Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives
Bloom’s taxonomy (or classification) (1956) identified categories of learning objectives in
the form of nouns. This is often used in planning lessons. A review by Anderson and
Krathwohl (2001) encouraged a change from nouns to verbs in order to facilitate
visualisation of outcomes as well as specify what the pupils should be able to do by meeting
the ILO (see Table 1 below).
Table 1 Taxonomy of Learning Objectives.
Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
Anderson and Krathwohl (2001)
Adapted Taxonomy
Knowledge
Remember
Comprehension
Understand
Application
Apply
Analysis
Analyse
Synthesis
Evaluate
Evaluation
Create (problem solve)
Examples of measurable action words you want pupils to achieve are shown in Table 2
below.
Table 2 Examples of measurable action words (verbs) reflecting appropriate levels and
domain.
Level
Domain
Knowledge
Application
Problem solving
Psychomotor
Observe
Perform
Create
Point out
Operate
Design
List
Apply
Analyse
Describe
Interpret
Evaluate
Respond
Value
Consider
Receive
Respect
Resolve
Cognitive
Affective
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Table 3 Examples of measurable action words to aid planning of intended learning outcomes for
lessons.
Abstract
Activate
Acquire
Adjust
Analyse
Appraise
Arrange
Articulate
Assemble
Assess
Assist
Associate
Breakdown
Build
Calculate
Carry out
Catalogue
Categorise
Change
Check
Cite
Classify
Collect
Combine
Compare
Complete
Compose
Compute
Conduct
Construct
Contrast
Convert
Coordinate
Count
Criticise
Critique
Debate
Decrease
Define
Demonstrate
Describe
Design
Detect
Develop
Differentiate
Direct
Discover
Discuss
Distinguish
Dramatise
Draw
Employ
Establish
Estimate
Evaluate
Examine
Explain
Explore
Express
Extrapolate
Formulate
Generalise
Identify
Illustrate
Implement
Improve
Increase
Infer
Integrate
Interpret
Introduce
Investigate
Judge
Limit
List
Locate
Maintain
Manage
Modify
Name
Observe
Operate
Order
Organise
Perform
Plan
Point
Predict
Prepare
Prescribe
Produce
Propose
Question
Rank
Rate
Read
Recall
Recognise
Recommend
Reconstruct
Record
Schedule
Score
Select
Separate
Sequence
Simplify
Sing
Sketch
Tabulate
Test
Theorise
Trace
Track
Train
Transfer
Translate
Update
Use
Utilise
Verbalise
Verify
Visualise
Write
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Recruit
Reduce
Reflect
Relate
Remove
Reorganise
Repair
Repeat
Replace
Report
Reproduce
Research
Restate
Restructure
Revise
Rewrite
Skim
Solve
Specify
State
Structure
Summarise
Supervise
Survey
Systematise
Table 4 Some words for knowledge.
analyse
arrange
calculate
circle
cite
classify
compare
contrast
define
describe
diagram
differentiate
evaluate
give examples
group
identify
interpret
itemise
label
list
match
name
outline
plan
recognise
record
revise
select
solve
state
tabulate
Table 5 Some words for skills.
adjust
assemble
chart
collect
demonstrate
draw
employ
establish
fit
illustrate
imitate
interact
locate
maintain
manipulate
master
measure
modify
operate
organise
perform
practice
rearrange
return
set up
use
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Table 6 Some words for attitudes.
accept
adopt
advocate
approve
assess
challenge
characterise
choose
criticise
defend
empathise
evaluate
formulate
judge
justify
manage
model
persuade
reassure
recommend
resolve
select
specify
value
Table 7 Words that may be used for each of Bloom’s six levels of learning objectives and hence
assessment.
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
(Knowledge and
understanding)
Analysis
be aware of; calculate; circle; cite; classify; count;
define; describe; diagram; differentiate; draw;
This is the recall of
enumerate; evaluate; examine; extract; give
information and facts.
examples of; group; identify; interpret; itemise;
know; label; list; match; measure; name; organise;
Common terms, facts,
outline; plan; point out; present; quote; read;
principles, procedures, asks
recall; recite; recognise; record; recount; relate;
these types of questions:
repeat; reproduce; revise; select; show; solve;
state; tabulate; underline; write.
associate; clarify; classify; compare; comprehend;
This is the grasping of
compute; contrast; convert; defend; describe;
meaning.
differentiate; discuss; distinguish; estimate;
exemplify; explain; express; extend; extrapolate;
Understanding of facts and find; formulate; generalise; give examples of;
principles, interpretation of identify; illustrate; indicate; infer; interpret; judge;
material, asks these types of justify; name; paraphrase; perform; predict;
questions:
present; report; represent; restate; rewrite;
select; summarise; translate; understand.
add; apply; assess; calculate; change; choose;
This is being able to use
classify; compute; construct; control;
information in new situations.
demonstrate; determine; develop; discover;
divide; draw up; establish; examine; exemplify;
Solving problems, applying
explain how; find; give examples; graph; illustrate;
concepts and principles to
interpolate; manipulate; modify; operate;
new situations, asks these
practice; predict; prepare; produce; relate; select;
types of questions:
show; solve; subtract; translate; use; verify.
This is being able to break
analyse; arrange; break down; categorise; classify;
down information and
combine; compare; conclude; connect; contrast;
knowledge into parts to
criticise; design; detect; develop; devote;
understand the structure and diagnose; differentiate; discriminate; distinguish
then make inferences and
between; divide; elucidate; evaluate; examine;
conclusions.
explain; identify; illustrate how; infer; justify;
order; outline; point out; question; recognise;
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Synthesis
Evaluation
Recognition of unstated
relate; resolve; select; separate; subdivide; utilise.
assumptions or logical
fallacies, ability to distinguish
between facts and inferences,
asks these kinds of questions:
account for; adapt; alter; anticipate; argue; build
This is more than analysis: it is up; categorise; combine; compare; compile;
being able to create and
compose; conclude; contrast; create; derive;
combine enabling deductions design; develop; devise; drive; engender; enlarge;
to be made.
explain; formulate; generalise; generate; group;
integrate; manage; model; modify; order;
Integrate learning from
organise; plan; prescribe; present; précis;
different areas or solve
propose; put together; rearrange; reconstruct;
problems by creative thinking, relate; reorganise; report; restate; revise; rewrite;
asks these kinds of questions: select; specify; structure; suggest; summarise;
synthesise; teach; tell; transform; validate; write.
This is being able to judge the
value of theory, make choices appraise; assess; choose; compare; conclude;
on reasoned argument. Being contrast; criticise; critique; decide; defend;
able to discriminate between describe how; determine; discriminate; evaluate;
ideas.
explain; grade; interpret; judge; justify; measure;
question; rank; rate; recommend; reframe; select;
Judging and assessing, asks summarise; support; test; value.
these kinds of questions:
The intended learning outcomes (ILO’s) you design should reflect the appropriate level and
domain of learning (psychomotor; cognitive; affective). Meillie and Pinchin (2008) highlight
the A, B, C, D approach to writing effective ILOs, where:
A recognises the Audience expected to perform the desired behaviour
B recognises the Behaviour the learner can now engage in
C recognises the Condition(s) under which the ILOs should be attained and
D recognises the Degree of competency expected upon completion of the ILO.
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