By stating the targeted learning outcomes in clear terms, teachers specify the achievement domain for a given unit or course of study. Vague statements of outcomes must be clarified for measurement purposes. Achievement domains could be made up of both product outcomes and process outcomes. We applied the tree-diagram approach to organize outcomes in achievement domains. In a tree-diagram, there are three levels of generality in outcome statements: outcomes, competencies, and enablers. A Taxonomy of learning outcomes is useful in analyzing the types of behaviors or levels of cognitive complexity embedded in outcomes in an achievement domain. We reviewed three alternate taxonomies that might be useful during assessment design.

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