Open-Book Versus Closed-Book Tests in University Classes: A Field Experiment
Ralf Rummer1,2, Judith Schweppe2, Annett Schwede2,3
1Department of Psychology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|April 2, 2019
Summary
Closed-book testing led to better student performance in cognitive psychology courses compared to open-book testing. This suggests retrieval practice and motivation significantly impact learning outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Traditional educational settings often employ closed-book assessments.
- The efficacy of open-book testing in enhancing long-term learning and recall remains a subject of ongoing research.
- Understanding student testing preferences and their impact on academic performance is crucial for pedagogical development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of open-book testing versus closed-book testing in introductory university cognitive psychology courses.
- To investigate the influence of testing format on student performance in both immediate and delayed assessments.
- To explore potential explanations for observed differences in learning outcomes, such as retrieval practice and motivational factors.
Main Methods:
- A field study was conducted in two parallel introductory cognitive psychology courses.
- Participants were divided into two groups: open-book (allowed notes and materials) and closed-book (no access to materials).
- Both groups received in-lesson questions, followed by a surprise test and a final module exam assessing material from the critical lessons.
Main Results:
- The closed-book group achieved significantly better results on a surprise test administered six weeks after the critical lessons.
- In the final module exam, the closed-book group also outperformed the open-book group on questions related to the critical lessons.
- These findings indicate a potential disadvantage for the open-book testing format in promoting durable learning.
Conclusions:
- Closed-book testing may foster superior long-term retention and understanding compared to open-book testing in this context.
- Retrieval practice, enhanced by closed-book conditions, is a likely mechanism driving the observed performance differences.
- Motivational differences between the groups may also contribute to the varied learning outcomes, warranting further investigation.
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