Blooms Taxonomy divides the way people learn into three domains.

One of these is the

cognitive domain, which emphasizes intellectual outcomes. This domain is further divided into
categories or levels. The key words used and the type of questions asked may aid in the
establishment and encouragement of critical thinking, especially in the higher levels.
Level

Level Attributes

Keywords

Questions
What is ...? How is ...?
Where is ...? When did
_______ happen? How did
______ happen? How
who, what, why, when,
Exhibits previously
would you explain ...? Why
omit, where, which,
learned material by
did ...? How would you
choose, find, how, define,
1: Knowledge recalling facts, terms,
describe ...? When did ...?
label, show, spell, list,
basic concepts and
Can you recall ...? How
match, name, relate, tell,
answers.
would you show ...? Can
recall, select
you select ...? Who were
the main ...? Can you list
three ...? Which one ...?
Who was ...?
How would you classify the
type of ...? How would you
compare ...? contrast ...?
Will you state or interpret
Demonstrating
in your own words ...? How
understanding of
compare, contrast,
would you rephrase the
facts and ideas by
demonstrate, interpret,
meaning ...? What facts or
organizing,
2:
explain, extend, illustrate, ideas show ...? What is the
comparing,
Comprehension
infer, outline, relate,
main idea of ...? Which
translating,
rephrase, translate,
statements support ...? Can
interpreting, giving
summarize, show, classify you explain what is
descriptions and
happening . . . what is
stating main ideas.
meant . . .? What can you
say about ...? Which is the
best answer ...? How would
you summarize ...?
3: Application Solving problems by apply, build, choose,
How would you use ...?
applying acquired
construct, develop,
What examples can you
knowledge, facts,
interview, make use of,
find to ...? How would you
techniques and rules organize, experiment with, solve _______ using what
in a different way.
plan, select, solve, utilize, you have learned ...? How
model, identify
would you organize
_______ to show ...? How
would you show your
understanding of ...? What
approach would you use

Level

Level Attributes

4: Analysis

Examining and
breaking information
into parts by
identifying motives
or causes; making
inferences and
finding evidence to
support
generalizations.

5: Synthesis

Compiling
information together
in a different way by
combining elements
in a new pattern or
proposing alternative
solutions.

Keywords

Questions
to ...? How would you
apply what you learned to
develop ...? What other way
would you plan to ...? What
would result if ...? Can you
make use of the facts to ...?
What elements would you
choose to change ...? What
facts would you select to
show ...? What questions
would you ask in an
interview with ...?
What are the parts or
features of ...? How is
_______ related to ...? Why
do you think ...? What is
the theme ...? What motive
analyze, categorize,
is there ...? Can you list the
classify, compare,
parts ...? What inference
contrast, discover, dissect, can you make ...? What
divide, examine, inspect, conclusions can you
simplify, survey, take part draw ...? How would you
in, test for, distinguish,
classify ...? How would you
list, distinction, theme,
categorize ...? Can you
relationships, function,
identify the difference parts
motive, inference,
...? What evidence can you
assumption, conclusion find ...? What is the
relationship between ...?
Can you make a distinction
between ...? What is the
function of ...? What ideas
justify ...?
build, choose, combine, What changes would you
compile, compose,
make to solve ...? How
construct, create, design, would you improve ...?
develop, estimate,
What would happen if ...?
formulate, imagine,
Can you elaborate on the
invent, make up, originate, reason ...? Can you propose
plan, predict, propose,
an alternative ...? Can you
solve, solution, suppose, invent ...? How would you
discuss, modify, change, adapt ________ to create a
original, improve, adapt, different ...? How could
minimize, maximize,
you change (modify) the
delete, theorize, elaborate, plot (plan) ...? What could
test, improve, happen,
be done to minimize

Level

Level Attributes

Keywords

change

6: Evaluation

Presenting and
defending opinions
by making
judgments about
information, validity
of ideas or quality of
work based on a set
of criteria.

award, choose, conclude,

criticize, decide, defend,
determine, dispute,
evaluate, judge, justify,
measure, compare, mark,
rate, recommend, rule on,
select, agree, interpret,
explain, appraise,
prioritize, opinion,
,support, importance,
criteria, prove, disprove,
assess, influence,
perceive, value, estimate,
influence, deduct

Questions
(maximize) ...? What way
would you design ...? What
could be combined to
improve (change) ...?
Suppose you could
_______ what would you
do ...? How would you
test ...? Can you formulate a
theory for ...? Can you
predict the outcome if ...?
How would you estimate
the results for ...? What
facts can you compile ...?
Can you construct a model
that would change ...? Can
you think of an original
way for the ...?
Do you agree with the
actions ...? with the
outcomes ...? What is your
opinion of ...? How would
you prove ...? disprove ...?
Can you assess the value or
importance of ...? Would it
be better if ...? Why did
they (the character)
choose ...? What would you
recommend ...? How would
you rate the ...? What
would you cite to defend
the actions ...? How would
you evaluate ...? How could
you determine ...? What
choice would you have
made ...? What would you
select ...? How would you
prioritize ...? What
judgment would you make
about ...? Based on what
you know, how would you
explain ...? What
information would you use
to support the view ...?
How would you justify ...?
What data was used to

Level

Level Attributes

Keywords

Questions
make the conclusion ...?
Why was it better that ...?
How would you prioritize
the facts ...? How would
you compare the ideas ...?
people ...?

