This document discusses test anxiety, its causes, and strategies to manage it. It defines test anxiety as excessive stress that hinders test performance. Common sources of test anxiety include feeling underprepared, past poor performance, fear of failure, and weak test-taking skills. The document recommends strategies like ongoing review, positive self-talk, relaxation techniques, and active engagement to help students manage their test anxiety before and during exams.

1. Test Anxiety
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
testing

2. What is Test Anxiety?
 Test anxiety is excessive stress that hinders a
person’s ability to perform well before and/or
during a test.
 Test anxiety can exhibit its presence in physical,
emotional, cognitive, and behavioral forms.

3. Sources of Test Anxiety:
1. Under-preparedness
“I am nervous about this test because I did not have
enough time to study or review.”
2. Past Experiences
“I did not do well on the last test, so this probably will not
be any different.”
3. Fear of Failure
“I am so worried that my grades will disappoint my
parents.”
4. Poor test-taking skills
“I have never been a good test-taker and I don’t know how
to take tests or answer different kinds of questions.”

4. Strategies to use Before a Test:
 Set learning goals  Improve motivation
 Use ongoing review  Make summary notes
 Recognize your  Predict test questions
strengths  Use effective study
 Use Look-Away strategies
Techniques (like  Use positive self-talk
Cornell Notes)  Recite and use
 Mentally rehearse feedback from others
 Use schedules  Create plans of action
 Use affirmations  Review with a partner.

5. Strategies to use During a Test:
 If you go blank and are unable to recall the needed
information use a quick relaxation technique to calm yourself,
use positive self-talk, and go into retrieval mode. Do not stay
stuck on the question.
 If your eyes start jumping from the printed line or skip over
words when you read, use your arm, a blank index card, or
blank piece of paper to block off the rest of the test and use
your pencil to point to each word as you read.
 If you notice yourself making excessive careless mistakes in
selecting the correct answer, slow down, activate your
auditory channel for memory by mouthing or quietly
whispering the words as you read, highlight key words, and
check to ensure your answer relates to the key words.
 If your mind shifts away from the test and your concentration
begins fading quickly, become more active and interactive
with the test by circling directions and highlighting key words,
and use positive self-talk and force yourself to keep your eyes
on the test.

6. Sources:
 Szarlan, John, Suman Singha, and Scott Brown.
Striving For Excellence: A Manual for Goal
Achievement. Boston: Pearson, 2011. Print.
 Wong, Linda. Essential Study Skills. 6th ed. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.
 www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm