tok essay outline 2021

How To Write A ToK Essay - Updated 2023

Ace your ToK Essay with our expert tips & tricks! Get the latest and greatest techniques on "How To Write A ToK Essay" and impress the IB examiners.📝💡

Table of content

Purpose of tok, assessment of tok, the game plan, execution of the gameplan, planning for tok essay, structure of tok essay, introduction, conclusions, bibliography.

How to write a TOK Essay? 

To answer that, you must familiarise yourself with what a TOK Essay is about.

Before you start reading this article,  Amanda  has some excellent TOK tips for you!

Theory of Knowledge is one of the most meta subjects that IB offers. Despite its complexity, TOK helps in providing a base for holistic learning and allows students to have a multidisciplinary experience. 

To understand TOK is to understand the essence of IB, a task that most people consider unattainable.

But not for you! 

Thank your lucky stars who made you land on Nail IB. How exactly will Nail IB help you? 

Well, nailing International Baccalaureate is something we will discuss later. 

Let's focus on cracking your TOK essay, shall we?

TOK demonstrates how students  can apply their knowledge  with  greater awareness  and  credibility .

Big words, huh? 

Now that we know that we cannot just slide through the Theory of Knowledge, let's understand how we can conquer this battle all guns blazing.

ToK essay’s primary objective is to answer the  why  behind our studies. 

It makes one aware of the real-life implications of their subjects. The students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions and appreciate the diversity of different perspectives. It helps the students find their unique perception, a prerequisite for excelling in the IB TOK essays.

Before we dive into our gameplan, let’s overview the rules of the game.

There are two assessment tasks in the TOK: an essay and a presentation . While a presentation encourages students to explore a real-life situation through the lens of TOK, an essay is written on the basis of the various questions provided by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

• The presentation is to assess a student’s ability to apply TOK thinking to a real-life situation whereas IB TOK essay is more conceptual.
• The essay is externally assessed by IB and must be on any one of the prescribed TOK essay titles issued by the IB for each examination session.
• Word limit of a TOK essay is 1600 words ( excludes extended notes, footnotes, bibliography).

Now that we have unleashed the game, let’s move ahead towards the gameplan of acing both, your presentation and your essay.

One of the fundamental tasks of TOK is to examine different areas of knowledge and find out their similarities and differences.

The TOK essay requires the students to investigate two Areas of Knowledge (AOK)  and two Ways of Knowing   (WOK) . AOKs and WOKs are investigated via questions such as:

• How do we know what we know? (WOK)
• What counts as evidence for X? (AOK)
• How do we judge which is the best model of Y? (WOK)
• What does theory Z mean in the real world? (AOK + WOK)

The aforementioned are  Knowledge Questions  which help combine the Areas of Knowledge and the Ways of Knowing that they are using. This eliminates the superficial way of learning and makes an individual sensitive to the nature of the information.   Our acquisition of Knowledge can be broadly divided into Shared Knowledge and Personal Knowledge.

Shared knowledge: What WE know It is the product of more than one individual. Although individuals contribute to it, shared knowledge does not solely depend upon the contributions of a particular individual—there are possibilities for others to check and amend individual contributions and add to the body of knowledge that already exists.

Personal knowledge: What I know It is essentially dependent on the experiences of a particular individual. Also known as procedural knowledge, it is gained through experience, practice and personal involvement and is intimately bound up with the particular local circumstances of the individual such as biography, interests, values, and so on.

The best hack to ace TOK essay is to develop a habit of making connections between the construction of knowledge, its acquisition and its relevance in the real world. 

After that one needs to develop an interest in understanding the difference between diversity and cultural perspectives and personal assumptions.

One also needs to critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible and purposeful lives.

Yes, this is what you signed up for. It may sound a little intimidating but once you get the hang of it you will be able to see the matrix and understand this beautiful world a little better.

Understand that to provide the best version of your writing, it will take you more than one or two drafts. First and foremost, you need to pick your essay topic diligently. Try to choose an essay topic that best interests you. The topic should also allow you to explore the Areas of Knowledge towards which you are naturally inclined. Here are a few sample questions:

a) 'Ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments.' To what extend do you agree with this statement?

b) With reference to two areas of knowledge discuss the way in which shared knowledge can shape their personal knowledge.

c) How can we know if knowledge is produced more through 'Passive Observation' or 'Active-Experiment' within the Human and Natural-sciences under a Mathematical-Perspective?

d) "The whole point of knowledge is to produce both meaning and purpose in our personal lives". Assess the validity of this statement.

