Question 172·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Telemedicine uses digital technology to deliver health care remotely. • It can reduce travel time and increase access for rural patients. • However, telemedicine requires reliable broadband internet, which is not always available in rural areas. • In-person visits allow physicians to perform comprehensive physical examinations. • In-person care may involve long wait times and transportation costs for patients. • Some conditions can be adequately diagnosed via video, while others need hands-on assessment.
The student wants to write a sentence that acknowledges limitations of both telemedicine and traditional in-person care. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, start by underlining the exact task (for example, “acknowledges limitations of both…”). Then quickly mark in the notes which bullets are benefits and which are limitations for each side being compared. As you scan answer choices, immediately eliminate any that (1) talk only about benefits when the question asks for limitations, (2) mention a limitation for only one side instead of both, or (3) add details not supported by the notes. Usually only one option will correctly combine the required pieces of information and match the tone and purpose stated in the question.
Hints
Focus on the task words
Underline the phrase in the question that states the goal: “acknowledges limitations of both telemedicine and traditional in-person care.” Make sure your choice clearly shows a drawback of each.
Mark limitations in the notes
In the notes, circle or underline the phrases that describe problems or downsides for telemedicine and for in-person care. Ignore the parts that only describe benefits.
Match notes to choices, then eliminate
For each answer, ask: (1) Does it mention a telemedicine limitation from the notes? (2) Does it mention an in-person limitation from the notes? (3) Does it avoid adding new, unsupported information? Eliminate any choice that fails one of these tests.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the task in your own words
The question asks for one sentence that acknowledges limitations of both telemedicine and traditional in-person care. That means the correct answer must:
- Talk about a problem or drawback of telemedicine, and
- Talk about a problem or drawback of in-person visits, in the same sentence.
Find the limitations in the notes
Scan the notes and separate benefits from limitations.
Telemedicine notes:
- Benefit: it can reduce travel time and increase access for rural patients.
- Limitation: it requires reliable broadband internet, which is not always available in rural areas.
In-person care notes:
- Benefit: allows physicians to perform comprehensive physical examinations.
- Limitation: may involve long wait times and transportation costs for patients.
For the correct sentence, we must use the limitation parts from each side (telemedicine and in-person).
Check each choice against the goal
Now compare each answer choice to the goal: Does it clearly mention a limitation of telemedicine and a limitation of in-person care, both supported by the notes?
- One wrong choice talks about how both types of care are valuable, focusing on benefits instead of limitations.
- Another wrong choice gives a telemedicine limitation and an in-person benefit, missing in-person limitations.
- A different wrong choice gives a telemedicine limitation and then a situation where telemedicine works well, never mentioning an in-person limitation.
Only one answer accurately combines:
- Telemedicine’s broadband limitation, and
- In-person care’s travel/wait-time burdens, while staying faithful to the notes.
Confirm the choice that uses both limitations correctly
The correct answer is:
“Although telemedicine can decrease travel time for rural patients, it is limited by the lack of reliable broadband, whereas traditional in-person visits can burden patients with extended travel and waiting periods.”
This sentence:
- Uses the telemedicine limitation from the notes (needs reliable broadband that isn’t always available).
- Uses the in-person limitation from the notes (long waits and transportation burdens for patients).
- Stays focused on drawbacks of both, exactly matching the student’s goal.