SparkNotes Reviewer's Comments

SparkNotes is an incredible source of literary summaries, study notes and guides and merits the “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award.” Right on par with our Gold Award winner, CliffsNotes, SparkNotes is very user–friendly and provides a wide array of study guides and related materials. No matter what subject you are looking for, you’ll find a clear and accurate study guide for it at SparkNotes.

For our Study Guide Services Review, the difference between Gold and Silver comes down to a telephone number and a live chat option. Aside from color scheme and writing style, the only difference between SparkNotes and CliffsNotes is support. SparkNotes has great customer service and support, but the inability to communicate directly and simultaneously with an actual person earns it our Silver Award.

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Topics Covered:  

For a relatively young company like SparkNotes, to compile such a large arsenal of study materials is extremely impressive. You’ll find high–quality study helps to increase your knowledge and understanding of hundreds of topics.

Quality of Content:  

The accurate and concise study materials offered by SparkNotes are easy to understand and easy to read.

Ease of Use/Navigation:  

SparkNotes’ layout is very simple to search. Navigating through the available study resources is painless. The categorical headings and subheadings are clear and don’t leave you going back and forth to find what you need. Unlike many other sites, SparkNotes allows you to view their book notes in their entirety—whether you buy or not.

Support/Help:  

There is only one company in the industry that provides better support than SparkNotes—which we have already discussed. SparkNotes provides email support, an FAQ page and user forums.

Summary:  

SparkNotes provides a superb service for students of all ages. The number of subjects offered, their high level of quality and the easy–to–use layout of the website forced us to get nitpicky in order to differentiate between Gold and Silver. A phone number and live chat are the only things SparkNotes is lacking.