| Descriptors of Levels of Learning |
Illustrative Verbs |
| Secondary/Post-Secondary Levels (undergraduate) |
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1. Knowledge – remembering previously learned material. The skill may involve recall of a wide range of material, from specific facts to complete theories, but all that is required is the bringing to mind of the appropriate information. Knowledge represents the lowest level of learning outcomes in the cognitive domain. |
Knowledge – enumerate, define, describe, identify, label, list, match, name, outline, recall, recite, recollect, relate, reproduce, select, state |
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2. Comprehension – the ability to grasp meaning of material. This skill may be shown by translating material from one form to another (words or numbers), by interpreting material (explaining or summarizing), and by estimating future trends (predicting consequences or effects). |
Comprehension – change, construct, convert, decode, defend, define, describe, distinguish, discriminate, estimate, explain, extend, generalize, give example, illustrate, infer, paraphrase, predict, restate, rewrite, solve, summarize |
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3. Application – the ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations. This may include the application of such things as rules, methods, concepts, principles, laws, and theories. |
Application – apply, change, compute, demonstrate, develop, discover, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, manipulate, modify, operate, organize, predict, prepare, produce, relate, solve, transfer, use |
| Graduate Level |
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4. Analysis – the ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. This skill may include the identification of the parts, analysis of the relationship between parts, and recognition of the organizational principles involved. |
Analysis – analyze, breakdown, classify, compare, contrast, determine, deduce, diagram, differentiate, distinguish, identify, illustrate, infer, outline, point out, relate, select, separate, subdivide |
| Doctoral Level |
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5. Synthesis – the ability to put parts together to form a new whole. This may involve the production of a unique communication (theme or speech), a plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for classifying information). |
Synthesis – categorize, combine, compile, compose, conceive, construct, create, design, devise, establish, explain, formulate, generate, invent, make manage, modify, organize, originate, plan, propose, rearrange, reconstruct, relate, reorganize, revise, rewrite, set up, summarize, tell, write |
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6. Evaluation – the ability to judge the value of material (statement, novel, poem, research report) for a given purpose. The judgements are to be based on definite criteria. These may be internal criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose) and the student may determine the criteria or be given them. |
Evaluate – appraise, ascertain, choose, compare, conclude, contrast, criticize, decide, defend, describe, discriminate, explain, interpret, justify, relate, resolve, summarize, support, validate, write (a review) |
Note: basic analysis is expected at the upper division undergraduate level; basic synthesis is expected of better students at the graduate (master’s degree) level; doctoral level includes analysis and critique. Where doctoral level includes application is should be post-synthesis application, not basic application.
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