Question 13·Easy·Transitions
Researchers begin by collecting raw sensor data from field instruments. The data are then cleaned to remove noise and inconsistencies.
_____ the processed data are uploaded to an online repository for other scientists to access.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
For transition questions, first decide how the second sentence relates to the first: is it adding a step, contrasting, giving a reason, or giving an example? Ignore the answer choices at first and describe that relationship in your own words. Then, look at each option and eliminate any that signal a different relationship (like contrast or example) or that would scramble the time order; the remaining choice that matches the relationship is almost always correct.
Hints
Look at how the process unfolds
Read both sentences and think about whether the second sentence is adding a new step, giving an example, contrasting, or going back in time.
Check what comes just before the blank
Focus on the fact that the data have already been cleaned in the previous sentence—how is the next sentence related to that result?
Match transition types to relationships
Decide which answer choice signals contrast, which signals an example, which refers to an earlier time, and which continues to the next step. Then pick the one that matches the relationship between the sentences.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the relationship between the sentences
Read the two sentences together:
- First: Researchers collect raw data, then clean it.
- Second: The processed data are uploaded so others can access them.
These are steps in a process; the second sentence clearly describes what happens in the next step after cleaning the data.
Identify the type of transition needed
Ask: How is the second sentence related to the first?
- It is not disagreeing with or contrasting the first sentence.
- It is not giving a specific example of the first sentence.
- It is not going back in time before the first sentence.
Instead, it continues the sequence of actions described in the same process.
Match each option to its typical use
Now think about the common uses of each transition:
- “Nevertheless,” signals contrast or an unexpected result.
- “For example,” introduces a specific illustration.
- “Previously,” refers to something that happened earlier.
- One option signals the next step in a sequence of actions.
Only the option that shows the next step in the process fits how the second sentence follows from the first.
Choose the transition that shows the next step in the process
Because the second sentence describes what happens in the next step of the procedure (after cleaning the data), the best transition is B) Afterward, which correctly shows that uploading the data comes next in the sequence.