Open-book exams

What are open-book exams?

If an exam-is ‘open-book’ that means you can access some materials such as notes or readings and refer to them to help you answer questions during the exam.

Open-book exams are timed, which means you will have a specific time limit (eg 90 minutes).

Some open-book exams are on-campus, while others are administered online (off-campus digital open-book exams).

An open-book exam could be a set of problems, a quiz, an essay, or some other written task relevant to your discipline.

Open-book exams tend to emphasise critical thinking over rote learning. You will often need to demonstrate higher-order thinking skills such as evaluating, analysing and synthesising. You may be asked to compare data or apply your knowledge to solve problems.

What materials can I take into an open-book exam?

The types of materials you can use will vary from exam to exam, but may include your own notes, textbooks and other sources of information. Off-campus open-book exams may allow access to a wider range of materials compared to on-campus open-book exams.

Check your subject LMS to find out which materials you can access during your exam and make sure you know what you are permitted to bring into the exam venue.

How to study for an open-book exam

In the lead up to an open-book exam, focus on learning the key concepts from your subject and making clear, well organised notes. This means you'll be able to spend the exam time applying your knowledge, rather than looking up answers in your notes.

Tip: For general strategies to help you study for any type of exam, visit Exam revision.

Try the following strategies to make the most of the open-book format.

Organise your materials

Start by reviewing the lecture slides, readings, and your own notes to help you identify the key concepts. Organise your materials around these key concepts, making connections between related topics.

You may like to write summaries of key texts so you don’t have to read whole chapters or articles during the exam. Include page numbers in these summaries in case you need to refer back to the text for more detail.

Develop a system that will allow you to quickly locate the information you need during the exam. For example, you can use folders (physical or digital) to collate information from different sources. You might also use underlining, colour-coding, Post-it notes, or annotations in the margins of your own notes.

For on-campus open-book exams, keep in mind any limits on the number or type of materials that you can bring into the venue. For example, you might be limited to one, double-sided A4 page of notes.

Find out what question types and marking criteria will be used

Open-book exam questions can take many forms: multiple choice, short answer, problem solving or short essays.

Look on your subject LMS to find out as early as you can what question types will appear in an exam and what marking criteria will be used.

Practice under exam-like conditions

Use your notes as you practice responding to sample questions (check if past papers are available for your subject.)  

Otherwise, you can create your own or develop questions with a study group.

Set a timer and practice responding without interruption.

As you respond, remember that the goal is to formulate responses from your own knowledge, just using your notes as a memory aid for the details, examples and evidence.

Get set up for an open-book exam

Consider the following practicalities to make sure you are prepared for your open-book exam.

Materials

Double check what materials you are permitted to take with you into an on-campus exam, keeping in mind that this differs from exam to exam. Look at your subject LMS or check with your Subject Coordinator if you’re unsure.

Location

For off-campus open-book exams, consider where you will take the exam. Choose a location where you won’t be interrupted.

Timing

Open-book exams will usually be available during a specific time. There might also be restrictions on how long you are allowed for completing the exam within that available period.

For example, the exam might be available between 10am and 4pm, and students have a limit of 60 minutes to complete the exam during those hours.

You should:

• Find out when the exam is available – the start and end time
• Check how long you will have to complete the exam within that time period
• Plan when you will log on. Give yourself enough time for completion, plus an extra buffer, in case of last-minute problems logging on or submitting.

It’s important to keep in mind that most exams cannot be paused once they’ve started.

Technology

Get familiar with any technology or equipment involved well ahead of the exam day, so that you don’t have to spend valuable exam time doing so.

For off-campus open-book exams, practice exams are usually set up within the digital exam platform for this purpose.

During the exam

It’s best to formulate your answers based on your own knowledge and understanding. Instead of searching your materials for the answer, aim to use these notes as a memory aid or a source of supporting evidence.

Before you begin writing, plan your answers and the identify the supporting materials you will use for each question. Depending on the question type, this could include writing an essay plan, an outline, or a list of key points you want to include in your response.

For further, more general advice on how to do your best ‘on the day’ in any type of exam, explore Exam day tips.

After the exam

Final tip

Having all your materials available can sometimes lead to over-quoting at the expense of expressing your own ideas. Instead, focus on using your materials as support for your own analyses and interpretations.