Christopher Burkemper

Ms. Levesque

Communications

21 March 2018

Closed Book Testing

Most students will rejoice when a teacher announces that their upcoming test will be open

book. School goers often are excited to know that they will essentially have the answers by their

side while taking a quiz or test. And as a student myself, many would guess that I am for such a

method of testing. However, looking at the world's education system from a larger perspective,

there are a number of reasons why the closed book approach to testing is inherently superior.

To start, students are more motivated to study for a closed book test. Class members will

tend to study less knowing they have resources they can reference while answering questions. A

failed test would be a wake up call to a test taker who has developed bad study habits. One of the

reasons schools and universities give their students tests is to teach them to handle stress. If

students cannot learn how to tackle feeling nervous and unprepared, then they will not perform

efficiently in later stages of life.

Secondly, if someone wants to understand a subject or learn one on a deeper level, one

must memorize the basic facts by heart. Imagine a lawyer sitting down with a client to discuss a

case but constantly looking over laws and principles in order to understand the problem. Or

perhaps a scientist regularly looking up formulas and elements in order to successfully complete

an experiment. Maybe you will accomplish the job, but you will not be very efficient. Kids have
to learn their times tables from a young age because it is crucial to be competent in the future of

their education. The same applies to older students in different subjects. People can also attain

deeper knowledge of a class once they understand the basics.

Most importantly, the retainment of previously discovered knowledge is what brings our

society forward as a whole. Someone cannot advance if they are always looking back on what

the world has already discovered. Schools commonly praise children for making connections

based on previously learned knowledge, which they should be. This is important to humanity as

it advances further through time. Deeper learning is also a crucial part to our world, and many

believe that closed book tests have encouraged that in students. Several researchers tested open

book tests vs closed book tests on medical students, and both groups of testees scored

“significantly higher” when preparing for a closed book test. The group of researchers came up

with possible explanations, saying that students might require deep learning in order to recall

knowledge. They even went as far as to say how students might be more confident preparing for

closed book tests.

Scientists have found that open book tests are less stressful, and while this is true, it is

not a valid reason to promote such a method of testing. The more important a test is, the more

seriously students will understand it is.​ During an open book test, people will walk into class,

reference their textbooks, and answer the questions with little sweat. But if they were asked to do

it again, this time without a textbook, chances are they will not remember everything. As a

middle schooler I have seen many of my peers who feel more confident going into a closed book

test and more accomplished coming out of a successful one. Lastly, while stress can be bad for

the mind, it also is a signal to a student to accomplish work, so they won’t be stressed walking
into an exam. With such a reminder, students can realize how seriously tests -and education

overall- should be taken.

In conclusion, closed book testing is way more effective than open book testing. Students

are more motivated to study for closed book tests, which can help them memorize basic facts and

principles. Students can then focus more on theories that would benefit their education at a

young age and help the world as a whole. Overall, the closed book method is the right way to

educate the next generation of students.

 Works Cited

Gonzales, Josette Akresh. “Open-Book vs. Closed-Book Exams. NEJM Knowledge+.” ​NEJM

Knowledge+​, NEJM Knowledge+, 31 Jan. 2018

Penninga, Heijne, et al. “Influence of Open- and Closed-Book Tests on Medical Students'

Learning Approaches.” ​NCBI​, NCBI, 2008