The practice of examinations is also found to increase the stress level of students. Petress (1994) did a study to examine how the scheduling of final examinations and students' natural and habitual rhythms affects their marks and stress levels. Petress found that final examinations are often scheduled without giving consideration to the students' circadian rhythms. Students often choose courses that are compatible with their circadian rhythms, but examinations are often scheduled without giving consideration to this. This disruption to the student may cause additional stress above and beyond the stress naturally experienced during tests. Petress compared the final exam marks of students in a day class, in which the exam time was not consistent with the class time, with the marks of students in a night class, in which the exam was written in class. The result was that the students in the night class performed significantly better than the day class students. Petress then compared the midterm examination grades, which both groups wrote in class, and a superior performance of the night class students was not found.
Please find below links to other sites which you may find useful.
Doctor Ah-Clem's Webpages for Students
Coping With Exams and Exam Anxiety
