Note-Taking and Test Anxiety

Alaina Hanks

Goals

● Understand why you take notes

● Learn new methods of note-taking

● Overview of test-anxiety

● Discover new methods of combatting test anxiety

● Tips on different types of tests

Reasons we don’t take notes

● I work better on my laptop

○ Do you stay on task?

● Taking notes never worked before for me

○ How many methods have you tried?

● I pay better attention when I just listen

○ Do you retain that information?

● I remember what the professor says

○ How do you study without that information?

Why should we take notes?

● You pay more attention in class

● You can take what the professor says

and put it in your own words

● Offers you an opportunity to review for

tests

● Gives you a chance to learn more

You retain 30% of what you hear

You remember 50% of what you hear and see together. Simply looking at

powerpoints and listening will only take you so far.

Outline Method

● Here you would begin with a main point

○ Followed by sub-points

○ Or supporting information

○ You could also note questions you would like answered

● Then there would another main point

○ And you could also add in direct quotes

● Outlines work well in most cases

○ They also make studying easier

○ With this hyper-organized method, you can read information better

Outline Method Continued

Useful for complex topics

Creates outline of main topics and

supporting ideas

Helpful when studying

Forces you to make sense of the lecture

as you go because you need to

understand the main points

Utilizes indents, bullets, numbers or

letters

Cornell Method

● With this method, you divide your paper in two

columns

● On the left side, you write down key terms or

main ideas

● You could also note any questions you need

answered on the left side

● On the right side, you write definitions next to

key terms or main ideas

● After class, as part of a review you write a

summary at the bottom

● Works especially well for studying, as you can

quiz yourself by covering up the right side

Mind Mapping Tips

Start in the center with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colors

Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your mind map

Select keywords and print using upper or lower case letters

Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its own line

The lines should be connected, starting from the central image

Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support

Use multiple colors throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also for encoding or grouping

Develop your own personal style of mind mapping

Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map

Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy or outlines to embrace your branches

Note-Taking Tips

Consider using a 3-ring binder and loose-

leaf paper

Bring extra pens/pencils to class

Be alert, get there early

Always prep your notes with the date and

topic/chapter

Write on only one side of the paper

Try not to doodle (unless you are mind-

mapping)

Paraphrase, summarize and re-word what

Use abbreviations when you can

Leave blank spaces if you have questions

that you want answered for your notes

No matter what method you use, review

your notes within 24 hours

Find what works best for you and your

classes

Sit in the front/center, it’s easier to pay

attention when you up close

Save your notes from classes if you are

taking classes in a sequence (i.e. French

Let’s Practice!

As I talk, you will take notes in any method

you want

Outline

Cornell

Mindmap

Afterward, we will pair and share

Did you miss information? Was this method

helpful? What would better?

Group discussion of methods will follow

What Is Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety is a feeling of distress

or agitation and refers to the

emotional reactions that some

people have to exams.

Some anxiety about tests is normal

but if it begins to cause

problems, it needs to be

addressed

What would you do?

Your test in sociology is today

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst) how would

you rate your test anxiety?

How much time should you have spent studying?

Where did you study?

How did you study?

What did you do the night/morning before you test?

How did you know you were ready for the exam?

What do you do when you open up your exam?

Emotional Symptoms

Anger

Fear

Panic

Restlessness

Nervousness

Continual Doubt

Helplessness

Disappointment

Physical Symptoms

Nausea

Tension

Headache

Rapid heartbeat

Shortness of breath

Light-headedness and feeling faint

Panic attacks can occur in extreme

cases

Behavioral Symptoms

Difficulty concentrating

Inability to organize thoughts

Thinking negatively about your ability

Comparing yourself to others

Indecisive about answers

Mind going blank

Where Does Test Anxiety Come From?

Lack of preparation

Poor study habits, cramming the night before

can lead to test anxiety

Fear of failure

Generally associated with those who tie their

self-worth to the outcomes of tests

Poor test history

Worrying about previous bad experiences with

tests can lead to starting tests with a

negative mindset

Test anxiety can trigger a fight or flight response in your brain

because your mind sees it as a threat. How can you fight it instead

of letting yourself run from it?

What can we do about it?

Prepare (this is where good notes can help)

by studying weeks ahead of the test, not

hours

Sleep the night before, try to get to bed early

Eat breakfast, exercise, meditate - do

whatever you normally do in the mornings

Arrive early, bring your materials if you are

allowed

Don’t study the day of the test, review your

notes quickly but don’t take in new info

Don’t engage in small talk about how difficult

When you get the test, relax - take deep

breaths and then look through the entire

thing

Schedule out your time if it is a timed test -

higher point questions or essay questions

usually need more time

Try thinking of the test as a puzzle to solve,

reframing what it is can help control your

anxiety

Practice deep breathing (more on that soon)

Develop a positive mindset (and more on this

too)

Positive MindsetReframe your negative thoughts into positive thoughts,

this takes time and practice but it’s been proven to be

vital to success for most people.

● I don’t have enough

○ I don’t see why I need to “have”

in order to be happy when

happiness stems from deep

within

● I should’ve done it yesterday

○ Today is a good time to do this

● I wish I wish I wish

○ I can I will I shall

Positive mindset - Let’s reframe these thoughts

● I’m going to fail.

● This test is so difficult!

● Oh no, everyone else is done. I’m on question 10. I’m going too slow!

● My mind is blank and I know nothing.

● I hate this class and this test.

● Nobody will ever need to know this stuff!

Breathing Activity

1. Close your eyes.

2. Breath through your nose. Breathe in deeply

into your abdomen. Pause before you exhale.

3. Breathe out from your abdomen slowly.

4. Use each inhalation as a moment to become

aware of any tension in your body. Use each

exhalation as an opportunity to let go of

tension.

5. Repeat once, then return to the test.

Other tips for anxiety

Survey entire test when you get it, that’s how

you can plan your time

Read through and cross out anything you know

is wrong, if you are able to mark the test

Sometimes it helps to read the question, look

away and think of the answer, then find it

among the options

Test Tips

Matching and True/False

Examine both lists to find relationships

between terms

Read through entire list

Avoid guessing until all absolute matches are

made

Questions that state a reason tend to be

false

Strategies for multiple choice work for

true/false as well

Multiple Choice

Eliminate or cross out incorrect options

Studies indicate that if you are at a complete

loss, B or C tend to be correct slightly

more often

Be mindful of the language used

E.g. Which cities are located in the U.S.?

Miami

Houston

Carson City

Test Tips Continued

Essay Exams and Short Answer

Estimate how long it will take to answer

Use principles of a good English composition

Sketch out a simple outline for essays

When appropriate, use details to support your

answer

Re-read your answers to ensure it is

answering the question explicitly

Problems

Write down important formulas or equations

before you begin the exam

If you struggle with a problem, move on and

come back later

Show all of the steps in your work, even if the

final answer is wrong you may get credit

for doing the work

Re-check your answers

Questions?

Test anxiety is manageable and note-taking can be a key to helping with this.

Thanks!