EMAIL<\/a> | SYLLABUS<\/a> | POLICIES<\/a> | JOURNALS<\/a> | PAPERS<\/a> | EXAM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You may use your books and written notes (journal entries, lecture notes, blog entries) during all sections of the exam. But keep in mind that having books and notes on hand is no substitute for careful reading and review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will not need a bluebook or any extra paper for the exam. You can use either pen or pencil. No scantrons: I will bring in a sheet containing the exam\u2019s three sections; write your responses for them directly on the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may not share books or notes with others or converse with them during the exam. You can use your own books and notes, but not those of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may not use a laptop during the exam. Students should not have unfair access to powerful search features available even without an Internet connection. You must print out any notes you want to use. If you have a Kindle or similar version of the book\/s, that\u2019s acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may not do things that distract others. Taking an exam is like being in a library: one doesn\u2019t chomp on bubble gum or chips in a library, and it isn\u2019t acceptable during an exam either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why are exams worthwhile?<\/em><\/strong> Exams are valuable because they encourage an organized study approach and close attention to assigned material. If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language on your own, for example, you know how much difference orienting yourself towards an exam and other classroom evaluation procedures (quizzes, drills, etc.) can make. Without the accountability factor, we just don\u2019t learn as much as we should. Exams aren\u2019t worth much in themselves, but because you want to do well on them, you may approach the material in a way that helps you learn more in the short term and enjoy subsequent literary encounters later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the best way to prepare for an exam?<\/em><\/strong> The first thing is to find out what kind it will be and work out a learning strategy to suit that kind of exam, but even more important is not to make \u201cdoing well on the exam\u201d the sole purpose of your efforts. Read the texts for what they have to offer. Do your best to understand them and bring your own experience to bear. Write down (preferably in a running file) what you like most (or least) about authors, ideas, periods, and styles. Try to figure out why they strike you as they do, to the extent possible. Attending to an author\u2019s style, forms, and ideas as well as to period-related concerns ought to complement the genuine interest that makes studying literature worthwhile. It should not<\/em> become a mechanical exercise that replaces such interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEXAM STRATEGIES: LEARNING BEYOND TESTS, TAKING NOTES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n