Instructional design/Learning objectives/Cognitive Domain Verb Usage

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Verbs Used in the Cognitive Domain

Here is a brief description of each level of Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitve Domain which includes a short list of cognitive action verbs, a performance phrase, and a measurement strategy. The external links at the end provide access to more information concerning verbs for each cognitive domain.

Knowledge

Knowledge is the lowest level in the cognitive domain. It involves the recall or remembering of information that was previously learned. The information could be a fact, concept, procedure, or principle.

Knowledge Verb	Verb Phrase	Measurement Strategies
Match	Match the President with their political party	Matching Test
Recite	Recite the Preamble to the Constitution	Oral Presentation
Label	Label the countries in Central America	Fill-in-the-Blank (Map of Central America)

Comprehension

Comprehension is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material. This may be shown by translating material from one form to another (words to numbers), by interpreting material (explaining or summarizing), and by estimating future trends (predicting consequences or effects).

Comprehension Verb	Verb Phrase	Measurement Strategies
Describe	Describe the ADDIE instructional design process	Written Essay or Oral Presenation
Summarize	Summarize the main idea of the article	Written Essay or Oral Presentation
Explain	Explain Schank's Goal-Based Scenarios	Written Essay or Oral Presentation

Application

Application refers to 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. Learning outcomes in this area require a higher level of understanding than those under comprehension.

Application Verb	Verb Phrase	Measurement Strategies
Calculate	Calculate the interest and principal for a 30 year loan	Short Answer, Written Calculations
Demonstrate	Demonstrate universal precautions for bloodborne pathogens	Role-Play scenario
Apply	Apply Heinrich's Legacy Model of Accident Causation	Case Study

Practice and Feedback

Now let's practice identifying verbs for the knowledge, comprehension, and application levels of the cognitive domain. Choose the correct answer for each question below by clicking a box. At the end, click the Submit button for the correct answers.

1 Which of the following is a performance verb for knowledge?

	Name
	Examine
	Validate
	Compose

2 Which of the following is a performance verb for comprehension?

	Choose
	Create
	Diagnose
	Explain

3 Which of the following is a performance verb for application?

	Demonstrate
	Test
	Write
	Match

How did you do? Click the link below for more explanation More explanation

References and Writing Aids

Two tables that may be used as writing aids for learning objectives. They contain Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain with several performance verbs.

(1) Bloom's Cognitive Domain and Action Verbs

(2) Table of Cognitive Verbs

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