If you never had open-book or open-note tests in high school, you might be tempted to study less thoroughly than usual, thinking that you will have access to all the information you need during the test, but that is a common misjudgment on the part of first-year students. Open-book and open-note tests are usually harder than other exams, not easier.

Most students don’t really have time to spend looking things up during an open-book exam. The best way to prepare is to begin the same way you would study for a test in which you cannot refer to your notes or text. As you do so, however, develop a list of topics and the page numbers where they are covered in your textbook or your lecture notes. Type a three-column grid (or use an Excel spreadsheet) with your list of topics in alphabetical order in the first column and corresponding pages from your textbook and lecture notebook in the second and third columns, respectively, so that you can refer to them quickly if necessary. But whatever you do, study as completely as you would for any other test and do not be fooled into thinking that you don’t need to know the material thoroughly.

During the test, monitor your time carefully. Don’t waste time looking up information in your text or notes if you are reasonably confident of your answers. Instead, wait until you have finished the test; then, if you have extra time, go back to look up answers and make any necessary changes.