Consider the following suggestions to help decrease test anxiety and improve test performance. Remember, everyone is different and all suggestions won’t apply. However, picking up a couple of tips could make a difference.
Some anxiety is normal and productive. It alerts, prepares, and motivates. Too much can be a problem. To reduce anxiety it is helpful to understand sources of test anxiety. Do any of the following apply to you?
A. Fear of the Unknown:
1. How difficult will the test be?
2. What material will be covered?
3. What types of questions will be asked?
B. Performance Concerns:
1. Self esteem becomes dependent on high grades.
2. Feelings about yourself become associated with how well you do.
C. Unrealistic Grade Expectations:
- You made straight A’s in high school with minimal effort, you expect the same in college.
D. Unrealistic Fears/Irrational Beliefs About Tests:
1. Instructors purposely write difficult test to show students what they
don’t know.
2. A question will be asked that I can’t answer and I will fall apart.
3. If I do not do well on this exam, I am a worthless person.
4. If I fail this test, my college career is over.
5. If I don’t get an A, my family and friends will lose respect for me.
E. Grades Come To Represent Something Else:
1. Parents’ approval.
2. Increased self-worth.
3. Admiration of friends.
4. Out-shining a brother or sister.
F. Self-Defeating Thinking:
1. People susceptible to test anxiety often react in extremes and think in black and white, all or none terms.
- “If I don’t get an ‘A’, I’m a failure.”
- “I’m brilliant or inadequate: there’s nothing in between.”
2. They may “catastrophize” problems - make mountains out of molehills.
- “I don’t understand the 1st problem, I won’t understand the rest.”
3. Engage in negative self-talk.
- “I’ll never be able to do it.”
- “I’ll blow this for sure.”
4. Perceive results through negative filters.
- “I got 5 A’s and a B. Boy, I sure messed up with that B!”
G. Ritual Nature of Examination Process:
1. An exam is type of ritual.
a. Happen at a certain time.
b. Follow a certain protocol.
- Blue books.
- No talking.
- No looking at another’s answers.
2. All rituals provoke deep, and universal feelings.
- Weddings, Funerals, Graduation.
3. Exams are no different.
| HINT: Rituals and routines can also offer a sense of calm or security if you recognize your own routine and fit test preparation into your ongoing lifestyle: |
1. Don’t change your routine just before the test.
2. Get enough sleep the night before the test.
- Avoid all-nighters!
3. Dress in manner that makes you feel comfortable.
- Jeans.
- Your favorite outfit.
4. Bring your books and notes to the class if it makes you feel better.
5. Don’t forget to leave time for recreation amidst all the studying!
6. Make sure you eat good food; don’t rely on coffee or junk food for
fuel.
A. BEFORE THE TEST:
1. Prepare well in advance.
a. Effective preparation begins early in the semester. Take
advantage of the calm before the storm.
b. Establish good study habits.
- Manage your time efficiently.
- Use a time schedule. (see Appendix I)
- Attend class regularly.
- Keep up with day-to-day homework and reading.
- Review class notes on the day they are taken.
c. The satisfaction of “good grades” on the first few quizzes builds confidence and is an excellent motivator.
2. Get help if you need it.
a. Talk with your instructors regarding extra assistance.
b. Tutoring is available at the Tutoring Center 018 LRC, or call
X3568.
3. Plan ahead.
a. Begin test preparation two weeks before the actual exam.
b. The night before is not the time to start!
4. Think about potential questions as a review.
For essay exams, practice writing answers to gain increased comfort and skill.
5. Look at previous exams if they are available.
a. Old tests make great study guides.
b. Check with instructor, library, bookstore, friends who’ve taken
the course.
6. Know the time and place of the test, and what supplies you’ll need.
a. Fear of the unknown provokes anxiety:
- Know the types of test questions (true/false, multiple choice, or essay).
b. Ask the instructor what material will be covered. Remember, most instructors want you to do well.
7. Avoid last minute cramming. It increases your anxiety and stress
level.
8. If you must cram - be selective!
a. Don’t try to learn everything.
b. It’s better to know some things well than many things vaguely.