Great things take time. It took me more than a couple of weeks to finalize this TOK essay guide. It is completely okay if the first few drafts may not look pleasing or award-winning to you. You will require sharpening your perspective towards the topic each time you polish your draft. Your writing journey from a dull draft to a masterpiece will be a whole process that you will have to be patient with. Have faith in yourself and proceed stepwise.

You need to consider the opinions of others who have devoted hours of research and a lifetime of dedicated studying the topic that surrounds your writing. Unravelling the realms of your mind palace is so Sherlock but let’s not deny the fact that at times, Watson is the one whose expertise helps Sherlock through pretty difficult times. I mean even Batman needs a Robin. In support of my awesome sauce examples, the point I am trying to make is that  finding support for our claims and counterclaims through research is a good thing .

Use real-life examples to support your claims and counterclaims. These examples need to be documented researched examples like studies, experiments, articles, presentations by well-known people, etc. Examples that stem from your diploma subjects are highly encouraged, but those will need to be supported by research as well.   

It is suggested that you choose a title, stick to it, tackle it and not be afraid. Do not change your mind unless there is a good reason. Also, try choosing Areas of knowledge that you truly enjoy. You know slaying a known devil is much easier than an unknown one. Allot a TIMELINE to your essay. Start with creating an outline of your essay. This will help you to track your progress and accomplish your goals

You can use tools like  Trello  to organize your ideas and plan your TOK essay.

Areas of Knowledge (AOKs): TOK distinguishes between eight areas of knowledge. They are mathematics, the natural sciences, the human sciences, the arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems. It is suggested that students study and explore six of these eight.

Ways of knowing (WOKs): TOK identifies eight specific WOKs- language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory. It is suggested that studying four of these eight in-depth would be appropriate. WOKs underlie the methodology of the areas of knowledge and provide a basis for personal knowledge.

Moving ahead, let us discuss the structure of your TOK essay.

Your essay will consist of 4 broad segregations

Before breaking down further on the pillars, keep the following in mind

• Please note what the TOK essay title is asking you. (Read it a couple of times. We highly recommend that you brainstorm ideas with your TOK coordinator)
• Make sure you understand the command term and the question it is asking.
• What kind of knowledge is being elicited?
• When choosing your areas of knowledge (AoK) and ways of knowing (WoK) make sure that you are able to draw contrasts and comparisons, that is, you are able to find evidence that supports as well as challenges your claims.
• Identify key terms in your TOK essay title. Make sure you define them. Your essay will gravitate around them. Key terms/words in your titles are your essay anchors. Your response should be built around them.
• Your writing skills come in handy while you work on your IB TOK essay. Like any other essay make sure you have proper thesis statements and topic sentences to guide the evaluator through your work.
• Respect the TOK essay title. Rephrasing the topic is not encouraged . Your main job is to address the title.

Introduce your topic accurately and state your thesis statement for the essay carefully.  A thesis statement is like a teaser to your entire essay wherein you define your key terms and introduce your interpretation of the question. Make sure that you do not reword the prescribed title in your thesis. Instead, it needs to, as the word says, INTRODUCE your readers to what your essay is about. A strong introduction allows the reader to deduce what knowledge question(s) you are trying to answer.

So, in a nutshell

• Write interesting things about the given TOK essay title .
• Define key terms
• Narrow in on the particularly interesting aspect
• State your thesis statement . This will be your short answer to your given title if you don't know how to write a killer thesis statement check out this blog from SparkNotes .
• State your Roadmap. This will help the readers in understanding the direction of your essay.

The body can be mainly divided into 3 segments.

