4 answers
Braylon
Student
Carmel Valley, California
1
Question
Asked
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Why do I make mistakes on understood content when faced with a test and how can I avoid this?
I am currently a college freshman closing in on my first year of school. I am a person who typically tries to review any content I am being tested on thoroughly to make sure I brushed up on everything.
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4 answers
Helena Gordon
Full time College Student
1
Answer
Louisville, Kentucky
Updated
Helena’s Answer
Hi Braylon, great job on completing your first year of college!
As someone who struggles with test anxiety, I want to share a tip that really helps me. Before any exam, take 20-30 minutes to calm your mind. This relaxation time can really boost your critical thinking skills. Keep up the amazing work!
As someone who struggles with test anxiety, I want to share a tip that really helps me. Before any exam, take 20-30 minutes to calm your mind. This relaxation time can really boost your critical thinking skills. Keep up the amazing work!
Annah Edmonds
Licensed Clinical Counselor and Art Therapist
221
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Annah’s Answer
Braylon, this happens because your nervous system (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) has its own way of working. When we are stressed or anxious, we might go into hyper or hypo arousal states. This means our cognitive functions are offline. So, all that information you studied is now unavailable (or more difficult to access). Your body might respond out of proportion to the circumstance, though such responses are in place to help you get through the most difficult/trying/traumatic events. This may not feel at all helpful when taking an exam, however. This is my best guess about what is happening. Some things you can do- prepare yourself the best you can but the night before an exam, trust that you know the content. You might do a quick review but spend the evening not thinking about it at all. Trust you have everything you need. Relax and get a good night's sleep. Learning some relaxation and focusing techniques may also help in addition to understanding your own body's cues. When we are anxious some physiological signs may be- sweating/feeling hot, feeling cold, faster beating heart, shallow and/or faster breathing, tension in the muscles, needing to urinate, panic, and nausea. What you can do is recognize these signs for what they are- harmless symptoms of your system feeling stressed or under threat. How to prevent and soothe such distress- acknowledging you are nervous/stressed/anxious and telling yourself you are okay (for instance, "I've got this. I can do this." Drink water and eat something if you have not eaten in a while. Take deeper belly breaths; we tend to minimize our oxygen when stressed. Breathe all the way into your belly and feel it expand; then hold it for a second longer than the inbreath. Breathe in/out slowly. This tells your brain and body you are calm and safe. Shrug your shoulders, hold, and release the tension (do this in any area you feel tight; you can look up this term: progressive muscle relaxation). There are a million ways to self-soothe your system that are sensory based (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing). You can do some digging online and find what works. Practice one or two daily so that you have tools ready to use as needed. Ask your friends if they have any suggestions. Know this is quite a common experience and that you are not alone. I had to take my SAT test twice; the first time around my mind went completely blank. I became flooded with panic about this which made things worse. I got through it but poorly. Over time I learned better study skills and how to manage my emotions before and during times when I needed to perform well. You may have to tweak this depending upon what you are doing and how you are feeling. The more resiliency you build for yourself, the better you will be able to smoothly navigate such situations. Typically (re: achievement), we feel the most unwanted or distressing feelings/sensations regarding things that are most important- when there is something on the line, when we want most to succeed. This is a sign you care about the outcome, which is a good thing. Something to keep in mind, excitement and fear/anxiety can manifest similarly in the body. Try realizing this when you feel anxious about a test- see if you can flip it to feeling more like excitement instead. Tell yourself, "I want to do well. I am really excited about this going okay." Putting things in perspective is another way to decrease the pressure; there are do-overs in life- second chances, opportunities for extra credit, and mistakes are part of life. Best of luck!
Geraldine Francois Regis
Individual contributor - Customer Experience
4
Answers
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Updated
Geraldine’s Answer
Hi Braylon,
You're doing great! Checking over your work before you present is a fantastic habit that not everyone has. Just make sure to focus completely (no distractions) when you're going over what you'll present or share in a test. Stay calm during your review. Having a plan with set times for reviewing will keep you organized and help you reach your goal.
Wishing you all the success!
You're doing great! Checking over your work before you present is a fantastic habit that not everyone has. Just make sure to focus completely (no distractions) when you're going over what you'll present or share in a test. Stay calm during your review. Having a plan with set times for reviewing will keep you organized and help you reach your goal.
Wishing you all the success!
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1207
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello Braylon,
First of all, the fact that you're so dedicated to going over your subject in detail is very commendable. In college, that type of commitment is half the battle. You might be surprised to learn how easy it is to understand the material during review, but make mistakes on the test. It often means not a lack of information but rather a few technical and psychological elements.
Performance pressure or test anxiety are two main causes of this. Even if you are familiar with the subject, the pressure of a timed situation or the anxiety of performing poorly might make it difficult to remember things correctly. This is known as "retrieval failure," and it occurs when stress causes your brain to temporarily lose track of what you know. Before and during tests, you can control stress by using relaxing techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or positive self-talk.
Surface-level reviews could be another factor. Sometimes, while reviewing, we notice something and feel as though we understand it. We refer to this as the "illusion of competence." Try using mock exams and active recall rather than merely going over your notes again to avoid this. This includes taking a test on yourself, working through practice problems, or verbally describing ideas without consulting the materials at hand. In addition to helping you retain the material, this stimulates your brain for how you'll need to recall it throughout the test.
Additionally, do not underestimate the importance of time, diet, and sleep. When you're hungry, distracted, or sleep deprived, your cognitive function suffers. Including breaks and rest in your preparation routine can improve the way your brain processes information.
In other words, you're simply dealing with the usual challenges that arise with turning knowledge into performance, not failing. You can improve your ability to fill the gap between your knowledge and your ability to demonstrate it by using the right methods and attitude.
Best wishes!
First of all, the fact that you're so dedicated to going over your subject in detail is very commendable. In college, that type of commitment is half the battle. You might be surprised to learn how easy it is to understand the material during review, but make mistakes on the test. It often means not a lack of information but rather a few technical and psychological elements.
Performance pressure or test anxiety are two main causes of this. Even if you are familiar with the subject, the pressure of a timed situation or the anxiety of performing poorly might make it difficult to remember things correctly. This is known as "retrieval failure," and it occurs when stress causes your brain to temporarily lose track of what you know. Before and during tests, you can control stress by using relaxing techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or positive self-talk.
Surface-level reviews could be another factor. Sometimes, while reviewing, we notice something and feel as though we understand it. We refer to this as the "illusion of competence." Try using mock exams and active recall rather than merely going over your notes again to avoid this. This includes taking a test on yourself, working through practice problems, or verbally describing ideas without consulting the materials at hand. In addition to helping you retain the material, this stimulates your brain for how you'll need to recall it throughout the test.
Additionally, do not underestimate the importance of time, diet, and sleep. When you're hungry, distracted, or sleep deprived, your cognitive function suffers. Including breaks and rest in your preparation routine can improve the way your brain processes information.
In other words, you're simply dealing with the usual challenges that arise with turning knowledge into performance, not failing. You can improve your ability to fill the gap between your knowledge and your ability to demonstrate it by using the right methods and attitude.
Best wishes!