9. Don’t go without sleep the night before.
a. Lack of sleep reduces mental efficiency. Even 4-5 hours is better
than nothing.
b. If you are tired you won’t retain the information you study.
c. If you find yourself pulling all-nighters, seriously examine your
study tactics.
10. Avoid scheduling major events around the same time as your exam. Don’t place yourself under any more pressure than necessary.
| Key: Anything you can do to decrease your general stress level will help reduce test anxiety. |
B. ON TEST DAY:
1. Stop studying an hour or so before the test.
a. Relax and compose yourself.
b. Take a short walk, tidy up your room, talk with a friend.
2. Avoid Caffeine if you are prone to “jitters.”
3. Wear a watch to keep track of your time.
4. If it’s a new room, scout it out ahead of time. That way location is
one less thing to be anxious about.
5. Be neither too early nor too late.
a. Rushing to class at the last minute is a sure way to increase
your anxiety.
b. Arrive early enough to get a seat away from possible
distractions.
c. But avoid arriving so early that you give yourself time to worry
and fret about the exam.
6. Make sure you have any supplies you may need, such as a calculator or
extra pencils.
7. Consider where you sit.
- When you choose your seating, your goal should be to be able to concentrate on the exam and to decrease the potential for distractions such as people walking past you to hand in their exam, talking in the hallway, etc.
8. Don’t stir yourself up - Anxiety is infectious.
a. Talking with classmates about the test immediately beforehand may
foster anxiety.
b. Comparing notes, quizzing each other, or last minute review may
induce panic if you encounter something that you can’t answer or
confuses you.
9. Don’t let negative thinking do you in.
a. Stress-building thoughts:
- “If I blow this exam my parents will disown me!”
- “If I panic, I’m done for!”
b. Don’t put your whole future on the line with a single test. It is
unlikely that one test will “make or break” your college career.
c. Utilize positive self-talk.
- “I’m going to do well, I’ve studied hard!”
- “I’m ready - I can do it!”
d. Learn and practice relaxation techniques.
- Progressive muscle relaxation.
- Isometrics
- Deep breathing
e. Utilize positive visualization, instead of imagining possible negative consequences; picture what you would like to happen.
- Visualize answering all the answers, feeling good, getting a high grade.
f. Avoid viewing a test as a trap, but rather as an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned.
Suggestion: Sit near the front of class.
|
C. WHEN THE TEST IS IN YOUR HANDS.
1. Plan your approach.
a. Review the entire test.
b. Read the directions twice.
2. Scan for length and type of questions. Notice point values for each
question or section.
3. Budget your time.
4. Your goal is to rack up as many points as possible. Don’t get caught
spending the majority of your time on questions with the smallest point
value.
5. Consider doing the easier sections first to build confidence and
momentum.
6. Answer all questions unless there is a penalty for guessing.
7. Don’t spend too much time on the hard ones; circle and come back
later.
8. If you have questions about the directions, procedures, etc., don’t
hesitate to ask for clarification from the instructor.
- Don’t’ let anxiety build because you aren’t sure what you are expected to do.
9. If you need to remember a tough chart or diagram, study it last and
jot it down in the test booklet as soon as you receive it.
10. Don’t panic if you forget something.
a. Regard lapses of memory as perfectly normal and don’t let them
throw you.
b. The answer may come to you as you’re working on another question.
11. Have a strategy to regain control if you panic.
a. Identify scenarios that may trigger your anxiety (e.g. the
unexpected question, students finishing before you, mind goes
blank).
b. Determine what will help you calm down.
- Substitute positive self-talk for catastrophic thinking.
- Use positive visualizations.
- Practice relaxation procedures: pause, lay your exam aside,
and take several deep breaths; concentrate on your breathing.
c. Talk to other students about how they deal with test anxiety.
| Don’t try to get rid of anxiety, just manage it! |
12. Pay attention to the test, not other people.
a. Don’t waste time doubting yourself, or wondering how others are
doing.
b. Don’t’ get down on yourself if you don’t know the answer.
c. Don’t concern yourself with what you should have done, only what
you can do now.
d. Don’t expect to know all the answers.
e. Work at your own pace - don't worry if others finish before you.
f. Take your time.
- There is no prize for finishing quickly.
