Analysis of Turkish high-school physics-examination questions according to Bloom’s taxonomy

Examples and Analysis of Questions

Researchers found that chemistry exam questions could be included into each of the six classifications of Bloom (Colletta & Chiappetta, 1989; Gronlund, 1995). During analysis of the questions, the following criteria were used.

1.- Knowledge. Questions on the knowledge level require the students to remember facts they have already learned and recall these as they have been learned.

Question: Can you define what is an atom?

2.-Comprehension. Students must be able to rephrase information, using their own statements and translate knowledge into new context and interpret graphs, tables, charts and cartoons.

Question: When a mechanical or electromagnetic wave goes from one medium to another, it undergoes a change in

(a) amplitude only; (b) both speed and wavelength; (c) speed only; (d) wavelength only.

3- Application. Students are required to identify the relevant information and rules to arrive at asolution and solve problems by using known algorithms.

Question: Two identical conducting spheres, A and B, carry equal electric charge. They are separated by a distance much larger than their diameter and exert an electrostatic force F on each other. A third identical conducting sphere C is initially uncharged and far away from A and B. Sphere C is then brought briefly into contact with sphere A, then with sphere B, and finally removed far away. The electrostatic force between A and B is now

(a) 3F=8 ; (b) F=2 ; (c) F=4 ; (d) F=16 .

4- Analysis. The analysis level requires that students separate an idea into its parts or elements and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of the parts to the whole.

Question: In the circuit below, we increase the resistance R₂.

If I_j is the current through resistor R_j (j = 1; 2; 3), then

(a) I₁ and I₂ both increase;

(b) I₁ decreases and I₂ increases;

(c) I₁ and I₂ both decrease;

(d) I₁ increases and I₂ decreases.

5- Synthesis. Questions on synthesis level permit students to devise ways to design experiments and test hypotheses. Students may be required to write a paper and a report in which ideas are synthesized or problems are solved.

Question: Design an experiment which can be use to find friction constant of a surface?

6- Evaluation. Questions at this level require students to make judgements about the value or merit of an idea, purpose, solution to a problem, procedure, method or product. This level requires students to use the other five levels of the taxonomy to varying degrees.

Question: Describe the effects of radioactivity on atoms. Explain your answer.