Taking Examinations
An integral part of our educational system is
taking examinations. While it is acknowl-
edged that they are imperfect measures of an
individual's knowledge or ability, they are
an accepted means of determining academic
progress and thus help to establish a basis
for advancement.
In addition to being a grading tool, exams can
have a positive value in that they can
encourage or motivate the student to achieve.
Doing well on exams can improve one's
self-esteem.
Students sometimes tend to fear exams, being
concerned that they will not perform
well. This can become a self-fulfilling
prophecy, because it can lead to anxiety and this,
in turn, can interfere with one's performance
on the exam. Intense pre-examination anxi-
ety must be avoided (realizing, of course, that
some degree of nervousness is reasonable).
Knowing that you have done everything necessary
to prepare for an exam should
provide you with a sense of self-confidence
that is strong enough to achieve a poten-
tially good performance. Relaxing just before
an exam is therefore very desirable.
Reducing anxiety
A major prerequisite for reducing anxiety is to
get a good night's sleep just prior to the
exam. This should be obtained, if at all
possible, without the use of any sleep-inducing
aids so as to avoid any chance of a hangover
that could interfere with your performance
the next day.
A more active approach that may prove helpful
is to employ one of the common ten-
sion-reducing methods. A common exercise is to
sit down (in a comfortable chair, when
possible), close your eyes, and take deep
breaths. Hold each breath for about five seconds
before exhaling. You should find your tension
diminishing as you proceed with counting
your breaths (approximately 20). Practicing
this exercise will improve the results.
When possible, avoid mingling with other
anxious students just prior to the exam, since
this can have a negative effect on your state
of mind. Waiting just outside the door of the
exam room for the instructor to arrive is not
recommended, nor is trying to get information
from others at the last minute. You should,
however, avoid being too far from the exam room
at the appointed time, since being there on
time is essential to remaining calm. If the exam
room was or is one of your classrooms, try to
sit in your usual seat, if possible. Remember
that once the exam starts, and you focus
attention on it, your nervousness should be gone.
General Exam Advice
Here are some important tips:
TIP 1
Readiness
Be prepared with several pens, pencils, and
erasers; wear a watch, if possible.
TIP 2
Record data early
If you are afraid you will forget some vital
memorized information, put it down in
an appropriate place in your exam booklet for
possible future reference (if your test
proctor permits it).
TIP 3
Read instructions
Before beginning the exam, read all the
instructions carefully. Underline key words
(such as compare, differentiate, causes,
reasons, etc.) in the instructions. The same
advice applies to any essay questions. Note
whether you are given a choice of parts of
the exam or questions within a part and if
there are any extra credit questions.
TIP 4
Record clues
If, while reading the essay question,
highlights of answers come to mind, put them
down so they can be referred to at a later
time.
TIP 5
Balance your time
If you know how the exam is weighted pointwise,
allot your time in answering the
questions in a proportional
manner.
User Comments Add a comment…