An Argument for “Cheat Sheet” Accommodations
Testing for Knowledge and Application Instead of Memory and Speed
Traditional closed-book, timed exams can end up assessing speed and memory rather than mastery of knowledge.
While accommodations like extended time are common when it comes to addressing testing time, allowing students to use self-prepared reference materials (known as “cheat sheets”) is not—despite the research showing the benefits of cheat sheets.
What are Cheat Sheets?
Cheat sheets are approved tools students create and then use while testing.
They are filled with whatever students deem most important (formulas, key facts, steps, diagrams, etc.). There is not one format, so the size will vary. For example:
A Stanford professor allowed “one double-sided 8“ by 11”cheat sheet” for a midterm exam.
In an MIT OpenCourseWare exam, students could earn 5 points simply by attaching their cheat sheet to the test.
Some professors require students to submit cheat sheets in advance of testing, while others collect them with the finished tests. There’s no one right way.
Colleges Lead the Way
Top-tier universities like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford have allowed the use of cheat sheets or open-book testing for year. These testing formats don’t make the test easier. Instead, the tests reflect how applying knowledge often works in the real world. Professionals regularly use reference materials. Why not students?
Recently, Harvard held the workshop “Creating the Perfect Exam Cheat Sheet: Strategies for Effective and Honest Success.” The goal:
“This workshop is designed to help students:
Maximize their study efforts by learning how to create effective and ethical exam aids
Discover techniques for organizing and summarizing key information
Gain insights into maintaining academic integrity while preparing for exams
Engage with peers and gain valuable tips to enhance your success in a supportive and honest environment”
A Stanford professor encouraged students to “spend some time making your cheat sheet” as one way to study for their final exam.
In her article “Test Taking at MIT”, student Krystal L. provided images of her old cheat sheets and wrote:
“One could argue that cheat sheets as a learning instrument in classes are there to encourage students to study the material before the exam and bring in only the essential ideas and formulas on their limited sheet of paper that they have condensed after rigorous studying. After all, if they were going to let you bring in everything, why not just make it an open notes test? Or perhaps the theory is that the physical act of copying notes over again will better ingrain the information into your head?
“Regardless, the fact remains that even with all of my lecture notes on my cheat sheets, the exams can be difficult.
“Exams at MIT are rarely just fact recall. Sure there will be the occasional question that requires you to know something cold, but for most of the classes I’ve taken, the test questions end up being an application of learned concepts to something entirely different. So having all of the formulas and facts laid out for me isn’t enough, I have to know how to use them and to think on my feet.”
What Research Says
Professors Afshin Gharib and William Phillips, are the co-authors of "Cheat Sheet or Open Book: A Comparison of the Ethics of Exams." During an interview on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” they shared a study they did to test their theories on open-book, closed-book, and cheat-sheet testing. Gharib said:
“So we had three different exams over the course of the semester, and we gave one open-book exam, one cheat sheet exam, one closed-book exam in both introduction to psychology class and in a statistics class. . . .
“I think one of the most interesting things we found was that for any individual student, their scores on the different types of tests were highly correlated. So a good student did well regardless of what type of test they were given. A poor student did poorly regardless of what type of test they were given.”
In other words, the format didn’t change who succeeded. This supports what the MIT student wrote about “cheat sheets as a learning instrument in classes are there to encourage students to study the material before the exam . . .” They aren’t short-cuts to get around studying.
Why This Matters for Students Who Have Disabilities
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities are entitled to accommodations that ensure equitable access to learning and assessment.