“38.5 % of students self-reported having experienced test anxiety, which negatively impacted their performance at some point in their academic career.”

Before the test

Have you gotten enough sleep? Did you have a well-balanced meal beforehand? Feeling physically fueled and energized can reduce feelings of anxiety (McMaster University, 2021). Sleeping 7-8 hours a day provides the best results for concentration and less anxiety. You can also focus on other activities to distract you from thinking about the test, such as:

• Go for a walk  
• Talk to a friend  
• Work on other tasks or hobbies  
• Write your thoughts down in a journal   

If you’re struggling to study during this midterm and exam season, review the Studying and Taking Exams tip sheet to provide you with the best strategies for studying. If available, take advantage of office hours offered by professors and teaching assistants who can help answer any test-related questions. You can book an appointment with an Academic Coach from the Writing and Academic skills hub through OSCARplus to support you with studying and test-taking strategies, time management and more. 

If you need additional support, there are resources on campus to help. Student Accessibility Services provides Academic Accommodations for students with disabilities, including mental health support.  

During the test

If you find yourself feeling anxious during a test, it can help to have a toolkit of coping strategies (Queen’s University, 2023b). You can use grounding exercises to reduce anxiety during a test. Here are some strategies that might help:  

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Take several slow, deep breaths and consciously relax one muscle at a time. Watch Headspace meditation video on breathing exercises to guide you. 
• Visualization: Close your eyes or lower your gaze. Form a mental image of a peaceful, calming place or situation, such as how you will relax after the test. Try to include as many senses as possible, such as smell, sight, sound, and touch.  
• Self-compassion and introspection: Rather than to question, feel sad or guilty about how you feel, recognize and be open to whatever you are feeling and why you feel a certain way (University of Calgary, 2023). Be kind to yourself and approach your feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude. You can journal or meditate.   

After the test

Reflect on the test with a positive mindset: 

• Think about what you did well rather than what went wrong. e.g., (I got this right/this question was easier).  
• Think about where you struggled and why (without criticizing your mistakes).   
• Think about what you need to do next.  

Set boundaries if you find it unhelpful to talk to peers about the test after it is over. If you do want to talk about the test, be conscious of other’s needs in this area as well. Now that the test is over, you can focus on other activities. It is good to celebrate your hard work!   

If you are still feeling anxious about a test after it is over, it may be helpful to join counselling groups at the Student Wellness Centre or speak to a counsellor one-on-one.

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus. Questions? Email (skills@mcmaster.ca). 

Resources

Gerwing, T. G., Rash, J. A., Allen Gerwing, A. M., Bramble, B., & Landine, J. (2015). Perceptions and incidence of test anxiety. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(3), 1-17. Retrieved from http://libaccess.mcmaster.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/perceptions-incidence-test-anxiety/docview/1773222152/se-2 

Queen’s University. (n.d.). Managing test anxiety. SASS. https://sass.queensu.ca/resources/online/test-anxiety 

University of Calgary. (2023a, February 16). Learning module: Test anxiety – lesson 1. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. https://taylor-institute.ucalgary.ca/resources/module/test-anxiety/understanding 

University of Calgary. (2023b, February 16). Learning module: Test anxiety – lesson 2. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.  

• Can you look at the causes of the topic?
  • Example: What was the main cause of the French Revolution?
• Can you look at the effects of the topic?
  • Example: What was the impact of Harry Potter on adult fiction?
• Are there different definitions of the topic? Have these differences led to conflict?
  • Example: How do Asian and Western cultures interpret feminism differently?
• Has the definition of a topic changed over time? Why is that change significant?
  • Example: How was childhood viewed in the Victorian era compared to today?
• Can you limit the focus of your topic to a specific time period?
  • Example: What was the impact of Motown music in the 1960s?
• Can you limit the focus of your topic to a specific place?
  • Example: What is the significance of baseball in Japan?

Another helpful question is “What about it?” You can ask this question multiple times until you arrive at a topic that’s specific and well-defined.

• Topic: climate change (too broad)
• What about climate change? Effects of climate change (still too broad)
• What about effects of climate change? Rising sea levels due to climate change (getting there!)
• What about rising sea levels due to climate change? Consequences of rising sea levels due to climate change (close!)
• What about the consequences of rising sea levels due to climate change? The plight of “climate refugees” forced to leave coastal areas within the past decade because of rising sea levels due to climate change (specific!)