Body (1st Segment)

• AoK Claim:  Here you investigate your first Area of Knowledge and draw parallels between your AoK and the question. This is done by stating your claim. Claims can be general in nature and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. They help you shape your essay and investigate the question further. 
• Evidence: Example of a real-life situation, describe thoroughly and accurately, which supports your stated claim. (AoK)
• Counter-Claim: State your counter-claim: like claims, those can be general and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. Counterclaim helps you show the other side the coin and gives your essay a holistic nature. 
• Evidence: A referenced real-life situation/example. Describe thoroughly and accurately, show how this supports your counterclaim (AoK ).
• Don’t forget to weave in your WoKs:  You need to take into account the source of your knowledge. Here you can also investigate if your nature of acquiring the knowledge has, in any way, affected it. It is good practice to question if your knowledge would be different had it been acquired through a different source/method
• Mini-conclusion: Here you analyze your examples in reference to your claims and counterclaims. You must connect to your thesis statement and the prescribed title. How does your proposed argument, in this particular part of the body, connect to the prescribed title and the knowledge questions you are trying to answer?

Body (2): Follow the above process for your second AOK.

• Use this part of your essay to compare and contrast your varying AoKs. You need to connect them to your thesis and your prescribed title clearly showing how your arguments respond to the PT.

Your conclusion section will make your essay come together. It is the glue that will make your essay stick together. Herein, you need to

• Reiterate your thesis (initial response).
• Use your mini conclusions to write a final conclusion.
• Tell the reader what the significance is for knowing what we know in this particular PT.
• Discuss implications as well.
• Offer another perspective, how will the perspective of a different person affect the claims/counterclaims you make in the essay?
• Don’t forget to make the end strong.

We recommend all the ib students use the  citation machine  (It's FREE) to organize or generate a bibliography for your TOK essay. Please go through this extensive guide provided by the IB before you start working on your citations.

If you are still struggling heaps with your TOK essay feel free to subscribe to our tok notes bundles or get access to more than 500+ IBDP notes and past papers here .

Nail IB is your virtual companion that helps you hustle through your diploma and provide you with the right resources at the right time. To know more about acing IB, click  here .

I hope this article will become the foundation for figuring out how to write a TOK Essay.

Remember to have faith in yourself.

I hope you NAIL your TOK essay!

Quoting the great Napolean Hill

"Whatever the mind of a man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

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TOK essay guidance

TOK Home > Free TOK notes > TOK essay guidance

You write your TOK essay on your choice of six prescribed titles, which are released at the beginning of DP2, and you have approximately 6 months to complete it.

Learn about the basic details of the TOK essay on this page. After you’ve grasped these, move onto our four-step guide to the essay: 1 Understanding the rubric , 2 Choosing a title , 3 Planning and structuring , 4 Writing and uploading .

10 TOK essay starting points

• 1 The TOK essay is an individual task
• 2 It represents two thirds of the overall mark for TOK
• 3 It is externally marked
• 4 You choose your title from a list of six prescribed titles, which change every exam session
• 5 The word count for the essay is 1600 words
• 6 You’ll meet your teacher for 3 interactions to discuss your essay
• 7 Key areas that are assessed include the clarity of arguments, level of effectiveness of examples, and the focus on the title
• 8 You’ll fill in a Planning and Progress Form (PPF), which you submit with your essay (although this is not assessed)
• 9 The context of the essay is explicitly about the five  areas of knowledge
• 10 There is a single criterion for marking, and four characteristics of an excellent essay (insightful, convincing, accomplished, and lucid)

A four-step guide to the TOK essay

Click on the buttons below to take you to the four steps of creating a great TOK essay. Don’t forget that we have plenty of videos on this and other aspects of the course, and members of the site have access to a huge amount of other resources to help you master the course and assessment tasks.

Check out our three-minute explainer video on the TOK essay here . The video goes over the basics of the TOK essay, such as how it’s assessed, the word count and other practical details, terms such as ‘perspectives’ and ‘implications’, and the role of real-world examples in justifying claims and arguments.

You’ll find more videos on this and other aspects of TOK here , and you can dive into much more depth via our free and premium webinars, here .

Watch our essay & exhibition webinars

Click on the images below to access these premium webinars on how to create the essay and exhibition. Access more webinars here , and watch our videos on the assessment tasks on this page .

FAQs about the TOK essay

How do i choose my tok essay title.

You choose your essay from six prescribed essay titles, that are released at the beginning of your second DP year. We give a few tips on how to choose a PT that will work for you here . But briefly, choose one that links to your pre-existing knowledge, and that you find personally engaging.

