35 IA Prompts
Explore 7 tips for a successful and high scoring tok exhibition.
Students are expected to select three objects for the TOK exhibition to connect it one of the following 35 IA prompts mentioned below:
1. What counts as knowledge?
2. Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?
3. What features of knowledge have an impact on its reliability?
4. On what grounds might we doubt a claim?
5. What counts as good evidence for a claim?
6. How does the way that we organize or classify knowledge affect what we know?
7. What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge?
8. To what extent is certainty attainable?
9. Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?
10. What challenges are raised by the dissemination and/or communication of knowledge?
11. Can new knowledge change established values or beliefs?
12. Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?
13. How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?
14. Does some knowledge belong only to particular communities of knowers?
15. What constraints are there on the pursuit of knowledge?
16. Should some knowledge not be sought on ethical grounds?
17. Why do we seek knowledge?
18. Are some things unknowable?
19. What counts as a good justification for a claim?
20. What is the relationship between personal experience and knowledge?
21. What is the relationship between knowledge and culture?
22. What role do experts play in influencing our consumption or acquisition of knowledge?
23. How important are material tools in the production or acquisition of knowledge?
24. How might the context in which knowledge is presented influence whether it is accepted or rejected?
25. How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief and opinion?
26. Does our knowledge depend on our interactions with other knowers?
27. Does all knowledge impose ethical obligations on those who know it?
28. To what extent is objectivity possible in the production or acquisition of knowledge?
29. Who owns knowledge?
30. What role does imagination play in producing knowledge about the world?
31. How can we judge when evidence is adequate?
32. What makes a good explanation?
33. How is current knowledge shaped by its historical development?
34. In what ways do our values affect our acquisition of knowledge?
35. In what ways do values affect the production of knowledge?
The list of the same can be obtained from the IB TOK2022 guide as well. To know more about how to write TOK Exhibition, You may have a look at the TOK exhibition sample . The above list of the ia prompts conveys a wide variety of how knowledge can be explored. The International Baccalaureate diploma program through TOK encourages knowers to reflect on these 35 IA prompts.
How to choose TOK exhibition objects?
As such, choosing an object for the TOK exhibition is not difficult however here are 7 points students must keep in mind while selecting TOK exhibition objects to answer one of the 35 IA prompts:
1- Students need to refine their choice of TOK exhibition objects as per the IA prompt and core-theme/optional theme.
2- Broadly connecting some regular object with IA prompt is a complete NO-NO.
3- A photograph of an object is ok. Anything can be an object for TOK exhibition as long as students can convey a real-world context.
4- The TOK exhibition objects must not have any connection between them but when viewed through the lens of IA prompt and the core theme/optional theme, they must be weaved in such a manner that their relevance is visible.
5- The TOK exhibition objects and their use must be justified as it is a specific object rather than a generic object.
6- Choosing an object of personal interest will help in framing a justification that is strong and has contributed to the exhibition.
7- Do not choose generic objects as the linking between them would be unconvincing and it might be difficult for students to convey their point of view.
You may also like to our other website for IB tutoring. Go check out here .
May 2023 TOK Essay Prompts + SAMPLES & Suggestions
Vasy Kafidoff
November 14th, 2022
Every year, students anxiously wait for the IB to announce the TOK essay topics. So this year is not an exception; IBO has also announced 2023 May titles for IB TOK essay. The TOK essay can be quite a challenging one to write for most students. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a TOK essay topic that suits you better.
Most students struggle with the idea of writing a TOK essay since it can indeed be very tough owing to its different structure. Most students plan for days on end so that they can see just the proper structure in mind, with suitable examples so that they can give their best to what they are doing.
Btw… ⏩ We can write a ToK essay for you ⏪
To be able to score well, you need to plan accordingly. The idea is to make sure to do a great job and that can only happen when you know what exactly is expected of you and how you get through that. To better understand the TOK essay and have ample considerations, here is the list of TOK essay titles for May 2023 explained by professional IB writers.
You can get a few ideas from here about how you’re supposed to work on these. With these ideas, you are sure to do a sound job with your TOK essay . Furthermore, you will find links for 2 different May 2023 TOK essay samples that were written by our IB experts. Feel free to use them for inspiration.
TOK essay titles and questions for May 2023
Below you will find an updated list of TOK essay prompts for the May 2023. We have also added some suggestions from our expert TOK essay writers for your ease. Enjoy reading 😉
Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
In this essay, it is important to focus on the world’s replicability. Next, the distinction between necessary and sufficient requirements need to be made. After that, the focus should be on how objectivity is related to replicability. You can give examples of several experiments that have been done and whether or not they have been replicated.
In line with your thought process, you can further work towards explaining that in further detail and making your point much clearer this way. Based on the examples you give, you can also talk about the different ways of knowing, which can help you explain this in a much better way, in line with the requirements of IB.
For artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained? Discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences.
With this title, you can see that there are two areas of knowledge already given. This means that you don’t have a free hand to choose topics yourself. You essentially have to differentiate between what can be explained and what cannot. Some things are easier to explain, whereas others aren’t. Using examples from art and natural sciences, you can offer your explanation here.
The examples you choose need to be as such that it makes it much easier for you to make that distinction. Once you do that, select your ways of knowing as well so that you can comply with the IB requirements .
Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
In this essay, the main focus is on bubbles. The idea is to explore what bubbles mean in this context. We can see that “bubbles” here refers to knowledge that is subjective in all ways. The idea is to explore whether or not knowledge can be subjective in all ways or whether it can be objective as well. This is important to understand in all contexts first. Subjective and objective knowledge can be explored using different areas of knowledge.
However, the areas of knowledge should be selected based on the fact that it should be very easy to make that switch and understand how these two differ in context. Additionally, you can also shed light on what is required to share another person’s perspective on the situation. It is only once you know you can make that distinction as clear as ever.
Do you agree that it is “astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power” (Bertrand Russell)? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
In this essay, the main focus has to be on this quote given. The idea is to see how knowledge can give us power. We have always heard how knowledge can make us powerful. Here, the idea is to see how that can happen using several different examples.
One area of knowledge is already given. The other area of knowledge is up to your choice. So based on that, you need to choose examples that will help you understand this better. You can talk about how these two areas of knowledge have allowed us to make the most of our lives, which is how we have become so powerful.
Below you will find a May 2023 TOK essay sample completed by our IB experts at WritingMetier.com
Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics.
Here, the main focus needs to be on visual representation and how they represent the truth in most situations. The idea is to see what these visual representations are and how they allow for the communication of knowledge to happen in the best way possible. You also have to make the distinction between practical and theoretical knowledge here.
