TAXONOMY

 OF  THE  DOMAINS  OF  LEARNING  AND  SAMPLE  VERBS  

 
COGNITIVE  DOMAIN  OF  LEARNING  
COGNITIVE  DOMAIN     (Anderson,  and  Krathwohl,  et  al.,  2001)  
1.  REMEMBER:  to  memorize,  recall,  or   1. Knowledge  of  definition  of  terms  
repeat  information  presented  earlier   2. Knowledge  of  symbols  
2.UNDERSTAND:    to  interpret,  translate,  or   1. Ability  to  summarize  a  technical  problem  into  a  brief  
restate  the  information  acquired  in   abstract  
one’s  own  terms   2. Presenting  a  set  of  numerical  data  in  graphical  form  
3.  APPLY:  to  use  or  apply  information,   1. Ability  to  apply  principles  to  new  situations  
theories,  principles,  or  laws  to  new   2. Ability  to  use  formula  to  a  given  problem  
situations;  use  abstractions  (principles,  
ideas,  theories)  in  concrete  situations  
4.  ANALYZE:  to  divide  complex  knowledge   1. Ability  to  rationalize  the  various  steps  and  their  
into  its  separate  parts  and  to  recognize   significance  in  solving  a  statistical  problem  
the  relationships  of  those  parts  and  the   2. Ability  to  break  down  a  set  of  data  into  significant  
way  they  are  organized   epidemiological  problems  
5.  EVALUATE:    to  make  judgments  or   1. Ability  to  critique  a  given  instructional  design  based  on  
appraisals  based  on  knowledge  or   principles  of  teaching  &  learning  
given  criteria   2. Ability  to  justify  the  use  of  particular  statistical  design  
based  on  the  epidemiological  problem  
6.  SYNTHESIZE:  to  bring  together  separate   1. Creating  a  proposal  for  a  well-­‐designed  prospective  study  
elements  of  knowledge  to  form  new   2. Formulating  a  comprehensive  plan  on  how  to  handle  given  
patterns  or  wholes   statistical  reports  
 
 
SAMPLE  VERBS    FOR    THE  COGNITIVE  DOMAIN  
 
Remember   Understand   Apply   Analyze   Evaluate   Create  
Define   Choose   Apply   Analyze   Appraise   Arrange  
Enumerate   Cite  examples   Calculate   Conclude   Assess   Assemble  
Identify   Discuss   Compute   Contrast   Choose   Collect  
List   Explain   Demonstrate   Correlate   Compare   Compose  
Name   Express   Dramatize   Criticize   Critique   Construct  
Recall   Identify   Employ   Deduce   Evaluate   Create  
Recognize   Interpret   Generalize   Debate   Judge   Design  
Record   Locate   Illustrate   Detect   Measure   Develop  
Relate   Pick   Interpret   Determine   Rate   Formulate  
Repeat   Report   Operate   Diagnose   Revise   Manage  
Underline   Translate   Operationalize   Differentiate   Score   Modify  
Respond   Practice   Distinguish   Select   Organize  
Simulate   Relate   Estimate   Validate   Plan  
Summarize   Use   Examine   Test   Prepare  
Utilize   Experiment   Produce  
Initiate   Identify   Propose  
Infer   Predict  
Inventory   Reconstruct  
Predict   Set-­‐up  
Question   Synthesize  
Relate   Systematize   1
Solve   Devise  
 
  
AFFECTIVE  DOMAIN  OF  LEARNING  
AFFECTIVE  DOMAIN     (Krathwohl  and  Bloom,  et  al.,  1956)  
1.  RECEIVING:    willingness  to  give  attention  to  an  event     1.  Attending  to  an  activity,  e.g.,  accomplishing  the  
  inventory  
2.  RESPONDING:    willingness  to  react  to  an  event   1.  Compliance  with  rules  on  intellectual  honesty    
through  some  form  of  participation   2.  Active  participation  in  the  activity  
 
