Relationship Between Test Anxiety and Performance in Examination of Students in Basic Nursing Schools in Enugu Urban, Enugu State
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ABSTRACT
Test anxiety is conceived as the hyper-arousal condition that results in physiological, emotional and intellectual changes that prevent the effective use of the previously learned information while taking an examination. It is composed of “worry” which a cognitive anxiety related with performance and “emotionality” the arousal of autonomic nervous system in evaluative situations (Morris & Liebert 1970 in Ndirangu 2009).
Examination performance is the grade point or scores obtained following examination. It is synonymous with academic performance. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between test anxiety and examination performance of Basic Nursing Students in Enugu Urban. The correlation study design was used. The study was carried out among 140 PTS students of school of UNTH and School of Nursing ESUTH comprising 63 students from UNTH and 77 from ESUTH.
Sarason’s test anxiety instrument was used to collect data on students test anxiety and published PTS results used for data on examination performance. The result showed that there is an inverse relationship between test anxiety and examination performance of the students r = -.20, N = 140 P = 02.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title…………………………. i
Approval…………………. ii
Certification……………….iii
Dedication…………… iv
Acknowledgement……………v
Table of Contents……………vi
List of Figures………………x
List of Tables…………… xi
List of Appendices…………… xii
Abstract…………….xiii
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study…………….1
Statement of Problem…………………2
Purpose of the Study…………………..3
Objective of the Study………………. 3
Research Hypothesis……………….4
Significance of the Study……………. 4
Scope of the Study………………… 5
Operational Definitions…………. 5
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Review………………. 6
Definition of Test Anxiety…………. 7
Causes of Test Anxiety……….8
People Prone to Test Anxiety……………..9
Classification of Test Anxiety……………10
Symptoms of Test Anxiety…………….10
Test Anxiety Scales………………11
Test Anxiety and Academic Performance…………….12
Concept of Test/Examination………………….13
Formats of Test/Examination………………14
Modern Day Use of Tests/Examinations…………15
Functions of Test/Examination…………….17
Teachers Use of Tests/Examination…………. 17
Administrator’s Use of Tests……..18
Counsellors Use of Tests/Examinations………… 19
Industrial and Military Use of Tests………….20
Research Use of Tests/Examination…………20
Types Tests/Examination…………20
Essay Items………………….22
Types of Essay Items…………….22
Objective Test Type………23
Classification of Objective Items…..23
Examination Performance…………….. 28
Review of Related Theories………..29
Cognitive Interference Theory (CIT)…………29
Additive Model of Test Anxiety………31
Empirical Review…………………..31
Summary…………………………………39
CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODS
Introduction……………..41
Research Design…………………. 41
Area of Study………41
Target Population………… 42
Sample………………42
Sampling Procedure……………42
Instrument for Data Collection………43
Validity……….43
Reliability of the Instrument…………43
Ethical Consideration……………. 43
Procedure for Data Collection……44
Method of Data Analysis…..44
CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Presentation of Results………..46
CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Discussion of findings………….. 51
Conclusion…………………..53
Educational implication of the study……………..53
Recommendations……………… 54
Limitations of the study……………..54
Suggestions for further research………….55
Summary……………55
References……………..57
Appendices……………61
INTRODUCTION
Test and testing are part of all educational programmes. In basic nursing school classroom content is complex, the scope is broad and the pace is accelerated. Frequent testing of students is necessary throughout the programme for evaluation of progress in mastering content. Also at the end of planned instruction, preliminary training stage (PTS), junior block, intermediate block, students are given examinations.
Their performance in such examinations is used to make decisions that impact on the students. Examination performance thus is an important issue for the students. Students finishing their PTS verbalize and exhibit a great deal of anxiety regarding PTS examinations. Anxiety is one of those emotional components of human life; it is a basic human emotion consisting of fear and uncertainty that typically appears when an individual perceives an event as being a threat to the ego or self-esteem (Sarason, 1988 in Eric Digests 2005).
When students develop serious fear of performing poorly in an examination it is termed test anxiety. According to Zeidner (1998), test anxiety is a multidimensional sign that can be described as a group of phenomenological, physiological, and behavioral reactions that occur with possible negative consequences or failure in an examination or similar evaluative situation. Test anxiety especially worry has impact on academic performance and working memory (Eysenk, 2001).
REFERENCES
Akubuiroh, W.C. (1990). The Relationship Between Test Anxiety andExamination Performance Among SS I Students in Nsukka Urban.Unpunished Manuscript.
Baddley, A., & Hiteh, G.J. (1994). Development in Working Memory Neuropsychology, 8, 485 – 493.
Baddley, A.D. (1996). Exploring the Central Executive. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 49A, 5 – 28.
Bassavanthapa, B.T. (2003). Nursing Education (2nd Ed.) New Delhi India, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers Ltd..
Bouras, N. & Holt, G. (2007). Psychiatric and Behavioural Disorders in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, (2nd ed.) United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press.
Cassady, J.C. (2001a). The Stability of Undergraduate Students’ Cognitive Test Anxiety Levels. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 7(20) Retrieved September 28, 2011.
CSN Team.
