Test Anxiety in University

Test Anxiety in University Free Online Research Papers TEST ANXIETY AS A FACTOR IN UNDERGRADUATESACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT THE NIGERIAN PREMIER UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION Abstract This study investigates the test anxiety as a factor in academic performance. Four hundred students were randomly selected from four Colleges in the University: (1) College of Applied Education Vocational (2) College of Humanities (3) College of Social Management Studies and (4) College of Applied Sciences. One hundred students were randomly selected from each College. Students Test Anxiety Questionnaire (STAQ) was designed and used to collect data. While current grade Point Average score used as measure of academic performance. Data was analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correction and Student t test. The result of the data analysis showed a strong negative correlation between test anxiety and academic performance. The level of test anxiety experience by male and female students also differs significantly. Regular periodic programmes to reduce test anxiety should be organised by the University Counselling Centre, while parents should help female students to prepare better fo r examinations in order to reduce test anxiety. Background to the Study Anxiety is described as the apprehensive anticipation of future danger or misfortune accompanied by a feeling of dysphasia or somatic symptoms of tension. (Stanton,1993). From another perspective, anxiety is a feeling of unease. Everybody experiences it when faced with a stressful situation, for example before an examination or an interview, or during a worrying time such as illness. It is normal to feel anxious when facing something difficult or dangerous and mild. Anxiety can be a positive and useful experience. Spielberger and Sarason (1998) defined test anxiety as a situation-specific trait that refers to the anxiety states and worry conditions that are experienced during examinations. The level of anxiety can fluctuate over time in response to both internal and external stimulation. Naylor (1994) observed that test taking anxiety is significant for both educators and students While, Tobais (1985) suggested that test anxiety may be a function of poor study habits or deficient skills of test-taking which themselves have deleterious effects on academic performance. Observable behaviours of anxiety can be noticed during the completion process of a questionnaire presented to the students or participants. Some of those behaviours might include perspiration, excessive moment and questioning of instructions. These behaviours are often compatible with the classification of high and low test anxiety groups (Smith, 1995). There are also stable individual differences in the degree to which anxiety is manifested in any given situation. A disruption or disorganisation of effective problem solving and cognitive control, including difficulty in thinking clearly, can also lead to test anxiety (Freidman Bendas-Jacob 1997). There are a lot of factors that contribute to the development of test anxiety. Oderinde(2000) explained that inadequate preparation on the part of students couple with attendant companion of fear of failure have affected academic performance and examination misconduct. Another factor is self-concept, which is the overall sum of self-referent information that an individual has processed, stored and organised in a systematic manner (Spielberger Sarason 1989). The self-concept can be viewed as an image of oneself. Worry of suffering a reduction of the self-image, particularly in the eyes of peers, leads to higher test anxiety level (Friedman Bendas-Jacob (1997). Self-awareness is another factor of test anxiety. It is defined as the feeling of being observed or evaluated by others. A more commonly recognised factor of test anxiety is the classroom climate. People, in general, have the need to manipulate and control their surroundings in order to produce a comfortable environment. In a classroom setting, however, there may not be the opportunity to control the surroundings. This creates the possibility of different level of arousal. The degree of arousal in relation to ones adaptation level will determine whether a positive or negative affective experience will result (Spielberger Sarason1985). If an individuals experience is negative, then the test anxiety will be higher leading to lower performance. Invariably, if an individuals experience is positive, then the test anxiety level will be lower leading to higher performance. Mauduabum (2001) also noted that the desire to satisfy parental expectations and ensure that future plans are not marred creates anxiety and tension, all of which make cheating attractive to students and often result in poor performance. It is also gathered that sex differences is observed whereby females rather than males tend to experience high anxiety. Overall, it is important to consider motives, aptitudes, cognitive assessments of the task, and past experience when analysing test anxiety and how it relates to academic performance (Heather April 2002). Test anxiety in general is expected to have a negative effect on academic performance (Smith 1995). While, stressful testing conditions arouse high anxiety which in turn arouses defensive processes and prevents the person from acknowledging the anxiety. Statement of the Problem The study investigated test anxiety as a factor in undergraduates academic performance. Research Questions (1) What is the relationship between students test anxiety and level of academic performance? (2) Is there any significant difference between male and female students level of test anxiety? Methodology This is a descriptive study of the ex-post facto type in which the researcher simply conducts an objective study of factors, which already exist. None of the variables was manipulated. Participants The participants consisted of 400 students drawn from the four Colleges in the Universities that is, 100 students each randomly selected in the College of Applied Education and Vocational Technology, College of Humanities, College of Social Management Studies and College of Applied Sciences. Instrumentation Students Test Anxiety Questionnaire (STAQ) developed and validated by the researcher was administered, while their currents Grade Point Average was used as measures of academic performance. The questionnaires are five-point Likert Scale type. The students were asked to indicate their feelings by ticking Strongly Agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree in front of each item in the STAQ. The questionnaires consist of 16 items. Students were not asked to indicate their names on the questionnaires so as to make responses anonymous. The split-half reliability coefficient of STAQ is 0.732 Data Analysis Data analysis was carried out using Pearson Product moment correlation, and t-test analyses. Research Question 1 What is the relationship between students test anxiety and level of academic performance? Test Anxiety Academic Performance Pearson Correlation Test Anxiety Academic Performance Sig. 2 tailed N 1.000 -0.83 .041 400 -0.83 1.000 .041 400 Table 1 above shows a very high negative correlation between test anxiety and academic performance (r= -0.83, P