Theory or Practice Reading Answers

Jan 13, 2023

Theory or Practice Reading Answers contains sample answers about researches carried out in business schools. Theory or Practice Reading Answers has 14 different questions. IELTS Theory or Practice Reading Answers contains four types of questions: write the correct letter, choose two correct options, true/false/not given and complete the sentence. Candidates are required to read the IELTS Reading passage to choose the correct option to answer the question regarding the passage. Candidates need to thoroughly go through each paragraph to choose two choices that are in line with Jeffrey Pfeffer and Christina Fong's idea. Candidates are required to answer whether the given statements are true or false. Write not given, if it is not stated in the passage. For the last set of questions, candidates are supposed to complete the sentences from the given list of options. Candidates can gain proficiency on diverse topics by undertaking IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Theory or Practice Reading Answers

Students go to universities and other academic institutions to prepare for their future. We pay tuition and struggle through classes in the hopes that we can find a fulfilling and exciting career. But the choice of your university has a large influence on your future. How can you know which university will prepare you the best for your future? Like other academic institutions, business schools are judged by the quality of the research carried out by their faculties. Professors must both teach students and also produce original research in their own field. The quality of this research is assessed by academic publications. At the same time, universities have another responsibility to equip their students for the real world, however that is defined. Most students learning from professors will not go into academics themselves-so how do academics best prepare them for their future careers, whatever that may be? Whether academic research actually produces anything that is useful to the practice of business, or even whether it is its job to do so, are questions that can provoke vigorous arguments on campus.

The debate, which first flared during the 1950s, was reignited in August, when AACSB International, the most widely recognised global accrediting agency for business schools, announced it would consider changing the way it evaluates research. The news followed rather damning criticism in 2002 from Jeffrey Pfefler, a Stanford professor, and Christina Fong of Washington University, which questioned whether business education in its current guise was sustainable. The study found that traditional modes of academia were not adequately preparing students for the kind of careers they faced in current times. The most controversial recommendation in AACSB's draft report (which was sent round to administrators for their comment) is that the schools should be required to demonstrate the value of their faculties' research not simply by listing its citations in journals, but by demonstrating the impact it has in the professional world. New qualifiers, such as average incomes, student placement in top firms and business collaborations would now be considered just as important as academic publications.

AACSB justifies its stance by saying that it wants schools and faculty to play to their strengths, whether they be in pedagogy, in the research of practical applications, or in scholarly endeavours. Traditionally, universities operate in a pyramid structure. Everyone enters and stays in an attempt to be successful in their academic field. A psychology professor must publish competitive research in the top neuroscience journals. A Cultural Studies professor must send graduate students on new field research expeditions to be taken seriously. This research is the core of a university's output. And research of any kind is expensive-AACSB points out that business schools in America alone spend more than $320m a year on it. So it seems legitimate to ask, 'what purpose is it undertaken?

If a school chose to specialise in professional outputs rather than academic outputs, it could use such a large sum of money and redirect it into more fruitful programs. For example, if a business school wanted a larger presence of employees at top financial firms, this money may be better spent on a career centre which focuses on building the skills of students, rather than paying for more high-level research to be done through the effort of faculty. A change in evaluation could also open the door to inviting more professionals from different fields to teach as adjuncts. Students could take accredited courses from people who are currently working in their dream field. The AACSB insists that universities answer the question as to why research is the most critical component of traditional education.

On one level, the question is simple to answer. Research in business schools, as anywhere else, is about expanding the boundaries of knowledge; it thrives on answering unasked questions. Surely this pursuit of knowledge is still important to the university system. Our society progresses because we learn how to do things in new ways, a process which depends heavily on research and academics. But one cannot ignore the other obvious practical uses of research publications. Research is also about cementing schools' and professors' reputations. Schools gain kudos from their faculties' record of publication: which journals publish them, and how often. In some cases, such as with government-funded schools in Britain, it can affect how much money they receive. For professors, the mantra is often "publish or perish". Their careers depend on being seen in the right journals.

But at a certain point, one has to wonder whether this research is being done for the benefit of the university or for the students the university aims to teach. Greater publications will attract greater funding, which will in turn be spent on better publications. Students seeking to enter professions out of academia find this cycle frustrating, and often see their professors as being part of the "Ivory Tower" of academia, operating in a self-contained community that has little influence on the outside world.

The research is almost universally unread by real-world managers. Part of the trouble is that the journals labour under a similar ethos. They publish more than 20,000 articles each year. Most of the research is highly quantitative, hypothesis-driven and esoteric. As a result, it is almost universally unread by real-world managers. Much of the research criticises other published research. A paper in a 2006 issue of Strategy & Leadership commented that "research is not designed with managers' needs in mind, nor is it communicated in the journals they read. For the most part, it has become a self-referential closed system irrelevant to corporate performance." The AACSB demands that this segregation must change for the future of higher education. If students must invest thousands of dollars for an education as part of their career path, the academics which serve the students should be more fully incorporated into the professional world. This means that universities must focus on other strengths outside of research, such as professional networks, technology skills, and connections with top business firms around the world. Though many universities resisted the report, today's world continues to change. The universities which prepare students for our changing future have little choice but to change with new trends and new standards.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Question 1 - 3
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.

In the second paragraph, the recommendation given by AACSB is

to focus on listing research paper's citations only.
to consider the quantity of academic publications.
to evaluate how the paper influences the field.
to maintain the traditional modes of academia.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: demonstrate the value of their faculties' research not simply by listing its citations in journals, but by demonstrating the impact it has
Keyword : demonstrate, value, impact, research
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 9
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, the proposal in AACSB's draft report is that the schools be expected to show the importance of the faculty members' research. Instead of only displaying journal citations, this should show the influence the work has on the professional world.