As you can see, two areas of knowledge are already given here: human sciences and mathematics. So you have to make use of these only and use relevant examples to explain this.
To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use? Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.
The main keyword here that you need to focus on is methodologies. You have to speak about what methodologies are and how they allow you to understand things in the best possible way. You need to use history as one area of knowledge, and you can choose the other area of knowledge yourself.
The idea is to help you understand this in the best way possible so that you can make a clear point about how the methodologies employed helped you get to this conclusion.
And again, sharing an example of an APA format IB TOK essay on title #6 that can be used as a guide. Yes, it’s also written by one of our expert IB TOK writers, and if you want, you can get assistance from these writers no matter the urgency of your task.
If you might have missed some of the previous TOK essay titles with samples or topics for previous years, below I’m sharing the links.
The year 2022:
- November 2022 TOK essay prompts
- May 2022 ToK essay titles
Previous years’ prompts:
- November 2021 ToK Essay titles
- May 2021 Theory of Knowledge essay prompts
Choose IB TOK essay topic wisely, my friend 😉
With these suggestions and explanations for each May 2023 TOK essay topic, you can write a good TOK essay! If you are facing tough deadlines and want someone to lend you a hand – WritingMetier.com is here to help.
You can always buy a custom TOK essay that will be written under your instructions and following one of the May 2023 prompts. Not forgetting about the latest changes in the IB criteria.
We can guarantee this because we have been in the IB writing services business for 4+ years now and have already completed hundreds of different IB papers.
Vasyl Kafidoff is a co-founder and CEO at WritingMetier. He is interested in education and the ways modern technology makes it more accessible. He wants to bring awareness about new learning possibilities as an educational specialist. When not working, he’s found behind a drum kit.
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IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022
Here are links to ideas and suggestions relating to the the six May 2022 IB ToK Essay topics:
- Topic 1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
- Topic 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.
- Topic 3. Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
- Topic 4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
- Topic 5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
- Topic 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.
Title 1: Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
Thoughts to consider with essay 1 include:
- the relationship between truth and knowledge
- is truth always relative to some context?
- can the same truth be seen in different ways?
These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!
Title 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.
Thoughts to consider with essay 2 include:
- truth is a property of representations, e.g. factual sentences
- facts are truth-makers - what make true sentences true
- do all facts exist independently of all minds?
The kinds of things that can be true or false are representations: they represent things as being a certain way: some represent truly, some falsely (misrepresent things). Photographs are representations: an acceptable passport photo represents the face of the passport owner with a true likeness, for example. Factual sentences are an important kind of representation. True factual sentences describe or represent the actual facts: e.g. the factual English sentence "gold is a metal" is true because gold is, in actual fact, a metal. False factual sentences misrepresent the facts: e.g. "gold is plastic" is false because, in actual fact, gold is not plastic, but is metal. True factual sentences are therefore an important way of recording and communicating factual knowledge: knowledge of the facts. For example, I can use the English sentence "The city of London is on the river Thames" to communicate the factual knowledge (knowledge of the fact) that the city of London is on the river Thames. Facts are therefore truth makers: they are what exist in reality to make factual sentences true. Reality therefore comprises, or contains all the facts. Someone who claims to live by "alternative facts" is therefore claiming to live, literally, in an alternative reality. Many TOK students make the mistake of talking about "true facts". This commits a category mistake. Facts aren't the kind of thing that can be true or false, precisely because they aren't representations, they just exist there in reality. It is factual sentences that are true in virtue of the facts. Some facts undoubtedly exist independently of all minds: the fact that the earth orbits the sun is so, it is a part of reality, whether or not anyone does think, or ever has thought, about it. However, are there some facts which rely on minds for their existence, such that if minds ceased to exist those facts would too? These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!
Title 3: Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
Thoughts to consider with essay 3 include:
- the uses and purposes of knowledge
- how are beliefs justified?
- the difference between knowing and claiming to know
Title 4: How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
Thoughts to consider with essay 4 include:
- the role of narrative construction in knowledge creation
- the difference between trivial and significant knowledge
Title 5: How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
Thoughts to consider with essay 5 include:
- the purposes and uses of interpretation
- the difference between interpreting an artist's intentions and interpreting their work
- the relationship between interpretation and truth
Title 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.
Thoughts to consider with essay 6 include:
- the ethical difference between knowing something and using that knowledge
- should ethics provide decision-making procedures?
- can we assume there are there clear ethical boundaries that it is possible to determine?
- 1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
- 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.
- 3. Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
- 4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
- 5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
- 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.
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The May 2022 TOK Essay Titles
Here are the Theory of Knowledge Essay prescribed titles for the May 2022 session.
Tim has made a full, May 2022 TOK Essay Titles Analysis , which you can watch inside IBMastery. It will help you understand how to approach each of the titles (i.e. things to avoid, things to consider and some tips and helpful advice for each title).
The May 2022 TOK Essay Prescribed Titles
1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
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.
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.
4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
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.
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A Theory of Knowledge Site
This is a collection of resources for the new TOK course. I am just keeping track of links and resources as I come across them.
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TOK guide from 2020
From the IB
Top 5 Changes in the new TOK course
http://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2020/01/15/the-top-5-changes-in-the-new-tok-course/
TOK E Learning on the new course
https://nanopd-sites.firebaseapp.com/#/menu/5d4a93fb836e5110ce10ff49
TOK Resource
https://www.tokresource.org/new-model
https://tok2022.weebly.com/
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May 2023 TOK Essay Prescribed Titles Explained with Examples
The TOK Essay prescribed titles for the May 2023 session has been released. The six prescribed titles are:
Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
For artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained? Discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences.
Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
Do you agree that it is “astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power” (Bertrand Russell)? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics.
To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use? Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.
Some general thoughts before I go on to elaborate on each of the prompts:
- Prompts 2 to 4 require some work in interpreting the title correctly. I would advise that weaker TOK students choose one of the other, more straightforward titles if you are not willing to put in the time to put some thought into the title itself.
- Prompts 2 and 5 have both AOKs prescribed and I think the pairings given promote excellent discussion. While some might be put off by Prompt 5, I think it is one of the most interesting prompts this session, and especially in the world of big data and data visualisation, the importance of understanding the role of visual representations in our lives is paramount.
- The other prompts are relatively straightforward. From the exhibition task, students should be familiar with the theme of “Knowledge and the Knower” which most prompts can relate to. This means students can apply their understanding from the exhibition to the essay as well.