From: UMUC
Blooms Ranking of Thinking Skills
Knowledge Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Analyze,
Summarize,
Solve,
List, Name,
Organize,
Design,
Explain, Interpret, Illustrate,
Identify,
Deduce,
Hypothesize,
Describe, Compare, Calculate, Use,
Show, Define,
Contrast,
Support,
Paraphrase,
Interpret,
Recognize,
Compare,
Schematize,
Differentiate,
Relate,
Recall, State,
Distinguish, Write, Report,
Demonstrate,
Manipulate,
Visualize
Discuss, Plan, Justify
Classify
Apply, Modify
Devise

Evaluation
Evaluate,
Choose,
Estimate,
Judge,
Defend,
Criticize

From: Stewards

Task Oriented Question Construction Wheel Based on Blooms Taxonomy

Task Oriented Question Construction Wheel Based on Blooms Taxonomy.

2001 St. Edwards University Center for Teaching Excellence.
Stedwards
From: GA Tech
According to Benjamin Bloom, and his colleagues, there are six levels of cognition:
1. Knowledge: rote memorization, recognition, or recall of facts
2. Comprehension: understanding what the facts mean
3. Application: correct use of the facts, rules, or ideas

4. Analysis: breaking down information into component parts

5. Synthesis: combination of facts, ideas, or information to make a new whole
6. Evaluation: judging or forming an opinion about the information or situation
Ideally, each of these levels should be covered in each course and, thus, at least one objective
should be written for each level. Depending on the nature of the course, a few of these levels
may need to be given more emphasis than the others.
Below are examples of objectives written for each level of Blooms Taxonomy and activities and
assessment tools based on those objectives. Common key verbs used in drafting objectives are
also listed for each level.
Example
Example
Activity
Assessment
Have students Use the
By the end of group up and
following
list, recite,
this course, the perform simple question on an
Rote
define, name,
student will be experiments to exam or
memorization, match, quote,
1: Knowledge
able to recite the class
homework.
recognition, or recall,
Newtons three showing how
Recite
recall of facts. identify, label,
laws of
one of the laws Newtons three
recognize
motion.
of motion
laws of
works.
motion.
Group students
into pairs and
have each pair
describe,
Assign the
By the end of think of words
explain,
students to
this course, the that describe
paraphrase,
write a simple
student will be motion. After a
Understanding restate, give
essay that
2:
able to explain few minutes, ask
what the facts original
explains what
Comprehension
Newtons three pairs to
mean.
examples of,
Newtons laws
laws of motion volunteer some
summarize,
of motion mean
in his/her own of their
interpret,
in his/her own
words.
descriptions and
discuss
words.
write these
descriptions on
the board.
3: Application Correct use of calculate,
By the end of After presenting On a test,
the facts, rules, predict, apply, this course, the the kinetic
define a
or ideas.
solve,
student will be energy equation projectile and
illustrate, use, able to
in class, have
ask the students
demonstrate, calculate the the students pair to Calculate
determine,
kinetic energy off for just a few the kinetic
model
of a projectile. minutes and
energy of the
Level

Level
Attributes

Keywords

Example
Objective

Example
Example
Activity
Assessment
practice using it
so that they feel
comfortable
projectile.
with it before
being assessed.
Present the
students with
different
situations
Give the
involving
students an
energy and ask assignment that
the students to asks them
By the end of categorize the outline the
classify,
Breaking
this course, the energy as either basic principles
outline, break
down
student will be kinetic or
of kinetic and
down,
information
able to
potential then potential
4: Analysis
categorize,
into
differentiate
have them
energy. Ask
analyze,
component
between
explain in detail them to point
diagram,
parts.
potential and why they
out the
illustrate
kinetic energy. categorized it differences
the way they
between the
did, thus
two as well as
breaking down how they are
what exactly
related.
makes up
kinetic and
potential energy.
Tie each lecture
By the end of or discussion to Give the
this section of the previous
students a
design,
the course, the lectures or
project in
formulate,
student will be discussions
which they
build, invent,
able to design before it, thus must design an
Combining
create,
an original
helping the
original
5: Synthesis parts to make a compose,
homework
students
homework
new whole.
generate,
problem
assemble all the problem
derive,
dealing with
discreet
dealing with
modify,
the principle of classroom
the principle of
develop
conservation of sessions into a conservation of
energy.
unified topic or energy.
theory.
6: Evaluation Judging the
choose,
By the end of Have different On a test,
value or worth support,
the course, the groups of
describe a
of information relate,
student will be students solve dynamic
Level

Level
Attributes

Keywords

Example
Objective

Level

Level
Attributes

or ideas.

Example
Example
Objective
Activity
able to
determine,
determine
the same
defend, judge, whether using
problem using
grade,
conservation of
different
compare,
energy or
methods, then
contrast,
conservation of
have each group
argue, justify, momentum
present the pros
support,
would be more
and cons of the
convince,
appropriate
method they
select,
forsolving a
chose.
evaluate
dynamics
problem.
Keywords

Attachment: Writing Objectives Using Bloom's Taxonomy [PDF, 323 KB]

Example
Assessment

system and ask

the students
which method
they would use
to solve the
problem and
why.