3.VALUING:  willingness  to  accept  an  event  through  the   1. Consistency  in  being  intellectually  honest    
expression  of  a  positive  attitude   2. Loyalty  to  the  goals  of  a  society  in  which  one  is  
  a  member  
4.ORGANIZING:    when  encountering  situations  to  which   1. Weighing  alternative  practices  against  
more  than  one  value  applies,  willingness  to  organize   standards  of  public  welfare  rather  than  the  
the  values,  determines  the  interrelationships,  and   advantage  of  narrow  interest  groups  
accepts  some  as  dominant  (more  important  to  the   2. Developing  schedule  in  accordance  with  the  
student)   demands  of  priority  activities  
 
5.CHARACTERIZING  BY  A  VALUE  COMPLEX:  consistently   1. Development  of  a  consistent  philosophy  in  life  
acting  in  accordance  with  values  the  student  accepts   2. Advocacy  in  advancing  the  relevance  of  an  
and  incorporates  this  behavior  as  a  part  of  his  or  her   integrated  health  information  system    
personality,  integration  of  beliefs,  ideas,  attitudes  into    
a  total  philosophy  or  world  view  
 
SAMPLE  VERBSS  FOR  THE  AFFECTIVE  DOMAIN  
 
Receiving   Responding   Vaaluing   Organization   Characterization  by  
a  value  complex  
Accept     Complete     Accept     Codify     Internalize  
Attend  Develop   Comply     Defend     Discriminate   Verify    
Recognize     Cooperate     Devote     Display    
  Discuss     Pursue     Order    
Examine     Seek     Organize    
Obey       Prioritize  
Respond   Systematize    
Weigh    
 
 
PSYCHOMOTOR  DOMAIN  OF  LEARNING  
 
PSYCHOMOTOR  DOMAIN    (Simpson,  1966;  Henson,  1995)  
1. PERCEPTION:  process  of  becoming  aware  of   1. Awareness  of  the  various  instruments  used      
objects,  qualities,  etc.  by  way  of  the  senses.     2. Perception  of  the  armamentaria  for  taking  
vital  signs  
2. SET:  physical,  mental  or  emotional  readiness  for  a   1. Physical  and  mental  readiness  to  act  
particular  kind  of  action  or  experience   2. Expressed  emotional  readiness  to  proceed  
3. GUIDED  RESPONSE  –  Overt  behavioral  act  of  an   1. Imitating  the  teacher  in  executing  procedure  
individual  under  guidance  of  instructor,  or   2. Practicing  taking  blood  pressure  on  each  other  
following  model  or  set  criteria   in  the  presence  of  the  preceptor  

2
  
PSYCHOMOTOR  DOMAIN    (Simpson,  1966;  Henson,  1995)  
4. MECHANISM:  Occurs  when  a  learned  response   1. Automaticity  in  executing  a  procedure  
has  become  habitual.  At  this  level  the  learner  has   2. Confidence  and  automaticity  in  taking  vital  
achieved  certain  confidence  and  proficiency  or   signs  
performance    
5. COMPLEX  OVERT  RESPONSE:  Performance  of  a   1. Ability  to  perform  exodontia  uneventfully,  
motor  act  that  is  considered  complex  because  of   quickly  and  accurately  
movement  pattern  required.  May  include   2. Ability  to  take  a  given  patient’s  vital  signs  
resolution  of  uncertainties  done  without   easily,  gracefully  and  accurately  
hesitation  and  automatic  performance  with  
greater  ease  and  muscle  control.  
6. ADAPTATION:  Ability  to  adjust  performance  in   1. Ability  to  perform  a  procedure    even  in  
response  to  different  situations,  difficult  cases   difficult  cases  
  2. Taking  of  vital  signs  of  assigned  patients  in  
various  settings,  e.g.,  emergency  room,  clinics  
7. ORIGINATION:  ability  to  “create  acts  creatively”   1. Developing  new  movement  patterns  
2. Creating  signature  styles  in  taking  vital  signs  
 
