Bloom's Taxonomy

Note that the top two levels are essentially exchanged from the Old to the New version.

New Version Old Version

Remembering: can the student recall or define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall,
remember the information? repeat, reproduce state
classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify,
Understanding: can the student explain
locate, recognize, report, select, translate,
ideas or concepts?
paraphrase
choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ,
Applying: can the student use the
illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch,
information in a new way?
solve, use, write.
appraise, compare, contrast, criticize,
Analyzing: can the student distinguish
differentiate, discriminate, distinguish,
between the different parts?
examine, experiment, question, test.
Evaluating: can the student justify a stand appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support,
or decision? value, evaluate
Creating: can the student create new assemble, construct, create, design, develop,
product or point of view? formulate, write.

From Bloom, et al., 1956

As teachers we tend to ask questions in the "knowledge" catagory 80% to 90% of the
time. These questions are not bad, but using them all the time is. Try to utilize higher
order level of questions. These questions require much more "brain power" and a more
extensive and elaborate answer. Below are the six question categories as defined by
Bloom.

• KNOWLEDGE
o remembering;
o memorizing;
o recognizing;
o recalling identification and
o recall of information
 Who, what, when, where, how ...?
 Describe
• COMPREHENSION
o interpreting;
o translating from one medium to another;
o describing in one's own words;
o organization and selection of facts and ideas
 Retell...
• APPLICATION
o problem solving;
o applying information to produce some result;
o use of facts, rules and principles
 How is...an example of...?
 How is...related to...?
 Why is...significant?
• ANALYSIS
o subdividing something to show how it is put together;
o finding the underlying structure of a communication;
o identifying motives;
o separation of a whole into component parts
 What are the parts or features of...?
 Classify...according to...
 Outline/diagram...
 How does...compare/contrast with...?
 What evidence can you list for...?
• SYNTHESIS
o creating a unique, original product that may be in verbal form or may be a
physical object;
o combination of ideas to form a new whole
 What would you predict/infer from...?
 What ideas can you add to...?
 How would you create/design a new...?
 What might happen if you combined...?
 What solutions would you suggest for...?
• EVALUATION
o making value decisions about issues;
o resolving controversies or differences of opinion;
o development of opinions, judgements or decisions
 Do you agree...?
 What do you think about...?
 What is the most important...?
 Place the following in order of priority...
 How would you decide about...?
 What criteria would you use to assess...?
Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains

The Three Types of Learning

There is more than one type of learning. A committee of colleges, led by Benjamin
Bloom (1956), identified three domains of educational activities:

• Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge)

• Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)
• Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)

Since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little bigger
than we normally use. Domains can be thought of as categories. Trainers often refer to
these three categories as KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude). This taxonomy of
learning behaviors can be thought of as “the goals of the learning process.” That is, after
a learning episode, the learner should have acquired new skills, knowledge, and/or
attitudes.

The committee also produced an elaborate compilation for the cognitive and affective
domains, but none for the psychomotor domain. Their explanation for this oversight was
that they have little experience in teaching manual skills within the college level (I guess
they never thought to check with their sports or drama department).

This compilation divides the three domains into subdivisions, starting from the simplest
behavior to the most complex. The divisions outlined are not absolutes and there are
other systems or hierarchies that have been devised in the educational and training world.
However, Bloom's taxonomy is easily understood and is probably the most widely
applied one in use today.

Cognitive Domain

The cognitive domain (Bloom, 1956) involves knowledge and the development of
intellectual skills. This includes the recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural
patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills.
There are six major categories, which are listed in order below, starting from the simplest
behavior to the most complex. The categories can be thought of as degrees of difficulties.
That is, the first one must be mastered before the next one can take place.
Category

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices

from memory to a customer. Knows the
safety rules.
Knowledge: Recall data or
information. Key Words: defines, describes, identifies,
knows, labels, lists, matches, names,
outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces,
selects, states.

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test

writing. Explain in one's own words the steps
for performing a complex task. Translates an
equation into a computer spreadsheet.
Comprehension: Understand the
Key Words: comprehends, converts,
meaning, translation, interpolation,
defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains,
and interpretation of instructions
extends, generalizes, gives an example,
and problems. State a problem in
infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts,
one's own words.
rewrites, summarizes, translates.

Application: Use a concept in a Examples: Use a manual to calculate an

new situation or unprompted use of employee's vacation time. Apply laws of
 statistics to evaluate the reliability of a
written test.

an abstraction. Applies what was

Key Words: applies, changes, computes,
learned in the classroom into novel
constructs, demonstrates, discovers,
situations in the work place.
manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts,
prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves,
uses.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of

equipment by using logical deduction.
Recognize logical fallacies in
reasoning. Gathers information from a
Analysis: Separates material or
department and selects the required tasks for
concepts into component parts so
training.
that its organizational structure may
be understood. Distinguishes
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down,
between facts and inferences.
compares, contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs,
differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes,
identifies, illustrates, infers, outlines, relates,
selects, separates.

