A. Written Submission Essay Structure
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) an introduction paragraph that provides assignment background and/or a hook to pique the
reader’s interest as it introduces the thesis containing the topic of the paper,
(b) a thesis statement which communicates the author’s overall point and/or purpose (every
written submission that contains no discernible thesis statement or a thesis statement that
does not fit the prescribed title or assignment will not be assessed against this standard),
(c) a thesis statement is structured and located correctly (every written submission that
contains a thesis that is wordy, a thesis spread out beyond a single sentence, a thesis that
previews the claims, or a thesis that includes a justification will not be assessed against this
standard) (every written submission that does not place the thesis as the last sentence of
the first paragraph and the first sentence of the last paragraph will not be assessed against
this standard),
(d) body paragraph topic sentences that are formed to support the thesis statement and that
make distinct claims,
(e) body paragraph topic sentences that are structured as single sentences correctly located as
the first sentence of each body paragraph,
(f) body content that is entirely within the boundaries of the topic sentences, covers all
portions of the topic sentences, and includes evidence that exemplifies the included
thoughts,
(g) a conclusion paragraph that influences or moves the reader, discusses the author’s new
understanding (ah-ha revelation), or answers “so what?” for the reader instead of merely
reviewing/summarizing the body content or repeating previously covered ideas
B. Written Submission Expectations
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) an organized recitation of ideas,
(b) use of language that assists the reader’s understanding and/or clarifies points so as to avoid
confusion (central terms should be fully explained or linearly developed to aid
comprehension),
(c) written content that supports major premises through concrete examples that illustrate the
key points or take forward the argument,
(d) written content that is refined by helpful explanations that make intentions clear,
(e) writing that includes only minimal conventional errors so as to not arrest the reader and
impede communication,
(f) writing that is free of logical fallacies, unsupported ideas, and off-topic material (every
sentence needs to be directly connected to the thesis statement and/or body paragraph
topic sentences),
(g) well presented essay-structured writing that was obviously proofread
C. Strategic Writing
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) a high degree of independent, individual, and/or personal insight,
(b) justification of main points (which is best accomplished by including detailed evidence,
expository quotes, and/or pertinent examples),
(c) compelling and/or engaging writing/language (that goes beyond metaphors or rhetorical
questions),
(d) coherent writing,
(e) a critical analysis of knowledge claims (where written content extends beyond merely
conducting research and/or reporting on findings),
(f) an exploration of perspectives,
(g) an identification of implications and/or underlying assumptions
D. Tactical Writing
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) claims and/or main ideas that are illustrated with effective examples,
(b) claims and/or main ideas that are illustrated with varied examples,
(c) conclusions that are reached through a sustained consideration of accumulated and
discussed claims,
(d) a general understanding of knowledge questions and prescribed title main ideas as indicated
by providing depth (depth of understanding is indicated by developing claims further,
modifying premises, elaborating on ideas, validating information, and/or justifying
deductions),
(e) a general understanding of knowledge questions and prescribed title main ideas as indicated
by providing breadth (breadth of understanding is indicated by providing multiple
viewpoints, resources, and/or perspectives along with showing how they
relate/agree/conflict/connect),
(f) a general understanding of knowledge questions and prescribed title main ideas as indicated
by providing both depth and breadth,
(g) an exploration of similarities and differences
E. Oral Presentation Skills
Oral presentations require presenters to use no more than a sparse speaking outline as a
prompt to keep their offerings organized and on track. (oral presentations that include any
read material will not be assessed against this standard)
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) admirable poise by having a relaxed, self-confident, interested, enthusiastic, and positive
attitude,
(b) value-added nonverbal elements with beneficial bodily actions, posture, gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, and a professional appealing appearance,
