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American Literature CLEP question - Mian - 12-27-2013
When College Board says to critically read at least one anthology do they mean all 5 volumes (I have here Norton Anthology A, B, C, D and E). This must be, just a guess, 5000 pages with extremely small print? In other words a heck of a lot of difficult reading (I say difficult because the print is so small it's a strain on my eyes and these books are not available in electronic format). From other courses and high school I'm somewhat familiar with some of the major authors and poets but looking thru these anthologies not nearly as much as what they (these books) contain. This could take a year just to read them. Is that really necessary for this exam?
https://clep.collegeboard.org/exam/american-literature/resources
American Literature CLEP question - BGSU_Alum_86 - 12-27-2013
The list provided by CLEP does say these textbooks "are among those used by college faculty who teach the equivalent course". Do the students who take these courses read through every page of these textbooks? Probably not. There is also a big "HINT" right above the box of textbook suggestions -- "make sure it covers the time periods required for this exam"
If you are wondering what time periods this exam might cover, I would suggest going back to the "Knowledge and Skills Required" section of the page.
Many testers do not pay attention to the last paragraph on the page, especially "none of these sources are designed specifically to provide preparation for a CLEP exam".
I am sure others will provide more feedback for you...
American Literature CLEP question - Westerner - 12-27-2013
This info from the CollegeBoard fact sheet is really helpful: "You should also read some of the major novels that are mentioned or excerpted in the anthologies, such as Hawthorneâs The Scarlet Letter, Twainâs Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Chopinâs The Awakening. Other writers whose major works you should be familiar with include Wheatley, Melville, Crane, James, Cather, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Faulkner, Ellison and Morrison." Read up especially on those authors, their lives and works.
You should definitely read anthologies, but you don't have to get too fancy or do a ton. I grew up reading the homeschool curriculum ABeka books, and they did literature and poetry collections with questions for reading comprehension following. Just do enough so that you get familiar and comfortable with the material.
American Literature CLEP question - Mian - 01-24-2014
I just gotta complain a bit. I was going to read some of Ralph Waldo Emerson straight through, but in starting it, it's such a chore and a bore. Who reads this stuff? He speaks in circles and riddles, I can't understand the half of it. :\ I can't even finish "Nature". All I managed to get through was "The Poet". Uhg