Through the years of English class, you’ve probably encountered the classic novels, such as John Knowles’ A Separate Peace or Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Well, maybe, considering that students who don’t have time or simply don’t want to do the work of reading every word resort to Sparknotes.

But does Sparknotes get a bad rap?  Maybe using it is helping more than hurting.

The website’s “About” page describes their intended goal: “We help you understand books, write papers, and study for tests. We’re clear and concise, but we never leave out important info.”

Sparknotes isn’t limited strictly to literature alone. The website states that it can “offer more than 500 guides for English literature and Shakespeare, and a vast number of guides for history, math, biology, and other subjects. Our most popular guides now include quick quizzes, so you can test your retention before the test.” This makes it a useful study tool in a variety of subjects.

Whether students read the books or not, they understand the basic themes. The point of reading isn’t about being able to memorize every word. Books are used to convey a message, which students still understand when reading a Sparknote’s summary.

Many teachers even encourage its use, especially when reading Shakespearian plays such as Romeo and Juliet in freshman year or A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a sophomore. The website provides a side-by-side translation of the play with Shakespeare’s actual words on the left, and the same text in modern prose on the right. Even the best of students can easily get stuck over the outdated language and need to see a direct translation to truly understand the play.

Many students are expected to have a job, play a sport, and do hours of homework every night. They simply don’t have enough time to read through a book, even if they want to. Sparknotes point out the main events in each chapter and provides an in-depth analysis that helps students understand what they’re reading.

Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2016-2017 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.