Help with passing Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP test

[kclep571]

[COLOR="#800080"]Hi!
I am on summer break from school and decided that I wanted to Clep my intro to lit class at school by taking the analyzing and interpreting literature CLEP. I'm scheduled to take it in about 1 1/2 weeks... I've done a lot of research online and have been on just about every clep prep site there is out there. I took British Lit. last year in high school but haven't really read much since then. Should I be concerned about knowing detailed info (i.e. Shakespeare plays, authors, etc.)? Or is it just a broad sweep of analyzation? Would reading as much Literature as possible between now and then be my best bet?
I have two good friends from high school who took this exam recently and said all they did was study glossary terms from our Lit. book and they passed. Sound correct?

...and also from looking on here, it seems like many people are concerned about watching the time. I don't consider myself a fast reader. Any tips?

Over Christmas break, I took and passed American History I (my first CLEP test), but I know this test is different. Any tips?

Also, I have the 2012 official CLEP study guide with one practice test in it, but I want to take more. Are there FREE example tests online? All of the ones i've found either cost money or you have to be in the military.


Thank you so much for you help!
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[Lindagerr]

Reading lit. will not help you prepare for this exam. Study literary terms and you should be fine. One practice test will be enough to prepare you for what this exam is like. I was worried about this exam before I took it but it really wasn't bad. I love to read but I am not a speed reader so I would say as long as you are a normal reader you should be ok. With any exam I check how many questions there are and divide my time in quarters I never allow too much time on any quarter, you can always go back and finish a quarter if you have time, but why let a couple of hard questions throw you off.

There are free practice Peterson test but they are getting harder to find free. Check your local library or do a search on here lots of people have posted links that work at different times. Also try here they have some great info. Free Clep Prep.com

[CLEPitgirl]

Just to add to what Lindagerr wrote... Reading literature won't hurt you either. However, don't just read it. Analyze it. For this test you don't need to be familiar with specific literary works, you just have to know how to interpret them. Try to figure out who is talking, to whom they are talking, and what they are talking about. Most of the literature is figurative speech and you will have to figure out what the author is trying to say. The majority of the questions on my test were interpreting literary works like plays, poems,and short stories. Try reading some Shakespear, Homer, or author of that nature; practice analyzing what the author is really trying to say. Many of the questions on the test will ask you which word best describes a given piece of literature, and you will have to select the word that BEST fits the given text. I hope this helps, good luck on your test!

[Publius]

Above anything else, this exam really just tests your reading comprehension ability... keep that in mind and you should do fine. As the above post said, one PT should be enough, just make sure you go back through and review the questions you got wrong and why. Tip: The more PTs you'll be able to take, the more accurate your practice scores will reflect your actual score. Also the more PTs you take, the more your confidence is built as it's one of the primary means of preparation.
Best of luck on it!

[Clementine]

I used the "CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature" book by REA as well as "How To Read Literature Like A Professor" by Thomas Foster, and I passed the test with a 73. Although many have said that you can't really study for this test, what you can do is get yourself in the mindset of interpreting literature, and these books are a great help. The REA book provides various practice tests, and you don't need to read Foster's entire book, just use it as a resource. I found both books at my local library.

It's also important to study the literary terms outlined in the REA book - know the definition, but also be able to apply it if given an example.

I was worried about this test, but if you use InstantCent and review a bit, you should do well.

Best of luck to you!!!

Clementine

[kclep571]

Hi!
I posted a thread a few weeks ago about my taking the CLEP analyzing and interpreting literature test. I will be taking it tomorrow.
In preparation for the test, I purchased the online REA practice tests and have taken 2 of the 3 so far. My last score was 54.
Does anyone have experience or knowledge about taking these? Are they harder than the actual CLEP test, or about the same in difficulty?

I guess getting a 54 would be a passing grade, right? Or am I wrong in assuming that?

I've been studying literary terms, but it seems to me like that's not really helping me in understanding the different ways to analyze literature passages.
Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me. I'm in dire need of passing this test!!!! :/

-Kclep571

[Lindagerr]

I haven't used the online REA test but I have used REA books they are usually a good resource. I am an over-studier but 54 seems close to the line to me. Do you have a library near you where you can get the Peterson practice test? They are always my favorite study test.

What is it about the test that is giving you problems? You don't need to over analyze the questions, just look for the passage (it could be a specific line or stanza) and compare it to the answer choices, you should be able to rule out one or two choices easily then just decide which of the remaining choices BEST fits. Sometimes we make things harder then they need to be by over analyzing, remember the old KISS method.

Good Luck tomorrow!!

[SuZQ2]

The REA guide for this test is much more difficult than the actual test. The answers are very ambiguous and in many cases difficult to comprehend. Your best bet is the Peterson's practice tests - they are spot on for assessing your skill level at analysis and great for gauging how fast you need to go to get through the test (timing being a big issue.) Peterson's is only $20 for 90 days of acccess time for three tests - well worth the money.

I had a big "I can't do this!!!" mental block when it came to the A & I test. I first took American Lit - I did well, and as it contained some analyzing, it gave me the confidence to try A & I. I practiced with Peterson's, analyzed passages from famous poems, plays, etc. (google the first line of any passage with the word "analysis" and you will get numerous responses - study these analyses, it really helps understand the process.) Also, brush up on literary terms for extra points.

I over-prepare, over-study and over-worry, but studied only 3 weeks post-Am Lit CLEP and felt confident enough to take the test.

CLEPS 2011-2012
Introductory Psychology 75
Human Growth & Development 69
Introduction to Ed. Psychology 72
American Literature 80
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature 75