How to Study for an Open Book Exam

When students are attempting closed-book exams, they need to rely totally on their recalling ability of exam topics. On the other hand, open-book exams offer students the opportunity to get help from reference materials such as textbooks, notes, etc. However, you don’t have to take this exam lightly and think of it as less challenging than a closed-book exam. In reality, an open-book exam is more challenging. 

In this blog, you are going to learn how to study for an open-book exam and also you will be able to learn the strategies that will improve your performance on the tests. 

What is an Open-Book Test?

The phrase open-book has different meanings in different situations, and it’s your job to know what are the things you are allowed to bring during the test. It can include your textbook, notes, internet or any other material. Furthermore, you also have to understand the format and logistics of the exam, which means you need to know if the test is based on multiple-choice, essay, or problem-solving. 

Gather as much information as you can about the exam because every exam is different from each other. If you are not sure about anything, then it’s your responsibility to clarify it.

Preparation Strategies for the Open Book Exam

It’s important to note that taking an open-book exam doesn’t mean that you don’t need to study or prepare for it. Preparing for closed-book exams requires memorization and recalling, while open-book exams require students to place emphasis on higher-level learning. 

The open-book test is more challenging because you have to demonstrate your knowledge rather than just spitting back facts. Let’s examine the important strategies for preparing for an open-book exam.

1. First, you have to find out from your professor what you are allowed and not allowed to bring in the exam and always follow the rules.
2. You must learn your study material comprehensively as you would do for any other exam. 
3. Ask your professor if you are required to cite sources in your answers. 
4. Taking materials that are not related to your exams may distract you and make your workspace disorganized. You can use sticky notes to write down key concepts and color-code tabs for easy access. 
5. Always prepare a condensed summary of the course with the page references and notes on the relationships between different concepts. Keep your sentences short and direct and use simple language. 

Managing your Reference Materials for Exams

When it comes to gathering the reference materials, you have to choose what’s important for your exam. Don’t waste your valuable exam time by looking for things or materials for the first time. When you want to decide what to use or bring as reference materials, make sure to be picky and manage everything. Only select the most important items and keep them in order. 

When preparing for a task, try to make notes, but don’t make too many notes as it can overwhelm you. Manage your notes by identifying the main themes and topics and summarizing important information, and this will make it easier for you to find the information that you require. Organize your materials by creating key topic indices and bookmarking important pages or chapters. Prepare a list of key information which should include formulas and definitions. 

Organize formulae separately if they are part of your exam. When you have summarized and indexed your material, begin practicing answering questions requiring you to apply, analyze, synthesize, compare and evaluate the information. This will help you test your knowledge and prepare you for the exam.

Understanding Key Concepts

Most law students don’t understand the critical concepts before preparing for open-book exams. They always think that open-book tests are easy since they can use their book to find the answers. 

However, this is not the case, and usually, they require more extensive knowledge and take more time to complete. If you fully rely only on your books, then you may not be able to finish the test on time. Only use books and notes as references for difficult questions or questions that need specific information. 

Don’t Copy Others Work

When taking the test, don’t copy the information as it is from the book because it makes your work plagiarized. Your professor wants to know what you have learned from your classes, and they don’t want you to just find the answers in the book. It’s good to use quotes and lecture notes to support your ideas, but make sure you don’t rely too much on them. You should demonstrate what you have learned in order to get good grades on the exam. 

Use your Time Well

Completing the exam on time requires you to manage your time. First, review your test and see how many questions there are and then calculate the time you require on each question. Always answer the questions that you know first, then answer the ones that are difficult and require you to use your reference materials. 

When answering the questions, be brief, accurate and complete. This will help you to finish the test on time and achieve better grades. After finishing the test, use the remaining time to proofread and review your work for any spelling or grammatical mistakes.  

Conclusion 

Studying for an open-book exam takes time, practice, and effort. You have to organize both your material and yourself. When taking the open-book test, time is the key, so manage your time according to your questions. 

Key Takeaways:

1. How to Study for an Open Book Exam?: Understand that open-book exams require access to materials and the ability to apply and synthesize information effectively under test conditions.
2. Clarify Exam Materials and Rules: Before your exam, confirm with your instructor which materials (notes, books, internet) are allowed and understand the specific format of questions (multiple-choice, essay, problem-solving).
3. Organize Reference Materials Efficiently: Select only essential materials to avoid clutter. Use color-coded tabs and sticky notes for quick navigation, and prepare a condensed summary of key concepts with page references.