Suggested command verbs by level
Level 4
Evaluate: Appraise the worth of something e.g., concepts, principles, arguments, assumptions or set of beliefs associated with an area of study in relation to their accuracy and appropriateness. Conclude, basing your decision on what you judge to be the most principal factors and justify how you have made your choice.
Explain: Clarify a topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurs, its results, implications, and impact by clearly stating and interpreting the relevant details.
Interpret: To explain the meaning of something e.g., in relation to qualitative and quantitative data making its meaning, patterns, and causal relationships clear and explicit, in and of itself, and in terms of your own knowledge.
Make an argument: analyse differing points of view in the literature or from other sources and come to a judgement call as to which points are the most persuasive – which may not be one side or the other but a mixture of points on both sides of an argument.
Present: use different mediums to disseminate findings, set out proposals, inform, critique, etc.
Reflect: on own performance, in given situations, its strengths, limitations and develop ways to improve. Identify the impact of performance on knowledge, learning methods, values, beliefs, and ethics.
Solve problems: recommendations and critique of alternative solutions.
Level 5
Analyse: Breakdown a topic, issue, concept, theory, or event into its main ideas and evaluate them by examining the supporting arguments and evidence. Also, to frame appropriate questions to achieve solutions, while recognising any downside of those solutions.
Apply: Concepts, principles and techniques/methods to professional practice, actual events, and situations e.g., case studies. Use analytical techniques and problem-solving skills to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems in a context of uncertainty.
Critically Reflect: on own performance, in given situations, its strengths, limitations and develop ways to improve. Identify the impact of performance on knowledge, learning methods, values, beliefs, and ethics.
Introduction to – Critically Analyse: Breakdown a topic, issue, concept, theory, or event into its main ideas and evaluate them by examining the supporting arguments, contradictory argument, and their underpinning evidence. Also, to frame appropriate questions to achieve solutions, while recognising any downside of those solutions.
Introduction to – Critically Evaluate: Appraise the worth of something e.g., concepts, principles, arguments, assumptions or set of beliefs associated with an area of study in relation to their accuracy, completeness and appropriateness using evidence taken from a wide range of sources. Conclude and justify it, while recognising contradictory ideas about your justification.
Make an argument, proposals and solve problems – at a more complex level than 4 e.g., arguments involving many players, a case study where solutions are not clear, etc.
Present: use different mediums to disseminate findings, set out proposals, inform, critique, etc.
Level 6
Critically Analyse: Breakdown a topic, issue, concept, theory, or event into its main ideas and evaluate them by examining the supporting arguments, contradictory argument, and their underpinning evidence. Also, frame appropriate questions to achieve solutions, while recognising the downside of those solutions.
Critically Discuss: Investigate or examine by argument a topic, issue, concept, theory, or event. Work through the arguments and the evidence used to support different points of view, giving reasons for and against both sides and examining any implications. Argue not just for the side of the argument that you support, but the side with which you may have little sympathy and provide evidence taken from a wide range of sources which both agree with and contradict those arguments.
Critically Evaluate: Appraise the worth of something e.g., concepts, principles, arguments, assumptions or set of beliefs associated with an area of study in relation to their accuracy, completeness and appropriateness using evidence taken from a wide range of sources. Conclude and justify it, while recognising contradictory ideas about your justification.
Critically Reflect: on own performance, in given situations, its strengths, limitations and develop ways to improve. Identify the impact of performance on knowledge, learning methods, values, beliefs, and ethics.
Review: Survey and critically assess a topic, an argument or body of literature so that the reader has a better understanding of what is being proposed or argued or/and for you to consolidate this information and apply your judgement to decisions in complex and uncertain situations.
Research: Gather information (literature, theories models etc.), frame questions, deploy techniques/skills to critically analyse arguments and make proposals.
Present: use different mediums to disseminate findings, set out proposals, inform, critique, etc.