TOK Essay – 1600 words

  1. Recommended Advice
  2. 2022 Prescribed Titles
  3. 2023 Prescribed Titles
  4. Subject Report 2023
  5. Sample Questions
  6. Essay Rubric
  7. Grade 11 Summative Assessment

Some of the following concepts should be included into your essay:

  1. Evidence
  2. Certainty,
  3. Truth,
  4. Interpretation,
  5. Power,
  6. Justification,
  7. Explanation,
  8. Objectivity,
  9. Perspective,
  10. Culture,
  11. Values
  12. Responsibility.

Exploration of the relationship between knowledge and these concepts can help students to deepen their understanding, as well as facilitating the transfer of their learning to new and different contexts.

a. What can be the possible KQs, implied or explicit in the title? You do not have to develop a KQ as the Prescribed Title is seen as one but it is your choice.

b. Develop two KQs for the essay and ensure you answer them.

b. Ensure you develop two opposing arguments…

c. With supporting perspectives.

Searching for Nuance

IB Mastery

How to Structure a Theory of Knowledge Essay

2022 Prescribed Titles

1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.

  • What is knowledge?
  • What is culture? Is it embraced by all in a community?
  • Is there a relationship between knowledge and culture?
  • Can culture be isolated from others? Is your answer the same throughout history?
  • Is there an ownership of knowledge for one’s culture?
  • How have different cultures contributed to the field of mathematics?
  • How is knowledge created in mathematics?
  • Are numbers seen in the same way in different cultures?
  • Maths Department at IGBIS

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-1/

Possible AOKs to link with mathematics: history, the arts.

2. To what extent do you agree with the claim that “there’s a world of difference between truth and facts” (Maya Angelou)? Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge.

  • What is a fact? Can it be a truth? What is the difference? Are these differences accepted by all?
  • How can it be a fact today and a perspective tomorrow?
  • Who wants something to be a truth or a fact?
  • How different is a fact to a truth?

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-2/

Possible AOKs: history, the arts, human sciences.

3. Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than knowledge in another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.

  • Is knowledge more highly regarded in the natural sciences? 
  • If it is, in what context? Who agrees? Who would disagree and why? Which AOK would they argue as evidence and why?
  • Is solid justification the same as proof?
  • Do Biology, Chemistry and Physics acquire knowledge in different ways?
  • How is the knowledge used by the natural sciences?
  • Does one natural science make more use of the scientific method than others?
  • Science department at IGBIS

Possible AOKs: Natural Sciences, Human Sciences.

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-3/

4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.

  • To what extent do historians tell stories? What is the role of historians? What is the purpose of history?
  • How much meaning is derived from stories?
  • What is the role of human scientists? Is this an accepted view?
  • Are the roles of historians and human scientists accepted globally, through time?
  • What biases may affect the telling of stories?
  • “History is always changing behind us, and the past changes a little every time we retell it.” Hilary Mantel.
  • The Role of the Historian
  • I&S Department at IGBIS

Possible AOKs: Human Sciences, History

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-4/

5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.

  • What knowledge does a person use to judge whether art is good or bad? What influences their interpretations?
  • Are these interpretations consistent?
  • Can we ever be objective when developing interpretations? Is art ever objective? If so, when?
  • Can different mediums of art lead to greater objectivity?
  • Arts Department at IGBIS

Possible AOKs: Arts, History

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-6/

6. If we conclude that there is some knowledge we should not pursue on ethical grounds, how can we determine the boundaries of acceptable investigation within an area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

  • Ensure this discussion is about TOK and not ethics.
  • Why have atrocities occurred throughout history?
  • Does the perception that the ends justify the means ring true?
  • Is ethics always subjective?

Possible AOKs: history, the arts, natural sciences. Animal testing, the Holocaust, the Milgram Experiment will probably be popular case studies/ RLS for this essay. You can select these but it is advised that you identify something unique.

https://sev7n.co.in/tok-essay-title-6-2/

2023 Prescribed Titles

1: Is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history? Discuss with reference to the arts and history.

2. How can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialisation and generalisation in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one area of knowledge.

3. Nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge.

4. Do we underestimate the challenges out taking knowledge out of its original context and transferring it to a different context? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

5. Do we need custodians of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

6. Are we too quick to assume that the most recent evidence is inevitably the strongest? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Subject Report 2023

A. 484 examiners marked 91396 essays – think about the concentration level! Ensure you use the key terms from the prompt and focus on using TOK terminology. For example, one of 2023 essays was,

…a number of students ignored ‘necessary’ so the essay was not fully answered.

B. Few students reworded the essay title.

C. Some exceeded the 1600 word limit, obviously this meant that not all the essay was read as examiners stop at the maximum.

D. Avoid writing a descriptive essay. You should focus on analysis as much as possible. The following is a quote from the Subject Report.

