Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM

Background of the study Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Some fears and worries are justified, such as worry about a loved one or in anticipation of taking a quiz, test, or other examination. Problem anxiety interferes with the sufferer's ability to sleep or otherwise function. It is noteworthy that teenagers are particularly susceptible to having irritability as a symptom of a number of emotional problems, including anxiety. Test anxiety can be a major problem for an individual that is attempting to take an exam because it interferes with the individual's ability to think clearly. This not only makes it difficult for the individual to remember important concepts, but it also makes it more difficult for the individual to understand directions or questions included on the exam. As a result, it is essential for an individual to make sure that he or she does not allow excessive nervousness to prevent that individual from performing well on the exam. However, it can often be difficult for

an individual to control his or her anxiety during an exam, especially when that anxiety has already begun to spiral out of control. Fortunately, there are techniques that an individual can use to make sure that he or she is more likely to remain calm, focused, and ultimately less anxious during an exam. First, if an individual realizes that he or she is unsure of the answer to a particular question and he or she begins to get extremely nervous about the exam, that individual should simply take a deep breath, try to relax, and try to accept the fact that it is only one question. This is especially true if it is a question near the beginning of the exam as it is important for the individual to retain a positive attitude throughout the test, which can be difficult if the individual has trouble from the start. Secondly, if the individual starts to panic because he or she is taking too long trying to answer a difficult question, the individual should just skip the question and move on. This is extremely important, as an individual that feels as if he or she is running out of time will usually rush through the rest of the exam. Rushing will only make the individual feel more nervous and ultimately perform more poorly than someone that took his or her time. Finally, it is important for an individual to try to approach an exam that he or she is nervous about in a strategic way. A good strategy that an individual could use would be to first read the

directions for each section, then read each question carefully, read each answer, and then finally try to choose the best answer for each question. This allows the individual to make the process of answering each question a routine, which will make each question appear less stressful. Test anxiety is a type of anxiety that can affect a test taker before, during, or after a test. It is an issue that many students deal with at one time or another. Anxiety is a normal human feeling that is part of life, and can often serve as a good form of adrenaline; for instance, butterflies before making a speech, taking a test, or performing on stage. However, there are methods how to overcome nervousness and anxiety when they interfere with performance. Test anxiety can also be experienced at varying levels. Slight exam stress can help by providing alertness, readiness, and helping you to concentrate. However, excessive exam anxiety can result in stress and negatively affect performance. Test anxiety, just like other types of anxiety, tends to occur like a wave. It will increase from the time you first recognize it, come to a peak, and then naturally subside. If test-taking anxiety persists and

becomes problematic, it is a good idea to seek assistance from the school counselor or other professional resource available in your area. Calming nerves through learned techniques can ease the tension associated with this type of anxiety and can help greatly in overcoming test anxiety. Exam anxiety is a fairly common condition among students of all ages, and while it can often be diagnosed by experts, the sufferer is usually already acutely aware of the condition. A useful way how to overcome nervousness and anxiety is to take note of triggers that create tension. Diagnosing exam stress involves charting the physical, mental, and emotional reactions experienced when anticipating a test, when taking the test, and after the test has been completed. This also includes thoughts on performance. Generally, if a person feels more stressed, strained, or anxious when taking a test than at any other normal time in their life, then they are probably suffering from test anxiety. These are many obstacles that stand in the way of overcoming test anxiety, but the condition can be properly managed with the right care. It may be past experiences of blanking out on tests or the

inability to readily retrieve answers to questions that can bring on an episode of test anxiety. It could also be a lack of preparation for an exam which is a real reason to be worried about test performance. Errors in time management, poor study habits, failure to properly organize material and cramming the night before the exam are also likely to increase test anxiety. If a test has been adequately prepared for, the precipitating anxiety may result from negative thinking and worries. Focusing on past test performances, how friends and other classmates are doing, or the negative consequences of doing poorly are also major factors contributing to test anxiety. Students who experience test anxiety tend to be the type of people who put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform well. They often have unusually high expectations for themselves and, many times, have been very good students in the past. When these students begin to experience low grades for the first time, usually in college, their image of themselves as a smart person begins to erode. They then put pressure on themselves to perform better, but often put off studying longer than they should. This

initiates a cycle of self-doubt and irrational belief that can result in high anxiety levels during testing situations. Test anxiety can be a real problem, especially when the stresses reach a height where the nervousness takes over and the test taker cannot even focus on the test questions and do their best work. However, there are steps you can take to keep test anxiety at a manageable level and overcome nervousness. Traditional strategies such as developing improved studying and test-taking skills can make a significant difference. For example, students can learn classroom note-taking and graphic-organization techniques to assist them in better preparing for tests, thus calming nerves. This alarming condition of the nursing students of Urdaneta City University caught the attention of both faculty and the researchers to increase their level of awareness and led them to study this kind the anxiety level of nursing students during examination.

Statement of the Problem This study aimed to determine the anxiety level of second year students in Udaneta City University during examination.

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following problems: 1. What is the profile of the respondents according to the following attributes? a. Age; b. Religion; c. Civil Status; 2. What is anxiety level of second year students in Udaneta City University during examination? 3. Is there any significant relationship between the respondents Profile and their anxiety level during exam?