Open-book exams reward preparation, not memory

The time arithmetic

PSI's Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7 Jul 2026) gives 330 minutes for 115 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions. You cannot tell which are pretest, so plan for 125.

330 / 125 = 2.64 minutes a question. Check: 125 x 2.64 = 330.

That is the average, with no reserve. A lookup that takes five minutes borrows time from two other questions. So the job is not "can I find it" but "can I find it in about two minutes, often enough".

Three kinds of question

Sort every practice question you see into one of three piles:

1. Know it. Terms and ideas you should answer without a book: what a payment bond protects, what float means, the difference between a submittal and an RFI. Opening a book for these wastes the time you need later.
2. Work it. Arithmetic: markup and margin, retainage, quantities, crew hours, overtime, float. You need a method and a calculator, not a book. These are often the fastest points on the exam.
3. Look it up. A specific value, requirement or procedure in one listed reference. These are what the books are for.

The more questions you move from pile 3 into piles 1 and 2 during study, the more time you have for the true lookups. That is the preparation the title means.

What the books can and cannot carry

From the bulletin:

• You may highlight, underline and index your books.
• You may not write in them, and they may not contain extra papers, loose or attached.
• Only permanent tabs. Post-it notes are not allowed and must come out before the exam starts.
• The test center supplies no references. You bring your own. A diagram and blueprint packet is handed out on site.

So you cannot bring a formula sheet, a page of index terms or notes in the margin. Whatever does not fit in a tab, a highlight or your head stays at home. That pushes formulas and common terms into memory and leaves the books for real lookups.

Build lookup speed on purpose

1. Tab the finders. In each book, tab the table of contents and the index first. Most lookups start there.
2. Color by subject area. Match tab colors to the twelve areas in the exam outline so the right book is obvious at a glance.
3. Learn each index's words. Books index the same idea under different terms. When a lookup is slow, note the term that would have found it, and use it next time.
4. Time every lookup in practice. Start a timer when you open the book and stop it when you find the answer. Over a few weeks, the slow books show up in your times.
5. Add tabs where practice says, not where you guess. A few tabs per chapter you can read at speed beat dozens you cannot.

The reference books guide lists all 24 titles, their editions and a tabbing plan.

Editions are part of preparation

For code questions the exam uses only the code editions the bulletin lists (for example, IBC 2021 or 2024 and ACI 318-14 or 318-19). For other references you may use earlier or later editions, but the bulletin says that is at your own risk, and a conflict in answers is not grounds for appeal. Buy the listed editions where you can, and know which ones you have.

Label your misses

After every practice set, mark each miss:

• Did not know it: study the idea until it moves to pile 1.
• Could not find it: add a tab or learn the index term.
• Found it, misread it: slow down on the stem and the table you read from.

A pile of "could not find it" misses is good news. It is the fastest kind to fix.

On the day

Answer pile 1 and pile 2 questions on your first pass. Flag a lookup that will take more than about three minutes and come back to it. You can return to any question and change an answer while time remains.

Test your lookups

Take the free 10-question check with a timer running and your books open. It needs no signup and explains every answer, so you can label each miss. For timed practice exams in the 330-minute format and a lesson for each area that shows which listed reference to open, see the plans.

Sources

• PSI Candidate Information Bulletin 1458, exam format, reference rules and editions, updated 7 Jul 2026. Retrieved 5 Nov 2026.

FAQ

Is the NASCLA exam open book?

Yes. You bring your own copies of the listed references. The test center supplies none, and it hands out a diagram and blueprint packet on site.

Can I bring a formula sheet?

No. Books may not contain extra papers, loose or attached, and you may not write in them. Learn the formulas.

Can I use sticky notes as tabs?

No. Only permanent tabs are allowed. Post-it notes must be removed before the exam begins.