Alexia Harris

12/8/15
EDU-1020-020-F15

How to Prepare for a Test

Preparing for tests can be a scary thing. Where do you begin to

prepare? How can one retain all of that information? Throughout this
semester I have learned concrete ways of how to prepare for tests. Why is
that we take test and what are they? Tests are a way to measure a persons
knowledge on a certain subject. It is a way for teachers to know if students
are progressing and retaining the material being taught to them. Many
students feel fear when they are told that they are taking a test because
they do not want to fail. When students are anxious about how theyll do on
an exam, says Sian Beilock, a professor of psychology at the University of
Chicago, their worries use up some of their working memory capacity,
leaving less of this cognitive horsepower to apply to the task at hand. In this
educational class I have learned of ways to overcome my fear and how to
gain the ability to test better.

The first step to overcoming fear of taking tests is to learn how to

control your stress and anxiety before and during the test. Though a little
stress can be good to motivate a student to prepare, too much of it can
cause a student to do poorly. To make sure this does not happen I can follow
the suggested steps to reduce stress that we talk about in class and also
read about in out text. Most important thing I can do to combat stress is to
prepare. Knowing beforehand what is on the test can severely reduce stress
levels. Studying and taking strong notes will help students feel more
prepared on what is coming. Students should not only study but they should
plan out their day around the test so there is no stress or complications on
arriving to testing area.

In a study published last year in the journal Emotion, Dr. Beilock

and four co-authors found that with students anxious about math, the
more stress hormone they produced, the worse they did on a test;
students with low math anxiety did better the more cortisol they
produced. The first group, she said, felt the rising anxiety in their
bodies and reacted by thinking, Im really nervous about this test. Im
afraid Ill fail. They choked. The second group told themselves
something like, Im really psyched up for this test! Im ready to go!
Dr. Beilock recommends consciously adopting positive self-talk.
Remind yourself that damp palms and a pounding heart accompany all

kinds of enjoyable experiences: riding a roller coaster, winning a sports

match, talking to someone you have a crush on.

The second step to taking tests is to effectively study. Memorizing facts

but not connecting them as you go is not the same as learning and
embracing what is being taught. Students are more likely to remember the
material if they are actively learning and discussing. Students must be able
to absorb what is being taught to retain information. The material needs to
be relatable so that it is easier to remember. All though many try this, the
following is not effective studying. Trying to memorize the textbook. Binge
studying or all nighters are no good too. Also reading without understanding
and then being unable to recall what was read. If you have trouble retaining
the information you study by yourself try to form a study group. Study
groups are good to bounce ideas off of each other and it is a new way to
enhance your learning experience. Vania Gillette says this about group
studying:

Study group members may be able to solve a challenging

problem that none would have been able to solve alone. Members of a
study group generally have a common goal: passing exams. The work
each person does affects others in the group, which results in making
members supportive of one another. Studying in a group can also be

motivating. Some people find that discussion increases their

knowledge and understanding. Plus, it can be more fun to study with
others. And if its more enjoyable, you spend more time studying.

Third step is make sure you are taking care of your well-being. Make
sure that you exercise to relieve stress and enhance your energy level. You
will be able to think clearer and be calmer. Practice breathing slowly and
deeply so that will be able to bring your body to a peaceful state during a
test. After some research, the University of St. Andrews that this is the
process to be suggested to students to use to reduce the test anxiety:
1. Take a deep breath; hold it for three seconds
2. exhale audibly all at once and let your head, jaw and shoulders drop
3. breathe easy into your neck, jaw and shoulders and breathe again
into the relaxed state
4. repeat cycle once or twice
5. if you try this in an exam, you will likely want to exhale more quietly so
that you dont disturb the other students
I have tried this process and have found it very helpful for me to calm
my nerves and focus. Also make sure you eat well beforehand so you are not
distracted by hunger or are too tired from stuffing yourself. Get the needed

amount of sleep the night before so that your mind can be awake to work out
problems on the test.
Doing all these things will result in a better testing attitude. Anxiety
will no longer exist and the stress levels will go down to a healthy state.
Students taking tests will be thought of as no problem and looked forward to
with the confidence that studying and calming ones self does to a person. I
can now have a better outlook when I am given a test to prepare for because
I know I will be able to succeed. That is what I have been able to learn this
semesters class.

References
http://www.casact.org/newsletter/index.cfm?
fa=viewart&id=5774

https://www.standrews.ac.uk/students/advice/personal/managingexamstress/

https://www.examtime.com/blog/study-hacks/

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/education/edlife/how-to-bea-better-test-taker.html?_r=0