Every time I'm testing in class, I can't help but to think "Why can't we use note, or resources on tests?" I always have felt that it is similar to someone in a business telling you to file a yearly sales report, but you don't get access to any of the yearly sales. Maybe it's just me that thinks this. Opinions?
Testing exists to find out what knowledge you've managed to gain from the class. Letting you copy the answers out of the textbook defeats the purpose.
That would be cheating if you did that. It's actually good to try what you remember from your resources. Without using them, of course.
Tests are to see what you've learned, to see what you gained from the class. Having notes and textbooks to find answers from doesn't prove that you learned anything, except that you're really good at finding answers.
I'm studying physics in university now and we are actually allowed to bring our notes, they'll barely help you if you didn't understand the underlying concepts, though. It is great to not have to memorize every formula, though :3
Lots of math and science courses will allow you to reference formulas and core concepts during tests, but you'll still have to apply them. The humanities are a little less given to that kind of reference because of the difference in the way they operate. Either way, you're going to have to perform some level of critical thinking in order to find an answer to the harder questions (the ones that don't involve memorizing dates and other such simple answers). It's not supposed to be too easy.
