Bloom's taxonomy

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Goals and Outcomes Statements

Source: (http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/bloom1.html)

NOTE: the following applies only to the “cognitive domain”. Benjamin

Bloom and his colleagues also developed taxonomies of the Affective Domain

(emphasizing feeling and emotion) and the Psychomotor Domain

(emphasizing motor skills). For descriptions of all three taxonomies, see this

University of Mississippi School of Education web page:

http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/educ_school2/docs/stai_manual/manual8.htm

Categories in the Cognitive Domain: (with Outcome-Illustrating Verbs)

1. Knowledge of terminology; specific facts; ways and means of dealing

with specifics (conventions, trends and sequences, classifications and

categories, criteria, methodology); universals and abstractions in a field

(principles and generalizations, theories and structures):

Knowledge is (here) defined as the remembering (recalling) of

appropriate, previously learned information

    • defines; describes; enumerates; identifies; labels; lists; matches;names; reads; records; reproduces; selects; states; views.

2. Comprehension: Grasping (understanding) the meaning of informational

materials.

    • classifies; cites; converts; describes; discusses; estimates; explains;generalizes; gives examples; makes sense out of; paraphrases; restates (in own words); summarizes; traces; understands.

3. Application: The use of previously learned information in new and

concrete situations to solve problems that have single or best answers.

    • acts; administers; articulates; assesses; charts; collects; computes;constructs; contributes; controls; determines; develops; discovers;establishes; extends; implements; includes; informs; instructs;operationalizes; participates; predicts; prepares; preserves; produces; projects; provides; relates; reports; shows; solves;teaches; transfers; uses; utilizes.

4. Analysis: The breaking down of informational materials into their

component parts, examining (and trying to understand the organizational

structure of) such information to develop divergent conclusions by

identifying motives or causes, making inferences, and/or finding evidence

to support generalizations.

    • breaks down; correlates; diagrams; differentiates; discriminates; distinguishes; focuses; illustrates; infers; limits; outlines; points out; prioritizes; recognizes; separates; subdivides.

5. Synthesis: Creatively or divergently applying prior knowledge and skills

to produce a new or original whole.

    • adapts; anticipates; categorizes; collaborates; combines;communicates; compares; compiles; composes; contrasts; creates; designs; devises; expresses; facilitates; formulates; generates; incorporates; individualizes; initiates; integrates; intervenes; models; modifies; negotiates; plans; progresses; rearranges; reconstructs; reinforces; reorganizes; revises; structures; substitutes; validates.

6. Evaluation: Judging the value of material based on personal

values/opinions, resulting in an end product, with a given purpose, without

real right or wrong answers.

    • appraises; compares & contrasts; concludes; criticizes; critiques; decides; defends; interprets; judges; justifies; reframes; supports.

The following provides useful examples of descriptive language representing the same

cognitive hierarchy of assessment verbs:

Knowledge: Cite, Count, Define, Draw, Identify, List, Name, Point, Quote, Read, Recite, Record, Repeat, Select, State, Tabulate, Tell, Trace, Underline

Comprehension: Associate, Classify, Compare, Compute, Contrast, Differentiate, Discuss,

Distinguish, Estimate, Explain, Express, Extrapolate, Interpolate, Locate, Predict, Report, Restate, Review, Tell, Translate

Application: Apply, Calculate, Classify, Demonstrate, Determine, Dramatize, Employ, Examine, Illustrate, Interpret, Locate, Operate, Order, Practice, Report, Restructure, Schedule, Sketch, Solve, Translate, Use, Write

Analysis: Analyze, Appraise, Calculate, Categorize, Classify, Compare, Debate, Diagram

Differentiate, Distinguish, Examine, Experiment, Identify, Inspect, Inventory, Question, Separate, Summarize, Test, Synthesis, Arrange, Assemble, Collect, Compose, Construct, Create, Design, Formulate, Integrate, Manage, Organize, Plan, Prepare, Prescribe, Produce, Propose, Specify, Synthesize, Write

Evaluation: Appraise, Assess, Choose, Compare, Criticize, Determine, Estimate, Evaluate,

Grade, Judge, Measure, Rank, Rate, Recommend, Revise, Score, Select, Standardize, Test, Validate