ERIC Number: EJ946998
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0264-3944
EISSN: N/A
The Fear Factor: Students' Experiences of Test Anxiety when Taking A-Level Examinations
Chamberlain, Suzanne; Daly, Anthony Leslie; Spalding, Victoria
Pastoral Care in Education, v29 n3 p193-205 2011
This paper presents the findings of a pilot study that explored students' experiences of test anxiety when taking A-level examinations. Four focus groups were convened with a sample of 19 participants in the south of England to explore the triggers of test anxiety and the perceived need for interventions to assist high test-anxious students cope with the examination process. The findings suggested that the participants experienced two types of anxiety: "pre-exam anxiety" (relating to, for example, revision and mock examinations) and "exam-day anxiety" (relating to practical concerns, such as school policy on the arrival of students and the time available to complete the examination). Only three participants reported feeling that their examination performance was significantly impaired by test anxiety; most reported that a degree of anxiety aided their performance. With test anxiety perceived by most participants as motivational and useful, there was little support for any interventions from examination boards, parents or teachers to help reduce or manage test anxiety. However, based on participants' experiences of the pre-examination period, it is suggested that test anxiety may impede students' ability to prepare for their examinations, and that interventions during this stage may be useful. The findings also imply that there are some practical steps that could be taken by the educational community to help reduce students' test anxiety.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Test Anxiety, Intervention, School Policy, Focus Groups, Grade 11, Grade 12, Test Preparation, High Stakes Tests, Student Motivation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 11; Grade 12
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A