My three years at university came down to eight three hour examination papers. No continuous assessment, no compulsory attendance at lectures, no mid-term tests or examinations. Just eight three hour examination papers over a period of ten days. You either knew it by then or if you didn't you failed. Open book examinations merely test your ability to find the right page and transcribe what has been asked onto a piece of paper. Closed book examinations test whether you have taken in the information, have understood it and can recall it to others (the examiners in this case) in a manner that it gives an answer or explanation to or for a given problem.