Why aren't more tests/exams open book?

Nursing Students General Students

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When you're using the book, and taking a test at the same time, I feel you are still learning. A micro teacher at my college allows her students to do this. But many professors generally don't.

Is there a study or source that says those who don't need a book to take a test are generally more smarter?

Sorry, I had two posters confused.

Nursing school exams are supposed to test your knowledge and your critical thinking skills, not your ability to find information. Just as the NCLEX will test your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
Open book quizzes are great and a helpful learning tool, and I would say that I wish all profs told you precisely what to study for the test so there are no Gotcha moments when you spend hours studying everything that isn't on the test and score poorly, but open book tests would poorly prepare you for the NCLEX and life as a nurse in general.

Why do people need to know exactly what to study? Study it all. All the reading, lectures, power points, and handouts. Study it all.

I always hated it when students would ask, "is this going to be on the test??"

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Why do people need to know exactly what to study? Study it all. All the reading, lectures, power points, and handouts. Study it all.

I always hated it when students would ask, "is this going to be on the test??"

Well, yeah....I think often students are trying to do a bit of studying triage. Because lets face it, all is often an amazing amount. They're just trying to get any information they can to use their study time most efficiently.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
Is there a study or source that says those who don't need a book to take a test are generally more smarter?

Not necessarily smarter, but much better prepared.

I went to nursing school in the 1980's. The program I attended based their teaching and testing methods on a study which showed that students who learned material to the point of being able to independently provide the correct answer had a better grasp of the material than students who studied only to the point of being to recognize the correct answer. We had no open book, true-false or multiple choice exams. They were all essay and/or fill-in-the-blank. We had no "NCLEX-style" tests, since we always had to provide the answers ourselves, and no artificial exit exams, such as HESI. What we did have was a consistent 96-100% NCLEX pass rate.

I truly believe that if all nursing education programs operated under this principle, there would be far higher graduation and NCLEX pass rates overall.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Study triage!

Well, if students study every day, then no need for triage.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

To the OP

"be careful what you wish for..."

Our class asked begged for a 'take-home' final for the last semester of our BSN program. It was a b****.

All essay, needed references, citing from the book. It took each of us about an average of 3 days to complete. Seriously. We learned our lesson the hard way :crying2:

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Study triage!

Well, if students study every day, then no need for triage.

I study every day (trust me, all I do is study), but with 10 - 14 chapters of material per course, per exam (and all of our exams are cumulative to the beginning of the program)....I still add more hours of study before an exam.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
I study every day (trust me, all I do is study), but with 10 - 14 chapters of material per course, per exam (and all of our exams are cumulative to the beginning of the program)....I still add more hours of study before an exam.

Nothing wrong with studying before an exam. But, there is something wrong with only studying the night before the exam, and then complaining about not knowing what material would be on it.

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Nothing wrong with studying before an exam. But, there is something wrong with only studying the night before the exam, and then complaining about not knowing what material would be on it.

I agree...who said anything about the night before? I start increasing my study time at least a week before exams.

Even if I knew the content of the exam...the night before would barely be enough time to go through my notes again...never mind going through the notes I made from my text reading.

Additionally, I'd never complain about not knowing what was on an exam....but I will definitely ask ahead of time. Any guidance I can get ahead of time, I will use.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

We were talking about 'study triage'. That, to me, means cramming before a test.

It wasn't in reference to anyone in particular...

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We were talking about 'study triage'. That, to me, means cramming before a test.

It wasn't in reference to anyone in particular...

Ahhh, I see. When I said study triage, I meant prioritizing my study time to focus on the most important things/things that I know will be on the exam first..ie I of course need to learn all of the material...but I know these topics will be on the exam, so I'll study them first.

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I can proudly say, that I have never had an open book exam. An open book exam would insult my intelligence.

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