The TOK essay is one of the most exciting and overwhelming assessment components of the Theory of Knowledge coursework. TOK essay accounts for 10 marks counting to 67% of the total theory of knowledge score. TOK essay is an externally assessed component by the IB examiners. The TOK essay title is chosen from the six prescribed TOK essay titles by the IB for the examination session. The TOK essay provides a clear, coherent, and critical exploration of the prescribed TOK essay title.
The whole purpose of a TOK essay is not just directly answering questions but attempting to explore the decided areas of knowledge through certain key questions. The key questions of the TOK essay are knowledge questions which are abstract, open-ended, second-order, and contestable by nature. Hence, it is imperative for you to weave the AOKs through the knowledge questions built on any of the elements of the knowledge framework. Weaving the knowledge questions through each of the two AOKs with regards to specific examples, helps you as a knower to analyse how theory of knowledge manifests in the real world. Of course, while you weave through, the knowledge tools you use are the TOK concepts. Exploring the knowledge questions in the TOK essay makes you look through multiple perspectives and at the same time acknowledge your own values, perspectives, and assumptions.
How to write a TOK essay
TOK essay is the key component for IB Diploma Programme Theory of Knowledge (TOK). It counts for 67% of your total TOK score, which is a quite a BIG chunk of the total TOK score. Often, you may find that the TOK essay titles are intriguing. But if you coolly aim to unpack them, you would surely find that they are lucid knowledge questions (KQs), connected with the compulsory areas of knowledge (AOKs) and resonate with real life situations.Every KQcircumscribes the most important TOK knowledge framework with its elements as scope, perspectives, methods and tools, and ethics.
- Identify and unpack the key terms, key concepts, and command terms.
- Explain with precision the essence of the knowledge question given in the prescribed TOK essay title.
- Identify the assumptions and hidden implications of the TOK essay title.
- Justify the exploration of the TOK essay title through two defined areas of knowledge .
- You need to explore the TOK essay titles through each area of knowledge with the use of at most two relevant knowledge questions extracted from the elements of the knowledge framework. The tool to explore the TOK essay title is the TOK concepts.
- Your exploration of the TOK essay title through the two areas of knowledge should clearly show how the abstract theory of knowledge manifests in the real world through specific examples included in the areas of knowledge throwing light on the contestability involved in the knowledge question. You should be using claims and counterclaims to show both sides of the coin for the knowledge question you have extracted to explore the TOK essay title.
- Evaluate the claims and counterclaims in drawing a balanced conclusion for the TOK essay.
Structure of TOK essay
The structure of the TOK essay is organized into the introduction, body, and a conclusion. The introduction highlights the point of what you understand from the TOK essay title. The key words, command terms are distinct cues on how to unpack the TOK essay title through the key words and command terms. Furthermore, you have to justify the exploration of two areas of knowledge.
The body of the TOK essay focuses on each of the areas of knowledge explored through the knowledge question relevant to the TOK essay title. The exploration is done through the concepts. Remember that you have to strike a contestability with knowledge claims and counterclaims in relevance to specific evidence. Exploration of each of the areas of knowledge is wrapped up with a mini conclusion.
The main conclusion is a summary or gist of the contestability with knowledge claims used before in the two areas of knowledge of the TOK essay. You should refrain from writing any new information, but summarise with your balanced approach of an open-minded critical knower.
TOK essay assessment criteria
The key assessment criterion of the TOK essay is ‘Does the student provide a clear, coherent and critical exploration of the essay title?’
The assessment criterion ‘clear’ of TOK essay suggests a clear linkage of the draft with the TOK essay title, all the key terms need to be unpacked, the claims to be well connected with the TOK essay title, clear connection between the specific examples as evidence of knowledge claims and counter claims in the TOK essay.
The assessment criterion ‘coherent’ aims to define a logical connection between the TOK essay title and the areas of knowledge explored through personal and multiple perspectives.
The assessment criterion ‘critical’ evaluates the contest ability involved in the knowledge claims and counterclaims.
TOK essay rubric
The TOK essay assessment instrument and TOK essay rubrics is based on the above key criteria. It is a five level scale measuring your performance with respect to the level reached by every point on the scale.
Level 0
It indicates that the TOK essay has either not been on any of the prescribed TOK essay titles or has not even met the standards and practices defined. It is a work which cannot be considered at all.
Rudimentary level 1-2
Lack of focus in the discussion throughout the draft of TOK essay , descriptive and verbose elaboration of knowledge questions in the areas of knowledge, opinionated claims or assertions which cannot be counted as evidences, opinions tilted towards one track lane of perspective, lack of balance and neutrality in conclusion-are some of the key problems, for which a student might remain at the rudimentary level in failing to be coherent and critical.
Basic 3-4
There might have been better coherence developed through the TOK essay in linking the knowledge question with the two areas of knowledge, as compared to the rudimentary level. However, there still seems to be a lack of coherence in connecting the knowledge question with the areas of knowledge through strong factual evidence. Rather I would say that probably the threads of connections have been through feeble assertions than robust facts.
Satisfactory 5-6
Satisfactory note indicates that the logical threading of knowledge questions in the areas of knowledge through contextual facts in the TOK essay have been accomplished. However, what might be still lacking is the critical approach in looking through the analysis from comparative perspectives-both similar and contrasting. The opening up of a wide window is what is missing. Here, I would attribute the performance as still a bit on the descriptive mode than the analytical mode for the TOK essay.
Good 7-8
For sure that the student has reached the level of being attributed as having a clear and coherent approach in the TOK essay. Nevertheless, what keeps him or her stranded at 7-8 level? Quite interesting to note that the criterion of ‘critical’ is very critical to be accomplished. It requires a completely balanced approach in the TOK essay with a diversity of contrasting and similar perspectives- a strong premise of claims and counterclaims which ensure the student is balanced and unbiased, without being carried away by any kind of schemas and stereotypes.
Excellent 9-10
It is gratifying to see that the student has reached the topmost step-being clear, coherent, and critical in the approach of TOK essay. For a clear and comprehensive unpacking of the key concepts and command terms in the knowledge question of the TOK essay, a coherent link of the knowledge question with the areas of knowledge established through , a critical, contestable, and balanced approach- has been imperative to scale up to the 9-10 level in the TOK essay .
Thank you for your patience in reading the suggestive blog and hope that it can help you climb up the mark band with confidence and clarity.
