protected function retrieveElement($methodName, $methodArgs)
{
// we need to know which element they want
$words = $this->convertMethodNameToWords($methodName);
$indexType = $this->determineIndexType($words);
// get all the elements that match
$elements = $this->retrieveElements($methodName, $methodArgs);
// reduce the list down to a single matching element
$element = $this->returnNthVisibleElement($indexType, $elements);
// all done
return $element;
}