An Analysis of Karachi Board Papers of English from the Lens of Bloom’s Cognitive Domain

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze English examination papers of the tenth grade of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Karachi using the cognitive domain as the framework of Bloom's Taxonomy for identifying the reflection of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and lower-order thinking skills (LOTS). The methodology comprised positivism as the philosophical stance and the quantitative research design. The tenth-grade examination papers of English from 2015 to 2019 were the unit of analysis. The five-year papers were obtained from BISE, Karachi. A checklist was designed for analyzing exam items based on the six levels of the cognitive domain. The process of identifying item relevancy with the appropriate level of cognitive domain was grounded in the connotation and denotation meaning-making for exam items. The results reported a predominance of cognitive levels of remember, understand, and apply. Moreover, results informed of the numerousness of the LOTS in all exam papers from 2015 to 2019. The findings suggest baseline modifications in the content and purpose of board exam papers to ensure curriculum goals through student learning outcomes that involve more cognitive resources. Future researchers may consider suggesting techniques for exam-item developers to integrate the curriculum components and cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy for the development of human capital.