Writing Center ECHO: Test Taking Without Fear!
(405) 682-1611 Ext. 7379
7777 South May Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
An educational resource of Division of Arts, English, and Humanities
ECHO: Test Taking Without Fear!
Most of us don't enjoy taking tests, but by keeping up with reading assignments, noting important facts, and keeping good notes, students can learn how to take the anxiety out of test day.
Fear
is natural. We all react with
fear
in the face of danger, and to many, test taking presents potential danger.
Tests
are important measures of our learning and usually compose a high percentage of our final grade in a class; therefore, it is normal to feel some anxiety about test-taking.
Excessive anxiety
, however, or
irrational fear
can be crippling and make matters even worse.
It is possible to avoid this type of fear and anxiety by following a simple set of guidelines:
-
Start practicing good study habits with the first day of class.
-
Keep up
with all reading assignments and
make notes
of important facts. - Maintain good class notes and
highlight points
that your teacher emphasizes. -
Never throw away
returned quizzes, worksheets or themes; these are
good study sources.
-
-
Be well-prepared.
-
Find out
from your teacher what
type of test
will be given. (i.e. essay, fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, etc.) - If you're taking an
aptitude
or
achievement test,find out:-
when
and
where
the test will be -
whether or not you might be penalized for guessing at an answer
- some tests do deduct points, and it may be best to leave a blank if you don't know the answer.
-
-
-
Be organized.
- Plan to
arrive
at a test a few minutes
early
to get settled and glance back over your notes. -
Have all
the necessary
supplies
permitted by your teacher ready
beforehand
. (i.e. pens, scratch paper, calculators, etc.)
- Plan to
-
Pay attention to the situation.
-
Listen to the instructions
given by your teacher and to those found on the test. Students often make needless mistakes because they haven't
read instructions carefully
. -
time you will have so you can
budget
it
effectively. -
Read
the
instructions
on your test
before starting
. -
Skip
questions that you
can't answer
.
Return
to them
later. -
Concentrate
on your test and
avoid time-wasters
such as looking up at the teacher, checking the progress of classmates, and watching the clock.
-
- Check over your test before turning it in.
-
Keep a file of all of your tests.
-
Don't ever throw a test away
once it has been graded and returned. -
Old tests are good study aids
and analyzing them will help you develop better test-taking strategies.
-
-
Keep a positive outlook.
- Know that
you are in control
of your study habits, and therefore,
you are in control
of your test-taking. - See tests as opportunities to
prove yourself
and your abilities. - Lastly, if you do well on a test,
give yourself credit
and know that you have the ability to perform well again.
- Know that