Access to the learning material enhances learning by means of generating questions: Comparing open- and closed-book conditions

Abstract

Background: Generating questions by learners might be a potent learning technique but previous research yielded several shortcomings and underlying mechanisms are not well understood.

Methods: Students (N = 231) first read an expository text including bold keywords and then generated questions and answers referring to these keywords in three conditions: (1) open-book (i.e., text accessible), (2) closed-book (i.e., text inaccessible), and (3) cued closed-book (i.e., only keywords provided).

Results: In a test after one week, students in the open-book and in the cued closed-book conditions performed better than students in the restudying condition. The number of generated questions and answers was largest in the open-book condition, smaller in the cued closed-book condition and smallest in the closed-book condition and predicted final test performance.

Conclusions: Generating questions and answers is an effective tool to boost retention in university learning when (at least part of) the learning material remains accessible.

Keywords: Closed-book; Long-term retention; Open-book; Question generation; Retrieval practice; University learning.