What will I be writing about in my TOK essay?

You’ll be answering your prescribed title, within the context of two areas of knowledge, considering how different perspectives might affect our response to the question, and what the implications of your arguments are.

Can I use ChatGPT to write my essay?

You can use ChatGPT to help you gather materials for your essay, but you should definitely not be using it to write the essay. Be very careful with ChatGPT. It bases its answers on online material, and much of this is inaccurate or out-of-date. For example, depending on what you ask it, it may tell you that you have to explore multiple areas of knowledge (rather than the two stipulated by the titles), and that you have to identify a separate knowledge question to the title (which is absolutely not the case).

How much help should I expect from my teacher?

Your teacher should run through the PTs when they are first released, and then meet you for three interactions, during which you’ll discuss your progress. They are allowed to give you one set of written feedback. But you can consult them at other times with specific questions.

Do I need to use real-world examples in my TOK essay?

Yes, real-life examples help illustrate your points and make your arguments more tangible. They can be drawn from personal experiences, historical events, scientific discoveries, etc.

Should I include my personal opinion in the TOK essay?

While the TOK essay is not about your personal opinion per se, it’s important to reflect on your perspective and how it shapes the way you understand the title. However, you should avoid using the essay as a platform for rants or unsubstantiated claims.

Is it necessary to include counter-arguments in my TOK essay?

Yes, including counter-arguments shows a deeper understanding of the complexity of the topic and demonstrates your critical thinking skills. It also enables you to consider different perspectives, and evaluate the implications of arguments.

Should I include the 12 key concepts in my essay?

Yes, as much as you can, draw on the key concepts such as justification, evidence, perspective, bias, certainty, and objectivity within your arguments linking them to the title, and to the real-world examples you draw on.

How do I ensure that my TOK essay reflects my own original thinking, and avoids plagiarism?

Clearly attribute ideas and sources that are not your own, and strive to present original insights and interpretations supported by evidence and reasoning. See our point above on using ChatGPT – never view this as more than a tool to help you gather material for your essay, rather than a tool to write it for you.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when writing a TOK essay?

Avoid oversimplifying complex issues, relying solely on personal opinion without justification, neglecting counter-arguments, veering off the question, and failing to include a consideration of different perspectives.

How long do I have to write my essay?

You’ll have 6 months from the time the prescribed titles are released, to the deadline date for uploading your essay to the IB. However, most schools will set their own deadline for completing the essay, so that everyone has plenty of time to complete your PPF, and upload it on time. Follow what your school tells you about this.

How important is the TOK essay PPF?

The PPF (‘Planning and Progress Form’) is the document that you fill in to outline your discussions during the three essay. Although this is not directly assessed, it is an important part of demonstrating that you have approached the TOK essay in an ethical way, which is now particularly important in the era of ChatGPT.

What are some effective strategies for revising and editing my TOK essay to improve clarity and coherence?

Take breaks between revisions, seek feedback from peers or teachers, and carefully proofread for grammar, punctuation, and coherence.

Should I include references or a bibliography in my TOK essay?

While not required, referencing sources appropriately adds credibility to your essay; use footnotes or endnotes for citations.

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• January 17, 2023

The A to Z Guide for Structuring your TOK Essay for Optimal Success

Written By Rashi S.

I was in the graduating class of June 2021. I earned an A for my TOK essay and a B for my EE, enabling me to secure the maximum 3 points from the core. Structuring and formatting your TOK essay well goes a long way; it helps you untangle confusing concepts and makes it simpler for your teacher and the examiner to follow your essay, consequently increasing your chance to earn a higher grade. I refer to my TOK essay to help you visualize and exemplify the points I make in this blog post. Ensure that your TOK draft is the best version of it possible; your final essay can only be better if you make the recommended changes given to you in the draft.

Tips for before you start writing your TOK essay

• Engage in discussions with your peer(s) about the prescribed title (PT) to brainstorm ideas and consider its implications.
• Ask your TOK teacher questions for clarity and substantive questions.
• Ensure that you are on the same page as your teacher regarding how to write the essay as he or she is the one marking it.
• Create an extensive outline for the essay (mine was around 3 pages long) before you start writing it and if possible, ask your teacher for his or her feedback on it.
• It is usually best to take a moderate position on the PT (e.g. ‘to a large/small/considerable/significant extent’ instead of arguing that something completely ‘is.’

