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Bloom's Taxonomy Verb Dictionary

Bloom's taxonomy verbs show which mental process a learning outcome expects of the student. The cognitive domain has six levels: remember (define, list), understand (explain, summarise), apply (calculate, apply), analyze (analyse, relate), evaluate (critique, justify) and create (design, develop). Each outcome uses a single verb, and the level of the verb sets the level of the question that will measure the outcome.

  • 229 measurable verbs
  • English equivalents
  • Assessment methods suited to each level
  • 26 verbs to avoid

Cognitive domain · Revised Bloom (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001)

Six levels and measurable verbs

Each level lists the core verbs first, followed by the extended list. Core verbs are the most frequently used and least misunderstood. The English equivalents are used in the English version of the course information package.

B1

Remember

Recalls information as it is. The student recognises or remembers the information without doing anything with it.

Suitable assessment: Multiple choice, matching, fill in the blanks, short answer

Core verbs 15

  • adlandırırname
  • alıntılarcite
  • belirtirstate
  • bulurlocate
  • etiketlerlabel
  • eşleştirirmatch
  • hatırlarrecall
  • kaydederrecord
  • listelerlist
  • sayarenumerate
  • seçerselect
  • sıralarorder
  • tanımlardefine
  • tanırrecognize
  • tekrarlarrepeat

Extended list 9

  • altını çizerunderline
  • alıntı yaparquote
  • anımsarrecall
  • belirleridentify
  • ezberden söylerrecite
  • geri çağırırretrieve
  • işaretlermark
  • yeniden anlatırretell
  • yinelerreiterate

Example outcome: Lists the main organelles of the cell and their functions.

B2

Understand

Grasps the meaning of information. The student reconstructs the information in their own words, gives examples and interprets it.

Suitable assessment: Short-answer and open-ended questions, concept map

Core verbs 15

  • ayırt ederdistinguish
  • açıklarexplain
  • betimlerdescribe
  • dönüştürürconvert
  • genelleştirirgeneralize
  • gösteririllustrate
  • karşılaştırırcompare
  • kendi cümleleriyle ifade ederparaphrase
  • raporlarreport
  • sınıflandırırclassify
  • tahmin ederpredict
  • yorumlarinterpret
  • çıkarım yaparinfer
  • örneklendirirexemplify
  • özetlersummarize

Extended list 16

  • ara değer bulurinterpolate
  • açıklığa kavuştururclarify
  • bağlamına yerleştirircontextualize
  • grafikle gösterirdepict graphically
  • ifade ederexpress
  • kestirimde bulunurextrapolate
  • kıyaslarcompare and contrast
  • somutlaştırırinstantiate
  • soyutlarabstract
  • temsil ederrepresent
  • yeniden ifade ederrestate
  • yeniden yazarrewrite
  • çevirirtranslate
  • çıkarımda bulunurdraw inferences from
  • öngörüranticipate
  • örnek verirgive examples of

Example outcome: Explains the relationship between supply and demand in their own words.

B3

Apply

Uses a method or procedure in a task: carries it out in a familiar task (3.1) or implements it in a new situation (3.2). The task, not the verb, determines which one it is.

Suitable assessment: Problem solving, practical exam, laboratory, performance task

Core verbs 15

  • hazırlarprepare
  • hesaplarcalculate
  • işletiroperate
  • kullanıruse
  • kurarconstruct
  • modellermodel
  • programlarprogram
  • test edertest
  • uyarlaradapt
  • uygulamalı olarak gösterirdemonstrate
  • uygularapply
  • yürütürexecute
  • çizerdraw
  • çözersolve
  • ölçermeasure

Extended list 20

  • aktarırtransfer
  • benzetim yaparsimulate
  • canlandırırrole-play
  • deney yaparexperiment with
  • değiştirirmodify
  • gerçekleştirircarry out
  • grafiğini çizergraph
  • görselleştirirvisualize
  • görüşme yaparinterview
  • işe koşaremploy
  • keşfederdiscover
  • kodlarcode
  • müdahale ederintervene in
  • takvimlendirirschedule
  • tamamlarcomplete
  • taslak çizersketch
  • uygulamaya koyarimplement
  • yönetirmanage
  • çalıştırırrun
  • öğretirteach

Example outcome: Calculates the current in a given circuit using Ohm's law.

