Literature is one of the most interesting, enriching, and enlightening courses you can take. It exposes you to different literary works from different genres and eras, and it mirrors the different circumstances in history in which a particular literary piece was written.
Literature is also one course that requires a student’s patience and determination as it may take up a lot of time due to the amount of reading and analysis it requires.
Regardless of the effort it may require from you, Literature is still a fun and interesting subject to study. If you happen to be looking for suggestions on how to study for your upcoming Literature exams effectively, here are some tips you can follow.
Be sure you have all the reading materials required for your exams. If you do not have a copy of the story, novel, poetry, or essay and do not want to spend to purchase a new copy, go immediately to your school’s library and immediately check out or reserve a copy. You may also borrow or share a friend’s copy of the reading materials.
If you know that the reading requirements are lengthy, do not attempt to cram and read them on the last minute. You will not finish them on time and you will not retain the ideas you need to remember.
Manage your time and read days or weeks before you’re the scheduled date of your exam.
This will also give you enough time to take down notes and consult with your professor or classmates should you have any questions you would like to ask or any ideas you would want to clarify.
Also, be patient and read the whole material. Do not try to cheat or cut short on your task by reading book summaries or crib notes. You will suffer the consequences of such action as you will not get the full details of the piece that may come out in your exam.
Note down the important characters, plot, themes, settings, and conflicts. These are important details that will most probably come out in your exam. Being able to identify the elements of a story or literary piece will also facilitate your understanding of the text.
Without being asked, write your own review and/or summary of the literary piece you have just read. Being able to write a review helps you assess the piece, identify how you relate to the characters, and point out its significance and relationship to the time when it was written and to the present.
Also, being able to come up with your own summary of the material shows that you have understood what you have read.
A summary will also highlight the important details or event in what you have read and it may serve as your reviewer for your Literature exams.
As in all exams, patience, perseverance and effective time management are important elements in ensuring your success.
Keep in mind that cramming, cutting short on your tasks and procrastination are ineffective techniques that will have adverse effects on your scores and are sure to produce disappointing results for you.