  Introduction

• Mention the PT that you are writing in the introduction of your essay. This is a tip given to my class by our TOK teacher. She stated that examiners only receive the TOK essay to mark, without the title. Thus, it is useful to make it simpler for him or her by mentioning the PT that you are focussing on instead of having them figure it out (even though the title that you are focussing on may be apparent
• Define key terms. There are several keywords in the PT and thus it is useful to define them in your introduction as they form the premises of your arguments. For the PT I chose, for instance, these are ‘labels,’ ‘organization of knowledge,’ and ‘constrain our understanding.’
• Provide a roadmap of your essay. This sets the reader’s expectations regarding the content of the essay and helps them better follow the flow of your argument.
• Mention the Area of Knowledge (AoK) you use in the essay and perhaps even the real-life examples (RLEs) and/or the Ways of Knowing (WoK). Consider providing a brief rationale for why you are using those particular AoKs.
• I would like to add this advice that was provided by my teacher here; nevertheless, I understand that it may be debatable. Do not include your thesis statement in the introduction; instead, write it in the conclusion. This is what I did in my essay. The reasoning behind this is that it demonstrates to the examiner that you do not have a preconceived argument that you are attempting to forward and are instead formulating one after having examined all the evidence. However, writing your thesis in the introduction can be useful as it is a part of providing the examiner with a roadmap for your essay.
• I recommend asking your teacher what he or she recommends doing for the best result.

Body Paragraph #1: Claim 1 of AoK 1

• Begin with an argumentative and clear topic sentence, explaining why the RLE from AoK 1 supports the PT.
• Discuss the RLE, linking it to the PT.
• Discuss the relevant WoK.
• End the paragraph with an interim judgement, summarizing the link between your RLE and the PT.

Body Paragraph #2: Counter Claim 1 of AoK 1

• Start with a counterclaim to the example you gave above, explaining why it might be flawed or discussing its weakness(es).
• Introduce the RLE.
• Discuss the relevant WoK, perhaps a different WoK compared to the ones used in Paragraph 1.
• End the paragraph with an interim judgement, summarizing the link between your RLE and the PT. Moreover, add a broader link between your examples and the AoK.

Body Paragraph #3: Claim 2 of AoK 2

• Same steps as for Body Paragraph 1

  Body Paragraph #4: Counter Claim 2 of AoK 2

• Repeat steps as for Body Paragraph 2

  Conclusion

• Begin the concluding paragraph with your thesis statement if you left it for the end. If you stated your thesis in the introduction, it is still valuable to restate it in the conclusion; however, instead of simply repeating it, reword it.
• Wrap up by briefly referring to the RLEs you used in the essay and the broader implications it holds for the AoK.

  General Essay-Writing Tips

• Keep sentences concise.
• Read your essay out loud and proofread it yourself.
• Paragraphs must be of an appropriate length and not too long.
• Ask a peer to proofread your work.
• Be open-minded to minor changes until the end (it can make a significant difference)
• Use present tense in your essay. E.g. “I will argue” should be replaced with “I argue.”
• Avoid utilizing redundant terms such as “in this essay” and “etc.” that do not carry meaning (this also saves up words!).
• Use ‘Grammarly’ (free version sufficient) to check for spelling, grammar, and language usage.
• Use double spacing, 12-point font size, ‘Arial’ or ‘Times New Roman’ font style.
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Theory of knowledge

Theory of knowledge (TOK) is assessed through an exhibition and a 1,600 word essay.

It asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.

TOK is part of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, and is mandatory for all students.

Learn more about theory of knowledge . You can also find examples of TOK essay titles and read about how the IB sets deadlines for TOK .

You may also be interested in the other components of the DP core: creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay .

Learn more about TOK in a DP workshop for teachers . 

DP subject briefs

Find out about what each subject offers within the Diploma Programme (DP).

Our DP subject briefs—for both standard and higher level—contain information about core requirements, aims and assessment.

