First Year Students

Ten ways to lessen test anxiety

  • Talk to yourself in a positive manner. “If I study, I can learn and understand the material.” 
  • Do NOT allow grades to determine your self-worth.
  • Ask your instructor WHAT material the test will cover and WHAT kind of test it will be.
  • Develop active study strategies and THEN USE THEM.
  • Be prompt for the test (5 to 10 minutes early).
  • Survey the test to plan you test strategy (time, point values, etc.).
  •  Read all the directions and questions carefully. Focus on the test, not yourself.
  • Use other test questions to “jog” your memory.
  • Do not worry if other students finish early. Assume that those students do not know much. Take the entire time allotted for the test.
  • Re-evaluate your test-taking strategies. What did you know? What should you have known? Where did the test questions come from--- textbook, class notes, combination of both? Ask your instructors for suggestions on improving your strategies for their courses.

How to actively study for a test

    • Understand the test format. The test will be objective, essay, short answer or a combination? The test will cover---one chapter, several chapters, entire semester?
    • Survey the chapters and class notes: How are they related? What are the key erms? What are the main topics?
    • Review your active strategies---webbing, term notes, note cards, outline, chart, margin notes---that you made up while reading your homework. If the material is difficult, make up a new active strategy.
    • Take a short break from your studying every 1 to 2 hours.
    • Predict test questions/topics based on your "active" studying, instructor's comments and lectures, previous tests, class notes, textbook, and classmates' opinions.
    • Write one of your predicted test questions/topics on a blank page. Then write down everything that you know about this question/topic. Look back at your notes, etc. to determine what you forgot. Try again. ("Face a blank page")
    • Review your work at least 4 to 5 times over several days/hours. Review time can be short fifteen-minute segments.
    • Survey the test when you first receive it---look at the short answer and/or essay questions. With instructor’s permission, jot down some ideas related to these questions. Then answer the rest of the test questions keeping these short answer and/or essay questions in mind. If another question jogs your memory, add this info to your original thoughts. Use the test to help you answer questions!
    • Watch your time! Look at the total number of questions and decide what the half way point should be in your test. Half way through the time period, check to see if you are half way done with the test. If yes, continue at your same pace; if no, go faster.
    • Keep your mind on your test, not on yourself. Think! Problem-solve

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