The final version of this example considers the effect (the creation of climate refugees) of a specific occurrence (rising sea levels) and grounds it in a specific place (coastal areas) and time (the past decade). The more focused your topic, the easier and more effective your research and writing will be.

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 
Buckley, J. (2009). Fit to print: The Canadian student’s guide to essay writing (7th ed.). Nelson. 

Trent University (n. d.). Topic and thesis development. Retrieved from http://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documents/TopicandThesisDevelopment.pdf 

Here are some tips: 

1. Plan your week. Book time for work and time for fun. Stick to that schedule. 
2. If you tend to forget about work or put it off until the last minute, have regular reminders staring you in the face: a big wall calendar, post-it notes, daily phone alerts, etc. 
3. Find out when you work best—morning? night?—and work then. Stick to that rhythm. 
4. Create a good workspace. Find a place where you’re productive and do all your work there.  
5. If you find yourself getting snuggly in your loungewear and falling asleep while you work, stay alert by getting dressed and sitting at a table.  
6. Try listening to one song or playlist on repeat so you don’t procrastinate by choosing music. 
7. Drinking water can help you stay focused and alert. 
8. Try exercise! Even a walk can help boost energy and improve your attitude. 
9. Set time boundaries. Set a timer for 25 minutes or 1 hr and work until it stops! 
10. If an essay or project makes you anxious, write down everything you need to do to finish. Pick a small task from your list and start with that.  
11. Use tools and strategies: Set deadlines or reminders in Google calendars, use the Pomodoro method, create SMART goals, make a manageable to-do list (no more than 5 items!), etc. 
12. Set deadlines with friends for each stage (see #10) and be accountable to each other. Try asking your TA for deadlines. 
13. Distracted online? Turn off WiFi, ask a friend to change your password, or use a website blocker like StayFocused or SelfControl to stop you from visiting those pesky sites. 
14. Self-bribery can be fun and motivating. “Once I finish this paragraph, I’ll eat a packet of gummy bears!” “When I’m finished writing this chapter, I’ll watch one episode of Doctor Who!” 
15. Not interested in what you’re writing? Find some part that does interest you and focus on that. 
16. Watch YouTube videos, TED Talks, or short documentaries on your topic. Listening to a passionate speaker or learning about something in a new way can get you more interested! 
17. Think about a time you were productive. You did it then; you can do it now! 
18. Let yourself daydream. Set aside some time to dream so it doesn’t get in the way of work. 
19. Be ready to fail at productivity. You won’t always be completely productive and that’s okay! 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

Demonstrate reading, understanding, and thinking. Do not just state or summarize your sources; use concepts and ideas to make arguments and/or draw conclusions. Some questions to ask yourself: 

• Which specific ideas from my source(s) do I want to discuss? 
• What do I think about those ideas? 
• What evidence from my source(s) supports my arguments and conclusions? 
• How can I best connect the different ideas and concepts I’m using? 
• What new knowledge should other scholars take away from my paper? 

Organization 

Academic papers have structure. Use sections, such as Background, Methodology, Results, etc., or an essay format (introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion). If you’re unsure about the structure, ask your professor.  

• Your introduction contains your research question and/or thesis statement. Introductions are “roadmaps” to your point and provide context for your topic.  
• Your body paragraphs contain the evidence and analyses that support your thesis. Each body paragraph should have one main idea. Ideas should flow logically in the body of your essay. Pause between ideas to include transitions (phrases or sentences that connect one idea to the next). Body paragraphs need concluding sentences. 
• Your conclusion is where you bring your ideas together into a cohesive, meaningful takeaway that flows from your argument. Depending on the purpose of your paper, you might wrap up loose ends, leave your reader with something to think about, or propose an action. 

Referencing, Formatting, and Mechanics 

Your professor will tell you which citation style (e. g. APA, MLA, Chicago) to follow. Style dictates the format of your paper and the way your in-text citations and references page look. The Purdue OWL online resource has helpful guides to referencing and formatting.  

Print your paper to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure errors. Don’t rely on a spell-checker and avoid editing software, which can put you at risk of plagiarism. 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 

Bullock, R., Goggin, M. D., & Weinberg, F. (2008). The Norton field guide to writing. Norton. 

Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., & Durst, R. (2015). They say / I say (3rd ed.). Norton. 

The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue (1995-2020). Purdue OWL. Retrieved May 11, 2020, from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html 

Thesis statements must be arguable. 

This means people could reasonably disagree. You must be able to argue that your thesis is reasonable, supported by evidence, and worthy of taking seriously. 

• Not a thesis statement: McMaster maroon is the best colour. 
• This is an opinion and not arguable. 
• Not a thesis statement: The United Nations was formed in 1945. 
• This is a fact and not arguable. 
• Thesis statement: Professional hockey has helped create a Canadian identity. 
• This thesis statement makes an arguable claim that must be proven with evidence and analysis. An even better thesis statement would also consider how hockey has done this, what kind or element of Canadian identity, and why it’s important. 

Thesis statements must be specific. 

You need to be able to support your thesis with evidence from reputable sources. What are your sources’ main arguments? Where do your sources agree? Which claims are controversial? The answers to these questions are jumping-off points for your own thinking. 

• Not a thesis statement: Einstein was the greatest physicist of all time. 
• This is not a thesis statement because it contains a value judgement: a simplistic assessment of “good” or “bad” based on opinion, not evidence. Instead, choose one of Einstein’s theories and carefully examine its merits in the context of physics. 
• Not a thesis statement: Throughout history, people have enjoyed music. 
• This is not a thesis statement because it’s too broad. Avoid generalizations like “throughout history,” “in society,” “humankind,” etc. Instead, consider a specific group of people from a well-defined place and time. 
• Thesis statement: Henry Ford’s assembly line had a negative impact on working-class American families in the early 1900s. 
• This is a thesis statement because the argument is grounded in a particular place, time, and group of people. An even better thesis statement would also consider what kind of negative impact and why it matters in the context of the topic. 

It’s okay if your thesis changes as you research. You should expect to revise your work as you go along! 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 

Buckley, J. (2009). Fit to print: The Canadian student’s guide to essay writing (7th ed.). Nelson. 

Trent University (n. d.). Topic and thesis development. Retrieved from http://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documents/TopicandThesisDevelopment.pdf 

Step 1: Brainstorm

• What are the relevant milestones in your life and big lessons you’ve learned?
• What is the focus of your application and how do you want to organize it?

Step 2: Draft

Include the following:

• A strong opening statement. Give context; don’t be overly general.
• An introduction, body paragraphs (new point = new paragraph), and a brief conclusion.
• A storytelling structure. Visit https://www.sparkol.com/en/blog/8-classic-storytelling-techniques-for-engaging-presentations for examples.
• Your scholarly accomplishments and scholarly plan.
• The 3 Rs: recency (of your experiences), relevance (why you’re the best candidate based on your experiences), and responsibility level (your role titles and duties).

Step 3: Revise

• Take a break before each revision session to allow for a new perspective on your writing.
• Read your application aloud to check for clarity and flow.
• Strike a balance between a tone of professional writing and one of personal reflection.
• After revising your ideas and structure, proofread for grammar, spelling, and typos.

Include the “show, don’t tell” method of creating imagery; an honest picture of yourself with specific examples; a brief “thank you” at the end.

Don’t include a full autobiography; emojis, excessive exclamation points; clichés or inspirational quotes. 

Other Tips:

• Be aware of the word count.
• Stick to the prompt if one is provided.
• Read past winning applications to understand what the scholarship committee is looking for.

Book an appointment at the Writing Centre at oscarplus.mcmaster.ca. Appointments available Monday – Friday during the academic year. For resume critiques, visit https://studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca/careers/job-search/.

References

Butler, M. Writing a strong scholarship application. Scholarships Canada. https://www.scholarshipscanada.com/News/8/2975/Writing-a-Strong-Scholarship-Application

How to write a scholarship essay and win big. https://myscholly.com/how-to-write-a-scholarship-essay/

University of Massachusetts Amherst. Tips for scholarship applications. https://www.umass.edu/sbs/tips-scholarship-applications

1. Revise your introduction and thesis statement. 

Your thesis statement must indicate your main idea/argument, and your introduction is a “roadmap” to your essay. Check your introduction and thesis against your body paragraphs and make them align.  