- As is the case with TOK Essays in the past, the broadness of many of these prompts mean it is very important for students to suitably and precisely define their understanding of the TOK concepts. With many prompts featuring at least one and more often, two concepts, that require students to carefully consider before selecting examples.
First, consider the key concepts that are introduced in the prompt. Replicability and necessary are the key concepts here and students should come up with a suitably narrow definition for this that you can keep referring back to in your essay. The trap for students is to take very black-and-white stances when answering the prompt. A good way to show a depth of understanding and lucidity is to approach it as a degree of necessity and not a binary decision. Finally, you must focus on the production of knowledge. Many students often tangentially refer to the sharing of knowledge or transfer of knowledge, but this prompt is concerned with the initial stages when knowledge becomes knowledge. Thus, it should be focused on the methodologies that are used to do so and provides ample opportunities to refer to the knowledge framework, particularly under “Methods and Tools”. Theses tips are all outlined in my how to plan a TOK Essay article.
The prompt doesn’t prescribe any specific AOKs but a likely entry point for students would be the Natural Sciences. As you may have already learned, the scientific method does place heavy emphasis on the replicability of results.
Perhaps the greatest characteristic of the Natural Sciences is the ability to make observations, devise experiments and have these experiments inform the creation or falsification of knowledge. This is not the case with other Areas of Knowledge and provides a prominent point of contrast with other AOKs. The methodology of knowledge production in the Sciences (Natural and Human) fundamentally revolves around replicability through experimentation. However, other areas of knowledge such as the Arts may not value the qualities of similarity and replicability quite to the same extent. For some, like History, having alternative perspectives and thus a lack of sameness that would be suggested by replicability could even be preferred. Therefore, the importance of replicability can be approached by examining the methodologies in which each AOK produces and verifies knowledge.
It is likely expected that students who attempt this prompt will have the Natural Sciences as one of their AOKs. So, it is even more important that you choose examples that are unique and facilitates an original, convincing argument. You can check if your examples are original by reading my list of overused examples that you should avoid.
On a related note, AOKs should be selected to promote comparison as is implied by the prompt. Thus, make sure that you select your AOKs with the ability to list pros and cons, similarities and differences in the methods in which they produce knowledge. By listing them out and selecting the ones which relate to replicability will ensure you address the requirements of the prompt and avoid being overly generic. Good pairings are generally intuitively found based on students’ understanding of the subjects they have studied during their time in the IB. AOKs such as Natural Sciences and Mathematics contrast well with History or the Arts. Human Sciences could also be considered but the limitations or possible advantages in the nuances of replicability compared to the Natural Sciences needs to be considered.
Overall, this is not an especially challenging prompt and shares overlaps with the Exhibition task which students already completed. You may already have an intuitive answer to the prompt. Examples can generally be found in each AOK when you consider unique discoveries or impactful products of each subject.
The prompt already prescribes the two AOKs you must consider and is overall a good one if you are indecisive. The two AOKs provides good contrast with respect to the approach to uncertainties in knowledge between disciplines. This prompt provides solid discussion with respect to the “Scope” of the knowledge framework, considering the unique issues or challenges faced by different AOKs and how they differ in setting clear boundaries and guidelines in addressing them. Alternatively, “perspectives” and “methods and tools” are good options as well.
Initially, the prompt can be tricky as there are some points of confusion. Firstly, this title asks for an evaluation of the importance between what can be and cannot be explained. So do not dwell on the importance of the explanation itself or how it is created but think about the merits of having or not having explanations. Secondly, the title is phrased from the perspective of ‘artists and natural scientists’ implying that students should focus on how producers of knowledge in these AOKs think about explanations, not how students themselves do.
The key concept in the prompt is explanation . Students must clearly define this concept and this will naturally lend itself to the discussion of the importance of knowing the presence of explanation or the lack thereof. Explanations can often give us certainty and so this concept of certainty can also be introduced to facilitate meaningful discussion. Discussion then, should be focused on how knowing or not knowing something in each AOK contributes to either how we produce, accept or share knowledge.
The points of contrast between the two AOKs is relatively subjective and you may have your own arguments between the two. One interpretation could be that the Arts live in ambiguity and that plays a big role in allowing the freedom to interpret produced knowledge while Natural Sciences is more black-and-white. So in the arts, it may be advantageous and thus more important to be able to understand what can be explained, while Natural Sciences pursue further knowledge by chasing what is not yet explained.
When you think of “bubbles”, what do you think about? There is a common saying of “living in your own bubble” that suggest the isolated way in which we surround ourselves with a false reality. This TOK prompt extends this concept of a bubble to the way we learn, and how we often acquire knowledge such that we filter out things that don’t ‘fit’ within our own ‘bubble’.
Having a read of this article and watching the below video gives you some insight around the idea of ‘bubbles’ and how it can limit your perspectives. Although it is related to the idea of social media, you can extrapolate this to how we learn and acquire knowledge in a range of AOKs and mediums.
The biggest challenge with this prompt is that learning in ‘bubbles’ is unlikely to be a concept you have engaged with before in the TOK course. However, broken down simply, it is essentially how we ignore certain perspectives to fit a sort of preconceived notion of what the knowledge we acquire ‘should look like’ in our minds. So the key concept in this prompt can be perspective . When defining this, make sure you link back to the idea of bubbles. A good way to start the essay is to briefly explain ‘bubbles’ and then introduce the concept. You can see how a 10/10 introduction effectively explains the key concepts in the title here . Ultimately, the goal is not to explain how this happens, but consider the implications this has on our understanding of the world.
You may already have some idea of examples that could fit with this idea of ‘bubbles’. From the prominent political divisions in America, pro and anti-vaccination camps to abortion debates, people tend to consume and thus, acquire knowledge that fit their own narratives while ignoring the merits of alternative perspectives. Of course, politics is not an AOK. However, they do lend themselves to discussions for example around the Natural Sciences. While anti-vaccination research is an overused example , the different health guidelines, vaccination requirements, and even the type of mask that best prevents infection has been debated heavily as our understanding of the virus evolved. It is easy for us to hold firm to a certain belief of pre-existing knowledge rather than accept new perspectives that come along as researchers produce new findings on the pandemic. Indeed, we see that many criticised the u-turns that governments made around the world to adapt to new research.
Other AOKs with more fluid methodologies such as Arts and History could provide interesting contrasts. Particularly, the concept of having different schools of thought in the Human Sciences and History could provide interesting points of discussion, as often different schools have radically different believes and ideologies and thus the knowledge produced in each can be contradictory.
Remember that you are not required to make a judgement on whether this approach to acquiring knowledge is good or bad, but rather comment on how significant this is to the process of knowledge acquisition. So, each argument you form must relate to significance.
