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Test Anxiety
Most students experience some level of anxiety during an exam. This is healthy. Some level of heightened awareness causes us to perform better. However, if anxiety begins to affect exam performance, it has become a problem.
What Causes Test Anxiety
The number one cause of test anxiety is incomplete preparation, as indicated by:
- Cramming the night before the exam, or failure to “distribute preview time."
- Failure to organize text information so it feels like you have to remember 600 unrelated facts.
- Failure to follow the “24-hour review” principle, so it seems like you are re-learning a semester’s worth of material.
Worrying about the following:
- How much time is left.
- Past performance on exams.
- How friends and other students are doing.
- The negative consequences of failure.
Physical Signs of Test Anxiety
During an exam, as in any stressful situations, a student may experience any of the following bodily changes:
- Perspiration
- Sweaty palms
- Headache
- Upset stomach
- Rapid heart beat
- Tense muscles
Effects of Test Anxiety
Nervousness:
- Having difficulty reading and understanding the questions on the exam paper.
- Having difficulty organizing your thoughts.
- Having difficulty retrieving key words and concepts when answering essay questions.
- Doing poorly on an exam even though you know the material.
Mental Blocking:
- Going blank on questions.
- Remembering the correct answers as soon as the exam is over.
How to Reduce Test Anxiety
Study and know the material well enough so that you can recall it even if you are under stress. Learn and practice good time management and avoid:
- Laziness
- Procrastination
- Day dreaming
Build confidence by studying throughout the semester and avoid cramming the night before the exam. Learn to concentrate on the material you are studying by:
- Generating questions from your textbooks and lecture notes.
- Focusing on key words, concepts and examples in your textbooks and lecture notes.
- Making charts and outlines which organize the information in your notes and textbooks.
- Use relaxation techniques, for example, taking long deep breaths to relax the body and reduce stress.
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