Which testing accommodation reduces cognitive load by allowing students to use reference materials during the test?

• A. Open-book test
• B. Shorter duration
• C. Group testing
• D. No calculators

Answer: (A)

Allowing reference materials during a test lowers cognitive load by reducing the amount of information a student must hold in working memory. When you can consult notes, textbooks, or other allowed resources, you can focus your mental effort on understanding, applying concepts, and solving problems rather than trying to memorize every fact or formula. This open-book approach supports tasks that involve applying knowledge to new situations, analyzing information, and verifying details as you work through answers. The other options don’t directly reduce memory demands: a shorter duration can lessen time pressure but doesn’t change the amount of information you need to retain; group testing introduces social and coordination factors; and not allowing calculators can increase cognitive load during computations.