The original quote that this prompt is inspired from is actually:
We know very little, and yet it is astonishing that we know so much, and still more astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power. Bertrand Russell
There are a couple of traps within this prompt. Remember that you are not critiquing or commenting on the quote itself or pointing out the flaws within it. Rather, you are giving a personal response to the prompt. This is supposed to be opinionated and you must specifically agree or disagree, or preferably, give a nuanced response that elaborates on the degree which you agree with the statement. In addition, students might already know about Russell and his believes. Do not let them colour your own TOK Essay. The IB is not interested in hearing about what you think about Russell’s ideologies but rather what you personally receive from the title.
The premise of the prompt is that we do not have a lot of knowledge in our respective AOKs. Do not debate this premise, but if needed, simply explain why this could be the case as a starting point to your essay.
Additionally, pay attention to the requirements of the prompt for you to debate whether we should be shocked or not by this. You are not debating whether little knowledge gives us much power. In fact, this is again, the premise of the essay.
It is intuitive that power is the key concept within this prompt. By defining this, you should have a good framework to approach the rest of the essay and discuss the shock value of how manifestations of power appear in each AOK.
The prompt prescribes the AOK of the Natural Sciences providing interesting discussion based on how power is achieved through produced knowledge rather than, say, an individual’s identity. In fact, it is probably useful to think about how someone or something is given power within the natural sciences compared to another AOK such as Arts or History. This will allow for the comparison of how ‘shocked’ we are by the influence of knowledge on power. In essence, while we always thought about power as being a determinant of knowledge, it is time to flip the script, and think about how knowledge can in turn provide us power.
Another very prescribed title that can be beneficial to those who are indecisive. It is interesting that the IB has chosen the two AOKs where you might not expect “visual representations” to be the most fundamental elements of knowledge within them. However, this provides for provocative discussion that prompts you to think about how things that we take for granted like diagrams and charts can aid or detract from knowledge communication.
Representation is a key concept here and communication of knowledge is the stage that you should be focused on. While communication of knowledge lends itself to enabling us to acquire knowledge, do not be tempted to go on a tangent about how visual representations help us to acquire knowledge or ‘learn’, because that would be beyond the prompt. However, a mention of the effects on communicating knowledge with respect to ease of learning can be made.
In the AOK of human sciences, there is a vast range of visual representations depending on the specific discipline. Students should consider the Group 3 subject they are studying and flick through their textbook for any notable visuals that really helped their learning. For example, as an Economics student, you may encounter the diagrams of your Supply and Demand models. This is a rudimentary example, but considering similar models and representations of such can lead to fruitful discussion especially when thinking about the alternatives of not using such mediums.
In Mathematics, students in HL benefit from a greater understanding of Topic 3 Geometry where the concept of Vectors, planes and lines intersecting provide interesting discussion as it would be hard to wrap your head around such a topic without visual representations. Complex numbers represented on an Argand diagram promotes discussion of when visual representations can allow us to understand the intangibles. For all mathematics students, functions and other graphical representations when applied to statistics, geometry and calculus can generate really interesting discussions when considering how we interpret said representations.
Overall, a quite interesting topic and my favourite out of the six. It may be a bit unconventional but does make many students realise how they have been influenced by the presence of visual representations in their learnings over the past couple years in the IB.
This prompt is, in my opinion, the most straightforward out of the 6. It reads as a simple knowledge question from the old TOK syllabus and directly hits at the syllabus points of the TOK course under the “Methods and Tools” segment of the knowledge framework. It is almost identical to the prompts given for the TOK exhibition, so students who did something similar for that assessment, should consider this prompt as well.
Students should focus their discussion on how each AOK has different methods in producing knowledge. The prompt does not require much interpretation or many definitions of concepts. To write this essay effectively, students should first revise the methodologies of each AOK, for example the historical method as explained in the below video.
The AOK of History is selected because it is perhaps the most obvious entry point to this prompt. You may already have some ideas about the subjectivity and biases that could be introduced in the historical method that colour the perspectives of knowledge that is produced. This is likely to be a common theme amongst TOK essays using this prompt. As such, it is even more important that you think deeply about this line of argument and use effective examples that tease out a specific instance which relates to how biases manifest and the implications it has on what knowledge is produced.
A contrast with an AOK that has a radically different methodology is beneficial. The Natural Sciences (and Human Sciences, to a lesser extent) or Mathematics provides interesting comparisons with, at first glance, methodologies that avoids the flaws of that of History. However, is it possible that these methodologies also carry disadvantages of their own? Is History necessarily producing ‘worse’ knowledge? Is there merits to the ambiguity of methods used in History or the Arts compared to the Sciences?
If you could answer some of these questions in your essay, you should be reasonably accomplished.
I hope this helped you in choosing your prescribed title, and gave you some ideas to kick start your TOK essay. You might want to start writing right away, but make sure you check out how to actually start your TOK essay , and plan your ideas before jumping in. After that, find out how to structure an effective TOK essay . Check out a whole range of other TOK resources here on Hack IB. You might find my series on deconstructing 10/10 scoring TOK Essays helpful as well!
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3 responses to “may 2023 tok essay prescribed titles explained with examples”.
[…] take a look at the prescribed title. Have you chosen one yet? For May 2023 titles, have a read of this article for ideas and inspiration if you haven’t chosen one […]
[…] out my other resources, especially how to write a 10/10 Introduction. For M23 candidates, check out my deconstruction of each prescribed title as […]
[…] Anytime that you are discussing something, you should be trying to use TOK terminology in the essay. You don’t need to be a full-blown philosopher, but you at least need to be able to use terms like interpretation, justification, perspectives, etc. It is not wrong to say that people’s “views” differ, but you could better demonstrate your TOK understanding by using words like “interpretation” or “perspectives” instead. Topics like “bias” and “subjectivity” or “objectivity” are really good words to pick up, rather than just saying that something is “unfair” or “given more attention”. I outlined the 12 TOK Concepts in my deconstruction of M23 Prescribed Titles. […]
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Breaking Down TOK Essay Titles 2022
The TOK Essay can be a daunting task, and many of us struggle to even begin out of fear of doing something wrong. Not only are you expected to learn the philosophy of all the areas of knowledge, but now you have to write an essay about it too!?
TOK Essay Titles in Human Sciences
As difficult as this may seem, what most of us need is just a nudge in the right direction, and this is exactly what the following guide will provide. If you’re struggling to begin your essay, don’t know where to start or which title to pick, we’re here to help!