Synthesis: Builds a structure or Examples: Write a company operations or

pattern from diverse elements. Put process manual. Design a machine to
parts together to form a whole, with perform a specific task. Integrates training
emphasis on creating a new from several sources to solve a problem.
meaning or structure. Revises and process to improve the outcome.

Key Words: categorizes, combines,

compiles, composes, creates, devises,
designs, explains, generates, modifies,
 organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs,
relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes.

Examples: Select the most effective solution.

Hire the most qualified candidate. Explain
and justify a new budget.

Evaluation: Make judgments about

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes,
the value of ideas or materials.
contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends,
describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains,
interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes,
supports.

Affective Domain

The affective domain (Krathwohl, Bloom, Masia, 1973) includes the manner in which we
deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms,
motivations, and attitudes. The five major categories are listed from the simplest behavior
to the most complex:

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Listen to others with respect.

Listen for and remember the name of
newly introduced people.
Receiving Phenomena: Awareness,
willingness to hear, selected attention. Key Words: asks, chooses, describes,
follows, gives, holds, identifies, locates,
names, points to, selects, sits, erects,
replies, uses.

Examples: Participates in class

discussions. Gives a presentation.
Responding to Phenomena: Active
Questions new ideals, concepts, models,
participation on the part of the
etc. in order to fully understand them.
learners. Attends and reacts to a
Know the safety rules and practices them.
particular phenomenon. Learning
outcomes may emphasize compliance Key Words: answers, assists, aids,
in responding, willingness to respond, complies, conforms, discusses, greets,
or satisfaction in responding helps, labels, performs, practices, presents,
(motivation). reads, recites, reports, selects, tells, writes.

Valuing: The worth or value a person Examples: Demonstrates belief in the

attaches to a particular object, democratic process. Is sensitive towards
phenomenon, or behavior. This ranges individual and cultural differences (value
from simple acceptance to the more diversity). Shows the ability to solve
complex state of problems. Proposes a plan to social
commitment. Valuing is based on the improvement and follows through with
 commitment. Informs management on
matters that one feels strongly about.
internalization of a set of specified
values, while clues to these values are Key Words: completes, demonstrates,

expressed in the learner's overt differentiates, explains, follows, forms,

behavior and are often identifiable. initiates, invites, joins, justifies, proposes,
reads, reports, selects, shares, studies,
works.

Examples: Recognizes the need for

balance between freedom and responsible
behavior. Accepts responsibility for one's
behavior. Explains the role of systematic
planning in solving problems. Accepts
Organization: Organizes values into
professional ethical standards. Creates a
priorities by contrasting different
life plan in harmony with abilities,
values, resolving conflicts between
interests, and beliefs. Prioritizes time
them, and creating an unique value
effectively to meet the needs of the
system. The emphasis is on
organization, family, and self.
comparing, relating, and synthesizing
values.
Key Words: adheres, alters, arranges,
combines, compares, completes, defends,
explains, formulates, generalizes,
identifies, integrates, modifies, orders,
organizes, prepares, relates, synthesizes.

Internalizing values Examples: Shows self-reliance when

(characterization): Has a value system working independently. Cooperates in
that controls their behavior. The group activities (displays teamwork). Uses
behavior is pervasive, consistent, an objective approach in problem solving.
predictable, and most importantly, Displays a professional commitment to
characteristic of the ethical practice on a daily basis. Revises
 judgments and changes behavior in light of
new evidence. Values people for what they
learner. Instructional objectives are are, not how they look.
concerned with the student's general
patterns of adjustment (personal, Key Words: acts, discriminates, displays,

social, emotional). influences, listens, modifies, performs,

practices, proposes, qualifies, questions,
revises, serves, solves, verifies.

Psychomotor Domain

The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical movement, coordination,

and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is
measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution.
The seven major categories are listed from the simplest behavior to the most complex:

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Perception: The ability to use sensory Examples: Detects non-verbal

cues to guide motor activity. This communication cues. Estimate where a
 ball will land after it is thrown and then
moving to the correct location to catch the
ball. Adjusts heat of stove to correct
temperature by smell and taste of food.
Adjusts the height of the forks on a
ranges from sensory stimulation,
forklift by comparing where the forks are
through cue selection, to translation.
in relation to the pallet.

Key Words: chooses, describes, detects,

differentiates, distinguishes, identifies,
isolates, relates, selects.

Examples: Knows and acts upon a

sequence of steps in a manufacturing
process. Recognize one's abilities and
limitations. Shows desire to learn a new
Set: Readiness to act. It includes
process (motivation). NOTE: This
mental, physical, and emotional sets.
subdivision of Psychomotor is closely
These three sets are dispositions that
related with the “Responding to
predetermine a person's response to
phenomena” subdivision of the Affective
different situations (sometimes called
domain.
mindsets).

