Taming Your
TEST ANXIETY
Western Washington University
Counseling Center
PDF handouts to accompany this
powerpoint:
Taming Your Test Anxiety
 Test and Study Strategies
 Relaxation Strategies
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Do you have test anxiety?
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Does your anxiety interfere with your performance?
When you take a test, are you distracted with worry or
with physical symptoms?
Does your mind go blank when you are taking tests?
Does your anxiety seem out of proportion to the testing
situation?
Some anxiety (or emotional arousal)
actually improves performance.
The middle area of this chart is what
athletes call “The Zone”.
Even a small decrease in test anxiety can
help improve performance.
What can I do about Test
Anxiety?
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You can optimize your learning and testtaking skills.
You can learn cognitive strategies to get
yourself into the “zone” for optimal
performance.
You can train your body to relax so that
your mind can focus.
Learning Strategies
Making Study Count
Efficient Memory Strategies
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PREVIEW the reading before class.
GO TO CLASS. NON-NEGOTIABLE!
REVIEW after class.
Unless lecture notes are reviewed, most people
forget up to 80% of the lecture within 24 hours.
As soon as possible, review your notes.
Actively process information.
Anticipate possible test questions.
Active Learning Uses the Whole Brain
Engage the Whole Brain with
 Visual memory
 Auditory memory
 Kinesthetic memory
 Conceptual memory
Where can you find…
Tips for Time Management
Free Tutoring for Study Skills and Math
Information on Learning Styles
Note-taking Strategies
Test-taking Tools
THE TUTORING CENTER: Wilson Library 280
http://www.wwu.edu/tutoring/
http://www.wwu.edu/depts/tutorialcenter/
The Physical Zone
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Keep your body and brain healthy and fit with
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Adequate Sleep
Proper Diet
Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, & recreational drugs
Exercise
Use a regular RELAXATION strategy to release
daily stress and tension.
The Mental Zone
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Our internal thoughts and perspectives
also affect emotions and stress levels.
When you take a test, is your FOCUS on
yourself and your anxiety, or on the job at
hand?
Anxiety is like a fire alarm…
Easy to trigger, hard to ignore.
The Fight or Flight Response
The Fight or Flight Response Takes Over When The Brain
Receives a “Danger Signal”
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The body responds with increased heart rate and
breathing, the blood flows away from the brain, the
digestive system, and the extremities to pour energy into
the major muscles in our arms and legs so we can react
quickly.
Very adaptive if a bear is charging or the room is on fire,
but not very adaptive if the brain and body are acting as
if the TEST is trying to kill you.
If you have DANGER thoughts while you are taking the
test, the fire alarm goes on and the fight or flight
response is activated.
DANGER THOUGHTS
What if I flunk the test? I can’t remember anything! I’m so stupid.
I don’t know this! What if I flunk the class? I didn’t study enough!
This isn’t fair! I don’tWhat
haveifenough
I’m going to do terrible!
I flunk time!
the test?
My parents will be madWhat
if I get
bad grade!
It’s hopeless! Just give up!
if Iaflunk
the class?
What’s wrong with me?
What
will myanything!
professor think? I’m a failure.
I can’t
remember
I hate this! I should know I’m
this!so stupid.
Everyone else is doing better.
What if I flunk out of school?
I can’t
it! This will ruin my life!
I don’t
knowdo
this!
I didn’t study enough!
This isn’t fair!
I don’t have enough time!
I’m going to do terrible!
My parents will be mad if I get a bad grade!
It’s hopeless!
I can’t do it! Just give up!
What’s wrong with me?
What will my professor think?
I’m a failure.
I hate this!
I should know this!
Everyone else is doing better.
What if I flunk out of school?
This will ruin my life!
What are Your Danger Thoughts?
Turn off the Fire Alarm
by replacing
DANGER thoughts with
SAFETY thoughts.
SAFETY THOUGHTS
I’ll start with something I know.
It’s just one test.
I know this material.
Even if I feel shaky, I can still do my best.