Read on for a simple breakdown of the 6 TOK titles and how to tackle them.
1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
The first title is very intriguing for those who are interested in the social sciences! The question posed expects you to discuss whether knowledge and culture are always connected and if knowledge can exist without culture in the first place. You’re asked to consider mathematics and another AoK of your choice. Before we consider which AoK’s are suitable, however, we must establish what it means for knowledge to be independent of culture.
Culture is a very abstract concept, and it can refer to anything ranging from a regional food dish such as Spanish Paella to the entire history, language and moral values of a society. This may seem like a lot to tackle, but a simpler way to look at it is to consider whether knowledge is always defined by culture, or if there are exceptions.
In some cases, culture certainly determines the knowledge we produce. Consider the AoK History, for instance, where the history of a country is closely connected to aspects of culture such as language and morality. Historians use language to write history and their morals (which are defined by culture) to interpret the past, such as who was right or wrong. Both language and morality are aspects of culture, and therefore we can argue that historical knowledge may not be independent of culture!
How about Mathematics, then? We must also consider if knowledge can be independent of culture. In this case, mathematics is largely independent of culture as it is mostly an objective AoK. Knowledge is factual, and facts are absolute. Mathematics has one, universal language spoken by all mathematicians, and 2 + 2 = 4 in any part of the world. Thus, we can argue that mathematical knowledge is indeed independent of culture.
Lastly, don’t forget to support your arguments with real-life examples (RLEs). For history, one option would be to look at how bias affects historical writing. Some historians may have biases, which have arisen from their morals and culture and are reflected in their historical writing. For mathematics, consider the absence of bias and how formulae such as Pythagoras’ Theorem remain universal, and no amount of cultural influence can ever change something which is a fact.
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.
While prompt 1 gives you one prescribed AoK, this one offers you more choice. Hurray! Or? While this question allows you to select both AoKs, too much choice is often more detrimental than beneficial in the Theory of Knowledge. Here, you’re asked to consider the difference between truth and fact. At first glance, you may be thinking that they’re the same thing and while this is not the case, they are immensely similar. Let’s see how you can approach this...
When considering the meaning of truth and fact, it is always useful to put them into some sort of context. For instance, in the natural sciences, we can argue that there isn’t much of a difference between truth and fact. This is because when a scientific theory such as the theory of evolution is proven, it becomes widely accepted as true and factual. Thus, the definition of truth and fact are virtually inseparable in the sciences.
Another AoK to explore could be history. Here, historians never truly know the ‘truth’ of what happened in the past, and they struggle immensely to recover facts from all sources so that they may piece together accurate interpretations. Therefore, they collect facts in an attempt to reach ever closer to the ultimate truth of what happened in the past, but arguably never achieve this fully. This leads to varying interpretations in history, as historians gather the same facts but may reach different truths from them. In this view, we can argue that facts are the building blocks of truth, rather than truth itself.
3. Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than other areas of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
It’s time for more science! This is probably the most straightforward TOK title this time around, and that’s good news! Not everything has to be complex, even in TOK. Here, you’re being asked to discuss if there is any good reason to regard scientific knowledge ‘more highly’ than other AoKs. In other words, is scientific knowledge ‘better’ than knowledge in other AoKs, and if so, why and how? Let’s dig in!
To make things easier, let’s consider what other AoKs would be suitable choices for this title. In this case, a social science such as history or art would be very suitable. If we consider the arts, knowledge can be defined as the creations of artists such as paintings or music, and the interpretations people have of them. In this view, we can argue that art knowledge is quite subjective as the same song may make one person feel happy and another sad. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it also makes the arts unique.
Nevertheless, the subjectivity of the arts could also be one reason that scientific knowledge may be regarded more highly, as it is objective and factual. For instance, it is an objective fact that cells are the smallest unit of life, but it is not factual to say that a painting is ‘beautiful’, as beauty is subjective. Then again, maybe facts aren’t everything, and maybe scientific knowledge isn’t better, but simply different from art knowledge. Consider these perspectives and ultimately decide if there is enough justification for the claim.
4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
Storytelling is a powerful tool, so much so that experts in the social sciences use it to communicate their research. If you’ve chosen this title, you should begin by considering how knowledge is defined in history and the human sciences, such as psychology.
From the lens of history, you may decide that historical knowledge is a collection of interpretations of the past. Moreover, these are the interpretations of historians who record and teach them, orally or in writing.
These interpretations give historical events meaning by communicating their significance. A potential RLE would be to consider a historical event such as World War 2, and then analyze how historical interpretations teach us to appreciate its significance and not repeat the past.
If we consider the social sciences such as psychology, things can be a bit more complicated and ambiguous. Do psychologists tell stories? Maybe not in the conventional sense, but are research papers on mental health disorders not a type of story, one which teaches us about the disorder and the experiences people have of it? Exactly!
The key here is to consider how knowledge is communicated in history and social science. Thus, your essay should focus on analyzing and discussing the methodology that historians and human scientists use to tell stories.
5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
This question is my personal favorite! If you’re a fan of the arts, this is the question for you. What is an interpretation, and what makes it good or bad? In title 4 we considered how historical interpretations tell us about the past, and interpretations in the art are similar. While historians can interpret the past, art critics can judge the quality of an artistic piece. But how can we tell which interpretations are ‘good’ and which are ‘bad’?
When considering this title, make sure to focus on the different types of interpretations we can have within art. Not all interpretations come from professional art critics, as art is free to view by all, and the everyday person can have their own, unique opinion on a piece of art.
A good starting point to explore would be whether one art critic has a better interpretation of a piece of art than the everyday person. Perhaps the critic has professional training and is more qualified to judge the techniques Da Vinci used to craft the Mona Lisa than a casual art enthusiast.
However, art is not only about technique but also about emotion, and the everyday person may be better able to appreciate the subjective beauty of an art piece. Thus, in the arts, it may be difficult to tell the difference between good and bad interpretations, as there are no concrete criteria for determining this.
Through the lens of another AoK, we can see a completely different perspective in the natural sciences. Here, the opinions of experts can be said to always be better than those of the general public. A good RLE could be climate change propaganda, and how scientific knowledge is necessary in order to make educated interpretations.
In the arts, it may be debatable whether the Mona Lisa is a ‘sad’ or ‘joyful’ painting, but in the sciences, global warming is a proven fact, and anything which says otherwise is a ‘bad’ interpretation. Inherently, this question is about the subjectivity of the arts and the objectivity of other AoKs. Just some food for thought!
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.
