Recycled Stimuli Forum

[mjsjr]

Does the LSAC ever recycle stimuli to pair up with different question stems on different tests? For instance one stimulus could be used in a weaken question, and the same exact stimulus could be used in an assumption question for a later test.

[ptittle]

Absolutely not. (At least absolutely not when I was working there!)

[BlueprintJason]

Does the LSAC ever recycle stimuli to pair up with different question stems on different tests? For instance one stimulus could be used in a weaken question, and the same exact stimulus could be used in an assumption question for a later test.

To my knowledge, stimuli do not get recycled. It's possible this kind of thing could happen between non-overlapping testing populations (like Sabbath takers and people taking abroad, both of which are unreleased versions). I would be really surprised if they have re-used a stimulus on a released exam.

They can write questions so easily using the same basic format without having to overlap in topic areas. You can easily just re-write the same formula in a question and just change the names around. There are some LSAT games that are literally mirror images of one another, for example.

[Jeffort]

Does the LSAC ever recycle stimuli to pair up with different question stems on different tests? For instance one stimulus could be used in a weaken question, and the same exact stimulus could be used in an assumption question for a later test.

No, they don't do that. However, when drilling LR questions from packets/books where they are organized by question type you'll see some LR stimuli twice with different question stems, giving the appearance that they do.

The reason you'll see this when drilling LR questions by type is because from PT1 (June 1991) up until the 1999 LSAT's, LSAC used to have two questions following and asked about the same stimulus in some LR sections for some stimuli. With LR questions organized by type packets/in prep books (like the Cambridge LR by type packets), the two different questions that were back to back in a section following the same stimuli end up in two different packets/sets of LR questions by type with the same stimulus printed twice, once in each of the two different Q's by type packets.

Anytime you run across the same exact LR stimulus you've seen before but with a different question stem/type than the other, it's just one of the two questions that followed the same stimulus in a particular LR section from a 1990's PrepTest.

[ihenry]

Exact same stimulus for a later test, no.

Surprisingly similar ones, yes.

[Smantz]

You will see a shitload of questions about dinosaur extinction. Better read up on your paleontology.

[mjsjr]

You will see a shitload of questions about dinosaur extinction. Better read up on your paleontology.

Haha this made me laugh out loud.

Anyhow, every so often I come across a question I know I've seen before but I can't remember where. I guess it's good to know, though! Thanks for the responses!