Online summaries of books and study guides are a well-known thing. Many kids are using them, but are they being used for the right reasons?

Online study guides such as “Cliff Notes” and “Spark Notes” are some of the most common websites that students and teachers are using. The purpose of these websites are to give a summary of a book and help guide along interested readers. Many kids talk about exploring these websites, but for the wrong reasons. Students not only use these websites to get the better idea of a book or problem, but also to avoid doing their assignments at all—using it as a way to get out of so much work. Teachers may think it is necessary, but maybe only in the right hands.

“Teachers think these websites are useful. I personally know a teacher that uses ‘Spark Notes’ a lot to teach and help summarize,” said junior Kyle Gofron.

Gorfron agrees that the websites are being used incorrectly, but there are just as many people following along and doing their work and learning the right way.

On the other side, there are students that just use it to coast through school and pass.

“I bet people use it mostly for cheating,” said junior Collin Lytle.