I have no doubt at least a couple of people have turned up their nose at that headline. “SparkNotes? Helpful? Wha?!?!?!?” Consider this, though: the problem is not the mere existence of SparkNotes. Rather, the problem is the way a lot of students try to use it.

Put another way, to pilfer a line from Shakespeare: the fault, dear readers, is not in our SparkNotes, but in ourselves.

Even SparkNotes itself admits this: “Our literature guides are meant to be read along with the books they analyze… We’re here to help you learn, not to help you cheat.”

I haven’t met one person in my time in the public school system who has skipped reading a book, used SparkNotes instead, and passed whatever test they’ve had on the book.

Really, that’s kind of the point. Students: you know how your teachers have always told you that there’s no substitute for reading the book? Your teachers are as right as ever.

If you’re using SparkNotes instead of reading the book: just read the freaking book. You’re missing out by just reading the basics. There’s so much you can get from reading a book.

PLEASE NOTE: “read the book” is different from “skim the book in vain trying to make sense of it all.” If you’re going to do that, you might as well just not even bother. There’s lots of finer points in literature that you can’t get from reading a website on the Internet.

That said, I’m not saying you shouldn’t use SparkNotes period. If you use it alongside the book as opposed to instead of the book, you’ll have one more tool to help you succeed.

“How do I use it with the book, though?” Here’s what you do: you go through the SparkNotes AFTER you’ve read the book.

“Wait a second, how is that gonna help me?” Were there any points where you asked yourself “what the heck’s going on?” Odds are, SparkNotes will clear up those spots that confused you.

Even if it doesn’t, you have so many people around you willing to help you out, and you’ll be more prepared on the points you do understand.

Here’s my point: you shouldn’t rely solely on SparkNotes and expect to understand, let alone analyze, whatever you’re supposed to be reading. If, instead, you use it with your reading, you’ll be that much better off down the line when it comes time to take that test.