to the conclusion. It is a pro. The conclusion says the pros outweigh the cons, and this was a pro given to prove that. The second bolded part, however, is certainly a conclusion.

(D) The first is a conclusion; the second is a further conclusion supported by the first one.
Much closer, but the first sentence is much more evidence than it is a conclusion. The first sentence does not try to prove a certain point, it simply introduces it as true. The fact that the first sentence has no evidence to support it is further proof that the first sentence is evidence, rather than a conclusion.

(E) The first is an observation that supports a specific conclusion; the second is a related observation that supports a more general conclusion.
This one just has weird language which can trip people up. However, look at what it is saying, the first sentence supports a specific conclusion, the second supports a more general conclusion. That implies that there is both a specific and general conclusion in this prompt. Is that true? No. There is only one final conclusion, so this answer choice must be wrong.


Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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