11 Proven strategies to Ace your NEBOSH Open Book Exam

NEBOSH International or National General Certificate is a highly prestigious and globally recognized qualification in the field of Health and Safety. With the transition from Closed Book to Open Book Exam (OBE), many learners mistakenly believe that the exam is very easy. But in reality, success in a NEBOSH OBE demands discipline, preparation and requirement of a sound strategy. Now to help you navigate the process, here are 11 essential strategies which can help you to maximize your chances of success.

Strategy 1: Use your tutor for evaluating your Mock Exams

You don’t have to wait until the final exam to discover the gaps in your understanding. So, the best way to do that is by submitting a mock exam paper to your tutor for evaluation and feedback. Many course provider do have this facility to evaluate your paper and most of the times from a real NEBOSH examiner. By doing a mock exam it will help you identify your gaps, writing style, how to improve scenario referencing, how to proper referencing as well as how to avoid the common pitfalls of poor technique.

Strategy 2: There are not Shortcuts

NEBOSH General certificate recommends a total of 112 hours of notional learning. One important matter to be always remembered is passing is not just about last minute cramming or relying on model answers. It’s all about your genuine effort, understanding of the principles, and being able to apply them to the workplace scenarios. You to accept that there is no substitute for hardwork and consistent preparation.

Strategy 3: Check your NEBOSH Login Details

Last minute technical problems can always cause unnecessary stress. So the best way to avoid this is before the exam day itself, I would say 3 – 4 days before the exam day, make sure your NEBOSH login credentials work. NEBOSH usually sends login credentials to all learners at least 7 days before the exam date. Log into the exam portal ahead of time. A simple password issue on the day could result in wasting your entire efforts and worse to worse missing your chance to attend the exam.

Strategy 4: Book the whole day off

NEBOSH suggests a 4-hour commitment for the General Certificate OBE. But in my opinion 6-8 hours of carefully planned strategy is required to write a good paper. You need to consider the time required for proof reading also. The exam opens at 11 AM UK time and closes the next day at 11 AM, giving you ample 24 hours. So, book the day off from work and avoid all distractions. You can use the next morning for a final polish.

Strategy 5: Use a PDF course guide

When attempting your exam searching through hard copy book can be time consuming. So use a pdf version of your study guide given by your course provider so that you can search the required information much easier. Using Ctrl+F function you can easily search for key topics as well as any other requirements. This will help you to improve your writing as well as depth of your answers.

Strategy 6: Take a printout of your question paper

Taking a printout of the question paper and highlighting the keywords, marking up the scenarios will help you to structure your answer. This kind of physical interaction with your question paper will your mental organization and reduce the chance of missing any crucial details in the scenario.

Strategy 7: Ensure you save your work regularly

Technology can fail sometimes. Don’t forget to save your answers regularly. Do not completely fall in for auto save. It’s also a good option to back up your data on a secondary storage device or to any cloud storage if possible.

Strategy 8: Don’t delete anything

On your answer sheet if you are unsure about a section you don’t need to delete it. Examiners will only mark what’s visible. Instead try to edit and refine the same. The word count for General certificate is 3000 words (+10%). So, focus on giving a clear report rather than going for trimming.

Strategy 9: Take regular breaks during your exam

It is very important to avoid fatigue. Taking regular breaks to stretch, hydrate during the exam is very important to keep your mind fresh and energetic. A refreshed mind always writes better answers and avoids repetition. It’s a good option to plan your breaks preferably between every answer that you attempt.

Strategy 10: Sleep on it before submitting

It is not necessary that you have to submit the exam on the same day of release. Even if you have completed your paper on the first day itself wait till the next day to give a final look with fresh eyes. There are chances that you might remember some important points or any spot inconsistencies. This final check can really help you to fine tune your final report before submission.

Strategy 11: Maintain professional integrity

This is a very crucial point. NEBOSH is very strict when it comes to malpractice. Even though this is an open book examination every response that you give should be your own work. You should never use the help of proxy writers, copying online content or even working in groups. Any violations spotted by NEBOSH or your course provider can lead to void of your answer sheet as well as permanent ban in writing any NEBOSH exams.

Conclusion

Even though NEBOSH open book exam gives you flexibility, it still demands effort, clear strategy as well as a professional approach. By following these 11 strategies there are strong chances that you can succeed in your exam. From Green World Group we wish you all the best.

Author of this Blog