Annotated Bibliography

Andrews, A., & Brown, J. (June 06, 2015). The Effects of Math

Anxiety. Education, 135, 3, 362-370.

The article, The Effects of Math Anxiety by Amanda Andrews and Dr. Jennifer

Brown, focuses on a conduction of a study that attempts to figure out the relationship

between pre-enrollment math anxiety, standardized test scores, math placement scores,

and academic success during a freshman math coursework. The study consisted of 180

freshman students that attended a university in the southeastern United States. In the end,

the study found what they were expecting to find and that was that there is a relationship

between math anxiety and final course grades. The article defines math anxiety as

negative cognitions, and avoidant behaviours towards mathematical situations, whether

that is in life or academic situations. The article discusses how math anxiety is a very big

problem, especially for students, and how the effects are only increasing as many

Americans struggle, as well as shares some interesting information regarding math

anxiety and the consequences that it has on an individual and the things that they do.
Ashcraft, M. H. (June 23, 2016). Math Anxiety: Personal, Educational, and Cognitive

Consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 5, 181-185.

The article, Math Anxiety: Personal, Education, and Cognitive Consequences by

Mark Ashcraft consists of a study that looks at the effects and consequences of people

who have suffered/ and are suffering from math anxiety. The article mentions the

methods for the study, which are tests, one that is simpler with no time restrains and the

second one consists of a test, which looks at harder mathematical concepts. The article

mentions how although math anxiety is prominent through many students, out of the

students that do suffer it is greater when students are asked math questions that involve

decimals/fractions/percents, as well as when they know that they are being timed. The

article provides its readers with a definition of math anxiety, which is a feeling of tension

and fear that is linked with one’s math performance. The article also briefly discusses the

history of math anxiety, in regards to when it was first assessed by using the

Mathematical Anxiety Rating Scale. The article also discusses how the causes of math

anxiety are not determined, however the ways that some teachers teach it has be

considered a risk factor, and what needs to be addressed to fix this.

Maloney, E. A., & Beilock, S. L. (January 01, 2012). Math anxiety: who has it, why it

develops, and how to guard against it. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16, 8, 404-6.

The article, Math anxiety: who has it, why it develops, and how to guard against it

by Erin Maloney and Sian Beilock is a very informative piece of writing that all

educators should read pertaining to math anxiety. The article discusses how important

basic math skills are, but also how many people are afraid of dealing with numerical

information, which affects their lives. The article discusses recent information found

about how before math anxiety was thought to develop during junior high because of the

increasing difficulty in the curriculum, but now has been seen in many students in

elementary levels. The article also discuses how math anxiety may develop due to some

social factors, including: if a teacher has math anxiety they may pass it on to their

students when teaching, as well as how students are treated regarding their mathematical

ability. The article concludes by mentioning that one easy way that future educator can

help students with math anxiety and that is to be very knowledge about it. If an educator

is knowledgeable on the topic than they are able to help their students avoid math anxiety

all together.
Scarpello, G. (September 01, 2007). Helping Students Get Past Math

Anxiety. Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers, 82, 6, 34-35.

The article Helping Student Get Past Math Anxiety is an article that consists of

information in regards to what math anxiety is, how it is form, and what we as future

educators can do to help students who unfortunately suffer from math anxiety. The article

discusses how students can develop math anxiety at a very young age, which is the fourth

grade, although may not peak until the student is older. When the math anxiety does peak

however, it can be very detrimental to students’ futures. For example, some students will

steer clear of many mathematical subjects in high school due to their math anxiety,

however these mathematic courses that they are steering clear of are mathematics classes

that may be needed to be completed to get into college or university. The article ends by

commenting on how educators can help students who are dealing with math anxiety, as

well as discusses ways that educators can avoid creating math anxiety in students.
Stuart, V. B. (January 01, 2000). Math Curse or Math Anxiety?. Teaching Children

Mathematics, 6, 5, 330-35.

The article, Math Curse or Math Anxiety by Vanessa Stuart gives a teacher’s

perspective of what it is like to be in front and have to develop lessons for students of all

academic abilities, specifically for this article, mathematics. Stuart opens up the article by

telling the readers to imagine themselves in a fifth grade classroom where all students

have different academics abilities and behaviour levels, as well as how some of those

students struggle with math and some are exceptionally well at it. Stuart then suggests the

reader to come up with a curriculum that is challenging; yet improves test scores and

allows students to be successful. While readers try to achieve all of this, Stuart brings to

their attention that this is what typically happens in a classroom. Stuart talks about how

math anxiety developed which is usually from a lack of confidence. After seeing some of

the students suffer from math anxiety in her classroom, she developed a survey that the

students could do that asked them questions like “why/why you like math” or “how do

you feel when you do math problems”. By the students participating in the survey it

allowed the teacher to get an idea of where her students were in terms of math/math

anxiety. This survey would be a very beneficial thing to incorporate into classroom to get

informed on students’ feelings!

Thilmany, J. (June 01, 2009). MATH ANXIETY. Mechanical Engineering, 131, 6.)

The article Math Anxiety, by Jean Thilmany, goes to show how math anxiety that

is developed in elementary/middle school can go on to effect a life forever. The article

touches on the number of symptoms in conjunction with math anxiety, including concern,

worry, fear, mental blocks, and tension. Regardless of field of study, math anxiety is a

prominent in many students in university. The study that was completed in this article

consisted of 885 first year students at a university and there were significant findings in

regards to students’ attitudes towards math. One finding that the university study found

was that 47% of men become anxious when it comes to numbers, and 62% of women

become anxious when it comes to numbers.