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Reducing Test Anxiety
A little anxiety about a
test is a good thing. It's energizing and makes us focus.
But having a lot of anxiety can be paralyzing. The graph below
indicates the very predictable relationship between level of anxiety and
recall of information on a test.
 The
graph illustrates that having very little or no anxiety usually results
in very poor test performance, probably because we are indifferent and
careless. As nervousness about the test increases, performance
also improves--up to a point. But having more anxiety than a
moderate amount negatively affects test performance. That is, as
anxiety continues to go
up, performance declines.
How can we keep enough
anxiety to give us energy, but not so much that we can't focus?
PLAN
- Plan
what you will need to study.
- Plan
when you will study.
- Plan
to study the material over several days.
STUDY
- Study
in a well lit area at the same time each day.
- Study
in an area free from distraction.
- Study
extra sources if possible to enhance your
understanding
DON'T
- Don't
over-study. Take a break from studying, watch
a movie, take a walk, etc.
- Don't
study up to the last minute. You will stress
yourself and confuse yourself if you try to
cram a lot of information into a small amount
of time.
- Don't
wait until the day before the test to ask for
help from your instructor or tutor. If you
are confused about a concept, ask for help
right away.
- Don't
rush through the test. You may skip a step or
skip a question.
DO
- Do get
enough sleep.
- Eat
a starch, a fruit, and not too much sugar
before an exam, according to nutritionists.
- Do get to the test site early.
- Do
bring extra pencils or pens.
- Do
have a backup calculator or backup batteries.
- Do
bring a watch to keep track of how much time
you have and to pace yourself.
- Take
a deep breath.
- Take
your time and pace yourself.
- Work
methodically through the test by answering
all the questions you are sure of first,
then going back to the others in the time that
you have left.
- Make
sure that you have an answer for each
question.
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