Bloom's Taxonomy

"Benjamin Bloom" created this taxonomy for categorizing level of abstraction of questions that commonly occur in educational settings. The taxonomy provides a structure in which to categorize test questions.

1. Knowledge :

• Observation and Recall of information
• Knowledge of dates, events, places
• Knowledge of major ideas
• Mastery of Subject Matter
• Question Cues:list, define, tell, describe, identify, show, label, collect, examine, tabulate, quote, name, who, when, where, etc.

2. Comprehension:

• Understanding information
• Grasp meaning
• Translate knowledge into new context
• Interpret facts, compare, contrast
• Order, group, infer causes
• Predict consequences
• Question Cues: summarize, describe, interpret, contrast, predict, associate, distinguish, estimate, differentiate, discuss, extend

3. Application:

• Use information
• Use methods, concepts, theories in new situations
• Solve problems using required skills or knowledge
• Questions Cues: apply, demonstrate, alculate, complete, illustrate, show, solve, examine, modify, relate, change, classify, experiment, discover

4. Analysis:

• Seeing patterns
• Organization of parts
• Recognition of hidden meanings
• Identification of components
• Question Cues: analyze, separate, order, explain, connect, classify, arrange, divide, compare, select, explain, infer

5. Synthesis:

• Use old ideas to create new ones
• Generalize from given facts
• Relate knowledge from several areas
• Predict, draw conclusions
• Question Cues:combine, integrate, modify, rearrange, substitute, plan, create, design, invent, what if?, compose, formulate, prepare, generalize, rewrite

6. Evaluation:

• Compare and discriminate between ideas
• Assess value of theories, presentations
• Make choices based on reasoned argument
• Verify value of evidence
• Recognize subjectivity
• Question Cues: decide, rank, grade, test, measure, recommend, convince, select, judge, explain, discriminate, support, conclude, compare, summarize