Beyond Memorisation: Reclaiming the Authority of the Book through Open-Book Examinations in Doctoral Discourse Analysis Education within the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies

Abstract

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), digitally mediated learning environments, and accelerated access to information has reshaped how postgraduate students read, prepare for examinations, and engage with academic knowledge. In doctoral education, these changes raise a critical pedagogical question: how can assessment sustain deep scholarly reading when students increasingly rely on summaries, searchable notes, automated explanations, and AI‑assisted shortcuts? This study explores the role of open‑book examinations in doctoral Discourse Analysis education at the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies, Janzour. It argues that in theory‑intensive disciplines, conventional closed‑book examinations often privilege rote recall and the reproduction of terminology, creating a mismatch with the interpretive and contextual reasoning required in Discourse Analysis. Using a qualitative interpretive design, the study integrates autoethnographic reflection with netnographic engagement. Data were drawn from the researcher’s doctoral experience (2025–2026) and academic discussions among Libyan lecturers and postgraduate researchers. Thematic analysis identified recurring concerns including cognitive overload, examination anxiety, AI‑mediated study strategies, text‑complexity anxiety, perceptions of fairness, and the authenticity of research‑oriented evaluation. Findings indicate that open‑book examinations, when carefully designed, are not easier alternatives but rigorous pedagogical models. They encourage sustained engagement with primary sources, reduce reliance on memorisation, and assess higher‑order analytical competence. Effective implementation requires transparent rubrics, clear resource boundaries, appropriate text selection, and alignment between learning outcomes and assessment criteria. By situating the debate within a Libyan doctoral context, this paper contributes to global discussions on assessment reform, doctoral pedagogy, and the future of scholarly reading in the AI era. Open‑book assessment is positioned as a post‑memorisation practice that supports independent interpretive expertise while maintaining academic rigour.