• Explore the DP subject briefs

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How To Write A Good IB TOK Essay

The TOK Essay is the second of two assessments for TOK . There will be a set of Prescribed Titles issued by the IB for each examination season. Students are required to produce an essay of a maximum of 1600 words in response to one of those titles. Unlike the presentation/exhibition, this is an external assessment, and all essays will be sent to the IB examiners for marking. The essay accounts for ⅔ (roughly 67%) of the final grade.

Examples of past titles include:

• Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not” (Pablo Picasso). Explore this distinction with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Does it matter that your personal circumstances influence how seriously your knowledge is taken?
• “Accepting knowledge claims always involves an element of trust.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• “Labels are a necessity in the organization of knowledge, but they also constrain our understanding.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Shared knowledge often changes over time. Does this fact undermine our confidence in current shared knowledge?

So what makes a good essay? Well, as with any essay, it’s always a good idea to take a look at the marking rubrics, so that you know exactly what the examiners are looking out for, and can give it to them. Here are the official requirements for a 10-point essay:

As you can see, the requirements for a TOK essay are fairly straightforward:

• Focus on answering the essay question as given . Do not twist it into a different question altogether and start answering that. Teachers will often encourage the inclusion of sub or secondary knowledge questions , but the answers to such questions should ultimately serve the purpose of helping to answer the overarching main question . If they do not, they are off-topic. More on this later.
• Your exploration of a given topic should be done in the context of at least two different Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) . TOK distinguishes between eight areas of knowledge: math, natural sciences, human sciences, the arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems.
• Make sure that you illustrate your points with specific examples from your chosen AOKs.
• Consider what your conclusions on specific points might mean for the nature of knowledge both in that specific AOK and for knowledge in general.
• You should have claims and counterclaims, as well as an evaluation of which side holds more weight. Note that it is generally a good idea to stay away from extremes , and you can and should formulate a conclusion that has nuance . Examiners are not likely to be impressed if you try to argue that historians are involved in an irrational pursuit solely to further personal and political ends; or that that which is not absolute, certain, or universal is automatically marginalized, biased, or unsound; or that the senses cannot be trusted at all and emotions distort understanding. It is perfectly acceptable to say that in general something works, but that issues can occur for specific reasons, or that certain points apply more to specific AOKs due to specific features of those AOKs, while they may be less applicable to other AOKs due to their differing objectives, structure, or subject matter. Do not feel the need to challenge at any cost the basic foundations of knowledge; such attempts tend to be wholly unconvincing and ultimately accomplish very little.
• Note that there is no requirement for style or accurate spelling and use of vocabulary . In fact, examiners are explicitly instructed not to take such things into account in their evaluation of an essay. That said, it is, in practice, extremely difficult to entirely ignore such considerations in one’s evaluation, for the simple reason that quality of writing affects comprehensibility . If your writing is filled with errors or is overly convoluted, readers will struggle to understand you, and your arguments will not receive the marks they deserve.

Lastly, to return to the topic of sub-knowledge questions, the opening sentence of the description in the rubric used to be worded as follows: “There is a sustained focus on knowledge questions connected to the prescribed title”. This has led to a great deal of confusion in students and teachers alike, and countless misguided attempts to extract an entirely new knowledge question from the original essay title. It was–and often still is–such a big problem that the IB examiners have reprinted the following paragraphs in their examiners’ reports every year since 2014:

In all […] cases, the task is to respond to the title exactly as it has been presented. Under no circumstances should the candidate immediately present a knowledge question (“my knowledge question is…”) such that it appears as if the title has been replaced by it. The essay task is not about “finding” a central knowledge question to which the rest of the essay is a response […]

In order to construct a successful response to the title, it will be necessary to establish at least tentative or partial or provisional answers to a number of related questions as the essay unfolds […]

What the examiners are referring to here is the fact that, over the course of answering a question, it often becomes necessary to discuss, clarify, and/or establish an opinion on certain smaller topics that then go on to form the foundations for the rest of the discussion. To use an extremely simplistic analogy, let us say that I wanted to find out the answer to the question, “Is this knife good?”. Before I could even begin to answer that question, it would first be necessary to answer the question of what I even meant by the word “good” in this context, and by what benchmarks I was measuring goodness. Good for slicing sushi? Good for playing baseball? Good in terms of quality of craftsmanship? Good in a moral sense? Only when I have established an answer to that question can I then begin to construct an argument to answer the original question of “Is this knife good?”

