The four parts of a behavioral objective
A well-written behavioral objective states four things, often remembered as ABCD: the audience (who will do it), the behavior (what observable action they will perform), the condition (the circumstances, aids, or materials under which they perform it), and the degree or criterion (the standard of acceptable performance). In the objective "By the end of the session, using picture food cards, each participant will plan a day's meals with at most one error," the phrase using picture food cards names the materials given to the learner, so it is the condition. The condition describes what the learner is given or allowed to use while performing the behavior.
Breaking down the objective
Taking the sentence apart shows how each element fills one role. "Each participant" identifies the learner, the audience. "Will plan a day's meals" is the observable action the nurse can watch and check, the behavior. "With at most one error" sets the standard the plan must meet, the criterion. "Using picture food cards" tells under what conditions the planning is done. The phrase "by the end of the session" is a time frame that is often grouped with the condition as well, but among the four choices the picture food cards are the clear condition.
| Element | Question it answers | In this objective |
|---|
| Audience | Who? | Each participant |
| Behavior | Will do what? | Will plan a day's meals |
| Condition | Given what, under what circumstances? | Using picture food cards |
| Criterion (degree) | How well? | With at most one error |
Why the condition matters for these learners
The situation describes participants who finished only elementary school and understand the local language better than English. Picture food cards let them show meal-planning skill without needing to read food lists or exchange tables in English. Stating this aid in the objective makes the expectation fair and realistic, and it tells anyone evaluating the session exactly how the skill will be tested. Watch out! The criterion and the condition are both qualifiers attached to the behavior, so candidates often swap them. The criterion answers how well; the condition answers with what.
Exam takeaway
Find the verb first to locate the behavior, then ask what is given to the learner (condition) and what standard is set (criterion). The remaining element, the person or group, is the audience. Clear objectives guide the nurse in choosing teaching methods, such as demonstration and return demonstration with food cards, and in evaluating whether each participant has met the standard by the end of the session.