The last prescribed title is one of the most difficult, as it deals with ethics. Here, you’re asked to discuss ethical boundaries within two AoKs of your choice. Some good choices could be AoKs which are very research-based, such as the natural sciences and history. Let’s break this down.
Ethics can be very tricky, as you’re essentially asked to discuss the boundaries between what is ethical and what is not. This is difficult because ethics differ as much from person to person as they do from one AoK to another.
In the sciences, ethical boundaries may refer to experiments involving human trials, for example. How can we determine when a new drug is safe for human testing and is it ethical at all to test on humans?
Similarly, in history, we may consider the issues that arise when researching sensitive topics. For instance, is it ethical to interview holocaust survivors and urge them to remember their past traumas, all for the sake of historical records?
At what point do we draw the line, and how are these ethical boundaries determined? This question is all about methodology and whether methodology within two AoKs is ethical, so if that sounds interesting, this is your go-to title!
Prescribed Essay Titles for Your TOK Essay
The prescribed essay titles above are great for tok essays as they cover ethical grounds that you can discuss with reference and solid justification. Once you have narrowed down these prescribed titles, you can conduct research based on factual knowledge and find specific examples to work with. Then the fun part begins: the essay writing process!
Do you have any questions?
Reach out to the team at Lanterna.
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The TOK exhibition
Step 1: choose the IA prompt and look for three objects.
1 a) choose the ia prompts from the list of prescribed ia prompts (see below)., 1 b) select the (images of) objects. all objects should relate to the same ia prompt..
Step 2: Prepare the document, which is used for marking and moderation.
Step 3: showcase the exhibition..
Word count, referencing and other formalities.
Getting started: excellent TOK exhibition Intro Recap lesson by Anita Curley
The markscheme for the TOK exhibition.
May 2022 TOK Essay Prescribed Titles – basic knowledge questions
The new TOK curriculum (starting with the May 2022 cohort) has a revised essay and a slightly different kind of prescribed titles. Looking at previous sets of essay and prescribed titles can be helpful in preparing for your essay but be aware of what has changed over time.
One element of the essay that remains the same is breaking down a prescribed title into knowledge questions. Each individual TOK essay should address the prescribed title from different angles – i.e. different knowledge questions. Once you have a set of knowledge questions for your essay you need to start trying to answer them – these answers will eventually become the topic sentences for your body paragraphs. As you develop your essay you may change / add / remove knowledge questions.
The knowledge questions below are quite broad and are just a starting point; they are not necessarily essay-ready. You need to come up with a set of unique knowledge questions and arguments for your own essay.
With the new type of prescribed titles there starting with the May 2022 prescribed titles there has been some discussion / debate over whether or not the general process of breaking down a prescribed title into knowledge questions is still the same or not. Since the prescribed titles are now themselves knowledge questions there have been some TOK teachers (and apparently even workshop leaders) who questioned whether or not it was still necessary to analyze the key terms, come up with knowledge questions derived from the prescribed title etc.
I asked the IB directly for clarification and they made it clear (and state directly) that the process is the same. The only differences they noted is that the prescribed title is now a knowledge question and that some titles specify AOKs.
A few minor modifications have been to the TOK essay process page but 98% of the process is unchanged.
1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
To what extent is the research process in _______ (AOK) independent of culture?
To what extent does the universal nature of mathematics mean that it is independent of culture?
How is the teaching of mathematics dependent on culture?
To what extent does the language of research result in a knowledge that is dependent on culture?
To what extent does studying ___________ in translation highlight the link between knowledge and culture?
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.
How is truth distinguished from facts in ________ (AOK)?
To what extent does ________ show that there is not difference between truth and facts?
How does the scientific method help highlight the differences between truth and facts?
To what extent do differences in artistic interpretation demonstrate that there is a difference between truth and facts?
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.
To what extent does the scientific method show that knowledge in the natural sciences is superior to knowledge in ________ (AOK)?
How does ________ show that knowledge in the natural sciences and ________ (AOK) are equal?
How does ________ show that knowledge in the natural sciences is inferior to knowledge in ________ (AOK)?
4. How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
How do historians use academic research papers to give knowledge through the telling stories?
How do human scientists use lab reports to give knowledge through the telling stories?
To what extent is the use of ____________ by historians / human scientists a way of using stories to pass on knowledge?
5. How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
How is ________ important in distinguishing between good and bad interpretations in the arts?
How is ________ important in distinguishing between good and bad interpretations of Japanese literature?
What role does the peer review process in ________ (AOK) help distinguish between good and bad interpretations?
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.
How do professional codes of ethics in ________ (AOK) determine ethical guidelines?
How does government regulation of broadcasting determine ethical boundaries in the arts?
How should medical researchers determine what is a justified risk in experimental drug research?
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Tok 2022 is here, we continue to provide great services, all the services you need, all in one place., 'tok foundations' : our thoughts about the new core theme.
Understanding the Core Theme
The new thematic approach to your ToK studies is designed to make your experience more engaging and coherent.
As you know, the course based on the ToK Subject Guide (2022) will be divided into THREE parts: Core Theme, Optional Themes and Areas of Knowledge.
While your understanding of the Core and Optional Themes are assessed through the new TOK Exhibition, the TOK Essay will assess your grasp of the AoKs. However, your experience of the Core and Optional Themes will provide a crucial grounding for your approach to the Essay.
The ToK Subject Guide (2022) replaces the old ‘Knowledge Framework’ with the new ‘four compulsory elements’: scope , perspectives , methods and tools and ethics . These are presented in the form of knowledge questions which are designed specifically for each theme of the course, as well as the study of the AOKs.
Here, we explain what we call the ‘ToK Foundations’. These key aspects of TOK encapsulate the main concepts and questions that should be involved in your studies of the Core Theme: ‘Knowledge and the Knower’.
We propose that within your Core Theme studies, there are SIX ‘Foundations’ that you will experience in your two year ToK journey. While they are presented here as separate aspects of the Core Theme, there will be some overlaps. The heading ‘Related Concepts’ signals the conceptual threads that link the different aspects of the Core Theme to create a strong foundation for your ToK assignments.
Foundation 1: Perspectives and Expertise
Given that knowledge is a pattern seeking activity, there is a gap between the mental maps we build and the reality to which these maps correspond. Each knower is limited in her connection to the world by her specific perspective on it. Qualifying oneself as an expert within a field of knowledge minimises the subjectivity of knowledge, providing us with an ability to produce/acquire knowledge more objectively.