B4

Analyze

Breaks the whole into its parts and establishes the relationships between them. The student sees the structure and distinguishes patterns.

Suitable assessment: Case analysis, data interpretation, analytical report

Core verbs 15

  • analiz ederanalyze
  • ayrıştırırdeconstruct
  • doğrularverify
  • farklılaştırırdifferentiate
  • haritalarmap
  • ilişkilendirircorrelate
  • incelerexamine
  • karşıtlıklarını ortaya koyarcontrast
  • kategorize edercategorize
  • nedenini belirlerattribute
  • sorgularquestion
  • teşhis ederdiagnose
  • tümdengelim yapardeduce
  • varsayımları belirleridentify the assumptions in
  • örgütlerorganize

Extended list 16

  • ana hatlarını çıkarıroutline
  • araştırırinvestigate
  • ayrım yapardiscriminate between
  • bağlantı kurarconnect
  • gruplargroup
  • ilişkilerini belirleridentify the relationships among
  • irdelerscrutinize
  • karşıtlıklarını belirlercontrast
  • neden-sonuç ilişkisi kurarrelate causes and effects of
  • nicelleştirirquantify
  • nitelendirircharacterize
  • parçalarına ayırırbreak down
  • tematik analiz yaparthematically analyze
  • yalıtırisolate
  • çözümleranalyse
  • şemasını çıkarırdiagram

Example outcome: Analyses a company's financial statements through ratio analysis to identify its strengths and weaknesses.

B5

Evaluate

Makes judgements based on criteria. The student makes a decision and justifies it.

Suitable assessment: Article critique, debate, report scored with a rubric

Core verbs 15

  • argüman geliştirirargue
  • denetleraudit
  • değerlendirirevaluate
  • eleştirircritique
  • gerekçelendirirjustify
  • geçerliğini sınarvalidate
  • puanlarrate
  • savunurdefend
  • sonuç çıkarırconclude
  • takdir ederappraise
  • tartışırdebate
  • tutarlılığını denetlercheck the consistency of
  • yargılarjudge
  • önceliklendirirprioritize
  • önerirrecommend

Extended list 13

  • akran değerlendirmesi yaparpeer-review
  • ağırlıklandırırweigh
  • derecelendirirrank
  • değer biçerassess
  • gözden geçirirrevise
  • ispatlarprove
  • izlermonitor
  • kanıtlarla desteklersubstantiate
  • karar verirdecide on
  • muhakeme ederreason about
  • saptardetect
  • tavsiyede bulunuradvise on
  • çürütürdisprove

Example outcome: Evaluates an investment proposal against cost and risk criteria.

B6

Create

Combines parts into a new, original whole. The student produces something that did not exist before.

Suitable assessment: Project, design product, portfolio, research proposal

Core verbs 15

  • bütünleştiririntegrate
  • geliştirirdevelop
  • hipotez kurarhypothesize
  • icat ederinvent
  • kurgularformulate
  • oluştururcompose
  • optimize ederoptimize
  • planlarplan
  • prototip üretirprototype
  • sentezlersynthesize
  • sistem kurarengineer
  • tasarlardesign
  • yeniden yapılandırırrestructure
  • özgün metin yazarauthor
  • üretirproduce

Extended list 17

  • bestelercompose music for
  • bir araya getirirassemble
  • birleştirircombine
  • derlercompile
  • formüle ederformulate
  • inşa ederbuild
  • iyileştiririmprove
  • kavramsallaştırırconceptualize
  • kuram geliştirirtheorize
  • projelendirirdesign a project for
  • sistemleştirirsystematize
  • türetirderive
  • yaratırcreate
  • yeniden düzenlerreorganize
  • yeniden inşa ederreconstruct
  • yeniden çerçevelerreframe
  • yenilik geliştiririnnovate

Example outcome: Designs a data collection instrument that meets defined criteria for a local problem.

