Argumentative Essay On Standardized Testing

As the end of the school year comes closer, many students around the globe are preparing to take standardized tests. In theory, the idea of a test to mark a person's academic progression and understanding of the general level of academic comprehension is excellent, but honestly, how does it impact students' mental health and learning ability, and is having standardized testing actually effective for the students' futures?

The origin of standardized testing in school is linked to Alfred Binet. In 1904. Commissioned by the French government, to find out the students who were developmentally behind their classmates. So they could provide them with extra help, or resources for these tests the students were tested on their abilities - reasoning,

For most standardized tests there are no do-overs. And in many cases with these test scores come expectations, from parents, teachers, peers, and the person themselves. Therefore creating apprehension, and anxiety in many students. A study was done by Beth A. Fulton, 2016. that studied the effects of stress on students' test rates. In the study, she found out that the test results were linked with the heart rates of the students. The students that did more poorly showed signs of increased anxiety. But that study only explored the natural nervousness that creates when put under pressure. But in recent years the rates of generalized anxiety are rising a US nationally representative study discovered a 19% increase in anxiety rates in people in the age range of 6 - 17(Department of Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development, Boston University,2021) Considering the increasing mental health crisis in modern-day youth and the pressures of standardized testing prevailing, whilst the acceptance rates of colleges are rising. Standardized testing increases the anxiety of adolescents, which in turn can impact their results negatively, which in turn causes them more

Following the findings of a study done by Shana K. Carpenter, Harold Pashler, John T. Wixted in 2008. Where they found a link between the repetition of information to better one's recollection of a subject. Therefore finding out information a student might not understand is key so they can learn more in-depth about it. That's why standardized testing can be a great tool for figuring out the flaws in ones understanding. That's why teachers' reviews and comments on students' work are important. Testing can improve one's understanding of their strong suits and weak points. However, that's only in the cases of tests that don't hinder a person's future such as college entrance exams or SATs. But such a study method is useful to improve the long-term memorization of information that might be useful for the previously mentioned