Why does AACSB put forward the recommendation?

to give full play to the faculties' advantage.
to reinforce the play to the pyramid structure of universities.
to push professors to publish competitive papers.
to reduce costs of research in universities.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: AACSB justifies its stance by saying that it wants schools and faculty to play to their strengths
Keyword : justifies, stance, strengths
Keyword Location: paragraph 3, line 1
Explanation: As per paragraph 3, AACSB explains its position by stating that it wants teachers and schools to focus on their areas of expertise. Whether they are scholarly endeavours, pedagogical research, or studies of real-world applications.

Why does the author mention Journal Strategy & Leadership?

to characterise research as irrelevant to company performance
to suggest that managers don't read research papers.
to describe students' expectations for universities.
to exemplify high-quality research papers.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: For the most part, it has become a self-referential closed system irrelevant to corporate performance.
Keyword : self referential, closed system, corporate performance
Keyword Location: last paragraph, line 6
Explanation: The last paragraph reads, Research has become a self-referential closed system unrelated to corporate performance. It is not communicated in the journals that managers read, nor is it designed with their requirements in mind.

Question 4 - 5

Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Which TWO choices are in line with Jeffrey Pfeffer and Christina Fong's idea?

Students should pay less to attend universities.
Business education is not doing their job well.
Professors should not focus on writing papers.
Students are ill-prepared for their career from universities.
Recognized accrediting agency can evaluate research well.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: which questioned whether business education in its current guise was sustainable. The study found that traditional modes of academia were not adequately preparing students for the kind of careers they faced in current times.
Keyword : business education, current guise, traditional modes
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 5-7
Explanation: The viability of business education in its current form was questioned in paragraph 2. As per report, traditional academic settings were failing to sufficiently prepare students. Especially for the kinds of occupations they would encounter in the modern workplace.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: prepare students for our changing future and have little choice but to change with new trends and new standards.
Keyword : students, changing, future
Keyword Location: last paragraph, last line
Explanation: The last sentence claims that institutions have little choice but to prepare students for a changing future. Nevertheless, to adapt to changing trends and norms.

Question 6 - 10

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

The debate about the usefulness of academic research for business practices is a recent one.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: The news followed rather damning criticism in 2002 from Jeffrey Pfefler, a Stanford professor, and Christina Fong of Washington University
Keyword : 2002, Jeffrey Pfefler, Christina Fong
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 4
Explanation: According to the second paragraph, Christina Fong and Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfefler both made quite harsh criticisms in 2002. It questioned whether business education was viable in its present form.

AACSB's draft report was not reviewed externally.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: controversial recommendation in AACSB's draft report (which was sent round to administrators for their comment)
Keyword : recommendation, AACSB, administrators
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 8
Explanation: According to paragraph 2, the AACSB report underwent external review. It says that administrators were given the opportunity to comment on a contentious recommendation in the draft report from AACSB.

Business schools in the US spend more than 320 million dollars yearly on research.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: AACSB points out that business schools in America alone spend more than $320m a year on it.
Keyword : AACSB, business school, $320m
Keyword Location: paragraph 3, 2nd last line
Explanation: According to paragraph 3, AACSB notes that business schools in America alone spend more than $320 million a year on it. Hence, the given statement is true.

Many universities pursue professional output.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: Relevant information regarding the statement is not given in the passage.

Greater publications benefit professors and students as well.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: one has to wonder whether this research is being done for the benefit of the university or for the students the university aims to teach
Keyword : research, benefit, university, student
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, line 1
Explanation: One must question if this research is being conducted for the university's profit or for the students the university hopes to educate, as stated in paragraph 6. Better publications will be purchased with the increased funding attracted by the larger magazines. This loop frustrates students who are looking to explore careers outside of academia.

Question 11-14

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-E, below.
List of Endings

it progresses as we learn innovative ways of doing things.
the trends and standards are changing.
their jobs depend on it.
they care about their school rankings and government funds.
it helps students to go into top business firms.

Most professors support academic research because 11

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: professors as being part of the "Ivory Tower" of academia, operating in a self-contained community that has little influence
Keyword : ivory tower, academia, self contained
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, last lines
Explanation: According to paragraph 6, students believe that academics are a component of the academic "Ivory Tower." As a result of the fact that they function in a small, isolated group with little impact on the outside world.

Schools support academic research because 12

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Research is also about cementing schools' and professors' reputations.
Keyword : research, school, professors
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, line 6
Explanation: According to paragraph 5, research is also about enhancing the reputations of universities and teachers. It suggests that research is increasingly concerned with the standing of the universities and professors. It improves the school's reputation.

Our society needs academic research because 13

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: pursuit of knowledge is still important to the university system. Our society progresses
Keyword : knowledge, important, university
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, line 4
Explanation: The pursuit of knowledge is still significant to the university system, according to paragraph 5. We develop as a society as we discover new methods of doing things. It is a technique that largely relies on academics and research.

Universities resisting the AACSB should change because 14

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Though many universities resisted the report, today's world continues to change. The universities which prepare students for our changing future have little choice but to change with new trends and
new standards.
Keyword : universities, changing future, trends
Keyword Location: last paragraph, last few lines
Explanation: The last paragraph notes that many universities disputed the study, yet the world is changing all the time. Universities that educate students for a rapidly changing world are forced to adapt to new norms and trends.

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