How do you study for an English Literature exam?

There are a number of steps that you should take in preparation for your English Literature exam. First of all, you should reread your set texts thoroughly cover-to-cover. Examiners can tell the difference between those candidates who are really familiar and well-acquainted with the texts and those who are not simply based on your writing style. Next, I would recommend flashcard notes appropriate to your curriculum; this may be textual themes, facts about the historical contexts of your texts, character cards, etc. These are handy little portable study pieces that you can bring with you on-the-go and that you can whip out at any free moment. Finally, and most importantly, the best way to study for an English Literature exam is to just sit down and write practice essays. There are plenty of past paper questions available on the internet, and the more you write, the more comfortable you will be in the exam situation. I would highly recommend completing these essay questions under timed conditions to ensure you get an accurate feel for the examination environment, as completing a thorough analysis in one to two hours can be extremely daunting and stressful! If exam time is approaching quickly and you find that you simply do not have the opportunity to complete all the past paper questions available to you, I would also suggest creating as many essay plans as possible, including how you would structure your essay, the points you would argue in response to the question in hand and a list of quotations from the texts to support your argument.