ElmCore Journal of Educational Psychology October, 2014 | Page 49

Science-Fellows®
analysis involves understanding the relationship
among the parts and how they are organized into a
whole. The last two levels, synthesis and evaluation,
are the most complex and require the highest levels of
elaboration. Synthesis involves putting the parts or

components together in an original manner, while
evaluation is the process of making judgments based
on comparison to a standard.

Table 1. Bloom et al.’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain

LEVEL

Knowledge

DEFINITION
Student recalls or recognizes information, ideas, and principles in
the approximate form in which they were learned.

Comprehension

Student translates, comprehends, or interprets information based on
prior learning.

Application

Student selects, transfers, and uses data and principles to complete a
problem or task with a minimum of direction.

Analysis

Student distinguishes, classifies, and relates the assumptions,
hypotheses, evidence, or structure of a statement or question.

Synthesis

Student originates, integrates, and combines ideas into a product,
plan or proposal that is new to him or her.

Evaluation

Student appraises, assesses, or critiques on a basis of specific
standards and criteria.

Research has confirmed that the first four
levels are indeed a hierarchy, while there seems to be
a problem with the ordering of the two highest levels
(Hummel & Huitt, 1994). Anderson and Krathwohl
(2000) propose that the ordering is reversed, with
evaluation being less difficult than synthesis, while
Huitt (2000) proposes that they are both at the same
level of difficulty though they incorporate different
types of processing. There seems to be consensus that
both synthesis and evaluation are based on analysis or
the ability to compare and contrast parts of a whole
and understand the relationship among parts. The type

ElmCore® Journal of Educational Psychology

of thinking involved in synthesis is often labeled
“creative thinking,” while that involved in evaluation
is often called “critical thinking.” Research confirms
that both are necessary for successful problem solving
(Huitt, 1992).
In order to create an environment in which
high levels of elaboration are taking place, the
educator must build background knowledge and link
previously learned material to new. This does not
simply mean that he or she should rely on the classes
students have had in the past. Connections must also
be made thematically between units, lessons, theories,

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