HIT> Monarch or Cliff Notes

[Union-Endicott Central School District]

Here is the HIT on Monarch or Cliff Notes.  Thanks to all who responded.

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Gail M. Szeliga
Internet:uehslib1@transit.nyser.net
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HIT> Monarch or Cliff Notes

We have the Monarch set in my 7-12.
They have been useful on several occasions.
I used to fear that it would result in plagiarism, but it is so easy for a
teacher to locate quotes that the English folks have given the CD their
blessing. The essays contained are really quite good and informative.

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We have Monarch notes CD on a stand alone computer. They are pretty useful,
and are there at the request of the AP English teacher. Our computer is not
currently hooked up to a printer - printing out all this stuff might get to
be a problem now I think about it.

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Maybe I took the chicken way out, but here's how I handled the Cliff
Notes and Monarch notes situation.  I purchased them on CD-ROM. This
way I can limit the number of pages students print, plus they must
get the CD from me and I casually quiz them about the assignment they
are working on. This has worked pretty good.  I believe in today's
fast-paced world they do have a place but not to take the place of
reading the book when that is what the assignment is.

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We use Monarch Notes for Windows. It is available from the Bureau of Electronic

Publishing, Inc. in Parsippany, New Jersey.  Their phone number is 201 808-
2700.  Our students and teachers like it a lot.  We just did papers on Chaucer
and w hat the students didn't understand, they got from Monarch Notes.  The
price is below $50.00.  I recommend it.

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We do own Masterplots and usually put them in the Vertical file under
the author's name and therefore they are able to circulate. Not the most
effective way but they don't last long enough to spend time cataloguing.
I hope some day that the company will produce the entire set on CDROM.
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We have Monarch Notes on our CD-ROM server where it is available to all
our students. It is especially popular with out CP English classes. The English
teachers not only know it is there, they often recommend it to
the students. We have the DOS based version of Monarch Notes, it isn't a
great program, but the price was right (250.00 for a network version).
There are stand alone versions for under $100. I would hate to have to
keep track of the booklets--I'm afraid they would walk away!

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Hi,  Don't know about Monarch notes, but I do have lots of Cliffs Notes
here in our high school, which serves 800+ students.  When I first proposed
purchasing those that would support the English lit curriculum, the English
teachers were dead set against it because they were afraid that the kids would
use them and not bother reading the book.  So I made the deal with them that
I would keep them on permanent reserve, with no checkout and no printing
available.  So students can use them in the Media Center, but must return
them at the end of the period. Know what?  Sometimes the teachers themselves
come in and use them!  Hope this helps.

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We have Cliff Notes in our print collection as well as Baron's Notes and
Monarch Notes on CD ROM.  Yes, there are some problems with students not
reading something fully when you have them available and some of our
Language Arts teachers have minor objections.  However for the most part
they are quite valuable.  We use them a lot for honors students and AP
students to review prior to tests.  Teachers use them to select new novels
to teach and to refresh themselves on certain characters, plots, etc...  We
students to review prior to tests.  Teachers use them to select new novels
to teach and to refresh themselves on certain characters, plots, etc...  We
also use them as reference (the CD ROMs mainly) when people ask character,
plot, theme questions.

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My personal feeling is the student who uses Cliff Notes instead of reading
a book is probably going to get as much out of the Cliff Notes as he/she
would from attempting to read the book with the attitude they obviously
already have.

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We have a few copies of Cliff's or Monarch but don't actively collect them.
Basically, the teachers are aware of what we have and when teaching a
particular novel or play ask questions so as to elicit answers from reading
and not from the cliff or monarch.  We also have two sets of
masterplots....used mostly by teachers when they want to refresh themselves
on a particular plot!
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I believe that Cliff's Notes do not belong in the library collection.
Our English Department is absolutely dead set against these notes - they
confiscate them if students carry them to class.  I don't agree since
kids will use them anyway, but I know I should probably not purchase
Monarch notes on CD.  HOWEVER - Chelsea has just come out with a series
called "Bloom's notes" - a critical series similar to Contemporary
Literary Criticism in its use of excerpts from established critics.  They
come in hardcover and paperback, include synopses and character analyses
as well as the critical materials.  I bought them, and I will defend them
on the basis that they are similar to what the teachers expect the kids
to use in the Gale series.  They are more sohisticated and "meatier" and
I anticipate good results from them, especially since our seniors must
write a lit. crit paper as their senior thesis.  I personally hate the
assignment since I think its value is useless - they don't get nearly
enough experience writing a basic research paper - but, hey - it's not my
assignment since I think its value is useless - they don't get nearly
enough experience writing a basic research paper - but, hey - it's not my
decision.  We are good friends and they know how I feel.

Anyway, take a look at them and see what you think.  By the way, we also
use DISCOvering Authors with great success - at this time just the basic
module.
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One of my friends who teaches English tells his students that Cliff notes
are a communist plot designed to destroy the brains of American students.
I have not introduced them into my library and have found other sources
for quick plot summeries of books
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We have had Masterplots in the library for years and students almost
never use it.  I do not know why. Maybe they just can't believe that it
is what it is!
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Several years ago I started carrying Cliff's Notes because a few teachers
asked for them.  At that time only the AP and Honors teachers would allow
their students to check them out or even look at them in the library.
(Of course, students could easily go downtown and buy them.)  This year I
polled the English Dept. and now all but 2 teachers (out of 14) allow
students to use them and some encourage them to do so.  Some of the
teachers use them occasionally.  We have Monarch Notes on cd-rom and use
it rarely, usually for AP students.  I am happy to have in the collection
anything that teachers want their students to use.  Sorry, I don't have
any addresses with me (I'm at home).  I believe Permabound has Cliff's
Notes in their catalog.  I buy them at a local bookstore and get 20%.
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 13:40:53 -0500 (EST)
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We use Monarch Notes with our students.  We have some in hard copy and we
have the Monarch Notes on CDROM networked for our students to use in the
media center.  So far we have not had problems with our students using
them.  The teachers insist that the student must read the book first,
assignments are given so that the teacher will know if the student is
reading the book or just using the notes.  Students go to the book stores
and purchase these books anyway.
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        Most that we have were "gifts" from students who had used them.
Teachers now use Monarch on their computers.  We have Monarch notes on
cd=rom but it is cumbersome to print.  At least we haven't figure how to
print only small sections.

        I point out Masterplots and other Magill's works to students with
the suggestion that they save their money.   I also tell them to read the
book!!!