Description
Bloom's Taxonomy: 6-level question design ladder (remember→create) with examples and assessment criteria.
Most assessments test recall because it is easy to write. But recall questions measure memory, not understanding. The six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy provide a structured way to design questions that test actual cognitive depth. LEVEL 1 — REMEMBER: Retrieval without context change. Keywords: list, define, identify, name, recall, state. 'List the three branches of the US government.' Weakest signal of competence—passing L1 does not mean the student understands. LEVEL 2 — UNDERSTAND: Explain in their own words. Keywords: explain, summarize, interpret, describe, paraphrase, classify. 'Explain why the separation of powers exists in one paragraph. Then give an example of two branches in conflict.' If they cannot do L2, L1 is memorization, not learning. LEVEL 3 — APPLY: Use knowledge in a new but similar context. Keywords: implement, solve, use, demonstrate, operate, execute. 'Given a scenario where the president signs an executive order Congress disagrees with, what legal options does Congress have?' This is the minimum viable assessment for most professional training. LEVEL 4 — ANALYZE: Break down into components and find relationships. Keywords: compare, contrast, examine, differentiate, distinguish, categorize. 'Compare how the war powers resolution played out under two different presidents. What structural factors determined the outcome?' LEVEL 5 — EVALUATE: Judge with criteria and justification. Keywords: critique, justify, defend, assess, prioritize, recommend. 'Evaluate the argument that the Electoral College should be abolished. What criteria did you use, and what counterarguments did you consider?' LEVEL 6 — CREATE: Produce new work combining elements. Keywords: design, construct, develop, formulate, propose, invent. 'Design a constitutional amendment process for a hypothetical new country. Justify your design choices using historical examples.' ASSESSMENT DESIGN RULE: For every topic, write at least one L3 and one L4 question. If all your questions are L1-L2, you are measuring memory, not ability. If you have L6 questions, they should be scaffolded (L1-L5 pre-work) so the student can succeed. OUTPUT: 6 questions (one per level) for the given topic, each with expected answer criteria and the cognitive skill each targets.
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