Let’s face it – everyone uses Sparknotes. Most people don’t use it to cheat or plagiarize essays but most students have searched the novel they are currently reading in English class, the historical event to be discussed in history the next day, or the subject of the latest chapter of their science book on the Internet. 

Utilizing Sparknotes helps people with many aspects of assignments, from simply understanding the plot of a book to studying the symbolism in it, to relating the dates of events to the small details students may need to know on that quiz. 

High school students know the difference between copying work online and original thought. They know that they will be caught if they plagiarize – all it takes is for the teacher to insert a bit of an essay into Google, something all teachers do, and the jig is up. 

Students these days are practically experts at manipulating words, rewriting phrases, and passing off ideas they read online in a new fashion so as not to be accused of copying. While such unoriginality may be dishonest and lazy, such 2:00 a.m. last minute desperation has at some point struck most everyone. 

I am not endorsing plagiarism, stealing ideas, or cheating of any kind; however, many teachers scorn the helpfulness of Sparknotes  and see the site only as a hindrance to real learning and overlooked by students as they rush to just finish their assignment with the least amount of effort possible.

Used to its fullest extent, Sparknotes is really an extremely useful study tool for students who desire both a good grade and to actually glean further knowledge from their class. 

The site offers a plethora of information on thousands of books, poems, and short stories, and a library load of information on subjects ranging from biology to the French revolution – it’s up to the student to know how to study effectively. 

Simply reading through the well-known sections, overview, summary, key people and terms, study questions and essay topics, and quiz, will not firmly plant the knowledge in anyone’s brain. When students speed-read the night before their quiz, chances are they will forget most by the next morning. It may feel as though it’s real studying, but if someone actually wants to remember the facts and learn, he or she will have to put in more effort than staring at the Sparknotes web page through glazed eyes.

Sparknotes.com isn’t a magic site that transfers knowledge and key facts to  your brain just by being online. A student who wants (or just needs) to learn  must practice effective studying. Too often people who look over notes or re-read a text book think they are preparing themselves for a test, when in fact, their brains are not actually taking in any of the information.  

In a class, you can’t simply sit  in the room not paying any attention and expect to learn. The same goes for studying. Sparknotes is an incredibly useful tool...if you know how to use it. 

One of the most important aspects of studying is knowing what information is valuable to you – what is important enough to be on the test, and what connects to other facts, events, or plot lines.