Testing How Can I Overcome Panic and Improve Efficiency During My Physics Test?

Click For Summary
The discussion centers on strategies to manage test anxiety and improve performance on a crucial physics exam. The individual acknowledges a tendency to panic during mock exams, leading to missed details and incorrect values, despite being capable of solving problems independently. A significant issue identified is the overemphasis on showing every step for full points, which consumes valuable time and results in rushing through later questions. Recommendations include practicing under timed conditions to simulate exam pressure, maintaining a consistent approach as in practice tests, and being mindful of time management during the exam. Additional resources on test anxiety and practical tips for avoiding mistakes are also shared.
Zeynaz
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
I will be taking a very important Physics test next week based on advanced physics topics. I realized that generally i am able to solve the questions successfully on my own. But the problem is when i take mock exams i seem to get “panicked” and miss details, or use wrong values. After the exam I realize that those questions were actually easier (compared to what i felt in the exam)

Another thing i realized was because i want to be able get full points in the beginning i seem to write too much. Meaning, taking too much time to show every step (so i can get full points just in case!) and then lose some of my time doing that. Which eventually causes me to rush the last questions.

Other than timing my exams Do you have any tips for me that i can use? I know this is a very general, vague and personal problem but if you have any recommendations, I would appreciate it a lot.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Some tips for dealing with test anxiety:
https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/test-anxiety
http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...rder/expert-answers/test-anxiety/faq-20058195

Zeynaz said:
Another thing i realized was because i want to be able get full points in the beginning i seem to write too much. Meaning, taking too much time to show every step (so i can get full points just in case!) and then lose some of my time doing that. Which eventually causes me to rush the last questions.

Don't do anything you wouldn't do on a practice test or your homework (assuming you get full points on your homework for showing work). Take practice tests to practice this if you have to. And remember to be aware of this during your test.
 
  • Like
Likes Zeynaz
Hi all, Hope you are doing well. I'm a current grad student in applied geophysics and will finish my PhD in about 2 years (previously did a HBSc in Physics, did research in exp. quantum optics). I chose my current field because of its practicality and its clear connection to industry, not out of passion (a clear mistake). I notice that a lot of people (colleagues) switch to different subfields of physics once they graduate and enter post docs. But 95% of these cases fall into either of...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
1K
  • · Replies 39 ·
2
Replies
39
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
6K