Writing Observable and Measurable Instructional Goals and Objectives 1

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Writing Observable and Measurable Instructional Goals and Objectives
Short-term objectives do the following:

 Are measurable
 Specify the desired behavior to be performed
 Are general indicators of progress
 Often specify conditions under which the student will perform a behavior
 May be a sequential or a building-block skill
 Often indicate a time frame
 Are a logical breakdown of the major components of an annual goal
 May include projected dates to accomplish the skill or behavior and certain times when these will be
demonstrated

Short-term objectives should be based on annual goals and must state the following:

A Who The person who will perform the behavior The student
B Will do what The specific, measurable, and observable behavior Will solve
or skills to be performed, including a verb that tells independently
what the student will do
C Under what Indicates what specific assistance will be provided When given 20 2-digit
conditions to the student to accomplish the skill and may also by 2-digit
include in what settings or circumstances the skill multiplication
will be performed problems
D To what degree or The level at which the student must perform the With 80% accuracy
how well skill to accomplish the step for meeting the annual
goal, which may be expressed in fractions,
percentages, frequency rates, scores, or phrases

Formula: C A B D

Example: When given 20 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication problems, the student will solve the problems
independently with 80% accuracy.

Formula: A B D C

Example: Teachers will be able to write observable, measurable objectives for intellectual skills to be
taught in their lesson plans.

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