General Education
Bloom's Taxonomy


Phone: 616-331-8140
Fax: 616-331-8658
General Education
gened@gvsu.edu

181 Lake Ontario Hall
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI 49401
BLOOM'S TAXONOMY
1. Knowledge
Student recalls or recognizes information, ideas, and principles in the approximate form in which they were learned. Student exhibits memory of previously-learned materials by recalling facts, terms and basic concepts.
 
Words that reflect knowledge:
cite
identify
meet
recite
select
quote
collect
index
name
record
show
 
count
indicate
outline
repeat
study
 
define
label
point
reproduce
tabulate
 
draw
list
quote
retell
trace
 
enumerate
match
recall
review
tell
 
 
 
2. Comprehension
Student demonstrates understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating main ideas.
 
Words that reflect comprehension:
add
clarify
describe
express
interact
restate
approximate
classify
discuss
extend
interpret
review
articulate
compare
distinguish
extrapolate
observe
rewrite
associate
compute
elaborate
factor
order
summarize
characterize
detail
estimate
generalize
paraphrase
translate
cite
differentiate
explain
infer
predict
visualize
 
 
3. Application
Student uses new knowledge. Student solves problems to new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.
 
Words that reflect application of knowledge:
acquire
capture
customize
factor
prepare
show
adapt
change
discover
illustrate
produce
solve
administer
collect
dramatize
interpret
project
teach
apply
complete
develop
investigate
provide
transcribe
attain
compute
employ
modify
relate
transfer
calculate
construct
establish
operate
sequence
translate
 
 
 4. Analysis
Student examines and breaks information into parts by identifying motives or causes. Student makes inferences and finds evidence to support generalizations. Student analyzes elements, relationships and organizational principles.
 
Words that reflect analysis:
analyze
compare
discriminate
infer
order
subdivide
arrange
confirm
differentiate
inspect
outline
summarize
audit
connect
distinguish
interpret
points out
test
break down
contrast
experiment
investigate
prioritize
train
calculate
correlate
explain
manage
query
transform
categorize
criticize
explore
maximize
relate
translate
characterize
detect
focus
minimize
select
question
classify
diagnose
illustrate
optimize
separate
 
 
 
5. Synthesis
Student compiles information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions. Student can derive a set of abstract relationships from the information.
 
Words that reflect synthesis: 
adapt
correspond
formulate
model
portray
specify
anticipate
create
generalize
modify
prepare
speculate
arrange
depict
generate
negotiate
rearrange
structure
collaborate
design
improve
network
refer
substitute
combine
devise
incorporate
organize
reinforce
summarize
compile
express
integrate
outline
relate
validate
compose
facilitate
intervene
overhaul
reorganize
write
construct
format
invent
plan
rewrite
 
 
 
6. Evaluation
Student presents and defends opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.
 
Words that reflect synthesis:
appraise
counsel
discriminate
hypothesize
predict
select
assess
criticize
estimate
interpret
prescribe
summarize
compare
critique
evaluate
judge
rank
support
conclude
decide
examine
justify
rate
test
contrast
defend
explain
measure
recommend
validate
convince
determine
grade
persuade
reframe
verify

*These lists are not exhaustive.

  Last Modified Date: October 14, 2008
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