Bloom's Critical Thinking

Questioning Strategies

                                    

 

Level 1- Knowledge - exhibits previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic

concepts and answers.

 

Key words: who, what, why, when, omit, where, which, choose, find, how, define, label, show, spell, list, match, name, relate, tell, recall, select

 

Level 2 - Comprehension - demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.

 

Key words: compare, contrast, demonstrate, describe, interpret, explain, extend, illustrate, infer, outline, relate, rephrase, translate, summarize, show, classify, infer

 

Level 3 -Application - solving problems by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.

 

Key words: apply, build, choose, construct, demonstrate, develop, draw, experiment with, illustrate, interview, make use of, model, organize, plan, select, solve, utilize,

 

 

Level 4 - Analysis - examining and breaking information into parts by identifying motives

or causes; making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations.

 

Key words: analyze, categorize, classify, compare, contrast, discover, divide, examine, group, inspect, sequence, simplify, distinguish, distinction, relationships, function, assume, conclude

 

Questions:

 

How is _______ related to . . . ?   Why do you think . . . ?   What motive is there . . . ?   What conclusions can you draw . . . ?   How would you classify . . . ?

How would you categorize . . . ?   What evidence can you find . . . ?   What is the relationship between . . . ?   Can you make a distinction between . . . ?   What ideas justify . . . ?

 

 

 

Level 5 - Synthesis - compiling information together in a different way by combining

elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions.

 

Key Words: combine, compile, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, imagine, invent, make up, originate, plan, propose, solve, solution, suppose, discuss, modify, change, improve, adapt, minimize, maximize, delete, elaborate, improve

Questions:

 

What changes would you make to solve . . . ?   How would you improve . . . ?   What would happen if . . . ?   Can you elaborate on the reason . . . ?   Can you propose an alternative . . . ?   How would you adapt _____ to create a different ?

How could you change the plot . . . ?   What could be done to minimize/maximize . . . ?   What way would you design . . . ?   What could be combined to improve . . . ?   Suppose you could ___ what would you do . . . ?   Can you think of an original way for the . . . ?

 

Level 6 - Evaluation - presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about

information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.

 

Key Words: award, choose, defend, determine, evaluate, judge, justify, measure,

compare, mark, rate, recommend, rule on, select, agree, appraise, prioritize, support, prove, disprove, assess, influence, value

Questions:

 

Do you agree with the actions . . . ? with the outcomes . . . ?   What is your opinion of . . . ?   How would you prove . . . ? disprove . . . ?   Can you assess the value or importance of . . . ?   Would it be better if . . . ?   Why did they (the character) choose . . . ?   What would you recommend . . . ?   What data was used to make the conclusion . . . ?

How would you rate the . . . ?   What would you cite to defend the actions . . . ?   How would you evaluate . . . ?   What choice would you have made . . . ? How would you prioritize . . . ?   What judgment would you make about . . . ?   Based on what you know, how would you explain . . . ?   What information would you use to support the view . . . ?

 

 

        Practice Writing Your Own Questions for Each Level                                          

           

 

 

Knowledge ___________________________________________________________________

 

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Comprehension   _____________________________________________________________     

         

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Application__________________________________________________________________

 

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Analysis    __________________________________________________________________

 

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Synthesis  __________________________________________________________________ 

 

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Evaluation _________________________________________________________________

 

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