Open exams: an experiment in student assessment

Open examinations for undergraduates combine the advantages of coursework and conventional exams. An open exam is where students know the text of the questions in advance, in contrast with open book exams where the questions are kept secret but reference material is available. To its supporters the open exam is a sophisticated tool for first and second year courses which influences undergraduate behaviour for the better by introducing quality assurance as well as the more usual quality control. Others view the process as unethical, amounting to nothing more than telling the students the questions in advance. The author outlines the educational economic case for open examinations and the results of a controversial experiment at the University of Surrey.<>