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Hi All:  I've found that students at all levels appreciate knowing more 
about what we mean when we use words like "analyze" or "apply." Which are 
terms we probably use a lot in economics classes, especially in history of 
thought classes.  The lists below come from "Bloom's Taxonomy of 
Educational Goals for the Cognitive Domain." A fancy name... 
 
If you arrange these categories (from knowledge - the simplist cognitive 
function as per the verbs that are listed under the heading, knowledge) as 
a steps heading up (as hopefully shows up on your screen), this gives 
students a very good visual of what you are asking them to do when you say 
"think about Smith in relation to Keynes" (whatever).  It will help 
students prepare for writing papers if, when you hand out the paper topics, 
you spend 15 minutes in class asking students to figure out what categories 
of thinking the questions are asking for since their prior training in 
economics (standard micro/macro classes) rarely go beyond "apply."  What we 
do tend to do is ask students to "apply" the same concepts using 
increasingly sophisticated math.  But this would not be the task at hand in 
a history of thought class, so it is worth spending some time with students 
on the different sorts of "thinking" you will want them to do. 
 
                              
                                                        Evaluate 
 
                                       Synthesize 
                                          Analyze 
 
                         Apply 
                    Comperhend     
Knowledge 
 
 
 
KNOWLEDGE: Knows facts 
Define 
Describe 
Identify 
Label 
List 
Match 
Name 
Outline 
Reproduce 
Select 
State 
 
COMPREHEND: Grasps the meaning of facts 
Convert 
Defend 
Distinguish 
Estimate 
Explain 
Extend 
Generalize 
Give Examples 
Infer 
Paraphrase 
Predict 
Rewrite 
Summarize 
 
APPLY: Can use a concept in a new situation 
Change 
Compute 
Demonstrate 
Discover 
Manipulate 
Modify 
Operate 
Predict 
Prepare 
Produce 
Relate 
Show 
Solve 
Use 
 
ANALYZE: Can relate component parts to their role in the whole 
Break down 
Diagram 
Differentiate 
Discriminate 
Distinguish 
Identify 
Illustrate 
Infer 
Outline 
Point Out 
Relate 
Select 
Separate 
Subdivde 
 
SYNTHESIZE: Can combine component parts to form a new whole 
Categorize 
Combine 
Compose 
Create 
Devise 
Design 
Generate 
Modify 
Organize 
Plan 
Rearrange 
Reconstruct 
Relate 
Reorganize 
Revise 
 
EVALUATE: Can develop criteria and use to assess alternatives 
Appraise 
Support 
Choose 
Compare 
Conclude 
Contrast 
Critique 
Defend 
Discriminate 
Interpret 
Pick apart 
Relate 
Attack 
Undermine 
Buttress 
 
Susan F. Feiner 
 
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