Question 166·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Economists do not all use the same definition of a gig worker.
- One recent labor survey counted only workers who obtained jobs through online platforms (ride-hailing apps, food-delivery apps, etc.).
- Using that definition, it estimated that gig workers made up 6% of the U.S. workforce in 2022.
- Another study counted anyone whose primary income came from independent contracting, whether online or offline.
- Using that broader definition, it estimated that gig workers made up 36% of the workforce.
- A third study included people who took any informal cash job—such as occasional babysitting or lawn care—during the year.
- With that inclusive definition, it estimated that gig workers comprised 45% of the workforce.
The student wants to emphasize how economists’ differing definitions of gig worker affect estimates of the size of the gig-economy workforce. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions using notes, first underline the goal in the prompt (for example, to compare, to show cause-and-effect, to emphasize a trend, etc.). Then scan the notes and decide what big idea or relationship (such as a contrast or a range) you must capture, not just which single detail is true. Eliminate answer choices that correctly restate one detail but ignore the required relationship or the full scope (for instance, focusing on one study when the goal is to show how multiple studies differ). The best choice is usually the one that briefly summarizes across notes and directly fulfills the stated purpose with no extra or missing elements.
Hints
Focus on the purpose statement
Look closely at the question’s wording: the student wants to emphasize how economists’ differing definitions of gig worker affect estimates of the workforce. Which parts of the notes speak directly to that idea?
Look for changes in both definition and percentage
In the notes, identify how each study’s definition of gig worker differs, and how the corresponding percentage estimate changes. How big is the spread from the smallest estimate to the largest?
Match the choice to both pieces: definitions and range
Which answer choice talks about more than one study or estimate and clearly connects different definitions to the fact that the estimated share of gig workers varies a lot, instead of just describing a single statistic?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The question asks for a sentence that will emphasize how economists’ differing definitions of gig worker affect estimates of the size of the gig-economy workforce.
So the right sentence must do two things:
- Mention that economists define gig worker in different ways.
- Show that these different definitions lead to different estimates of how many gig workers there are.
Pull out the key information from the notes
From the notes, we see:
- Economists do not all use the same definition of gig worker.
- Each study uses a different definition and gets a different percentage:
- Only online-platform workers → 6%.
- All independent contractors → 36%.
- Any informal cash job → 45%.
The big idea: changing the definition changes the percentage—from 6% at the narrowest definition to 45% at the broadest.
Decide what an effective sentence must include
To emphasize the effect of differing definitions, the sentence should:
- Refer to the fact that economists use different definitions.
- Make clear that these different definitions cause a wide range of estimates.
- Ideally, use the range of percentages from the notes (6% up to 45%) to show how large the difference is.
A sentence that only talks about one definition or one percentage will not fully meet this goal.
Evaluate each answer choice against the goal
Now compare each choice to the goal:
- One choice both mentions the differing definitions and summarizes the full range of estimates from 6% to 45%, directly showing how definitions affect estimated size.
- Each of the other choices focuses on just one study and one percentage (6%, 36%, or 45%) and does not mention that economists use different definitions or compare estimates.
The only option that clearly connects different definitions to a wide range of estimates (6%–45%) is Choice A: “Because economists define gig worker in different ways, estimates of the group’s size range widely—from 6% to 45% of the U.S. workforce.”