Text Version of Infographic: 6 Keys to Critical Thinking (click to view)
6 Keys to Critical Thinking based on Bloom's Taxonomy
Remember
Retrieve relevant knowledge from long-term memory
showing, naming, listing, restating, finding, recognizing, choosing, matching, relating
- Can you recall...?
- Where is...? Who is...?
- Can you list four...?
- How would you describe...?
- How could you explain...?
- Which of these is true...? false...?
Analyze
Separate a whole into parts and determine their relationships
classifying, investigating, dissecting, experimenting, dividing, discovering, simplifying, differentiating, researching
- Why do you think...?
- What is the relationship...?
- Can you compare...? contrast...?
- What idea is relevant to...?
- How would you categorize...?
- What can you infer...?
Understand
Construct meaning from instructional messages
organizing, discussing, interpreting, paraphrasing, extending, outlining, reviewing, inferring, showing
- What is the main idea of...?
- Can you find an example of...?
- How would you summarize...?
- What might happen next...?
- How do you explain...?
- What ideas or facts show...?
Evaluate
Make judgments based on criteria and standards
validating, debating, prioritizing, assessing, justifying, monitoring, selecting, rating, critiquing
- Which is more important...?
- Is there a better solution to...?
- Can you defend...?
- What are the pros of...? cons...?
- Why is...of value?
- How would you feel if...?
Apply
Carry out or use a procedure in a given situation
practicing, choosing, interviewing, implementing, operating, developing, planning, solving, generalizing
- What would happen if...?
- How could you clarify...?
- Who do you think...?
- Which approach would you...?
- How would you use...?
- What is a situation like...?
Create
Combine elements or ideas to form a new whole
building, combining, formulating, constructing, devising, improving, changing, adapting, producing
- What is an alternative to...?
- Could you invent...?
- Can you compose a...?
- What is your theory about...?
- How can you imagine...?
- What could you design to...?
*This information was provided by Forde-Ferrier.