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Reduce test anxiety by preparing before, during, and after an exam.

General Study Guidelines

• Develop a study plan that allows plenty of time for reviewing all material.
• Organize material so that the most important material will be given the greatest amount of time. If you have any questions, check with the instructor.
• Keep a steady pace instead of cramming at the end. Rushing, either while studying or while taking a test, will work against you.
• Study with another person or with a small group. Make sure your study partners don’t raise your anxiety level and are serious about working.
• Take a 10-minute break approximately once an hour. Move away from the physical location where you are studying.
• Adopt a sportsman's attitude: “Win if you can, lose if you must, but do the best you can.”
• Plan a reward for yourself after the test no matter how well you feel you did.
• Eat right. Get enough sleep. Build in time for relaxation.

The Day Before

• Review major concepts. Attempting to learn new material may interfere with your recall of material you have already learned.
• If you feel tense or anxious, take some time for physical exercise to burn off excess energy.
• If you completed your study plan, go to a movie or watch some television. This form of mental relaxation will not interfere with your performance.
• Get a good night's sleep. The better rested you are, the more likely it is that you'll perform at your maximum.
• Avoid any friends who you know from the past to be "anxiety generators."

The Day of the Test

• Engage in relaxed "non-thinking" activity the hour before the exam.
• Get to the test on time.
• When the exam is distributed, take time to read the directions twice.

Hints For Particular Types Of Test Questions

• On multiple choice items, read all options first. Eliminate the obviously wrong alternatives first. Choose the "better" or "best" of the remaining alternatives.
• On short answer and essay tests, do exactly what is asked. Overkill is usually a waste of time and annoying to the person who grades the paper.
• On long essay questions, begin with an outline of your answer. Make sure all the important points in your outline are included in your response.
• On true-or-false items, check for tricky words such as only, always, or most.

After The Test

• Don't hash over what you might have done or mistakes you might have made.
• Follow through on the reward you have promised yourself.
• Regardless of the grade you receive, review the test carefully.
• If you don't understand your grade or the grader's comments, make an appointment to discuss them.
• Evaluate your study program. Consider ways you might want to alter it for the future.