Test Anxiety

Many people suffer from text anxiety, sometimes without being aware that text anxiety is why they feel so uncomfortable. Test anxiety has both physical and psychological symptoms. These symptoms can include

For help with handling stress and anxiety, see Handling Stress.

General Tips for Taking Tests

Obstacles to Preparing for Tests

Tips for Objective Tests

True/False

Fill-in-the-blank

Matching

Multiple Choice

"Trick" questions

When students say a question was a "trick question," what they mean is that they did not understand how the detail which the question referred to had anything to do with the question being asked. What that means is that the student has memorized something without understanding what it has to do with the topic. If a question simply requires the student to recall a fact or detail, the student can do that, but if the question requires the student to think--to apply the fact to a situation or to explain its connection to other details of the course--the student doesn't know how to answer. The solution is to study all details in the context of the main ideas of the chapter. Students must constantly ask, "Why is this important? What does it have to do with this subject? How do all these details fit together?"

Sometimes a student may identify a question as a "trick" question because they did not read it carefully enough to notice any qualifiers or other changes in the question from what was presented in the textbook or in the course. Always read test questions carefully.

Tips for Essay Tests

The biggest problem that people have with essay questions on exams is that they do not read the questions carefully. If the question says, "Define and give examples," students may define but not give the examples. Learn to read directions carefully before beginning. As Paul Bubar, a youth counsellor has said, "If you fly by the seat of your pants, you'll get them ripped."

For more tips on taking an essay exam, see the section on Timed Writing in the Writing Process section of this web site.

Additional Resources

Emerson, Mary Sharp. "14 Tips for Test Taking Success." Harvard Summer School. 29 Spe. 2022. 14 Nov. 2024. <https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/14-tips-for-test-taking-success/>.

"Test-Taking Strategies." James Madison University: Learning Success Strategies. 14 Nov. 2024. <https://www.jmu.edu/studentaffairs/departments/deanofstudents/learning-success-strategies/strategies/test-taking.shtml>.

"Test Taking Tips." Utah State University: Academic Support. Adapted from Ellis, Dave. Master Student, 11th ed. 12 Nov. 2024. <https://www.usu.edu/academic-support/files/TestTakingTips.pdf>.