Which is the correct sequence of cognitive domain?
2018
Which is the correct sequence of cognitive domain?
- A.
Evaluation–Application–Analysis–Synthesis–Comprehension–Knowledge
- B.
Evaluation–Synthesis–Analysis–Application–Comprehension–Knowledge
- C.
Knowledge–Application–Comprehension–Analysis–Synthesis–Evaluation
- D.
Knowledge–Comprehension–Application–Analysis–Synthesis–Evaluation
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: Bloom's Taxonomy (1956) organizes the cognitive domain into six hierarchical levels, arranged from the simplest to the most complex thinking skill. Each level builds on the one before it, moving from basic recall (lower-order thinking) toward complex judgment (higher-order thinking).
Knowledge – recalling facts, terms, and basic concepts
Comprehension – understanding and explaining ideas in one's own words
Application – using learned knowledge in new, concrete situations
Analysis – breaking information into parts to explore relationships
Synthesis – combining parts to form a new, coherent whole
Evaluation – making judgments based on criteria and standards
Application: The sequence must move strictly in this ascending order without skipping or swapping any level. Checking the option that lists Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation in that order shows it follows the hierarchy exactly, level by level, so it is the correct sequence.
Cross-check: A quick contrast against the other listed orders confirms this:
One option lists all six levels but proceeds from the most advanced skill down to the most basic one; since the hierarchy is inherently bottom-up (simpler skills first, complex judgment last), a top-down listing does not match how the levels build on each other.
Another option starts correctly at the foundational level but places the skill of using knowledge in new situations before the skill of explaining ideas in one's own words; a learner must understand a concept well enough to explain it before applying it, so this ordering skips a step out of turn.
A third option does not move consistently in one direction at all — levels appear swapped relative to any strict ascending or descending run, so it is simply out of order.
Result: Only the ascending order Knowledge–Comprehension–Application–Analysis–Synthesis–Evaluation preserves the unbroken hierarchy, confirming it as the standard sequence of the cognitive domain.