Related TOK concepts : trust, confidence, bias, knowledge production/acquisition, knowing that & knowing how, perception/language, accuracy/reliability, subjectivity/objectivity
Foundation 2: Contexts of knowledge
Knowledge is never produced or acquired in a vacuum. There are always different real world pressures that determine the pursuit of knowledge, whether on a local, national or global scale. Individual geniuses can be at the heart of innovation and discovery of new knowledge, but this is the exception not the rule. Knowledge communities of experts and non-experts can have a huge impact on knowledge, shaped by the different cultures in which they operate.
Related TOK concepts : personal/shared knowledge, collaboration, interdisciplinary approaches, networks, different cultures
Foundation 3: Questioning & Methods
Asking the right questions is the root of pursuing knowledge. Framing questions as part of a specific methodology is part of the process of knowledge production and acquisition which increases the chances of reaching reliable conclusions. Not only this, but questioning also helps us to see beyond what we know now and imagine the impossible. The more rigorous our questioning, the greater the chance our knowledge will be robust.
Related TOK concepts : types of questioning, doubt/skepticism, scientific method, historical method, mathematical method, induction, deduction, models, language, analysis/synthesis, testing, verification/falsification, confirmation/refutation
Foundation 4: Truth & Justification
Understanding the nature of ‘truth’ and its relationship to ‘justification’ is important as part of the basis of why we know what we know. Tied closely to Foundation 3, the nature of using evidence and how it is handled in justifying knowledge claims is essential to the ToK project. We would like to think that the more ‘evidence-based’ or 'justified' our claims are, the more ‘true’ they’re likely to be. However, this would undermine the insights offered into human nature given by more non-evidence based religious or indigenous knowledge claims.
Related TOK concepts : justification, argument, credibility, plausibility, feasibility, facts/beliefs, truth tests, explanation/description, qualitative/quantitative evidence, reason/perception, faith/intuition, stories/facts
Foundation 5: Application & Value of knowledge
There is always a tension between pursuing knowledge for its own sake and pursuing knowledge so that it can be used to benefit humanity and our environment. This issue is closely linked to two related issues: a/ the ethical dimension of knowledge in different fields and b/ the value of knowledge. The former raises questions as to whether or not the public should be protected from some kinds of knowledge, whereas the latter overlaps with Foundation 4 relating to how we determine its truth.
Related TOK concepts : Theoretical/practical knowledge, value, measuring value
Foundation 6: Change & Limits of knowledge
The way in which innovations and discoveries work to generate new knowledge from old is important to explore. Knowledge tends either to evolve gradually as experts question and refine existing ideas, or to change through revolutionary breakthroughs in how we think or do the job of pursuing knowledge. On the one hand, the notion of change highlights whether or not we can measure it in terms of progress. On the other hand, it underlines how we are able to go beyond the frontiers of what we already know.
Related TOK concepts : paradigm shifts, creativity/imagination, memory, progress/regress of knowledge, evolutionary/revolutionary change
Sample Review
Sample tok essay guide, a new look guide for tok 2022, the tok essay.
The rules for the planning and drafting of the Essay are clearly laid out in the new ToK Subject Guide (2022).
Just remember to read the Sample Review notes above before clicking the tabs below.
'ToK Transitions' : Our thoughts about the new ToK Exhibition
The Principles of the ToK Exhibition
While this aspect of the ToK course is an assessment, it’s designed so that you can engage in a personal adventure with knowledge as it manifests itself in the real world. Everyday, familiar objects bind us to our wider environments but we usually take this connection for granted or simply don’t see it.
Your work in the Exhibition is to highlight and explore how objects encapsulate aspects of knowledge through the lens of your studies in the Core and Optional. Your 950 word commentary is a response to one of 35 prompts, in which you present your thoughts and ideas about the importance of these connections in the wider universe of knowledge.
So, congratulations for being the first group of students to experience the new ToK 2022 course.
The above tabs help make sense of what to do, so let’s go through the requirements for the ToK Exhibition methodically...
Part 1: Choice of prompt
Whichever prompt you decide to explore, try to ensure it connects to an aspect of the Core Theme or Optional Theme.
Tip: the Guide ‘strongly recommends’ your object links to either the Core or one of the Optional Themes – it could, in principle, link to BOTH or more than just ONE Optional Theme.
Part 2: Choice of objects
‘Object’ is defined very broadly and could lead to some problems. Firstly, bear in mind that it can be a ‘physical’ or ‘digital’ object. If you use a digital image, reference it correctly at the end of the commentary.
Tip: you must only use ‘pre-existing’ objects. You shouldn’t create an object specially for the ToK Exhibition. You can use objects you created yourself for other purposes, like your EE or a sculpture you created in your Arts course.
Part 3: Connection to ‘Real-world context’
Objects have to ‘exist in a particular time and place (including virtual spaces)’. This means that while your experience of white water rafting can’t be an object, the photo of you doing it and the write up you posted on social media can count as an object. Similarly, while ‘religion’ can’t be an object, an actual edition (or photo) of your grandmother’s well-used copy of the Bhagavad Gita does count as an object.
Tip: it’s probably easier to make the connection between the object and its real world context, if the object is personal to you. Ordinary, familiar objects can encapsulate aspects of self-knowledge and/or shared knowledge about the world around you. Such objects ground you in the world, connect you implicitly to the knowledge landscape outside you. Your job in the Exhibition is to make that connection explicit.
Part 4: Justification of choice
In TOK, ‘justification’ is a key technical term and has two overlapping aspects. Firstly, it means using EVIDENCE to support your statements about HOW your object links to the Core/Optional theme. Secondly, it means building a rationale – a series of REASONS – to explain why you think what you think in developing your explanations.
Tip: to avoid responding to the prompt in a purely abstract, descriptive way, you might wish to choose your objects FIRST and then find a prompt that allows you to explore the objects’ TOK related significance.
Part 5 The Commentary
Your reflections on the prompt will take the form of a 950 commentary. This isn’t much, especially if you consider that you have to explain how each object ties in with your chosen prompt. While there’s no need, like in the essay, to build claims and counter claims, your approach should be as analytic and evaluative as possible. The use of the various ToK technical terms you’ll learn throughout your studies of the Core and Optional Themes will be useful when writing your commentary: ‘perspective’, ‘truth’, testing’…(See our thoughts on the ToK Foundations above).
Tip: The Guide doesn’t suggest a ‘right way’ to present your commentary, save for the upper limit of 950 words and the need for a list of references for the sources you use to develop your thinking. You’ll see in the Sample Review below that one possible approach is to write about 300 words exploring each object separately. Whatever strategy you take in writing the commentary, ensure that you follow a methodical approach that addresses each of the FOUR Parts described in this guide…
Part 6 General Notes
1/ The TOK Exhibition assesses your grasp of the Core and Optional Themes. This doesn’t mean that you can’t refer to ideas and theories you came across in your Science or History studies. It just means you can’t make the H/N Sciences or History the main FOCUS of your commentary discussion.