A descriptive essay lacks the qualities or components that are essential to achieve a good or excellent mark as described on the assessment instrument. In a critical exploration, arguments are supported by examples, the implications of arguments are considered, and there is an awareness and evaluation of different points of view.

and,

A critical exploration would also often acknowledge the limitations of one’s own arguments and show an awareness that there are different points of view, the student own and others. An even more sophisticated essay will acknowledge the other points of view and evaluate them.

E. When including a counter claim to your argument (this can be a different perspective) please ensure you write persuasively against this. After all, why make an argument (claim) if you do not believe in it?

F. Some essays had examples or evidence included but they were not always connected to the argument/claim or the title.

G. Good to see that students are including their own experiences in their analysis. This demonstrates more understanding of the title and TOK. The only recommendation here is that students should be wary of being too descriptive.

H. “students continue to have difficulties when they select history as one of their areas of knowledge. Most frequent is the tendency to give examples of historic events but not the evaluation or interpretation of those events which is the knowledge produced by historians.” Some students sometimes cite journalists instead of historians, there is a difference and you need to understand this.

I. When Geography and Economics were used as examples as Human Sciences, the analysis was generally strong.

J. The Planning and Progress Form (on ManageBac) “will show that students have engaged in all the steps of the suggested writing process (selection of a title, discussion of the essay plan, submission of one, final draft/teacher feedback on the draft)…”

Sample Questions

The following are taken from https://ibtokessaytutor.com/.

2016 – “The knower’s perspective is essential in the pursuit of knowledge.” To what extent do you agree?

Thoughts to consider with essay 3 include:

  • the distinction between theoretical and practical knowledge
  • the difference between subjective and objective knowledge
  • the essentially perspectival nature of knowing what an experience is like

2015 – “The whole point of knowledge is to produce both meaning and purpose in our personal lives.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Thoughts to consider with essay 6 include:

  • the distinction between practical and theoretical knowledge
  • the many purposes of theoretical knowledge
  • is meaning in our personal lives discovered or created?

2014 – “That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow.” Consider knowledge issues raised by this statement in two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 4 include:

  • the distinction between knowledge and claims to knowledge
  • the distinction between knowing and being certain
  • the testing and refutation of knowledge claims

2013 – “That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.” (Christopher Hitchens). Do you agree?

Thoughts to consider with essay 5 include:

  • the nature of self-evident truths
  • the concept of rational justification of assertions and dismissals
  • the distinction between refutation and dismissal

2012 – Can we have beliefs or knowledge which are independent of our culture?

Thoughts to consider with essay 1 include:

  • the difference between belief and knowledge
  • two distinct ways of specifying beliefs and knowledge
  • three distinct conceptions of independence

2012 – “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts” (Arthur Conan Doyle). Consider the extent to which this statement may be true in two or more areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 2 include:

  • two conceptions of the fit between data and theory
  • assumptions concerning the independence of data and theory
  • the philosophy of science and of theoretical knowledge

Essay Rubric

Grade 11 Summative Assessment

Be wary of using the words proof or proven. Is there ever a consensus for it?

Avoid dictionary definitions

Focus on ‘knowledge’, it is advisable to use the word several times in the essay.

Incorporate TOK terminology where you can. TOK.net Teacher website

Introduction

  • State the two Knowledge Questions (KQ’s) in the introduction.
  • Explain how you are going to answer them by defining the key terms (do not use a dictionary to do this, use your own words).
  • Explain which Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) you have chosen to answer the KQ’s and why.

Paragraph 1 – Answer the first KQ

  • Explain the RLS you have chosen.
  • How does the RLS link to AOK 1?
  • What are the different perspectives? Why?

Paragraph 2

  • How does the RLS link to AOK 2?
  • What are the different perspectives? Why?

Paragraph 3 – Answer the second KQ

  • How does the RLS link to AOK 1?
  • What are the different perspectives? Why?

Paragraph 4

  • How does the RLS link to AOK 2?
  • What are the different perspectives? Why?

Paragraph 5 – Conclusion

  • Are there any similarities or differences in the answers and/ or perspectives to the two KQ’s?
  • Ensure you use ‘knowledge’ in the conclusion.

Subject Reports

2020

  1. Examples which relate to the Prescribed Title (PT) make for better essays.
  2. Two AOKs are advised, anymore and the analysis lacks depth.
  3. Aim to begin the essay with an examination of the PT.
  4. Ensure you cite your examples.
  5. The AOK of history is too easily judged as being bias. You need to understand the methodology of the historian and the tools available to him or her. Moreover, consider analysing the historiography of the example you are using.
  6. Avoid developing binary arguments, identifying overlap between the two AOKs is useful.
  7. Look for an argument in the PT, which words can be interpreted differently for example?
  8. Don’t rewrite or paraphrase the PT.
  9. Ensure each paragraph is answering the PT.