Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP
Nearly 3,000 colleges and universities across the United States accept CLEP exams making them a great way for students to get an early start on earning college credit.
Save time, save money, and document your learning are all benefits of taking one of the 34 CLEP exams available. You don’t need to study a specific curriculum or enroll in a special program. Think of a CLEP test as a final exam to the high-school-level* material you are already studying.
*Since there is no age specified for when a student can test, even middle-school students are taking CLEP and DSST exams.
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP
The Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP exam is a popular option for (average) students who are strong readers. Since literature is something we teach each and every year, your student may already have the skills to pass this exam.
This exam contains multiple-choice questions based on passages of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction from American and British literature. The exam does not require familiarity with specific works or authors. Students will need to know common literary terms such as symbolism, metaphor, and stanza and have the ability to answer questions about the passages they read.
Test-Prep
Step 1. Take a Practice Exam
To assess your student’s readiness, have them take a practice exam. You can use the one in the Official CLEP Study Guide (reprinted every year, but with little to no modifications) or the REA CLEP Guide.
If your student scored:
- Less than 40% correct, set this exam aside and come back to it next year. Your student simply needs more time to build her comprehension and vocab skills.
- More than 40% correct, proceed to Step 2.
- Above 60%, jump to Step 3.
Step 2. Parent Review
A parent should review the student’s wrong answers to identify a pattern or learning gaps – what does your student need to study? Most reading passages fall into one of three categories: Prose, Poetry, Old English.
How did she do on the poetry questions? If not so well, take time (3-8 weeks) and complete a poetry study like the one from Progeny Press or this free online review of poetry terms or these free flashcards from StudyStack.
How did she do with passages written in Old English? Reading and analyzing passages that are written in Old English can be challenging simply because we stumble over the “-eths and thous” which can reduce our comprehension. This takes practice if it is unfamiliar. If you include Bible reading into your day, consider reading from the King James version. Your student should read aloud until she no longer stumbles over words.
Step 3. Review Answers
There is no need to continue to study what you know! A practice test weeds out the knowledge already acquired. UP next, have your student review the questions she got wrong and read or understand why the right answer is right. The act of reviewing right answers is a proven study technique used to identify areas a weakness and gain knowledge specifically in those areas. It is not just enough to know it was wrong. As an administrative matter, it can be helpful to prepare a study schedule. Don’t let this process drag on for months. Rather, attack it! A sample schedule is available in the Parent’s Guide to Credits Before College.
Step 4. Take a Second Practice Exam
Take another practice exam and again have her build her knowledge base by reviewing the right answers to the questions she got wrong. A benchmark of achieving near or above 60% correct on at least two consecutive first-time exams often indicates they are adequately prepared to pass the official exam.
Step 5. Take the Official Test!
Schedule and take the exam! Unless your student needs to add a poetry study, this whole process should not take more than six weeks. If it does, the enthusiasm for process can wane and it will be much more difficult when you suggest the next CLEP. Think of this as a process rather than a one-time-event. Help your student see the end goal by developing a calendar with each step penciled in. This technique of breaking a goal into bite-sized chunks that are scheduled is a skill we want our students to develop before they enter college.
FREE EXAM VOUCHER: If your student has completed STEP 1 and earned a score of 40% or more correct, consider a course review with Modern States.
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