With so many negative connotations attached to the word test, you could argue that we shouldn’t use the word at all.
Ditch the connotations however and take a fresh look at the positives that come from conducting tests and you may find yourself thinking that tests are actually pretty cool.
Here we take a look at why re-examining the way we think about tests could bring about first class results.
1] Safety in Mind
In the first instance, tests are extremely useful. Most adults are comfortable driving or being driven in a car, but would this still be the case if the cars we buy were not tested quite so rigorously after being produced? Probably not.
Cars undergo hundreds of tests, using sophisticated equipment, before they are deemed safe enough to be sold and the same can be said of lots of other products that we use daily – taking it for granted that they are fit for purpose.
2] You Are What You Eat
Testing is also necessary as there are some things in life that we simply cannot avoid – food for example. The Food Standards Agency is the body responsible for testing the food that is sold in shops and the process is a rather complex affair.
Samples of food are tested to ensure they are fit for human consumption and also to check that what is in the packaging matches the ingredients listed on the label.
Food is easily contaminated and so testing is paramount and prevents us from becoming ill from food poisoning or from allergic reactions.
3] A Thorough Examination
It isn’t just the tests on food that ensure we stay fit and well. Medical testing now relies on a wide range of tests including scans, blood tests and X-rays to help detect and prevent problems.
Not only are these tests part of the reason that we are now living longer and healthier lives, they also mean that we are able to live fuller lives, more enjoyable lives.
So with all of this evidence that suggests that tests are a good thing, where have the negative connotations come from?
4] At the End There’ll Be a Quiz
It is fair to say that said connotations, on the whole, come from educational settings – many students dread tests and exams.
However, this may be down to the way in which “tests” are conducted, as students learn in a variety of ways, perhaps they should be tested according to their learning style and not just herded into a room where they aren’t allowed to speak for two hours and have to just sit there writing.
Get the methodology right and the results will follow!