2/ Remember that everything you write in the commentary needs to be focused on two things:
a/ HOW your object encapsulates an aspect of KNOWLEDGE that connects to some aspect of your studies of the Core/Optional Themes.
b/ HOW this link provides a relevant response to the actual prompt.
The ToK Exhibition
The new ToK Subject Guide (2022) provides key information about the procedures for developing your ToK Exhibition Commentary.
Adapting to a new form of assessment can be worrying, especially when it carries 33% of your overall ToK Marks.
The following links will give you a clear snapshot of how we can help make the whole process more accessible and less stressful. Before you read on, please take note of the Sample Review notes.
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November 2023 TOK Essay Titles!
N23 TOK essay prompts have just been released. They are available for viewing on my website:
https://hackib.com/2023/03/02/november-2023-tok-essay-titles-explained-with-examples/
I am working on detailed explanations for each of the titles with examples so I encourage you to bookmark this page and come back in a few days!
My previous explainers for the M23 TOK titles have been really popular and I've received some good feedback for it, so here's hoping that this time will be even better!
First impressions though, the titles look interesting though I think the first two are the trickiest!
sorry what the hell is prompt 2 💀
Dang, and here I thought M23 titles were weird...
glad to have one (2) where you immediately know whoever chooses it is insufferable
Way to rip out any standalone consideration of either example. Putting them together is vacuous
G.H. Hardy it really ain’t that deep
Damn yall are fucked
You’re the legend behind hackIB. God bless you, you saved my TOK essay from destruction. o7
These are really above average, as TOK titles go. Lots of clear paths to good essays and much more consistently interesting than M23, IMO.
Well there goes my extra points from tok
I swear these just get weirder and weirder every year😭
They're all boring asf.
Didn't the last set allow more interpretations?
Like "are visual representations always useful in the production of knowledge"
is bettet thanr these. almost like they hold your hand till the end. and why the quote from Pi?
2 and 5 both look promising, wish they were asked to N22.
Good luck people!
How are you meant to discuss #2 with arts lmao
I’ll stick with my essay from M23,
I do like 6 tho
!remindme 4 days
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atb N23 students
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IB ToK Essay Prompts for November 2022 Vasy Kafidoff April 21st, 2022 Education Every year, students who started IBDP are waiting for IB to share the list of specific prescribed titles for Theory of Knowledge essays. Like in all the previous years, IB opened a list of six topics for TOK essays for the next semester.
TOK essay - TOK 2022: THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE WEBSITE FOR THE IBDP Top essay writing tips In this section, you will find some top tips for writing a TOK essay for the 2022 examination. As this specification is new, this section of the website will evolve as more information becomes available. General information about the essay:
TOK ESSAY 2022 Prompt No.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. Word Count-"There is a world of difference between truth and facts"- Maya Angelou.I understand truth and facts are different in terms of (language) grammar and science.
TOK ESSAY "Accepting knowledge claims always involves an element of trust." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge. A knowledge claim is something that we are sure about, and therefore, we believe it to be true. Since truth is subjective, its veracity can be questioned.
Explore 7 tips for a successful and high scoring TOK exhibition Students are expected to select three objects for the TOK exhibition to connect it one of the following 35 IA prompts mentioned below: 1. What counts as knowledge? 2. Are some types of knowledge more useful than others? 3. What features of knowledge have an impact on its reliability?
May 2023 TOK Essay Prompts + SAMPLES & Suggestions Vasy Kafidoff November 14th, 2022 Education Every year, students anxiously wait for the IB to announce the TOK essay topics. So this year is not an exception; IBO has also announced 2023 May titles for IB TOK essay. The TOK essay can be quite a challenging one to write for most students.
IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 Here are links to ideas and suggestions relating to the the six May 2022 IB ToK Essay topics: Topic 1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge. Topic 2.
Here are the Theory of Knowledge Essay prescribed titles for the May 2022 session. Tim has made a full, May 2022 TOK Essay Titles Analysis, which you can watch inside IBMastery. It will help you understand how to approach each of the titles (i.e. things to avoid, things to consider and some tips and helpful advice for each title).
TOK 2022 This is a collection of resources for the new TOK course. I am just keeping track of links and resources as I come across them. New TOK Guide TOK guide from 2020 From the IB Top 5 Changes in the new TOK course http://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2020/01/15/the-top-5-changes-in-the-new-tok-course/ TOK E Learning on the new course
As is the case with TOK Essays in the past, the broadness of many of these prompts mean it is very important for students to suitably and precisely define their understanding of the TOK concepts. With many prompts featuring at least one and more often, two concepts, that require students to carefully consider before selecting examples. Prompt 1
Breaking Down TOK Essay Titles 2022 Hazel Nicholson The TOK Essay can be a daunting task, and many of us struggle to even begin out of fear of doing something wrong. Not only are you expected to learn the philosophy of all the areas of knowledge, but now you have to write an essay about it too!? TOK Essay Titles in Human Sciences
The TOK exhibition. A new assessment, inspired by the British museum's "A history of the world in 100 objects." Acknowledgements: the factual features of this web-page are based on the TOK Guide of the 2022 specification. The "brand new" TOK exhibition is worth 33% of the grades. It is assessed internally, but moderated externally.
The new TOK curriculum (starting with the May 2022 cohort) has a revised essay and a slightly different kind of prescribed titles. Looking at previous sets of essay and prescribed titles can be helpful in preparing for your essay but be aware of what has changed over time.
The ToK Essay questions for November 2022 are usually released in March 2022. Q1. Knowledge, credibility & power. Q2. Knowledge & open-mindedness. Q3. Knowledge, unanswerable questions and unquestionable answers. Q4. Knowledge, indisputable evidence and its unattainability.
As you know, the course based on the ToK Subject Guide (2022) will be divided into THREE parts: Core Theme, Optional Themes and Areas of Knowledge. While your understanding of the Core and Optional Themes are assessed through the new TOK Exhibition, the TOK Essay will assess your grasp of the AoKs. However, your experience of the Core and ...
November 2023 TOK Essay Titles! Hey guys! N23 TOK essay prompts have just been released. They are available for viewing on my website: I am working on detailed explanations for each of the titles with examples so I encourage you to bookmark this page and come back in a few days! My previous explainers for the M23 TOK titles have been really ...
Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natura...