Learning Outcome Verb List for Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Download our list of learning outcome verbs that align with Dee Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning.

A word of caution about using verbs as a magical solution. 

As a study by Claudia Stanny exemplifies, an analysis of 30 widely-used compilations of verbs for Bloom’s categories revealed that many lists frequently put the same verb in multiple categories and sometimes put the same verbs in very different categories.

Similarly the revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy in 2001 highlighted that when using cognitive processes, the same verb can have a very different meaning when applied to different knowledge domains. For example, identifying factual knowledge can be a very different type of learning than identifying conceptual knowledge.

Words can have multiple meanings and we encourage you to not get too narrowly-focused on verb choice. Rather, look at your entire learning outcome statement to make sure it captures the type of learning you are aiming to achieve.

Using Fink’s Taxonomy Verbs

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