Differences between 2011 and 2016 LSAT LRB and LGB

[matthiessem]

Hi Powerscore!

I picked up copies of the LRB and LGB back in September 2011 when I'd intended initially to start preparing for the LSAT. Unfortunately, prepping for the LSAT and starting full-time in a graduate program proved to be too much to balance at the time. Now that I'm toward the end of my degree, I'm picking LSAT prep back up, starting with the use of those 2011 LRB and LGB volumes (there was also a brief blackout on the availability of the 2016 LRB and LGB on Amazon in the past two weeks, and so I was doubly compelled to start with the 2011 editions if I was to start ASAP). I've ordered the 2016 editions too.

I've gotten through about 3/4 of both the 2011 LRB and 2011 LGB while waiting for the 2016 editions to arrive from Amazon. I'm a bit worried now--given existing work commitments and all--that I might have to end up working through both the 2011 LRB and LGB as well as the 2016 LRB and LGB. I was thus wondering whether there was some index/document that enumerated the revisions that were made to each new edition of the LSAT bibles.

I've searched as comprehensively as I could for specific differences between the 2011 and 2016 LRB and LGB titles, but so far I've only turned up questions about comparative differences between different book editions from what I have + what I intend to have, e.g. 2008 and, say, 2014 rather than 2011 vs. 2016. It looks like one of the main expansions of the LGB took place post 2013, and involved revisions of the "common construction" section, e.g. rejectable positions in LR signified by "some x believe y"-type constructions.

Any resource that's as comprehensive as possible to this end would be immensely appreciated; I'm just really trying to avoid the outcome in which I have to work through two differently dated sets of workbooks, since dissertation work still remains.

Thank you lots!

Best,
M

[Dave Killoran]

Hi M,

Thanks for the message! I'm sorry to hear there was a blackout on Amazon for a short period—we ship everything to them immediately upon request, but the volume at this time of year is so high they sometimes don't anticipate how many will sell as the September LSAT approaches (I don't think they understand how the testing cycle works, lol). That aside, let's turn to your question.

Creating the comprehensive list you request would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible, unfortunately. First, as I update the books, I re-read them in their entirety, making changes along the way directly to the source file. Sometimes those changes are significant and comprise additions that stretch to several pages, and sometimes they are rather small and involve changing just a word or two. Typically I note the general change made, not the exact alteration (because we retain the original edition files so any change can later be reviewed if needed). So, we have a very broad overview of items that have changed from year to year, but not an exact list of those changes or the page numbers. And, perhaps more importantly, I don't keep comparison of how earlier editions (such as 2011) would compare to 2016. So, the kind of record you request isn't in existence.

Second, the degree of change from 2011 to 2016 is significant. For example, the 2011 LGB is just over 300 pages whereas the 2016 LGB is well over 600 pages. It's like 2 different books really1 The 2011 LRB is around 550 pages and the 2016 LRB is closer to 700 pages (these two editions are more similar than the two LGB editions). The changes I've made in the past 5 years are very extensive, and I couldn't even list them all in a page-by-page fashion. However, as I made really significant alterations, I talked about those on our blog, so I can point you to a few resources that describe some of the changes:

• The 2016 LSAT Bibles: Do You Need the Newest Editions? Part I — A general discussion of why changes are made to each LSAT Bible. This is included moreso as background information.
  
  The 2016 LSAT Bibles: Do You Need the Newest Editions? Part II — This is a more focused discussion of the changes to each book over the years (still broad, though). Of these first two articles, this is the one I think you will find more useful.
  
  
  PowerScore Announces the Revised LSAT Logic Games Bible for 2013 — Focusing specifically on the LGB, this discusses the changes made in 2013 edition. The 2012 versions was similar to your 2011 version, so this was the first of two major upgrades to this book.
  
  The 2015 vs 2016 PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bibles — This outlines the differences between the 2015 and 2016 LSAT Logic Games Bibles, and since 2016 was the second major upgrade to the LGB since your 2011 version, I think you'll find it helpful. Between this and the prior article, you'll have a good sense of the overall changes that were made since 2011. Again, this is just the broad stuff, and doesn't cover the hundreds of small changes made over time.
  
  
  PowerScore Announces the Revised LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible for 2014 — 2014 was a year that I made significant changes to the LRB, and some of those changes are covered here.

I realize that's not exactly what you wanted, but unfortunately we don't have the list you have requested. I do hope the above helps, and the nice thing is that with the 2011 versions, nothing was wrong or incorrect, so you've been building a solid base. Now, when you get the 2016 versions, go through them and skim along while you recognize what you are reading. then, when you see something that looks new, slow down and go over it carefully. That should allow you to move quickly through the familiar material and more carefully through the new stuff.

Thanks and good luck!