What is the point of an open-book test?

Question

How does it exactly prove you learned anything? The answers are right there in front of you and you don't even need your brain...

For multiple choice tests..?

Answer 1

It has been proven that open-book tests are harder than closed book ones. The questions can be trickier and harder to solve. Also, if it is for a class in which you actually have to read, the test might be easy if you have read....but there are people out there that do not read and when it comes to test time they will not know where to find those answers. Same if you are able to use your notes, if you take good notes and actually understand what you wrote then you will be fine.....again, there are some people that just do not bother going to class, sleep during class and not take notes, or simply just write down everything without actually knowing what is going on which means they will be completely lost during the exam.

Answer 2

Open Book Tests

Answer 3

i agree with the person who said it's about comprehension and if you are looking up answers then you are reading to find the information therefore gaining knowledge it is a way to be sure that students are actually gaining knowledge these are okay when there is a test that is not open book just to check up on that knowledge at the end. Or I have had open book quizzes on readings and people actually miss a lot it is about finding the underlying themes, applying principles to a situation, things that you can not find without reading and thinking. Although I have had an open note final exam it was good except that my notes were so out of order. So many people were so busy trying to find the exact right answer that it took them forever. I just answered everything as I would and starred it if I had questions. Then went back and checked my notes. I do this on open book as well. It's a lot quicker that way.

on multiple choice test....still can be about applying information, underlying themes and applying information.
How are the questions.??

Answer 4

When I have open book tests, it tends to mean that rather than testing whether or not we can remember a particular set of information for a test, the teacher wants us more or less to understand the underlying ideas and theories that drive them. As I have seen them, open book tests are actually harder, because they dont tend to ask questions that will be right in front of you, but rather have you apply theories you've learned to choose the best answer given a situation, the book is there more to allow you to look up and make sure you have the right idea, more than to actually provide the answer. The idea is that you have to understand and be able to utilize the information rather than just spew fancy words back down onto the paper.

Answer 5

I can't speak for anyone else, but with open-book tests, I always found that the information "stuck", even though it was, as someone already said, an easy A. Some professors throw a curve on these tests, however, and require you to find information that doesn't exactly spring out on first reading. It's a mixed bag, to be sure, but as far as my experience goes, I usually learned more during these tests than I did while studying alone.

Answer 6

In most open-book tests, you are expected not to copy things from the book, but to use material from the book and synthesize it to give a meaningful answer. Usually, thinking through the answers takes so much time that you don't have time to read anything. So the only reason for the book at all is that if you thoroughly know the material from the book, you would know exactly where to look to remind yourself of some detail - that wouldn't help you if you didn't really know the material well. If you were given an open-book test asking for facts that were right in front of you, your professor is unclear on the concept.

Answer 7

Open book tests your ability to understand, formulate educated opinions/arguments and apply that knowledge. Closed book tests often have one or two questions like this, but focus more on the memorization of course work, meaning in order to pass a closed book examination, you simply need a good memory and I'd say it's less brain work, but for open book tests, you need both a good memory and understanding of the course material. The majority of questions that appear on the open book examination will be critical thinking questions requiring you to show that you have developed a 'big picture' understanding.

Answer 8

Open book questions are often a little different. First, you won't have time to go searching for the answer so you need to have already read the book. Second, the questions usually require you to show that you understand what you have read. Thirdly, there may be tables or graphs in the book that you will need to answer the question.

My students tell me that open book tests are the most difficult kind.

Answer 9

I disagree that you don't need your brain. Many open-book tests I've taken were even more difficult than closed-book tests. If you haven't been studying, you still won't know how to apply the material that you have in front of you. You will spend much of your time trying to locate the answers, then you still won't necessarily know what to do with that information.

Answer 10

the point of open book tests are to see if you can use a resource well. believe it or not, some people may not be able to see those answers that are -right in front of you-.
Be happy that these are eay for you while other people struggle.
To make it more of a challenge for you, try not to use the book, or re-word the answers.
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