The study of literature is rewarding.Maybe you have to take an English class in high school or maybe you are trying out a literature class at college.English classes can be challenging due to a demanding workload, complicated texts, and writing essays.You might enjoy these classes if you put in a lot of work in and out of the classroom.
Step 1: Take detailed notes.
The most important points in class should be written down.Write down your questions, points about the book, opinions of your teacher or professor, and your classmates' comments.Don't write down the details of the big points.If you want to stay organized in your literature class, keep all of your notes in one notebook or section of a binder.You can organize your notes by themes of the class as a whole, your own thoughts and questions, and symbols in particular books.
Step 2: Listen and respond to other students.
When other students are speaking, pay attention.If you want to practice active listening skills, look at the student who is speaking, nodding and absorbing what the person is saying.Turn towards the person with open body language.Make sure you ask the right questions.If you agree or disagree with your classmates, you should respond thoughtfully.The students should be respectful and interested in the class.
Step 3: Talk to your teacher or professor.
Ask questions and express your opinions in class.Show your teacher or professor that you want to succeed by going to his or her office hours and talking about the readings.Prepare to discuss the readings and listen to your teacher's thoughts.You can stay after class to ask a question or make a comment.If you're having trouble understanding the material, reach out to your professor.He or she will be happy to help you.
Step 4: Ask good questions.
Speak loudly and clearly when asking a question in class.Look at the person you're talking to.Don't interrupt the answer to your question.Use an open-ended question instead of a "yes" or "no" answer."How do race and politics interact in this novel?" is a good open-ended question.Rather than long, general questions, ask shorter, more specific questions.
Step 5: You should read before class.
Look at your syllabus and write down what you should read in class.You should make a schedule for how much reading you will do.It is important to read before class so that you understand the lecture or discussion while it is happening, rather than being confused and unprepared in the moment.
Step 6: Reread the assigned texts with care.
Take notes, note unfamiliar words, and write down your thoughts while you read.Sometimes professors and teachers choose challenging texts that deserve a second look if you find them dense or confusing the first time.If you want to maximize productivity, take a ten minute break for every fifty minutes you read.
Step 7: You can use outside tools to understand the assignments.
Write down the names and definitions of the words you come across in a dictionary.If your teacher or professor allows it, you can use websites such as BookRags for plot summaries.You should only use these sources to supplement your knowledge of the assigned texts.All of your ideas and thoughts should come from you.
Step 8: Discuss the assigned texts with your classmates.
Maybe you have a good friend in the class that you can talk to over coffee, or maybe you want to organize a weekly study group.Talking about the assigned texts in a group can help you gain new understandings of the text, answer your questions, and get more enjoyment out of what you read.If your literature class has exams, your study group can help you review the important plot points, details, and themes in the assigned texts.
Step 9: Give yourself time to revise.
Make sure you have enough time to write your paper, look through the book, and revise it.The time frame in which you will complete your paper should be a schedule.You should have deadlines where you are accountable to another person.Reward yourself for completing tasks on time with breaks and smaller rewards if you say "I will send a draft of my paper to my peer revision partner by Thursday."You could go get ice cream with friends if you complete your outline on time.
Step 10: An original thesis statement is needed.
A thesis statement is an argument that you wish to prove in your paper.Your thesis statement needs to be original and relevant to the literary work.It should be a debatable opinion.One could write a lot of interesting things about the fact that Harry's wand is unique to him, but this statement is not effective because it is simply a fact.An example of an effective thesis statement is: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone depicts his coming of age through its power to give him more agency through magic, its link to both his past and his future, and its unique physical form."The thesis statement has both facts and opinions.
Step 11: You can use both quotes from the book.
If you want to support your thesis statement, you should find quotes from the book.For example, if you argue that rain presents despair, you might want to look for a scene where a character is crying in the rain.You should analyze this example in your own words once you have an example.The quote should be included in the text of the essay and analyzed further.You could write, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?"The beginning of the relationship between the two lovers is compared by Shakespeare to the sun rising in the east.
Step 12: Make sure to thoroughly proofread.
Ask your family and friends to read your paper.Your edits should include their feedback.Make sure to read over your paper for mistakes.If you make a lot of changes between the first and second drafts, your paper will improve.When you are done with your paper, read it to yourself to make sure you don't make any mistakes.You can start reading from the last sentence and work towards the first sentence.You should keep your feedback for the next time you write a paper.
Step 13: Know the format of your test.
Literature tests can be very different depending on the class and the instructor.If your teacher gives you a format for the test, make sure you understand what it entails.You will be able to understand the study process.Literature exam components include definitions of literary terms or phrases, Quote identifications, where you are given the quote and need to explain who said it in what context.There are short answer questions on one work or multiple works.
Step 14: Make flashcards of literary terms.
If your class focuses on literary terms such as "symbol", "anaphora" or "free indirect discourse" make sure that you give examples of it from the texts in the class.If you want to see more examples of them in your texts, take a quiz with these flashcards.
Step 15: Don't forget to read your class notes.
Rereading through your class notes will help you remember the important points made in class.Take note of the important ideas presented in the class, such as "coming of age" or "man vs. nature."Pull together the most important ideas from your notes in a study guide.If you want to review and assess how much you retained, use the "read-recite-review" method.
Step 16: Reread some of the assigned texts.
Understanding all of the material for a literature exam is crucial, so now is the time to look back on that confusing passage of Faulkner that you didn't understand in class.You will be happy if there is a passage analysis on one of these sections.
Step 17: There are symbols and themes to look at.
If you have to write an essay for your exam, you should look through your notes and texts for topics such as dreams, motherhood, or nature.Take note of the potential exam questions that ask you to talk about symbols and themes.Having a grasp of the underlying meaning in your assigned texts will prepare you for the exam, as symbols and themes are often frequent topics of literary discussion.
Step 18: Take advantage of your study group.
Ask about the confusing passages.Discuss what you thought were the most important ideas in the class.Ask them to review their notes for you.In a literature class, you can hear different opinions and points of view about the texts.