United States
Hong KongWhat open book actually means
Open book means you bring the approved references and look answers up. It is a test of navigation under time pressure rather than recall, and candidates who have not tabbed and practiced their books run out of time.
The single most misunderstood thing about this examination.
Candidates hear open book and relax. Then they sit 125 questions in 330 minutes with 24 books in front of them and discover what the exam is actually testing.
What it is testing
Whether you can find an answer quickly in a body of reference material you are expected to know your way around.
That is a real professional skill. A contractor who can locate the right provision in the code is more use than one who half-remembers it.
The arithmetic of the clock
330 minutes across 125 questions is about 158 seconds each. That sounds generous.
It stops sounding generous when a single lookup in an untabbed book takes four minutes. Twenty of those and you have lost more than an hour you did not have.
Candidates who pass have tabbed their books, know which book answers which category, and can go to a topic without searching. Candidates who fail usually knew the material and could not find it in time.
What you may do to the books
Permanent index tabs are allowed and highlighting is allowed. That is what the bulletin permits, and it is the basis of every sensible preparation strategy.
Check the current bulletin before assuming anything further. The rules on loose notes and written annotation are specific and enforced.
Which questions still need knowledge
Plenty of them. A question asking which of four scenarios requires a permit is asking you to understand the rule, not to find a sentence.
Open book removes the memorization burden. It does not remove the comprehension one.
Common questions
Is the NASCLA exam open book?
Yes. The approved reference books may be brought into the testing room, tabbed and highlighted.
Does open book make it easier?
Not as much as candidates expect. It tests navigation under time pressure rather than recall.
How much time per question?
About 158 seconds, which disappears quickly if a lookup takes four minutes in an untabbed book.
Can I write in my books?
Permanent index tabs and highlighting are permitted. Check the current bulletin for anything beyond that.
Do I still need to know the material?
Yes. Many questions test comprehension rather than location, and you cannot look up understanding.