Bloom's Taxonomy: The Levels of Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy: the Levels of Learning

Bloom’s taxonomy provides a framework for communicating the degree of understanding and level of learning expected for each learning outcome statement (LOS):

Exam Coverage	Taxonomy Category	Description
Principles	Knowledge	Remembering or recognizing appropriate terminology, facts, ideas, materials, trends, sequences, methodology, principles, and generalizations.
Principles	Comprehension	Grasping the meaning of material; understanding written communication, reports, tables, diagrams, directions, and regulations.
Principles Expert	Application	Using information in concrete situations; applying ideas, rules or procedure, methods, formulas, principles, and theories in job-related situations.
Expert	Analysis	Breaking down material or information into its parts and detecting the relationship of the parts and their organization.
Expert	Synthesis	Combining elements and parts to form a whole or to constitute a pattern or structure not clearly there before.
Expert	Evaluation	Making a judgment about the value of ideas, solutions, methods, or material using prescribed criteria or standards for estimating the extent to which they are accurate, effective, or economical.

Specific command words (such as list, explain, calculate, differentiate, prepare, justify) are associated with each level of Bloom’s taxonomy. In preparing reading-specific LOS, command words are used to communicate the intended degree of understanding for each reading.

For more on Bloom’s Taxonomy, see Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain. 1956. Edited by B.S. Bloom, et al. New York, NY: David McKay Co.