As the report says:

Ideally, such questions and the discussions that they inspire can be organized into a logical sequence such that they form the backbone of the essay – each contributing to the overall answer to the prescribed title. The content of each paragraph might constitute a response to one of these questions. Hence such knowledge questions can act as markers in the development of the argument and pave the way from title to conclusion. As described here, the identification or formulation of these questions can play a crucial role in the exploration and planning phases of the essay task, and when the final essay is constructed it may not be necessary or desirable to the flow of the arguments for the questions to be stated explicitly . A sequence of paragraphs each prefaced by “my next knowledge question is…” does not read well and is likely to appear disjointed.

So, in summary, knowledge questions are NOT “alternatives” to the title, and they are best thought of as aids to the exploring and planning processes such that they become woven into the analysis but not necessarily stated explicitly in the final essay.

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IB TOK Essay examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant TOK Essay examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example Internal Assessments below for inspiration.

All TOK Essay Examples

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Guide to the TOK Presentation

What’s covered:, what is the theory of knowledge (tok) presentation, how is the tok presentation scored, how to pick a tok presentation topic, how to structure your tok presentation.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB/IBDP) is a high school program offering courses in subjects, ranging from mathematics to Arabic. Students sign up for a holistic approach to learning including external examinations, internal assessments, research papers and community service hours. Students will have to do a bit of everything while completing IB’s core, including CAS, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and the extended essay (EE). Understanding how to excel in TOK will usually help students in their other aspects of student life. It’ll be important to be familiar with the basics of TOK as a subject before progressing into one of its components, the presentation. 

Quite similar to the TOK essay , the TOK presentation is an attempt to assess your critical thinking skills while conveying your opinions in a clear cut manner. While a TOK essay is more conceptual in its nature in tackling the focal point, the TOK presentation answers a knowledge question by making use of actual real life scenarios to display your understanding of TOK concepts .

The TOK presentation can be done individually, in pairs, or in a group of three. It’s usually delivered in front of your TOK classroom, making this an internal assessment that other students are watching and taking peer review notes on. Each presentation gets a max of 10 minutes per presenter, meaning if you have three people, you get 30 minutes. The actual presentation is followed by a discussion section where the presenter actively engages in a Q&A with the audience and the teacher.

A lot of students really struggle with where to start the presentation, but if you break it down by following a few steps it gets a lot more manageable:

1. Knowledge Question (KQ)

The knowledge question is the focus of your presentation. Upon being given a list of topics for the TOK presentation, keep in mind that the list of selections changes every examination set. So, once you pick a topic, you could create a KQ that analyzes this topic to a greater degree. An example of a knowledge question could be: “What is the role of faith in making ethical decisions.” This is a good knowledge question because it incorporates ways of knowing (WOKs) which are important to analyze in any TOK presentation.

2. Real Life Situation (RLS)

A RLS is supposed to be an example or situation that you can directly use as an expression of your KQ. Relating your RLS to numerous WOKs and areas of knowledge (AOKs) strengthens the arguments you make (the claims and counterclaims for your presentation) and earns you a chunk of your grade for the presentation. 

3. Planning out your presentation 

Creating an outline that details each slide, and even writing down how many minutes you spend on each section of your presentation is important, allowing you to allocate time and manage your presentation efficiently. Creating this outline can also help you feel more confident when your presentation day comes around too!

These three tips can serve as the founding basis for your presentation and will definitely help get you started on the right track!

