TYPES OF QUESTIONS BASED ON BLOOM'S TAXONOMY From Bloom, et al., 1956

Teachers tend to ask questions in the "knowledge" category 80% to 90% of the time. These questions are not bad, but using them all the time is. Try to utilize higher order level of questions. These questions require much more "brain power" and a more extensive and elaborate answer. Below are the six question categories as defined by Bloom.

KNOWLEDGE remembering memorizing recognizing recalling identification recalling information who, what, when, where, how ...? describe COMPREHENSION interpreting translating from one medium to another describing in one's own words organization and selection of facts and ideas retell... APPLICATION problem solving applying information to produce some result use of facts, rules and principles how is ... an example of ...? how is ... related to ...? why is ... significant? ANALYSIS subdividing something to show how it is put together finding the underlying structure of a communication identifying motives separation of a whole into component parts what are the parts or features of ...? classify ... according to ... outline/diagram ... how does ... compare/contrast with ...? what evidence can you list for ...? SYNTHESIS creating a unique, original product that may be in verbal form or may be a physical object combination of ideas to form a new whole what would you predict/infer from ...? what ideas can you add to ...? how would you create/design a new ...? what might happen if you combined ...? what solutions would you suggest for ...? EVALUATION making value decisions about issues resolving controversies or differences of opinion development of opinions, judgements or decisions do you agree that ...? what do you think about ...? what is the most important ...? place the following in order of priority ... how would you decide about ...? what criteria would you use to assess ...?

Copied from Internet April 30, 2008: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/questype.htm Asking Good Questions

If we analyze of the types of questions we can ask, we see that not all questions elicit the same type of thinking in students. A number of theorists have organized intellectual activity into levels; one of the most well known of these organizational strategies was authored by Benjamin Bloom in 1956 and is known as Bloom's Taxonomy.

While questions which elicit lower level thinking are an important part of teaching, they are useless unless they build toward questions which help kids develop higher order thinking skills. Focus your attention on questions which require Level III, Level IV, Level V, and Level VI thinking.

What We Examples Level Description Do at This of Level Questions  "What is...?" arrange, define, duplicate, Knowledge: Exhibit memory of  "How would you label, list, memorize, previously learned material by describe...?" I name, order, recognize, recalling facts, terms, basic concepts  "Why did...? relate, recall, repeat, and answers.  "How would your reproduce, state show...?" II Comprehension: Demonstrate classify, describe,  "What facts or ideas understanding of facts and ideas by discuss, explain, express, show...?" organizing, translating, interpreting, identify, indicate, locate,  "How would you giving descriptions, and stating main recognize, report, restate, compare...?" ideas. review, select,  "How would your summarize, translate classify...?  "Can you explain what is happening...?"

 "What would result apply, choose, if...?" Application: Solve problems to new demonstrate, dramatize,  "What facts would situations by applying acquired employ, illustrate, you select to show...?" III knowledge, facts, techniques and interpret, operate,  "What approach rules in a different way. practice, schedule, sketch, would you use to...?" solve, use, write  "How would you use...?"  "What inference can you make...?" analyze, appraise,  "What is the Analysis: Examine and break calculate, categorize, relationship information into parts by identifying compare, contrast, between...?" IV motives or causes. Make inferences criticize, differentiate,  "What evidence can and find evidence to support discriminate, distinguish, you find...?" generalizations. examine, experiment,  "What things question, test. justify...?"

 "What could be arrange, assemble, changed to improve...?" collect, compose,  "How would you Synthesis: Compile information construct, create, design, test...?" together in a different way by V develop, formulate,  "What way would combining elements in a new pattern manage, organize, plan, you design...?" or proposing alternative solutions. prepare, propose, set up,  "What outcome write. would you predict for...?"  "How could you select...?" Evaluation: Present and defend appraise, argue, assess,  "How could you opinions by making judgments about attach, choose compare, prove...?" VI information, validity of ideas or defend estimate, judge,  "How would you quality of work based on a set of predict, rate, core, select, prioritize...?" criteria. support, value, evaluate  "What information would you use to support...?"

While questions which elicit lower level thinking are an important part of teaching, they are useless unless they build toward questions which help kids develop higher order thinking skills. Focus your attention on questions which require Level III, Level IV, Level V, and Level VI thinking.

Copied from Internet April 30, 2008: http://pm.appstate.edu/~goodmanj/3850/webquest/questions.html