2. Revise your body paragraphs. 

Each body paragraph should contain one main idea in support of your thesis. Body paragraphs need topic sentences, concluding sentences, and transitions. In the margins of your essay, write one sentence per body paragraph that states each main idea. Check these sentences against your topic sentences; they should match. Do they flow logically and support your thesis? If not, rearrange body paragraphs and/or adjust your main ideas. 

3. Revise your conclusion. 

Your conclusion should refer directly back to your thesis statement, sum up the proof that supports it, and leave your reader with a meaningful takeaway. Your ideas may change as you work through supporting evidence. If your conclusion makes a different point than your thesis statement, revise your thesis! 

4. Reverse-outline your essay. 

Copy and paste your thesis statement, topic sentences, concluding sentences, transitions, and conclusion into a separate document as a bulleted list. Have you clearly introduced each idea? Are there transition sentences or words connecting them? Does the order of ideas make sense? Do your main points support your thesis statement? 

Proofreading means fixing sentence-level mistakes.

Proofreading is rereading to check for errors in grammar, sentence structure, word choice, etc. Proofreading is the final stage of the writing process. 

Get some distance. 

It’s easier to recognize errors if you finish your essay early and return to it later with fresh eyes. 

Print your essay. 

Reading your essay on paper instead of a screen gives you a fresh perspective that will help you catch and fix typos and grammatical errors. 

Read your essay aloud. 

Reading aloud helps you hear whether the language in your essay makes sense. This is a great way to catch and fix run-on, incomplete and unclear sentences. 

Eliminate wordiness. 

Use as few words as possible to get your points across. Choose lively words with precise meanings (see Eliminating Wordiness tip sheet). 

Double-check citations and formatting. 

Use a style guide like the ones from Purdue OWL to make sure citations, references page, font, margins, etc. are correct. 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 

Bullock, R., Goggin, M. D., & Weinberg, F. (2008). The Norton field guide to writing. Norton. 

IMPORTANT: Use proper punctuation and phrasing to make it clear which words are your own and which words are the work of another writer. 

Quotations must never stand alone. 

Your own words must be part of the same sentence as the quotation. You might introduce quotations with state, claim, show, argue, or write. Enclose quotations in quotation marks to distinguish them from your own words. Note: all quotations require citations! Use citation guidelines indicated by your department or Faculty. 

• Incorrect: Procrastination is a challenge all writers face. “Even professional writers have days when they’d rather clean the toilet than do the writing.” 
• Correct: Procrastination is a challenge all writers face. As popular writer Octavia Butler explains, “Even professional writers have days when they’d rather clean the toilet than do the writing.” 
• Correct: Procrastination is a challenge all writers face: “Even professional writers have days when they’d rather clean the toilet than do the writing.” 

Quotations must serve a purpose.  

Do not clutter your work with long quotations and avoid block quotations. Quotations must relate directly to your arguments; this means you might only need to quote a single phrase or word instead of an entire sentence. You can use Point—Proof—Explanation so that your thoughts and words appear before and after the quote.  

• Point is your original idea, stated in your own words. 
• Proof is supporting evidence from your source in the form of a quotation or paraphrase. 
• Explanation is analysis of the quotation: how it supports your point and how it fits with your other points and/or your argument as a whole. Explanation is entirely in your own words. 

Change the contents of a quotation only when necessary. 

You might need to make small grammatical alterations to a quotation to fit the grammar of your own sentence.  Only make changes that are grammatically necessary! Any changes you make must be indicated in square brackets. 

• Incorrect: Hannah Arendt suggests stories “reveals meaning without the error of defining it.” 
• Correct: Hannah Arendt suggests stories “[reveal] meaning without the error of defining it.” 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 

Buckley, J. (2009). Fit to Print: The Canadian student’s guide to essay writing (7th ed.). Toronto: Nelson. 

Lunsford, A. A. (2015). The St. Martin’s handbook (8th ed). Toronto: Nelson. 

Vanier College (n. d.). Integrating quotes. Retrieved from http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/tlc/tipsheets/writing/integrating-quotes.pdf 

Title Page

Include course name, course code, title of lab with clarification of type of lab (pre-lab, in-lab, post-lab, formal lab report), student name(s), McMaster student ID number, instructor name, lab section and TA name, if applicable include lab partner’s name & student number, due date, McMaster University.  

Abstract

Summarize major findings along with the problem and hypothesis. Clarify why the problem was studied and the approach used to study it. Describe major findings and conclusions.  