The grade you get in IB includes the core (CAS, extended essay and TOK). And, 33% of your total IB TOK grade is dependent on your TOK presentation, which is usually graded externally, but recorded internally. What this means is, your actual presentation will be recorded by your teacher, and the recording with your slides will be sent to the IB board, who then assigns an external grader to assess it. The presentation is scored out of ten points, as well as the essay, and the following formula explains the grading schema:

(presentation score) + (essay score * 2) = overall score out of 30

To correlate a letter grade to your score out of 30, IB uses grade boundaries. These boundaries can change any year so checking in with your school for the most updated ones is best. Here is a past example of grade boundaries:

Upon receiving a letter grade you can calculate your grade for the core of IB, which includes the extended essay, CAS, and TOK. Passing the core is essential to earning your diploma in IB and the table below outlines this further: 

Your topic should be presented in the form of a knowledge question that isn’t easily answered with two-dimensional answers like “yes” and “no.” It should in its nature make both the presenter and the audience think deeper into multilevel ways of understanding knowledge as a concept. More often than not, a KQ will usually end up with people having more questions than ending up with a satisfying answer, and that’s exactly what IB wants from a presentation, a debatable and questioning idea. This is usually achieved with a KQ and RLS that work hand in hand, and successful students make sure to consistently link back to their solid topics throughout the presentation. An example of a good TOK presentation topic might look like this: To what extent does faith play a part in online shopping experiences?

In this case a related RLS could be:

Purchases of overpriced and highly coveted products with little to no inherent practical value.

Your topic should have an RLS that the audience can at least relate to, making it easier for them to stay on board for the duration of your presentation, but as well as stay engaged with what you’re talking about. Once you pick a great topic for the presentation, the rest of the planning and work actually falls in place a lot more steadily. 

Breaking the presentation down slide-by-slide is the best way to plan it out, and the following structure may help streamline the process of creating it from start to finish.

• Slide 2 – RLS and Context In this slide you introduce your RLS and provide all the required context and information to explain what your RLS is to the audience. Make sure to start using jargon specific to TOK. Introducing your WOKs and AOKs is a good idea in this slide, and relating it to your RLS should be how you wrap it up.
• Slide 3 – KQ and RLS Declare the KQ that you’ve decided upon and analyze the KQ by breaking it down into segments that can be further developed on. If the KQ contains or mentions a WOK or AOK, further contextualize that specific AOK or WOK for the audience. Explain any assumptions you’ve made on the basis of your KQ and RLS as well, before you continue to develop on them.

The most important tip for IB students when it comes to TOK is the most generic one: start as early as possible! IB is an ultra-holistic approach to schooling, so there’s a lot more than just TOK going on; students usually need to make time to study for internal and external assessments, CAS service hours, and even writing their extended essays. Starting TOK work as early as possible not only sets you up with more time to produce work of higher quality, but also allows you to allocate time for other tasks as well. 

Otherwise, you might find yourself feeling burnt out and unmotivated before actually submitting the essay, and maybe even prevent yourself from achieving that high score in IB that you wanted. So start early, and give yourself that easy extra advantage!

While your IB scores aren’t as important to college admissions as one might assume, showing proof that you’re taking rigorous classes and demonstrating hard work throughout your time as an IB student is more impactful. For better insight into how your chances of college admissions look, check out CollegeVine’s admissions calculator ! 

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TOK ESSAY AND PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

There are only two IB assessments in TOK: the externally assessed essay and the internally assessed presentation. They are both focused on the in-depth investigation of Knowledge Questions. In practice though they are very different.

N ote: This writeup is aimed at students in the last cohort of the soon to be phased out older TOK curriculum (last assessment November 2021). Check the “NEW TOK CURRICULUM (FIRST ASSESSMENT 2022) for relevant information on the new curriculum.

The TOK essay

• Externally assessed (marked by the IB, not your TOK teacher).
• Students write one essay that is based on one of the six Prescribed Titles for the cohort.
• Maximum of 1600 words.
• Students must fill in and submit the TK/PPF form along with the essay. The form is not marked.

The TOK Presentation

• Internally assessed (marked by the teacher with marks moderated by the IB).
• One presentation is submitted to the IB per student.
• Can be done individually, in pairs, or in a group of three. All students in a group must receive the same score (see page 57 of the TOK Subject Guide).
• The presentation is about ten minutes for each student (i.e two students working together get 20 minutes in total).
• Students must fill in and submit the Presentation planning document (TK/PPD) .
• Teacher add their mark and comments to the TK/PPD form before it is submitted to the IB. This document is extremely important because the IB moderates the presentation marks based on this document.
• Some schools in each session may be required by the IB to record and submit presentations but this is fairly rare (see page 58 of the TOK Subject Guide). Schools may decide to record the presentations for their own internal purposes such as standardization.

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