Highschool english teachers... if a student reads an assigned book, do you consider it ok or not ok for them?

Question

to then use sparknotes as a reference tool?

I have asked my english teachers and they have some pretty heated opinions on it. Just to be clear, this is if students read a book, and are using sparknotes to help them remember the ideas in a chapter, main events, etc.

Answer 1

I think it is a great way to remember items from book. Most English teachers don't like them because students don't read the books and try to rely on the notes completely.

Answer 2

I am no longer a full time teacher - but I still substitute in English. For what my opinion is worth - I think Sparknotes and Ciffnotes are fine as a reference. The problem is - sometimes it keeps the kids from coming up with their own ideas about the book and it can be hard to prove that they actually read the book in the first place.

Answer 3

I don't think it's a bad thing but be wary of using sparknotes (or sites like it) as a crutch. One of the keys to understanding and internalizing literature is how you as an individual react to it. There are no cliff notes on how a book relates (or doesn't) to you and your personal experience.

Answer 4

As long as they use sparknotes in addition to the book, not instead of it and don't write their entire paper from sparknotes (plagiarism), I think it's fine.

Answer 5

so long as you read the book, sparknotes are a great way to expand on what your learning, it can only help you understand the book better.

i recently had to write a paper on fight club, so i read the book, rented the movie, and looked up the spark notes online. i found alot of additional info that helped build my paper.

Answer 6

I too think it's okay, as long as you're adding to what you've already read. It's not okay to substitute it for actually reading the book, but as a form of literary criticism, it's good to add to your own understanding of it. In terms of citing it in an academic research paper, I'd be less apt to use it, however. Just try to be sensible.