Affective domain · Krathwohl, Bloom and Masia (1964)

Levels of the Affective domain

LevelWhat it measuresVerbsSuitable assessment
1 · Receiving
Receiving
Becomes aware of and directs attention to relevant information, objects or situations.
  • dikkat ederattend to
  • dinlerlisten to
  • gözlemlerobserve
  • fark edernotice
Observation form, attendance record
2 · Responding
Responding
Participates voluntarily and responds.
  • katılırparticipate in
  • gönüllü olurvolunteer for
  • yanıt verirrespond to
  • yardım ederassist
  • uyarcomply with
  • işbirliği yaparcooperate
  • katkıda bulunurcontribute to
Observation form, peer assessment
3 · Valuing
Valuing
Attaches value to a behaviour, idea or principle and demonstrates it.
  • benimseradopt
  • değer verirvalue
  • desteklersupport
  • sorumluluk alırtake responsibility for
  • özen gösterirshow care for
  • savunuradvocate
Attitude scale, reflective writing, portfolio
4 · Organising
Organization
Compares different values, resolves conflicts and builds their own value system.
  • bütünleştiririntegrate
  • uzlaştırırreconcile
  • düzenlerarrange
  • dengelerbalance
  • önceliklendirirprioritize
Case discussion, reflective report
5 · Characterisation
Characterization
Consistently reflects values in behaviour.
  • tutarlı biçimde uygularconsistently act on
  • sergilerdisplay
  • örnek olurmodel
  • etik ilkelere uygun davranıract in accordance with ethical principles
Long-term observation, internship evaluation, 360-degree feedback

Psychomotor domain · Dave (1970)

Levels of the Psychomotor domain

LevelWhat it measuresVerbsSuitable assessment
1 · Imitation
Imitation
Imitates an observed skill under guidance.
  • taklit ederimitate
  • yönergeyle yaparperform with guidance
  • kopyalarcopy
  • izleyerek uygularfollow
Skill checklist
2 · Guided response (manipülasyon)
Manipulation
Performs the skill independently following written or oral instructions.
  • uygularperform
  • gerçekleştirirexecute
  • kurarset up
  • monte ederassemble
Practical exam, observation form
3 · Precision
Precision
Performs the skill accurately, quickly and without error.
  • doğru biçimde uygularperform accurately
  • ayarlarcalibrate
  • kalibre edercalibrate
  • hatasız gerçekleştirirexecute without error
Timed practical exam, criterion-based rubric
4 · Coordination (eşgüdüm)
Articulation
Combines several skills into a harmonious, consistent and fluent sequence; adapts it to the situation with minor changes when needed.
  • uyarlaradapt
  • koordine edercoordinate
  • değiştirirmodify
  • bütünleştirerek uygularintegrate
Scenario-based practice, OSCE station
5 · Naturalisation
Naturalization
Performs the skill masterfully, spontaneously and with minimal effort; the movement has become automatic. This mastery lays the ground for developing original methods and techniques.
  • özgün teknik geliştirirdevelop an original technique
  • tasarlardesign
  • yaratırcreate
  • ustalıkla uygularperform with mastery
  • kendiliğinden uygularperform automatically
  • akıcı biçimde gerçekleştirirperform fluently
Expert observation, practice in a real work setting, original product

What to avoid

Verbs to avoid in learning outcomes

These verbs do not describe observable, measurable behaviour. Whether a student “knows” or “understands” cannot be seen directly in an exam; what can be seen is the student defining, explaining or calculating something. SixBloom does not save an outcome that contains these verbs.

