Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy Is...

A set of three hierarchical models used to classify educational learning objectives, usually during the design phase of development. This model is extremely helpful and provides the building blocks for useful and effective learning objectives.

Measurable Verbs

To create the best learning objectives, you'll want to use verbs like "define", explain", or "list". You want them to be measurable to track progress and measure success in a course. Try and avoid non-behavioral verbs like "grasp", "understand", or "know". (These are the verbs in the hexagon). The verbs you choose will depend on which of the six cognitive domains (pink triangles) you wish to target (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, or Evaluation).

1. Knowledge

• Recognizing or remembering facts, terms, basic concepts

• Verbs: select, list, name, define, describe, memorize, label, identify, locate, recite, state, recognize

• Example: Name three common varieties of apple.

2. Comprehension

• Demonstrating understanding of facts, terms, basic concepts

• Verbs: match, restate, paraphrase, rewrite, give examples, express, illustrate, explain, defend, distinguish, summarize, interrelate, interpret, extend

• Example: Summarize the identifying characteristics of a Honeycrisp apple and a Pink Lady apple.

3. Application

• Applying acquired knowledge to solve problems, identify connections and relationships

• Verbs: organize, generalize, dramatize, prepare, produce, choose, sketch, apply, solve, draw, show, paint

• Example: Would apples prevent scurvy, a disease caused by a deficiency in vitamin C?

4. Analysis

• Analysis involves examining and breaking information into parts, determining how the parts relate to one another, identifying motives or causes, making inferences, and finding evidence to support generalizations

• Verbs: compare, analyze, classify, point out, distinguish, categorize, differentiate, subdivide, infer, survey, select, prioritize

• Example: Compare and contrast four ways of serving foods made with apples and examine which ones have the highest health benefits.

Synthesis

• Building a structure or pattern from diverse elements

• Verbs: compose, originate, hypothesize, develop, design, combine, construct, produce, plan, create, invent, organize

• Example: invent a healthy apple pie recipe and argue for the health benefits of the ingredients you chose compared to ingredients in an unhealthy apple pie.

Evaluation

• Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, the validity of ideas, or quality of work

• Verbs: judge, relate, weight, criticize, support, evaluate, consider, critique, recommend, summarize, appraise, compare

• Example: which apples are best for baking apple pie, and why?