- Consider staying until the very end - the instructor may
clarify a question as an after thought.
Doing well on exams requires:
1. Sound preparation
2. Knowledge of effective test-taking skills.
A. PREPARATION.
1. The best way to do well on an exam is to be well prepared.
2. No amount of test-taking skills will compensate for lack of knowledge
due to poor preparation.
3. Don’t’ use test anxiety as an excuse for not being prepared. You may
overlook a chance to improve your study habits and increase your
knowledge base.
B. TEST TAKING SKILLS: OBJECTIVE TESTS
1. General Suggestions:
a. Read directions carefully - listen for any oral directions or
corrections.
b. Concentrate on racking up points.
(1) Answer all questions, but don’t spend too much time on the
hard ones.
(2) Going on to easier questions and getting correct answers
builds confidence and positive momentum.
(3) There may be information later in the test which may jog
your memory and help with questions you aren’t sure about.
c. Read each question carefully. Don’t’ jump ahead because you think
you know what the instructor wants. Read it completely to be sure.
Read them twice.
d. Accept the questions at face value. Don’t read anything into or
out of them.
e. Give full attention to each question. Don’t worry about one
question while trying to answer another.
2. Multiple Choice Questions
a. Read the stem of the question and underline key words (if you can
write on the test). This helps you focus on what is being asked.
b. Use the process of elimination.
(1) Read alternatives carefully.
(2) Eliminate obviously wrong answers by crossing them out.
(3) Decide which answer seems best based on what you know.
c. If you are not comfortable with a question, circle it and come back later.
(1) Be sure to mark an answer - you may hot have time to get back to it.
- An intuitive guess is better than random choice.
(2) Review your answers if you have time, but don’t change them unless:
(a) You gained more information, read the question wrong, or
have really strong feelings about it.
(b) Research suggest that 2/3 of the time, your first guess is
right.
(c) Consider times in the past when you changed an answer. Has
it been a good decision?
3. When You Have No Clue: To Improve your Odds
Don’t panic if you encounter questions for which you simply don't know
the answer. Consider the following tips to increase your odds.
a. Use your intuition or gut feeling.
- Intuition contains pre-conscious, un-integrated information that is often helpful.
b. Don’t pick an answer you’ve never heard of assuming you’ve studied and have some familiarity with the material.
- Test writing isn’t easy. The test writer may have created test answer alternatives using irrelevant material.
c. Use grammatical clues.
(1) Correct answers are usually grammatically correct.
(2) If the stem and alternative do not form a grammatically
correct statement, the alternative is usually wrong.
d. Alternatives that include absolutes such as “always,” “never,” or
“every” are often wrong. Very few situations are absolute.
e. Alternates that include qualifiers such as “typically,” “often,” or
“rarely” leave room for exceptions and may indicate a correct answer.
f. If two alternatives are exactly the same except for one word, one of
the two is often correct.
g. If two alternatives are correct, and another choice is “all of the
above,” “all of the above” is the often the right answer.
h. “None of the above” is most often wrong.
i. If two answers are opposites, one is often right.
j. Avoid pairs - if question #28 is B, don’t guess B on #’s 27 or 29.
k. If you have no idea and must guess, choose a letter (e.g. B or C) and
use it consistently for all questions you must guess on.
|
- These suggestions are not fool proof. - They are not substitutes for effective preparation. |
4. Matching Questions
a. Read through the entire list first, so you know all the
possibilities.
b. Use the process of elimination to match the alternatives.
c. Mark the items off as you use them unless the directions state that
they may be used more than once.
d. If you are not certain about a match, leave it blank and continue
down the list - return later.
5. True/False Questions
a. Look for absolutes, such as “all,” “never,” or “always.” Questions
that contain these words are usually false, since very few things can
meet the requirements posed by such words.
b. If you are stumped, consider marking “true.” Instructors generally
would rather leave true statements in your mind than false ones.
c. Be suspicious of longer statements. They must be 100% true - the more
words, the greater chance it has of being false.
6. Fill In - The Blank
a. Never leave a question blank.
b. Use your best guess.
c. Even if not completely correct, you may get partial credit.
