TOW #5: Relax It's Only A Test

        This article, written by Annie Murphy Paul, is a presentation of the general anxieties students face when taking standardized tests. Annie Murphy Paul explains how students are put at a high standard which eventually causes anxiety to take over their brain and ultimately clouds their judgement and ability to answer the questions on a test. Paul presents trials in which teachers provided techniques for the students to relieve their anxiety. Some teachers found it productive to "hand out pencils with motivational messages on big exam days" (2). Other teachers used techniques which appeared to be extremely successful where students would "spend 10 minutes writing about their thoughts and feelings immediately before taking a test" (2), and when receiving the scores back from the exams, the students who did this grades increasing drastically. She also elaborates on how different groups of people, such as females or Latinas, stress more about tests as to not have a "poor performance [that] will not prove negative assumptions about the group to which the belong" (3). Although she explains many techniques that have already been used, she explains that many students find their own way to relieve anxiety and stress before a standardized test.
       Throughout the article, Annie Murphy Paul establishes logos and ethos by presenting statistics, facts and quotes from other teachers and those who have ran these trials. The article provides a multitude of statistics on test results and the results of the trials themselves and their effectiveness. Many teachers and psychologists are directly quoted by providing the techniques they used and the how effective they were. The article also presents a metaphor by comparing the tests to a "play, with the preparation as a dress rehearsal" (3), in regards to how students also prepare for these standardized tests. The authors intended audience was parents and teachers of students who are with the students before their tests and aware of their anxieties. But the secondary audience could also be the students themselves in providing productive and useful ways to prevent their anxiety from determining their test scores.
      Overall, I feel this article was effective because it provides many different approaches to dealing with general test anxiety. Also, shows the results of multiple trials to show the variety of ways to approach test anxiety so those who have it can try a multitude of different strategies. I also found a lot of these techniques could be helpful to me and ways to settle down about the stresses that come with SATs etc. The purpose was to exemplify the ways in which to approach and prevent test anxiety and it was presented well, as long with providing effective solutions.