Introduction

Provide an overview of the experiment and discuss how the results expand knowledge. 

• Include past test results (if applicable) with statements supported by the peer reviewed scientific literature in the proper citation format.  
• Use present tense for theory, equipment, and report, and past tense for results and experiment.

Methods and Materials

State what was done and how (instructions should facilitate experiment duplication). 

• Include the experimental design, apparatus description, methods for gathering and interpreting results, and controls used. Use past tense and the passive voice.

Results

Provide data and observations without interpreting their meaning or significance. Describe events in the order they took place. 

• Include tables (raw data) and graphs (interpreted data), calculations: Tables, figures and graphs should be properly numbered and include captions. Include proper units of measurement and legends. Figures and tables should be organized and clear (no fuzzy images).
• Include results that deviated from expectations (leave discussion for next section).
• Maintain an adequate font size for graph legends. Use past tense.

Discussion

Follow the same order as Results section.

• Analyse results: How do they relate to previous studies? Why did they occur?  
• Identify patterns and relationships: How did results differ from expectations? How do they relate to theory? 

Conclusions

Briefly restate the purpose, results, and concluding interpretations.

• Include recommendations for further study and/or suggest changes to the procedure.  
• Support statements with scientific literature. Include research citations in the proper format.
• References
  • List references in the proper referencing format (as indicated by the instructor, TA, and lab coordinator). References should display strong evidence that has been recently published.
• Appendices
  • Include data, calculations, graphics, and notes along with captions and titles.
  • Provide measurements and legend. Place each appendix on a separate page. 

Remember to maintain a balanced perspective, use clear and precise language, and apply a logical structure. 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

Source: University of Toronto (n.d.). The Lab Report. Retrieved from: UFT Lab Reports Writing Advice 

Step 1: Replace weak verbs with strong verbs.

Weak verbs rely on other words to clarify what’s happening. Some common weak verbs are to be, to have, to do, to make, and to exist. Wordy papers pair nouns with these types of verbs. Turn these nouns into strong verbs that enliven your writing.

• “The scientists did researchon solar energy,” becomes “The scientists researchedsolar energy.”
• “The students have an understandingof thesis statements,” becomes “The students understandthesis statements.”
• “There was a reduction in waste by the factory,” becomes “The factory reduced waste.”

Step 2: Change passive voice to active voice.

The passive voice uses forms of the verb to be with a past participle to leave the “who” out of the sentence or hide it at the end.

• Passive voice: “The study was conducted.” Who conducted the study? We don’t know!
• Passive voice: “The study was conducted by senior surgeons at George Washington University.” Now we know who conducted the study but the doer is hiding at the end. 
• Active voice: “Senior surgeons at George Washington University conducted the study.” The doer of the action is up front and the sentence uses a strong verb – “conducted.”

Step 3: Use precise language.

Non-specific words often need qualifiers, or descriptive words, to clarify meaning, such as really, significant(ly), and critical(ly). Choose words that are specific and meaningful.

• “He walked wearily and laboriously,” becomes “He trudged.”
• “My boss communicated my schedule to me via email,” becomes “My boss emailed me my schedule.”

Step 4: Cut empty phrases.

Some phrases don’t add meaning and make sentences unclear. Try removing phrases that start with “it is” and “there are” and see if the meaning remains the same.

• “It is important to recognize that researchers simulated…” becomes “Researchers simulated…”
• “There are many metaphors in the novel that deal in some way with birth and renewal,” becomes “Many metaphors in the novel deal with birth and renewal.”

Step 5: Don’t make claims; cite facts.

Unsupported claims signify areas where more research is needed. 

• “The majority of participants…” becomes “79% of participants…”
• “A lot of scholars agree…” becomes “Andrews, Bhattacharyya, and Chan agree…” Including researchers’ names adds words, but isn’t “wordy.” It shows familiarity with the literature. 

Improve your writing and study skills! Book an appointment with a writing advisor and/or academic coach on OSCARplus.  Questions? Email skills@mcmaster.ca. 

References 

Cook, C. K. (1985). Line by line: How to edit your own writing. MLA. 

TED-Ed. (2012, October 31). Beware of nominalizations (AKA zombie nouns) – Helen Sword [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNlkHtMgcPQ&t=3s