One step at a time. Keep going.
Focus on here and now.
I’ll do the best I can.
Let’s figure this out.
I’ve already studied and it is what it is.
Just focus on now and do the test.
Whatever happens, I’ll deal with it.
I’m anxious but I can manage.
I can do this.
I accept that I feel anxious and my
heart is pounding—it’s just
adrenaline.
It is helping my brain focus.
Write Your Own Safety Thoughts
Practice your safety thoughts by using mental imagery
to imagine yourself in a testing situation.
Brain Power
Wipe out anxious worries when you
study—don’t connect them with the
material you are learning!
 Set aside a separate time to problemsolve your academic worries and focus
on things which are under your control.
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The “DUMP”
Strategy
Shortly before the exam,
write non-stop for ten minutes about all your
thoughts and feelings regarding the test.
Students with test anxiety did better when
they dumped their worries by writing!
Writing About Testing Worries Boosts Exam Performance in the Classroom
Gerardo Ramirez and Sian L. Beilock article in SCIENCE magazine, January 14, 2011
Taking the plunge—Tips for Tests
Test-Taking Strategies
Take a long deep breath, and focus on the TEST.
 Work on the easier parts first.
 Read directions twice.
 Tune out distractions—don’t watch the clock and don’t watch other
students.
 Expect to see questions you don’t know or don’t recognize.
 If you have danger thoughts or get distracted by worry, imagine a
“mental squeegee” that clears them out.
 Remember your “safety thoughts” for positive self-talk.
 Use patterned breathing (in 4 counts, hold 4 counts, out 8 counts)
to release physical stress.
Multiple Choice and True-False
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Multiple choice
-Read the question carefully. Read all responses and
eliminate the most obvious wrong answers.
-When in doubt, go with your first impression.
-Mark questions you don’t know and go on.
-If you guess, look for two answers which are similar and
pick one.
True-False
-Read carefully but don’t invest a lot of time on a 2 point
question.
-Look for qualifiers (“Always” and “never” generally indicate a false
statement. Qualifiers like “sometimes”, “often” or “generally” are more
likely to be true.)
-Circle or underline the negatives.
-Remember-if any part of a sentence is false, the whole
sentence is false.
Problem-Solving Tests
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Math or Science problems
-Start with something familiar to build confidence.
-Look for familiar patterns.
-When studying, use flashcards to help recognize types of
problems and steps to their solution.
-Mix up flashcards and problem sets to test yourself.
-Circle or highlight negative signs.
-For word problems, draw pictures, identify the relevant
formula, and make sure you know what is asked for in the
problem.
-When possible, double check your calculations.
Essay and Short Answer Tests
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Essay
-Read the question carefully and look for key words like
“compare”, “contrast” or “define”.
-Make a quick outline.
-Get to the point. Start with a summary statement.
-Write legibly in pen.
Short Answer
-Study off summary sheets or flash cards packed with
information.
-Answer every required question—try a common-sense
guess using what you know.
-Write simple, information-packed responses.
Is it More than Test Anxiety?
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Do you experience persistent fear or panic in a number
of social or performance situations?
Have you been plagued for months by excessive worry,
restlessness, irritability, tension, intrusive thoughts,
difficulty concentrating, or insomnia?
Do you experience depression or mood fluctuations
which interfere with day-to-day functioning in and out of
school?
Have you struggled for most of your life with
concentration difficulties, distractibility, forgetfulness &
disorganization?
Counseling might help—call for an initial appointment!
Summarizing Your Goals
Establish effective and consistent study habits.
Use a variety of learning modalities.
Mentally practice self-supporting thoughts.
Keep your focus on the test, not on your performance.
Practice a relaxation technique.
Maintain healthy habits to minimize effects of daily stress.
Dump your worries before the test.
Use each test as a learning opportunity.
Congratulations! You are on your way!
Western Washington University
Counseling Center
www.wwu.edu/chw/counseling
Relaxation and Mindfulness Groups are
offered regularly—check our website for
more information.