C. TEST TAKING SKILLS: ESSAY EXAMS
1. A good essay answer shows that you:
a. Understand the question.
b. Know relevant material.
c. Can present it in an organized manner.
2. Jot down any difficult information you have memorized (e.g. charts,
diagrams) on the back or inside cover of the test booklet.
3. Read over the entire test to decide which questions are easiest to
answer. Do these first.
4. Look carefully for any choices the exam may allow. For example, answer 2
out of 3.
5. Pace yourself.
a. Decide how long you plan to work on each question according to
relative difficulty and importance.
b. Make an effort to stick to it.
6. Before you answer a question , think about exactly what you are being asked to do.
a. Don’t’ answer the wrong question (e.g. don’t critique a position when
asked for a summary).
b. Underline key words as you read the question. This helps you focus.
7. Make a brief outline for your answer.
a. Jot down key words and ideas in the margin to help organize your
thoughts.
b. List points you want to make.
8. Make the important points in your answer stand out.
a. Underline key concepts; start a new paragraph when introducing a new
point.
b. Make it easy for the instructor to see that you know the material.
9. Activity reduces anxiety. If you go blank and can’t think of anything to
write, try jotting down anything you can recall on a piece of scratch paper
to stimulate your memory and get your mind working.
10. If you find yourself running out of time, jot down a response in the
form of a brief outline that covers the main points - you may earn partial
credit.
11. If you have a time constraint leave off the introduction (e.g. “This is
indeed a crucial question.)
12. Get to the point.
a. Essay exams are written, and often read, in a hurry.
b. Be concise. Avoid excessive wordiness/ longwinded introductions.
c. Your opening statement should restate the question and begin to
provide the answer.
13. End your answer with a summary that ties your main points together. 14. When your are finished, reread your answer.
- Check for punctuation, spelling, and to make sure you have covered the main points.
1. Keep your writing neat.
a. Research asking instructors to grade papers which were identical except for handwriting found that those with neat handwriting received one letter grade higher.
- If it looks good, it will trigger a positive initial response.
b. Use ink - it’s less messy.
c. Write on one side of the paper only.
d. Leave plenty of space in case you decide to add to it later.
e. Avoid careless errors in spelling and grammar.
(1) Will undermine instructor’s sense of your basic academic
ability.
(2) May lead to a “negative halo” effect, whereby the content of the
paper will be discounted.
2. Unless it is specifically asked for, avoid personal opinions.
- The purpose of an exam is to demonstrate what you’ve learned, not what you believe.
3. If you are having difficulty with a question, show what knowledge you can.
- If the proper terminology escapes you, put it into your own words.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
|
D. AFTER THE EXAM
1. Reward yourself:
Take in a movie or have dinner with some friends.
The more you keep your stress level down overall, the more effective
test taker you will become.
2. Review the exam when it is returned to you.
a. Learn what the instructor feels is important.
b. Learn where questions come from (i.e. text, lecture, discussion).
c. Often half the battle is becoming acquainted with structure and type
of test questions.
- Test scores often improve on later tests.
d. Learn what types of mistakes you typically make. (e.g. changing answers)
3. Always do the extra credit work.
a. Make it a habit to complete extra credit projects.
b. It may be the difference between an “A” and a “B”.
E. FURTHER ASSISTANCE - if these suggestion do not help, or if you have difficulty following through with these improvement strategies, one-on-one counseling may be the best approach.
1. It is possible that your difficulties may be caused by personal conflict.
You only have so much psychic energy, and if it is tied up in worrying about
your problems, it is difficult to concentrate on academics.
2. The UWSP Counseling Center is available for consultation on such
concerns.
Call 346-3553 to set up an appointment.
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Brown, W. (1993). Student's Guide to Effective Study (2nd Ed.). Iowa City: ACT.
Brown, W. & Holtzman, W. (1987). A Guide to College Survival. Iowa City: ACT.
Fry, R. (1994). How to Study (3rd Ed.). NJ: Career Press.
Get the Most our of College (1991). Association of American Publishers, Inc. NY.
Gibson, S. & Gibson, J. (1993). Making A's in College. Atlanta: Workbooks Press.
Pauk, W. (1993). How to Study in College. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.