www.sparknotes.com
www.cliffnotes.com
www.shmoop.com
The Literature Help Trifecta
some other student: what!? you use sparknotes too? arenât you supposed to be smart and like read the book? thatâs supposed to be for bad students!
Now, most students in my class know that I use these sites, but they donât have the reaction of that other student.
SMART STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THESE WEBSITES TOO.
(that would be in bold if I wasnât on mobile)
Story: in 9th grade, we had to read a few chapters of Jane Eyre every night. The first night I read it, I didnât take notes and tried to remember everything I read. I had always done it like that and didnât see the need to change. So, we had a reading quiz the next day. 50%. There were four questions and I got two wrong. I asked the teacher what I should do to get better reading comprehension. First thing she said: takes notes and read the chapter twice. I went home, followed her instructions, and did much better the next day. But, being me, I still wanted an 100%. So, I went home, did the reading and notes, AND went on shmoop to make sure I didnât miss anything while reading. 100% every single time.
I still use it today. Itâs also helpful for essays. I used it while reading Macbeth in 10th grade so I had an in depth understanding of the book. When the essay came along, I got one of the highest grades. (With me, points come off because there is never enough analysis! :o)
So, moral is, use a resource if it helps you understand the material more. Even if it has a bad rap. But I am most definitely not encouraging you to use these instead of reading the book. It wonât help.
