Blog

Iskakov Yeldos

2021-03-01

Open book examinations are commonly used and are a valid and reliable form of assessment that enables you to sit your NEBOSH assessment from your own home or other safe and suitable location. Open book examinations continue to uphold the rigour and recognition that people have come to expect from NEBOSH. This includes scrutiny for plagiarism and collusion.

What is an open book examination?

An open book examination can test the same learning outcomes and assessment criteria as invigilated paper-based examinations. However, unlike a closed book assessment, you can access textbooks and digital resources.

Open book examinations test your ability to extract and apply relevant knowledge and organise it to address the question asked.

How does this open book examination differ from traditional invigilated examinations?

NEBOSH examinations have traditionally been:

• invigilated, handwritten examinations
• sat under timed conditions
• sat in an examination venue where many learners take the same assessment at once.

For a NEBOSH open book examination you will:

• sit the assessment remotely on your own – usually in your own home
• be able to access your textbooks, notes and any other resources while sitting this examination

Are there any similarities with traditional examinations?

While this is a modification from traditional paper-based examinations, there are also many similarities. The question papers will be similar in format and the content and effort required will also be similar. However, the word count and expected level of detail in the responses will be different as this format gives you more time to complete your answers and access reference sources.

Is a NEBOSH open book examination as robust as a NEBOSH closed book invigilated examination?

A major misconception is that an open book examination means there is no need to study or prepare beforehand because you have access to textbooks and resources. This is untrue, because you will need to really engage with the material and understand how the concepts and theory can be applied. The Examiner doesn’t want recalled facts, but is looking for you to show a deeper understanding and apply it to the scenario in the examination paper. Open book examinations measure depth of understanding so it is very important that you prepare and revise.

How will I access and submit my open book examination?

You will use our online examination platform. Please refer to the NEBOSH Open book examinations: Technical Learner Guide for full guidance.

What will the format of the open book examination be?

The open book examination will begin by giving you a scenario. This will typically describe a realistic organization or workplace with an outline of normal operational activities and worker behaviour. The scenario may go on to outline a developing situation, such as an incident or safety intervention. You may be asked to imagine that you hold a specific role, such as a safety manager, in the workplace described. 

You will be asked to carry out a series of tasks, which may be split into several sub-tasks. We will specify the maximum marks available for each task/question to help you manage your time.

These tasks will partially or entirely draw on the signposts and evidence within the scenario. Answers therefore need to be relevant to the scenario and, in some cases, specific evidence will be required to support your answers.

This is a challenge that really tests your ability to interpret the scenario before answering the questions using the knowledge gained through your studies. You will be able to complete the assessment at home wherever you are in the world.

Tags: NEBOSH Open Book Examinations, OBE, NEBOSH,