December
Forum
4
SparkNotes spark concern
Cheat sheets contain inaccuracy, vague analysis
B enjamin M ann
Many of us are guilty.
Maybe it was that extra long
afterschool activity, or maybe
we were bogged down with
Physics homework. With
little time left, and a high
chance of a quiz the next day,
we scramble. We realize there
isn't enough time to read all
those chapters of "To Kill a
Mockingbird" or "Of Mice
and Men" we were assigned,
so we take a different
approach. We turn to a little
website called sparknotes.
com
SparkNotes (for those who
aren't familiar) is a website
designed to provide study
guides for various novels and
plays. "The Scarlet Letter," "A
Midsummer Night's Dream,"
"Twelve Angry Men," if it’s ;
in the curriculum, it’s there.
What’s more, these study
guides are written by former
and current teachers and
professors.
In many instances, these
so-called study guides
are vast. They contain
lengthy character analyses,
explanations of recurring
themes and summaries of
entire chapters. Summaries
of an entire chapter, hmm...
Now, how could summaries
of entire ch ap ters possibly
help students in any w ay?
Couldn't students just read
these summaries instead of
the actual material they were
assigned?
Even if they did, it'd be
okay, right? Maybe someone
was able to read most of the
content themselves and just
used the website to fill in the
gaps. Maybe they skimmed
through the entire thing
and checked SparkNotes
for details. There's nothing
wrong with that... is there?
right to read in a few short
paragraphs what many
spend hours analyzing and
understanding on their own?
Maybe that's
just the problem.
SparkNotes robs
us. Not only does
it rob us of the
unique writing
styles by the
original authors,
but it robs us
of independent
thought.
We're teens.
We're nearly
adults. At the
same time,
though, we allow
information to
be spoon-fed to
us like infants.
We let some
professor that
lives hundreds of
miles away tell us
how to interpret
a character.
Why do we let
Photo by Libby Kara
others think
Timeless classics, like ’’Julius Caesar” are
required reading for many students. They are for us instead
becoming detoured by SparkNotes, a multi of thinking for
volume set of books with analyses of the books. ourselves? We're
perfectly capable
aren't perfect. A friend of
of independent thought, but
many of us are just too lazy
mine (who will remain
anonymous) even told me
or busy to bother.
The beauty of literature
that a plot point they read
in a SparkNotes chapter
lies in its interpretation.
After all, the various
study guides ARE written
by experts on literature.
Surprisingly, though, these
su m m ary d id n 't even h ap p en
There m ay b e only one
in the original text. So, we
know that SparkNotes isn't
completely reliable; it may
misrepresent, add false
content, or even remove
important details from the
chapters themselves. This
alone should raise some
eyebrows.
Even if SparkNotes was
perfect, even if it did explain
all the events accurately
and prepare the students
for a quiz, is it ethical? Is it
solution to an algebra
problem, but people can see
ideas, themes, and events
in the book in very different
ways, leading to livelier
-class discussion and more
knowledge for the individual.
Reciting lines we were told
to believe in SparkNotes is
not only restrictive, but it
keeps us from thinking and
learning.
This isn't to say that
SparkNotes is all bad. It
often contains quizzes you
can take on the reading to
make sure you understood
it and even includes sections
oriented toward issues with
life, such as struggling to
find a prom date. Yet, the
quizzes are often far easier
than the actual tests in the
class, leading to a false sense
of security. I believe it's rare
for students to be using
SparkNotes for anything but
the study guides.
What can be done, then?
Even if SparkNotes was
blocked by the school's web
filter, students could still
access it from home. Teachers
Soldier alum may be
awarded bronze star
continued from page 2
injured when he stepped
out of a truck and an IED
exploded nearby. He was
scheduled a for leave in
January. In sixth months, he
was to be discharged and
planned to move his family
back to the Northwest upon
his return.
Rao is survived by his
wife, Leah, and 21-month-old
daughter, Eliana. They lived
in Lawton, Okla. where Rao
was based at Fort Sill.
An account has been
set up in his memory for
his wife and daughter at
First Tech Credit Union
in Beaverton. Rao will be
buried at Willamette National
Cemetery with full military
..
....
honors.
How do you feel about the holidays?
"The holidays are a
soulless celebration of the
carnivorous materialism
that is chewing on the
entrails of America's
corrupt remains."
— Emma Kennard,
freshman
"I love the holiday
season because I can
spend time with my
family and not do
schoolwork."
—Ashley Mumma,
sophomore
can try to make quizzes and
tests "SparkNotes-proof"
by asking about content not
explained there, but students
can do well when asked the
"bigger" questions, dealing
with themes and motifs,
using what they learned
from SparkNotes. Ultimately,
independent thought is,
again, the critical factor. If
students choose to break
away from SparkNotes, give
themselves a bit more time,
and perhaps be willing to
read at home, they can truly
enjoy the content itself and
learn that much more as a
result.
<
"I tolerate it only
because of the food
and the presents which
do not go without my
appreciation."
—Alex Lanz, junior
Photo courtesy of KVAL
Elijah Rao, army specialist, was
killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 5.
Rao stepped on an Improvised
Explosive Device while working
at a site where another IED had
exploded earlier in the day. This
was his third tour in the middle
east, and he was scheduled to
return to Oklahoma in
January.
out
"It's a festive time of
year and Burgerville
has cranberry burgers."
— Katie Dunn, senior
AW Photos by Alex Houston