In a world that has placed focus on math and science, it’s important not to overlook your English final. These five study tips will help you feel confident on exam day.
1. Understand the Major Themes of Your Novels
When you read a novel from top to bottom, you understand everything the author says. You might remember all the characters and settings better than anyone else in your class.
Doing well on an English final, however, requires an understanding of all the things an author does. You can learn what an author is doing with their novel by studying the themes and motifs woven into the story. Charles Dickens, for example, wrote a lot of stories about commoners in 1800s England. Despite his engaging characters, most of his novels are regarded as thematic studies of division by social class.
2. Understand the Format of the Test
Different types of tests require different approaches to studying. Most teachers are happy to let their class know the structure of an upcoming exam. Unless they are blatantly hiding this information, take advantage of it.
A primarily multiple choice exam is always going to test your fact-based knowledge of the novel. In this setting, you can expect a lot of “who-did-what” types of questions.
On the other hand, almost all English exams include essay portions — and in upper-level courses, many exams will require you to write a single full-length essay. When studying for essay exams, it’s best to use a single theme or motif as a base for interesting topics of discussion. Despite the extended nature of these exams, good scores are given to those who maintain razor-sharp focus. Pick a single theme and build from there.
3. Organize a Study Group
Even if you read each of your class’s required novels five times, other people will still have noticed parts that you missed. Getting together with your classmates is a great way to fill in the gaps a complicated novel is sure to leave you with.
More importantly, group discussions are one of the best ways to learn about a novel’s themes. The interesting thing about themes is how they inspire different feelings in different people. For example, you may be offended by a part of a book that one of your classmates laughed at. Exposing yourself to other people’s views — and exposing them to yours — is the only way to bring your understanding of a novel to the next level. Typically, that “next level” of understanding results in next-level grades.
4. Utilize Online Study Materials
Bringing your studies to the internet is like meeting with a study group with thousands of classmates. There are several websites — SparkNotes being the most popular — dedicated to discussing the popular novels of English classrooms.
The best feature of these websites is the in-depth study materials. For example, the 1984 study guide is a great place to test your understanding of George Orwell’s dystopian classic. It features questions about the novel’s plot but also asks questions regarding the themes of the novel. These online resources are perfect for reviewing directly before your exam.
5. Review the Course Syllabus
Last of all, spend some time reviewing your course syllabus (or other similar materials). More often than not, these resources will include a list of learning objectives set forth by your teacher.
On the essay portion of your exam, make an effort to tie in the course learning objectives. Use your essay to prove how the learning objectives run parallel with the themes of the novel. It’s hard for a teacher to give a poor grade to a student that does this successfully.
With these five study tips, there’s no need to dread your English final. You can walk into your classroom on the final day ready to dominate the exam.
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