i) Cognitive Levels (Knowledge, Understanding and Application)
Knowledge (K)
This requires knowing and remembering facts and figures, vocabulary and contexts, and the ability to recall key ideas, concepts, trends, sequences, categories, etc. It can be taught and evaluated through questions based on: who, when, where, what, list, define, identify, label, quote, name, state, etc.
Understanding (U)
This requires understanding information, grasping meaning, interpreting facts, comparing, contrasting, grouping, inferring causes/reasons, seeing patterns, organizing parts, making links, summarizing, solving, identifying motives, finding evidence, etc. it can be taught and evaluated through questions starting with: why, how, show, demonstrate, paraphrase, interpret, summarize, explain, prove, identify the main idea/theme, predict, compare, differentiate, discuss, chart the course/direction, report, solve, etc.
Application (A)
This requires using information or concepts in new situations, solving problems, organizing information and ideas, using old ideas to create new ones, generalizing from given facts, analyzing relationships, relating knowledge from several areas, drawing conclusions, evaluation worth,
etc. It can be taught and evaluated through questions starting with: distinguish, analyze, show relationship, propose an alternative, prioritize, give reasons for, categorize, illustrate, corroborate, compare and contrast, create, design, formulate, integrate, re-arrange, reconstruct/recreate, reorganize, predict consequences etc.
ii) Definition of Command Words
Knowledge
| Arrange: | To put something in a particular order |
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| Define (the term | Only a formal statement or equivalent paraphrase is required. No examples need to be given. Specify meaning. |
| or terms): | |
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| Find: | A general term that may variously be interpreted as calculate, measure, determine etc. |
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| Give: | Provide meaning or quantity or a fact about something |
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| Identify: | Describe with specific examples of how a given term or concept is applied in daily life |
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| List: | Name item-by-item, usually in one or two words, precise information such as dates, characteristics, places, names. |
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| Measure: | To determine extent, quantity, amount or degree of something as determined by measurement or calculation |
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| Name: | Mention the commonly used meanings of things, objects, people, books, etc |
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| Outline: | Implies brevity, i.e. restricting the answer to giving essentials |
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| Recall: | To bring back to mind and write down, as it is given in the text you have already memorized |
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| Recognize: | Involves looking at a given example and stating what it is |
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| Skim: | To read quickly to search for key information |
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| State: | Implies a concise answer with little or no supporting argument |
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| Use: | To deploy the required attribute in a constructed response |
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| Write: | To construct full sentences of continuous prose, not abbreviated text |
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Understanding
| Acknowledge: | To accept that is true |
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| Appreciate: | To judge with heightened perception or understanding |
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| Arrange: | To put something in particular order |
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| Clarify: | Implies further explanation of any given information that elaborates the key components |
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| Comment: | Present an informed opinion |
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| Compare: | List the main characteristics of two entities clearly identifying similarities (and differences). Identify similarities and |
| | differences. |
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| Comprehend: | To understand something that is complicated/difficult |
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| Conceptualize: | Make an understanding on a given topic with the help of examples, graphs and data, etc |
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| Convey: | Use or apply appropriately in context |
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| Deduce: | Go beyond the information given to draw a conclusion which is not explicitly stated in the stimulus material |
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| Describe: | Requires Candidates to state in words (using diagrams where appropriate) the main points of the topic. It is often used |
| | with reference either to particular phenomena or to particular experiments. In the former instance, the term usually |
| | implies that the answer should include reference to (visual) observations associated with the phenomena. |
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| Develop: | To make an argument or ideas clearer by studying it in more detail. To build a statement |
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| Differentiate: | Identify those characteristics which always or sometimes distinguish two categories |
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| Discuss: | Present advantages and disadvantages or strengths and weakness and give a conclusion |
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| Distinguish: | To identify those characteristics which always or sometimes distinguish between two categories |
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| Draw: | Implies a simple free hand sketch or diagram. Care should be taken with proportions and the clear labeling of parts. |
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| Elaborate: | Clarify or enrich given statements or definitions, by providing relevant details or examples |
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| Eliminate: | To remove a variable from two or more simultaneous equations |
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| Establish: | To prove correct or true on the basis of facts, argument or other evidence to come to conclusion |
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| Explain: | May imply reasoning or some reference to theory, depending on the context |
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| Explore: | To examine or discuss something carefully in order to find out more about it |
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| Express: | Use appropriate vocabulary, language structure and intonation to communicate thoughts and feelings |
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| Follow instruction: | Demonstrate an understanding of the information given especially the required sequence of events |
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| Highlight: | To bring to front, make evident, bring to light, with emphasis |
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| Identify: | Select the most appropriate from many possibilities on the basis of relevant characteristics. It will not normally be |
| | expected that the Candidate justifies the choice unless specifically asked to do so. |
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| Illustrate: | To give clear examples to state, clarify or synthesize a point of view |
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| Infer: | Go beyond the information given to identify what is implied but not stated |
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| Interpret: | Clarify both the explicit meaning and the implications of given information |
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| Investigate: | Thoroughly and systematically consider a given problem or a statement in order to find out the result or rule applied |
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| Make a relationship: | Put different items together to develop a set of related data |
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| Outline: | Set out the main characteristics |
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| Paraphrase: | Repeat a text using different words |
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| Point out: | Pick out and recognize specific information from a given content and/or situation |
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| Practice: | Doing an activity or training regularly so that you can improve your skills |
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| Predict/anticipate: | Make inferences about probable/possible turns of event from the information given so far |
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| Present: | To write down in a logical and systematic way in order to make a conclusion or statement |
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| Prove: | Propose a base to support the outcome |
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| Rectify: | To correct something that is wrong |
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| State: | Implies a concise answer with little or no supporting argument |
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| Suggest: | To put forward an idea or a plan |
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| Summarize: | Write a shorter version of a given text capturing the main points and eliminating detail. The writing must be grammatical and |
| | the referent of each statement must be clear. |
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| Verify: | To prove, check or determine the correctness and accuracy of laws, rules or reference given in the set task |
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| Application | |
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| Analyze: | Use information to relate different features of the components of specified material so as to draw conclusions about |
| | common characteristics. Break information into component parts and identify characteristics. |
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| Advise: | Suggest solutions, with justification, to problems |
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| Apply: | To use the available information in different contexts to relate and draw conclusions |
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| Assess: | Make an informed judgment |
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| Calculate: | Show workings to arrive at a numerical answer |
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| Clarify: | Implies further explanation of any given information that elaborates the key components |
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| Classify: | State a basis for categorization of a set of related entities and assign examples to categories |
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| Compare and Contrast: | Involves (a) listing the main points or characteristics of two distinct and (b) clearly identifying similarities and differences |
| | between characteristics |
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| Compose: | Form a piece of writing with a number of parts |
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| Comprehend: | To understand something that is complicated/difficult |
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| Construct: | To bring together given elements in a connected or coherent whole |
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| Convey: | Use or apply appropriately in context |
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| Demonstrate: | To show by argument, facts or other evidences the validity of a statement or phenomenon |
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| Derive: | To arrive at a general formula by calculating step by step |
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| Elaborate: | Clarify or enrich a given statement or definition, by providing relevant details or examples |
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| Evaluate: | Make a judgment based on evidence |
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| Formulate: | To develop a plan or proposal and decide all the details of how it will be done |
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| Portray: | To describe or represent something or someone. To describe or show someone or something in a particular way |
| | according to your opinion of them |
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| Predict/anticipate: | Make inferences about probable/possible turns of event from the information given so far |
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| Summarize: | To express the most important facts and ideas in a short and clear form |
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