(c) sound organization shown by smooth and practiced delivery that meets the time and length
requirements without rushing or slowing, without skipping planned content, or adding
unplanned content,
(d) adequate preparation demonstrated through disciplined delivery that includes controlled
flow, contained fillers (um), restricted nervous intrusions (laughing), ignored interruptions,
(e) eloquent speaking with commendable pronunciation, articulation, clarity, diction, tone, pitch,
vocal variety, volume, rate and effective pauses,
(f) reputable communication aids with satisfying content, style, audience connections, use, and
integration,
(g) agreeable audience interactions that are responsive and well-received
F. Oral Presentation Planning Document (TK/PPD)
The student’s TK/PPD work demonstrates/includes:
(a) fully completed demographic and identification information sections,
(b) a description of a real-life situation used as the launching point of the presentation,
(c) a central knowledge question,
(d) an explanation of the connection between the real-life situation and the formulated
knowledge question,
(e) how the presentation will be developed and what elements will be considered by including a
bulleted outline of organized thoughts,
(f) an exploration of the central knowledge question as indicated by the discussion of insights
constructed and conclusions reached,
(g) how/why the insights constructed and conclusions reached are relevant to the real-life
situation and beyond
G. Oral Presentation Expectations
(Under no circumstances should TOK oral presentations be essays read aloud to the class. TOK
learners are to distinguish TOK oral presentations from TOK written essays. Alternatively, TOK
oral presentations may take many forms, such as lectures, skits, Socratic seminars, simulations,
games, interviews, panel discussions, or debates. Students may use supporting material such as
videos, MS PowerPoint, projections, posters, questionnaires, recordings, costumes, or props.)
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) an introduction that briefly describes a real-life situation as framed by links to a real-life
situation and to relevant knowledge questions,
(b) a single formulated knowledge question extracted from the real-life situation,
(c) various perspectives that have been explored in relation to the extracted knowledge
question,
(d) explorations of various perspectives that contain examples and/or arguments,
(e) personal involvement in the topic and/or a distinctively personal use of arguments and/or
examples,
(f) constructed findings and/or reached insights that have been related back to the real-life
situation,
(g) a consideration of how constructed findings and/or reached insights could be relevant to
other real-life situations beyond the real-life situation that yielded the investigated
knowledge question
H. Ways of Knowing
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) a determination of how knowledge is known as indicated by specifying a particular WOK,
(b) a realization of what specific knowledge is now known (that wasn’t previously known)
through the use of the specified WOK,
(c) an understanding of how although there is primarily one WOK being used to gain
knowledge, WOKs are rarely used in isolation – that is, generally, several WOKs are used
together to form understanding,
(d) an integral understanding of how a specified and discussed WOK contributes to (at least
two) different AOKs,
(e) an understanding of how culture/background prompts or facilitates the use of a particular
WOK,
(f) appropriate and apparent use of “TOK terms/vocabulary” (such as hypothesis,
experiment/investigation, data/finding, interpretation/conclusion, anomaly, induction,
certainty, uncertainty, belief and knowledge) within the discussion of WOKs,
(g) critical thinking and analysis within the discussion of WOKs
I. Areas of Knowledge
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) an understanding of key scope/application issues within the highlighted AOKs,
(b) use of subject-specific terminology and concepts within the highlighted AOKs,
(c) an understanding of the WOKs/methods used to produce knowledge/understanding within
the highlighted AOKs,
(d) connections to key historical developments within the highlighted AOKs,
(e) a consideration of how AOK shared knowledge interacts with AOK personal knowledge,
(f) what the included AOKs have in common,
(g) how the reliability of knowledge gained within an AOK varies depending upon the WOKs
being used
J. Knowledge Question Development
In TOK there are two types of knowledge questions.
o
ones made (within particular AOKs or by individual knowers) about the world
o
ones explicitly made about knowledge
Both types of knowledge questions are explored in TOK. The first type will feature examples
offered in the EA essay and IA presentation illustrating the manner in which AOKs go about the
business of producing knowledge. The second type will constitute the core and focus of
submitted TOK work.
