<p>you can’t consider writing a note on the desk cheating as long as it is done after the test is handed out. On several occasions I have memorized equations out of the book until they tell me to put it away and begin the test, then I write everything I can remember down onto the first or second page of the test, this is not cheating.</p>
<p>I have seen people write notes on the back of a water bottle wrapper and tape it back on.</p>