Student Created Cheat-Sheets in Examinations: Impact on Student Outcomes

Raadt, M.D.

Examinations have traditionally been classified as ��openbook�� or ��closed-book�� in relation to the freedom for students to bring resources into examinations. Open-book examinations can have benefits, such as reduced anxiety, de-emphasis of memorisation and reduced cheating. But open-book examinations can also have disadvantages such as reduced preparation and the need for time during examinations to look up facts. An emerging alternative allows students to bring a 'cheat-sheet' of hand-written notes. This form of examination has the potential to offer many of the benefits of an open-book examination while overcoming some of its failings. There has been little evidence showing that cheat-sheets can have an impact, and what exists is contradictory. This study reveals that students who create and use cheat-sheets performed better, on average, in an introductory programming examination. Certain features of cheat-sheets were found to be related to superior performance, which may relate to student understanding.

Cite as: Raadt, M.D. (2012). Student Created Cheat-Sheets in Examinations: Impact on Student Outcomes. In Proc. Australasian Computing Education Conference (ACE2012) Melbourne, Australia. CRPIT, 123. Raadt, M.D. and Carbone, A. Eds., ACS. 71-76

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