Open-book tests in a university course

In the few available studies on the use of books in examinations, open-book tests have been found to reduce pre-test memorization and anxiety during examinations without affecting academic performance. However, these studies were made with students in non-book systems, whereas systems which allowed books in all exams might be thought likely to create a non-fact-learning attitude in students. The present study was undertaken in a book-allowing system with 120 students during a regular course in physiology at a medical school. Each group sat two parallel 60-item multiple choice tests and used books in one test but not in the other. The tests took place about four weeks prior to the final examination, which is of the same type as the experimental tests. Recall items could yield less than 15% of maximum points, so that interpretation and problem-solving items predominated. Total test points with and without books did not differ significantly. An analysis of variance showed that the effect of books on recall items was only slight and that the two tests varied in difficulty, in spite of efforts to secure equality.