Cliffs Notes
CliffsNotes are a series of student study guides in the United States and all over the world. The guides synopsize and explain literary and other works in pamphlet form. Supporters say the guides help students understand works, while detractors say they let students avoid even reading the works.
CliffsNotes was started by a Nebraska native named Cliff Hillegass in 1958. He was working in a bookstore when he met the owner of a series of Canadian study guides called Cole's Notes, who suggested that Hillegass create an American version. Hillegass started with booklets covering 16 William Shakespeare titles, with the first being Hamlet; CliffsNotes now exist on thousands of works.
In addition to study guides for literature, the company produces several other series of guides, including:
- CliffsQuickReview - provides a quick reference for information on many scholastic subjects, such as Algebra, Government, and Spanish
- CliffsTestPrep - provides preparation hints and strategies for several types of tests, including SAT, PSAT, and ACT.
- CliffsAP - provides reviews and preparations for various Advanced Placement Program exams, such as Biology, Chemistry, and English
- CliffsComplete - is also a study guide for literature, but includes the complete text of the work along with the notes for it
Wiley, a publisher of scientific and technical publications, bought CliffsNotes in 2001.
