Open Book Exams

If you ever have a teacher announce your exam will be open book, your first thoughts might be to not study at all, because why would you? You're going to have the entire story right at your fingertips the whole time ... but don't be fooled.

The most important thing you need to remember to crush this exam, is it requires the same, or even MORE amount of preparing as for a normal test; the open book exam will most likely be harder than if it were closed book, and expectations higher.

• Familiarize yourself with the layout of your book, and relevant materials. If you need to find something, you will have to find it quick, and you don't want to waste your time flipping through pages.

• Highlight important points, use post-it notes, bookmarks and make notes in your book, if it is allowed.

• If it's allowed, write down all the important formulas and key information on a separate sheet so you don't have to search through your book for it.

• Focus on learning the main ideas and get a feel for where they are located in the book, learn the details later if there's still time.

• Bring all the resources that your teacher allows for.

• Answer the easy questions that you know off the top of your head first, then go back and answer the questions where you need to reference your book.

• Use quotations from the book to support your view, but don't over-quote, be sure to give your own insight and commentary.

Long story short, you still need to study and know all of the material, just like for any other exam.

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“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.”

- Roy T. Bennett