 
SAMPLE  VERBS  FOR  THE  PSYCHOMOTOR  DOMAIN    
 
Auscultate   Grinds   Mix    
Bend     Handle     Operate  
Calibrate   Heats     Organize  
Construct   Inject   Palpate  
Differentiate  (by  touch)     Insert   Percuss  
Dismantle   Inspect   Perform  (skillfully)    
Display   Manipulate     Position  
Fasten   Measure   Reach    
Fix   Mend   Shorten    
 
 
ILLUSTRATIVE  SAMPLES  OF  VERBS  FOR  STATING  SPECIFIC  BEHAVIORAL  OUTCOMES  (GRONLUND,  1970)  
 
General  learning  objectives  
analyze   compute   interpret   perform   translate  
apply   create   know   recognize   understand  
appreciate   demonstrate   listen   speak   use  
comprehend   evaluate   locate   think   write  
 
Creative  behaviors  
alter   paraphrase   reconstruct   rephrase   rewrite  
ask   predict   regroup   restate   simplify  
change   question   rename   restructure   synthesize  
design   rearrange   reorganize   retell   systematize  
generalize   recombine   reorder   revise   vary  
 
 

3
Complex,  logical,  judgmental  behaviors  
analyze   conclude   deduce   formulate   plan  
appraise   contrast   defend   generate   structure  
combine   criticize   evaluate   induce   substitute  
compare   decide   explain   infer   judge  
 
General  discriminative  behaviors  
choose   detect   Identify   match   place  
collect   differentiate   Indicate   omit   point  
define   discriminate   isolate   order   select  
describe   distinguish   list   pick   separate  
 
Study  behaviors  
arrange   compile   itemize   mark   record  
categorize   copy   label   name   reproduce  
chart   diagram   locate   note   search  
cite   find   look   organize   sort  
circle   follow   map   quote   underline  
 
Mathematical  behaviors  
add   derive   group   number   square  
bisect   divide   integrate   plot   subtract  
calculate   estimate   interpolate   plot   tabulate  
check   extrapolate   measure   reduce   tally  
compute   extract   multiply   solve   verify  
 
Laboratory  science  behaviors  
apply   demonstrate   keep   prepare   specify  
calibrate   dissect   lengthen   remove   straighten  
conduct   feed   limit   replace   time  
connect   grow   manipulate   report   transfer  
convert   increase   operate   reset   weigh  
decrease   insert   plant   set   measure  
 
 
Miscellaneous  
aim   erase   inform   relate   support  
attend   expand   lay   lend   start  
begin   extend   light   return   stock  
bring   feel   make   save   supply  
buy   finish   mend   scratch   switch  
come   fit   miss   send   take  
complete   fix   offer   serve   touch  
consider   flip   open   sew   try  
correct   get   pack   share   twist  
crush   give   pay   sharpen   type  
designate   grind   peel   shoot   vote  
determine   guide   pin   shorten   watch  
develop   hand   present   shut   weave  
discover   hang   produce   signify   work  

4
distribute   hold   propose   slip   eliminate  
do   hook   provide   slide   calibrate  
drop   hunt   put   spread   manipulate  
end   Include     raise   store   straighten  
   
 
 
References:  
Anderson,  L.W.,  &  Krathwohl  (Eds.).  (2001).  A  Taxonomy  for  Learning,  Teaching,  and  Assessing:  A  Revision  of  
Bloom's  Taxonomy  of  Educational  Objectives.  New  York:  Longman.    
Gronlund,  N.  E.  (1970).  Stating  behavioral  objectives  for  classroom  instruction.  London:  The  Macmillan  
Company.    
Krathwohl,  D.R.,  Bloom,  B.S.  and  Masia,  B.  B.  (1964).Taxonomy  of  educational  objectives,  Book  II.  Affective  
domain.  New  York,  NY.  David  McKay  Company,  Inc.    
Simpson,  E.  (1972).  The  classification  of  educational  objectives  in  the  psychomotor  domain:  The  psychomotor  
domain.  Vol.  3.  Washington,  DC:  Gryphon  House.