Candidates' use of notes and textbooks during an open-book examination.

Summary Candidates’ use of notes and textbooks during an open‐book examination was systematically observed. The amounts of use were related to candidates’ previously measured abilities in the area, to their scores on the examination and to their responses to a questionnaire. The results indicated that, of the 30 candidates observed, those who devoted more examination time to using notes and texts obtained less good scores and had obtained low scores on previous assessments. The questionnaire led to findings about candidates’ preparation for the examination and negative experiences with notes and texts during the examination.