Sparknotes or cliff notes which is better

Using CliffsNotes and other study guides does not constitute cheating. However, there is no doubt in my mind that what CliffsNotes does is legal, regardless of whether they seek permission from the copyright holders. The summaries provided in CliffsNotes are clearly original works, not plagiarized versions of the originals.

SparkNotes itself denies its role as a cheating aid. While teachers believe SparkNotes are not only cheating, but prohibiting students from learning, students generally view SparkNotes as a time management device. Only 9 out of the students polled did not report using SparkNotes. Of these nine, most said they had never heard of the site. I pretty much used it for all of the books we read I used Sparknotes either during or after reading the actual book, though if the book were really difficult to read, I'd use it before to help guide me along the way.

The only time I thought that Sparknotes did a really poor job with their notes was with The Metamorphosis it's way too short. Usually, a critical essay on Cliffsnotes is exactly what I need. Also, the Cliffsnotes glossaries are great for vocabulary assignments.

I don't have to reread the chapter and nitpick words. How could you want to read an entire book after knowing exactly what will happen and how it will end? Wouldn't work out for me If you can read the book, then you must already know how to read.

WikiSummaries is a wiki, meaning anyone can edit content and add new books. Thousands of books summaries are available, all of which are free to access and read.

The downside of the book summaries on WikiSummaries is the depth of the content. The majority of books don't have more than a few paragraphs dedicated to them. Some are only a few sentences long. Yes, they'll give you an overview of the plotline if that's all you want, but for students who are looking for a deeper analysis of the underlying themes, the site will not suffice. In many ways, it's better than both. It's designed for people who are studying English literature at an advanced level university and beyond.

In addition to basic book and chapter summaries, it also includes book reviews from literary critics and analysts, a text analyzer tool, and copious amounts of data for you to dig into.

For the price, you can download 10 PDFs. Many colleges and libraries provide free access for their patrons, so be sure to ask before you sign up.

Shmoop is another website like SparkNotes. Its target audience is pre-university level students. Although they form the core of the site, the content on Shmoop is much more than book and chapter summaries. You'll also find study guides for everything from marine biology to oil drilling. If you use Shmoop, you can be confident the materials you're accessing will be accurate and well-written. All the summaries are written by people holding a Ph.

Prices vary for teachers and other users. Don't be put off by PinkMonkey's dated-looking website. The book summary website is one of the best CliffsNotes alternatives. It has summaries for more than of the most commonly studied books in high school.