Key Words: begins, displays, explains,

moves, proceeds, reacts, shows, states,
volunteers.

Guided Response: The early stages in Examples: Performs a mathematical

learning a complex skill that includes equation as demonstrated. Follows
imitation and trial and error. Adequacy instructions to build a model. Responds
of performance is achieved by hand-signals of instructor while learning
practicing. to operate a forklift.

Key Words: copies, traces, follows, react,

 reproduce, responds

Examples: Use a personal

computer. Repair a leaking faucet. Drive a
Mechanism: This is the intermediate
car.
stage in learning a complex
skill. Learned responses have become
Key Words: assembles, calibrates,
habitual and the movements can be
constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens,
performed with some confidence and
fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates,
proficiency.
measures, mends, mixes, organizes,
sketches.

Complex Overt Response: The Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight

skillful performance of motor acts that parallel parking spot. Operates a computer

involve complex movement quickly and accurately. Displays

patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a competence while playing the piano.

quick, accurate, and highly coordinated

Key Words: assembles, builds, calibrates,
performance, requiring a minimum of
constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens,
energy. This category includes
fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates,
performing without hesitation, and
measures, mends, mixes, organizes,
automatic performance. For example,
sketches.
players are often utter sounds of
satisfaction or expletives as soon as NOTE: The Key Words are the same as
they hit a tennis ball or throw a Mechanism, but will have adverbs or
football, because they can tell by the adjectives that indicate that the
feel of the act what the result will performance is quicker, better, more
produce. accurate, etc.

Adaptation: Skills are well developed Examples: Responds effectively to

and the individual can modify unexpected experiences. Modifies
movement patterns to fit special instruction to meet the needs of the
requirements. learners. Perform a task with a machine
 that it was not originally intended to do
(machine is not damaged and there is no
danger in performing the new task).

Key Words: adapts, alters, changes,

rearranges, reorganizes, revises, varies.

Examples: Constructs a new theory.

Develops a new and comprehensive
Origination: Creating new movement
training programming. Creates a new
patterns to fit a particular situation or
gymnastic routine.
specific problem. Learning outcomes
emphasize creativity based upon
Key Words: arranges, builds, combines,
highly developed skills.
composes, constructs, creates, designs,
initiate, makes, originates.

Other Psychomotor Domain Taxonomies

As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a compilation for the psychomotor
domain model, but others have. The one discussed above is by Simpson (1972). There are
two other popular versions:

Dave's (1975):

• Imitation — Observing and patterning behavior after someone else. Performance

may be of low quality. Example: Copying a work of art.
 • Manipulation — Being able to perform certain actions by following instructions
and practicing. Example: Creating work on one's own, after taking lessons, or
reading about it.
• Precision — Refining, becoming more exact. Few errors are apparent. Example:
Working and reworking something, so it will be “just right.”
• Articulation — Coordinating a series of actions, achieving harmony and internal
consistency. Example: Producing a video that involves music, drama, color,
sound, etc.
• Naturalization — Having high level performance become natural, without
needing to think much about it. Examples: Michael Jordan playing basketball,
Nancy Lopez hitting a golf ball, etc.

Harrow's (1972):

• Reflex movements — Reactions that are not learned.

• Fundamental movements — Basic movements such as walking, or grasping.
• Perception — Response to stimuli such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or tactile
discrimination.
• Physical abilities — Stamina that must be developed for further development
such as strength and agility.
• Skilled movements — Advanced learned movements as one would find in sports
or acting.
• No discursive communication — Effective body language, such as gestures and
facial expressions.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom, revisited the cognitive domain in the
learning taxonomy in the mid-nineties and made some changes, with perhaps the two
most prominent ones being, 1) changing the names in the six categories from noun to
verb forms, and 2) slightly rearranging them (Pohl, 2000).
This new taxonomy reflects a more active form of thinking and is perhaps more accurate:

The six steps of Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and

Creating uses the same key words or verbs as shown in the table in the Cognitive Domain
section.

Reference

Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive

Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Dave, R. H. (1975). Developing and Writing Behavioral Objectives. (R. J. Armstrong,

ed.). Tucson, Arizona: Educational Innovators Press.

Harrow, A. (1972) A Taxonomy of Psychomotor Domain: A Guide for Developing

Behavioral Objectives. New York: David McKay.
Krathwohl, D. R., Bloom, B. S., & Masia, B. B. (1973). Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives, the Classification of Educational Goals. Handbook II: Affective Domain.
New York: David McKay Co., Inc.

Pohl, M. (2000). Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: Models and Strategies to

Develop a Classroom Culture of Thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow.

Simpson E. J. (1972). The Classification of Educational Objectives in the Psychomotor

Domain. Washington, DC: Gryphon House.