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) a central and identified knowledge question that is explicitly about knowledge,
(b) a central and identified knowledge question that doesn’t focus on specific content, but
instead discusses/explores how knowledge is constructed and evaluated,
(c) a central and identified knowledge question that has a number of plausible and suitable
answers,
(d) a central and identified knowledge question that is addressed in general terms (as opposed
to subject-specific ones),
(e) the establishment of the key concepts involved in answering the identified knowledge
question,
(f) a central and identified knowledge question that is accompanied by personal perspectives,
(g) a central and identified knowledge question that plays a part in the judgments made in
analysis or interpretations of the knowledge question’s key ideas that play a part in the
judgments made in analysis
K. Knowledge Question Understanding
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) knowledge questions that are relevant to the chosen prescribed title/thesis and serve as
areas of focus,
(b) knowledge questions that have direct and obvious connections to the chosen prescribed
title/thesis,
(c) a consideration of a variety of perspectives (academic and philosophical traditions, culture,
or position in society such as age, gender, and so on)
(d) knowledge questions that have direct and obvious connections to the documented
investigation of different perspectives.
(e) depth of understanding as indicated by drawing distinctions within WOKs and AOKs or depth
of understanding as indicated by connecting several facets of knowledge questions to WOKs
and AOKs,
(f) breadth of understanding as indicated by making comparisons between WOKs and AOKs,
(g) an awareness of personal perspectives and why they matter when thinking through
knowledge questions
L. Knowledge Question Analysis
This aspect is concerned only with knowledge questions that are relevant to the chosen
prescribed title/thesis. In other words, analysis of a knowledge question that is not relevant to
the chosen prescribed title/thesis will not be assessed.
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) legitimate, obvious, and focused inquiry into knowledge questions,
(b) justified main points framed by knowledge questions,
(c) coherent arguments in support of positions taken or claims made (after consideration of
knowledge questions),
(d) a consideration and extensive exploration/investigation of counterexamples,
(e) identified implications and underlying assumptions of the supported arguments,
(f) an effective evaluation of the arguments supported,
(g) arguments supported by real-life examples
M. Reflection in TOK to Prompt Continuous Improvement
Students are to consider their performance and provided feedback to recognize areas of
concern and develop constructive corrective actions in addition to tracking what results their
improvement efforts actually yield. (While reflection is only indirectly discussed in the TOK
subject guide, it is now an essential part of the course requirements according to the state of
North Carolina.)
The student’s work demonstrates/includes:
(a) an awareness of problem areas or errors (at least two) that are frequently repeated,
(b) an understanding of specific (measurable) things (at least two) that should/could be
deleted, adjusted, or added to make the submission better and improve earned scores,
(c) an idea of how (NOT WHAT) changes will be accomplished (What is the corrective action
plan for each identified concern?),
(d) an understanding of how challenges in TOK (at least two) are related to other course work
and/or other areas of life,
(e) a sober understanding of the extent to which previously determined and currently
implemented corrective actions (at least two) have affected the quality of the work and the
scores earned,
(f) an understanding of how class activities (at least two) supported submission quality,
(g) an awareness and willingness to use some external resources (at least two) that can directly
assist with this continuous process improvement corrective action plan.
N. Incremental Progress - Interim Assessment
Students will occasionally be given class time to work on assigned work. This is not to be
confused with “free” time or “work on something” time; it is “work on TOK and only TOK” time!
As extra accountability, students may be asked to digitally submit their interim progress to
Google Classroom at the end of the block. That work will be judged and graded using the
following standard.
The student:
(a) met all listed assignment requirements,
(b) produced sufficient quantity and went beyond providing a framework,
(c) produced sufficient quality and submitted work in the designated format,
(d) operated as the knower throughout work,
(e) integrated TOK elements throughout work,
(f) analytically explained “how and why” throughout work,
(g) provided personal substantiation for claims/connections.