SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
| Study method | Number of students | Average exam score |
|---|---|---|
| Rereading notes | 48 | 71 |
| Highlighting | 35 | 70 |
| Practice testing | 41 | 84 |
| Summarizing | 30 | 76 |
A psychology professor surveyed students about the study method they relied on most before a final exam. She concluded that methods requiring students to actively recall or reorganize information, such as practice testing and summarizing, were associated with higher scores than passive methods, such as rereading and highlighting.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the professor's conclusion?
More students relied on rereading notes than on any other method.
Students who relied on highlighting averaged 70, nearly the same as the 71 averaged by students who relied on rereading.
Fewer students relied on summarizing than on any other method.
Students who relied on practice testing or summarizing averaged 84 and 76, respectively, while those who relied on rereading or highlighting averaged 71 and 70.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
The conclusion compares two groups of methods: active (practice testing, summarizing) and passive (rereading, highlighting). Choice D gives the scores for all four and shows that both active methods outscored both passive ones.
Choice B is accurate but compares only the two passive methods to each other, so it says nothing about active versus passive studying.
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