  • bilir
  • anlar
  • kavrar
  • öğrenir
  • farkında olur
  • bilgi sahibi olur
  • aşina olur
  • inanır
  • önemini fark eder
  • önemini kavrar
  • ilgilenir
  • hisseder
  • bilinçlenir
  • alışır
  • hakim olur
  • bilgi edinir
  • kazanır
  • beceri kazanır
  • anlayış geliştirir
  • algılar
  • düşünür
  • ezberler
  • farkındalık kazanır
  • kavrayış kazanır
  • öğrenmiş olur
  • anlamlandırır
InsteadWhat changes?
bilir → tanımlar, listelerAt the remember level, you can see that the student recalls it when asked.
anlar → açıklar, örneklendirirAt the understand level, you can see that the student rebuilds it in their own words.
kavrar → ilişkilendirir, analiz ederAt the analyse level, you can see that the student relates the parts to one another.
farkında olur → değerlendirirAt the evaluate level, you can see that the student reaches a judgement based on criteria.

Usage

How to use the verb dictionary

  1. Choose the level firstDecide which mental process you expect of the student: recalling, applying or producing something new?
  2. Take a single verbChoose one verb from that level's list. Two verbs, as in “explains and applies”, make it unclear whether the outcome has been achieved.
  3. Fit the assessment to the verbThe level of the verb sets the level of the question. An outcome at the create level cannot be measured with a multiple-choice question.
  4. Look at the whole programmeIn later years the share of outcomes at the analyse, evaluate and create levels should increase.

To write an outcome step by step, use the Learning Outcome Builder tool. How outcomes are measured from exam results and carried to programme outcomes is explained on the How is programme outcome attainment calculated? page.

Frequently asked questions

About Bloom verbs

What is Bloom's taxonomy?

Bloom's taxonomy classifies learning into levels by the complexity of the mental process. The revised cognitive taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) has six levels: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create. The verb of a learning outcome shows at which level the student is expected to perform.

How do I choose the verb for a learning outcome?

First decide the mental process you expect of the student, then choose one of that level's verbs. Each outcome uses a single verb. The level of the verb also sets the level of the exam: an outcome written with “design” cannot be measured with a multiple-choice question; it needs a project or design task.

Can the same verb belong to two levels?

In the literature the level is set by the verb together with the task and context; “compare” may count as understand in one course and analyse in another. For consistency, every verb in the SixBloom dictionary is tied to a single level; the level is a declaration and it is clear who declared it. This is an institutional decision, and an institution can extend its dictionary with its own rules.

Which verbs should be avoided?

Verbs such as know, understand, grasp, learn and be aware of cannot be observed; whether the student does them cannot be seen in an exam. The list on this page contains 26 such verbs. Choose a verb that makes the same intention observable instead: “define” rather than “know”, “explain” rather than “understand”.

At which levels should a course's outcomes be?

Outcomes should not pile up at a single level. Introductory courses lean on remember, understand and apply; as the programme progresses, the share of outcomes at the analyse, evaluate and create levels should increase. SixBloom shows this progression for all of a programme's courses in the “Bloom progression across the programme” report.

Is this dictionary free to use?

Yes. The verbs on this page and the SixBloom Learning Outcome Builder are open to everyone and need no sign-in. In the software, institutions manage the dictionary with their own approved verbs; course coordinators do not type verbs freely but choose from the list.

Sources: Anderson and Krathwohl (2001); Krathwohl, Bloom and Masia (1964); Dave (1970). Assigning verbs to levels is an institutional decision of the SixBloom dictionary, not a direct transcription of the sources.

Make the verb dictionary your institution's rule

In SixBloom Course Design Studio, course coordinators do not type verbs freely; they choose from the approved dictionary. The level is recorded as a declaration and exam questions are checked against it.

Institution sign-in

Enter your institution's code. The code is the first part of the address given to your institution: agu.sixbloom.com gibi.

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