Open-Book and Online Exams: How to Prepare and Do Well

Open-book and online exams seem like a gift: you can look things up, so why study? Many students discover too late that they are harder than they look. The questions are designed with notes in mind, so they ask for application, analysis and judgment, not simple recall. Time is tight, and there is no time to learn something from scratch during the exam.

This guide shows how to prepare for open-book exams, take-home exams and online exams, and how to stay within the rules.

What these exams really test

When resources are allowed, examiners write questions that cannot be answered by finding a sentence in a book. Expect:

• application: use a concept on a new case or data;
• analysis: compare, evaluate or critique;
• synthesis: combine ideas from different parts of the course;
• problem solving: use methods, with notes as a check;
• tight time limits, so that you cannot read your way to an answer.

Your notes help with details and formulas. They cannot replace understanding.

Know the rules

Before anything else, read the instructions:

• What materials are allowed? Printed notes, a textbook, your own handwritten sheet, a calculator, websites or nothing digital?
• Can you collaborate? Usually not, even on take-home exams.
• Can you use AI tools or online search? Only if explicitly allowed.
• What is the time limit and the submission method?
• What are the formatting and referencing expectations?

If a rule is unclear, ask your instructor in writing before the exam. Breaking exam rules can lead to serious academic misconduct penalties, so treat them carefully.

Study as if it were closed-book

The best preparation is to learn the material properly. Use active methods:

• test yourself from memory;
• practice problems and past questions without notes first;
• explain key ideas aloud;
• space your reviews across weeks.

The better you know the material, the less you need to look things up, and the more time you have for thinking. Our guide to the best study techniques covers the methods with the strongest evidence.

Build a quick-find system

When you do need your notes, you want to find the right page in seconds. Build:

• a one-page summary per topic, with key ideas, formulas and definitions;
• an index listing topics and where to find them, with page or file references;
• tabs, color codes or headings in printed notes and textbooks;
• a short formula and definitions sheet, if allowed;
• a digital folder with clear filenames and a search-friendly structure, for online exams.

Make these as part of your studying, not as a substitute. Creating the summaries is itself good revision.

Practice under exam conditions

Do at least one past paper, timed, using only the resources you will be allowed. Notice:

• how long it takes to find things;
• which questions you could not answer even with notes;
• where you wasted time reading instead of thinking.

Adjust your index and your study plan based on what you find.

Managing time

Time is the main enemy in open-book exams. A good approach:

1. Read all the questions first, and plan your time.
2. Start with the questions you can answer quickly from your own understanding.
3. Look things up only when needed, and note where you found them.
4. Set a time limit per question, and move on when it passes.
5. Leave a few minutes to check your answers and your submission.

Do not copy long passages from the book. Examiners want your own explanation.

Write your own answers

Open-book exams reward understanding in your own words. Use the resources to confirm facts, then explain in your own terms, apply the idea to the case in the question and show your reasoning. Quote or reference only where the instructions say so, and follow your course's rules on citation.

Online exams: prepare your setup

For exams taken on your own computer, technical problems are a real risk. A day or two before:

• test your computer, camera and microphone if required;
• check your internet connection and have a backup, such as a phone hotspot, where permitted;
• update software and close unneeded programs;
• charge devices and keep chargers plugged in;
• know how to contact support or your instructor if something fails;
• prepare a quiet space with good lighting and a clear desk.

Do a trial run of the platform if one is offered. Our guide to online exam proctoring explained covers what remote supervision involves and how to prepare.

Take-home exams

Take-home exams give you a longer period, such as 24 or 48 hours, but expect more depth. Plan your time:

• read the questions on day one and sketch plans;
• write drafts early, and leave time to revise;
• keep to any word limits;
• follow the referencing rules;
• check that you did not collaborate or share anything against the rules.

Do not spend the whole time on one question. Take breaks and sleep, since clear thinking improves quality more than extra hours.

If something goes wrong

Technical failures, illness or sudden events can happen. If they do:

1. Stay calm and note the time and what happened.
2. Take a screenshot or photo of any error.
3. Contact the invigilator, instructor or support team right away, by the method in your instructions.
4. Follow their instructions, and keep a record.
5. Ask afterward about your options, such as a rescheduled exam, if you were affected.

Our guide on how to request a deferred exam explains the process in more detail.

Common mistakes

1. Assuming it will be easy, and not studying.
2. Bringing disorganized notes.
3. Spending too much time looking things up.
4. Copying text instead of explaining.
5. Ignoring rules about collaboration and AI.
6. Not testing your technology.

Building your index step by step

A good index takes a couple of hours and can save much of the exam. Start with a list of topics from the syllabus. For each, write a one-line summary, the page or file where full notes are, and the key formula or definition if there is one. Sort it alphabetically or by unit, whichever helps you find things faster.

Then test it: pick ten random questions from a past paper, and time how long it takes you to find the relevant notes. If it takes more than a minute, add tabs, headings or better labels. Keep the index to a few pages, since a long index is slower than none.

Writing good answers when you can look things up

Having resources can tempt you to paste long extracts. Examiners want your reasoning. A strong answer states the relevant idea in your own words, applies it to the specifics of the question, and shows the steps. Use the book to check a figure or a definition, not to supply the whole answer. If you do quote or paraphrase, follow your course's rules on referencing. Answers that read as copied material, or that do not address the particular scenario, usually earn little.

Open-book exam checklist

• Know exactly which materials are permitted, in writing.
• Have a one-page summary and an index for every topic.
• Tab your textbook and printed notes with clear labels.
• Practice at least one paper under the real time limit with only those materials.
• Decide in advance how long you will allow for looking something up.
• Write answers in your own words, and cite only where required.
• For online exams, test the platform, your connection and your room the day before.
• Keep a note of the support contact in case something fails.

Printing this list and ticking it off the day before takes five minutes and removes most avoidable problems.

What good preparation looks like

Students who do well in these exams usually look similar from the outside. They have studied the material properly, they have a small number of well-organized resources instead of a mountain of paper, and they have practiced the exact format. On the day, they use their notes for confirmation and speed, and spend most of their time thinking and writing. That is the pattern to aim for.

The bottom line

Open-book and online exams reward understanding, organization and time management. Study as if you had no notes, build an index you can use quickly, practice under timed conditions, check your technology and follow the rules carefully.