OBJECTIVES SPECIFICATION TOOL

1. In many (if not most) multimedia development projects, you will want to specify the performance objectives for users of your program. Having precise performance objectives will enable you to design better interactions into your program and to develop valid instruments for assessing the outcomes of the program.

2. Performance objectives can be written for three domains, the cognitive, the psychomotor, and the affective. The cognitive domain refers to the intellectual processes involved in a job or content area. These can range from simple recall of information to higher order problem solving. The psychomotor domain refers to skills that require the use and coordination of the body in physical activity such as opening a container or moving a box. The affective domain refers to attitudes, beliefs, values, and emotions such as enjoying or appreciating.

3. Writing performance objectives for the psychomotor domain is generally straightforward, e.g., "the trainee will put on safety goggles and gloves before opening a container of any chemical substance." Writing performance objectives for the cognitive or affective domain can be much more difficult. Therefore, a list of verbs that can help you write better objectives in these domains is provided below.

4. Whenever you write objectives, review the verbs below to select the ones most appropriate to your job or content. This is by no means a complete list of all the possible verbs and its primary value may be in spurring your imagination in writing better objectives.

Observable Verbs in the Cognitive Domain:

Level 1 - Knowledge or the ability to recall information.
arrange
define
duplicate
label
list
match
memorize
name
order
recognize
recall
repeat
reproduce

Level 2 - Comprehension or interpreting information in one's own words.
classify
describe
discuss
explain
express
identify
indicate
locate
recognize
report
restate
review
select
sort
tell
translate

Level 3 - Application or using knowledge in a novel situation.
apply
choose
demonstrate
dramatize
employ
illustrate
interpret
operate
prepare
practice
schedule
sketch
solve
use

Level 4 - Analysis or breaking down knowledge into parts and showing interrelationships.
analyze
appraise
calculate
compare
contrast
criticize
diagram
differentiate
discriminate
distinguish
examine
experiment
inventory
question
test

Level 5 - Synthesis or bringing together parts of knowledge to form a whole and solve a problem.
arrange
assemble
collect
compose
construct
create
design
formulate
manage
organize
plan
prepare
propose
set up
synthesize
write

Level 6 - Evaluation or making judgments on the basis of criteria.
appraise
argue
assess
attack
choose
compare
defend
estimate
evaluate
judge
predict
rate
score
select
support
value
agree
argue
assume
attempt
attend to
avoid
challenge
cooperate
defend
disagree
engage in
help
join
offer
participate
praise
resist
share
volunteer