Supporting Assessment Design at Key Stage 3

Supporting Assessment Design at Key Stage 3

Effective assessment questions

This section enables you to:

  • understand the structure of Bloom’s Taxonomy;
  • explore command words associated with different cognitive skill sets; and
  • reflect on the implications of the taxonomy for assessment writing.

Bloom’s Taxonomy, thinking skills and assessment

Bloom's Taxonomy is a framework created by Benjamin Bloom to classify different levels of thinking skills needed for learning. The taxonomy has six levels, set out as a pyramid, with each representing a specific cognitive skill set. Watch the animation to find out more.

Reflection

  • Do you use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help you write assessments or to focus your questions?
  • Do your assessments reflect the hierarchy of this taxonomy?
  • In light of the taxonomy, is there anything in your assessments you would like to adapt?
  • Is there a uniform approach across your department or school in the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy?
  • How useful do you find this?

Using command words effectively

This section sets out some of the command words typically associated with each skill level in Bloom's Taxonomy. Select a skill level to view:

  • examples of command words that you can use to help design assessments, lesson plans and activities which target specific cognitive levels and promote deeper learning among your pupils; and
  • sample questions and stems that illustrate the application of different command words, spanning from basic recall to higher-order thinking and creativity.

Remember

  • How do you define …?
  • Without looking at your notes, recall what happened when
  • List the main events that led to
  • Name the key characters in the story of
  • Identify the author's main argument in paragraph
  • Clearly state the steps for calculating mean, median and mode.
  • Select the best summary of the passage from the options provided.

Understand

  • Explain the main causes of in your own words.
  • Describe the key features of a
  • Briefly summarise the main events in chapter
  • How would you interpret the author's message in lines …?
  • Paraphrase the following lines from the poem.
  • Classify each of the following into categories based on
  • Compare the plots of story A and story B.
  • Give three examples of literary devices used in the passage.
  • Rewrite the following passage from the perspective of character X.

Apply

  • Apply what you know about the characteristics of mammals, reptiles and amphibians to classify these animals.
  • Use the timeline of events to determine the main causes of World War I.
  • Demonstrate how to find the surface area of a triangular prism.
  • Illustrate the process of photosynthesis in a diagram.
  • Solve the following inequality.
  • Implement the scientific method to design an experiment testing how sunlight affects plant growth.
  • Show step by step how to convert grams to kilograms.
  • Use the nutritional information to calculate the calories per serving.

Analyse

  • Analyse the character's motivations and explain what these reveal about the theme.
  • Break down the poem stanza by stanza and explain how each one contributes to the overall meaning.
  • Differentiate between the key theories that attempt to explain plate tectonics.
  • Compare and contrast how the authors of passage A and passage B develop their perspectives on technology.
  • Categorise each battle from the Hundred Years' War based on the outcome and strategies used.
  • Carefully examine the pattern in the data. What conclusions can you draw from any trends?
  • Investigate how changing the slope in the equation affects the line in the graph.
  • Based on the passage, infer how the author feels about deforestation. Include supporting evidence.

Evaluate

  • Evaluate the author's argument and determine if the evidence is sufficient to support their claims.
  • Judge which of the Scientific Revolution thinkers had the most influence on modern science and justify your selection.
  • Critique the effectiveness of the experimental design by identifying any confounding variables.
  • Assess the merits and limitations of using nuclear energy as a power source.
  • Justify which of the three literary devices was most impactful in the passage using evidence.
  • Defend which battle was the turning point of the American Revolutionary War with supporting reasons.
  • Prioritise the steps for solving a quadratic equation and explain your ordering.
  • Determine the most appropriate graph to visually represent the data in the table.

Create

  • Create an original poem that uses personification to describe the seasons.
  • Design a science experiment to test the effect of sunlight on plant growth.
  • Generate ideas for reducing waste in the cafeteria and propose a plan.
  • Plan a five-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting two characters from the novel.
  • Produce a timeline of major events that led to the War of 1812.
  • Invent a scene between two characters that is not in the original play.
  • Compose a fictional story incorporating symbolism to represent key themes.
  • Develop a model that illustrates the nitrogen cycle.
  • Construct a flow chart showing the key steps in the water cycle.
  • Imagine you are on the Titanic and write a diary entry depicting your experience.

See also Annexe 6: Command Words in Fair Access by Design: Guidance for awarding organisations on designing high-quality and inclusive qualifications (Qualifications Wales and CCEA Regulation, 2019).

The following can help you ensure you are using command words effectively:

  • Use command words consistently and correctly to elicit the kind of answer required.
  • Avoid using more than one command word in a sentence or question.
  • Avoid words that prompt inadequate single-word answers.
  • Use different command words to elicit different kinds of responses, not purely for the sake of variety.

Reflection

  • Is there consistency in the use of command words across your department/school?
  • Do you provide clear instructions and definitions for the command words used in your assessments to ensure pupils understand what is expected of them?
  • Are you providing scaffolding or support for pupils to develop the skills necessary to meet the requirements of higher-level command words?
  • Do you vary the command words you use in assessments to assess different levels of cognitive complexity and promote higher-order thinking?
  • Do you review and reflect on the appropriateness of the command words used in previous assessments to inform your future assessment design?
  • Are you providing pupils with opportunities for self-assessment or reflection on their ability to understand and respond to different command words?