Your ToK essay
Titles
You have to choose your title (from a selection of
10 issued by the IB) and produce an essay of
1200-1600 words.
The titles should have obvious connections
to the ways of knowing and subject areas
we look at in ToK. But when you begin
writing the essay it is unlikely that you will
have completed the entire course. This is why an
independent approach is particularly important.
Choose…
It sounds obvious but you must choose a title to which you
feel attracted. You might not feel you know a great deal
about it yet, but that doesn’t matter.
Don’t choose a title which has a very strong focus on a
subject which you do not study at IB. You are unlikely to
write a good History based ToK essay if you no longer
study History
Plan
Make sure you understand the question:
about what exactly are you being asked to
give your view?
Identify:
● Appropriate WOKs to discuss as you
address the question
●Appropriate subject areas to discuss as
you address the question.
Unfortunately this ToK candidate has
misunderstood ‘WOK’ in this context.
(…sorry about that….)
(A) Understanding knowledge issues
•
•
A relevant knowledge issue is one that directly
relates to the prescribed title undertaken, or
one that the essay has shown is important in
relation to it.
Depth of understanding is often indicated by
drawing distinctions within ways of knowing
and areas of knowledge, or by connecting
several facets of knowledge issues to these.
(B) Knower’s perspective
• To what extent have the knowledge issues relevant to the
prescribed title been connected to the student’s own
experience as a learner?
• Does the student show an awareness of his or her own
perspective as a knower in relation to other perspectives,
such as those that may arise, for example, from
academic and philosophical traditions, culture or position
in society (gender, age, and so on)?
• Do the examples chosen show an individual approach
consciously taken by the student, rather than mere
repetition of standard commonplace cases or the
impersonal recounting of sources?
(C) Quality of analysis of knowledge issues
• What is the quality of the inquiry into knowledge
issues?
• Are the main points in the essay justified? Are
the arguments coherent and compelling?
• Have counterclaims been considered?
• Are the implications and underlying assumptions
of the essay’s argument identified?
(D) Organization of ideas
• Is the essay well organized and relevant
to the prescribed title?
• Does the use of language assist the reader's
understanding and avoid confusion? Are central
terms explained or developed clearly in a way that
assists comprehension?
• Note: This task is not a test of “first language”
linguistic skills. No account should be taken of
minor errors unless they significantly impede
communication.
• When factual information is used or presented, is it
accurate and, when necessary, referenced? “Factual
information” includes generalizations.
• If sources have been used, have they been properly
referenced in a way that allows them to be traced?
Planning
Follow your teacher’s guidance on
planning. Provide detailed plans and
drafts as required.
If you skip these parts, or do them in a
superficial way, your essay will lack
organisation, and a lack of clarity/ detail at
these important stages means that your
teacher will not be able to give you as much
guidance as those who are showing her/ him
detailed plans.
Writing “Formal / Academic” essays: basic plan
(e.g. “Essay” questions in History, Geography, Science, English,
extended essays and TOK essays)
INTRODUCTION:
Introduces the TOPIC or interprets the QUESTION and mentions the
different ASPECTS which will be covered in the essay WITHOUT
giving details.
MAIN BODY:
Presents a LOGICAL PROGRESSION of ASPECTS of the topic, along
with EXAMPLES, EXPLANATIONS and INTERPRETATIONS of
meaning, ARGUMENTS in support of a point of view and / or
COUNTER ARGUMENTS.
CONCLUSION:
EVALUATES the evidence and presents your OPINION or your
CHOICE in the matter with PERSONAL REASONS for your decision.
For ToK specifically..
• What to put in the Introduction: Make sure the key concepts you
use are discussed in the introduction along with a statement of the
Knowledge Issues and a brief statement of your position. You should
give the reader some helpful signposts here about how you will deal
with the issues raised in the Title.
• What to put in the Body of the Essay: The arguments and main
examples should appear in the body of the essay. Here you should
give some detailed support for your position. Then there should be
some anticipation of possible weaknesses in, or objections to, your
position.
• What to put in the Conclusion: The conclusion should state an
evaluation of the arguments presented and the implications of this.
There should be an answer to the question "So what?" For example
you could end with a 'forward looking view'.
(Source: Ric Simms - http://uwcac.org.uk/acad/thok/tentips_e_2.htm)
Things to avoid!!!
Meaningless Statements:
…such as "Since the dawn of time man has
been obsessed with knowledge". The essay
does not need a romantic lead-in so you should
start it straight away. Like a film the first
paragraph should be packed with TOK Action.
Gross Unsubstantiated
Generalizations
…such as "Americans see wealth itself as a moral good". Be very
careful with the use of the word ‘all’. Check carefully what it is you want
to say. Ask yourself whether it is necessary for your essay to make
such a sweeping statement?
The embodiment of moral good -according to ALL Americans.
Pseudo-examples
These are fictional examples usually based on stereotyping - "An
Israeli would regard the Defensive Wall as necessary while a
Palestinian would see it as an infringement of his basic human
liberties". Rather than relying on fiction, try and find a statement
made by a real Israeli and a real Palestinian.
Worse are examples which typecast Areas of Knowledge, such as
"A scientist would look at the statue and try to work out the forces in
it while an artist would react emotionally to it" or "All scientists are
atheists” and “religious believers are highly emotional and prone to
superstition".
Dictionary Definitions
These are usually not at all
helpful in clarifying TOK
concepts. These are best dealt
with in your own terms.
It is better for you to explain what you
understand as 'knowledge' as opposed to 'belief',
'subjective' versus 'objective', 'inference' as
opposed to 'deduction'? On the whole avoid being
'bogged down' by definitions. If one had to define
Art before writing any essay on it then one would
hardly get anywhere at all.
Avoid Taking Examples from
Textbooks or Quoting Philosophers
Textbooks used in a authoritative way,
without critical evaluation, often lead to
poor TOK essays. The examiners are
interested in what you have to say not the
author of a textbook or a philosopher. If
you use a textbook or quote a philosopher
make sure you stand back and look
critically at what is said. Do you agree with
the author or philosopher - if yes, why? and if not, why not?
And my personal bugbear
Avoid boring tired examples….
For example –The Nazis and The Holocaust.
(Look up Godwins Law.)
There is an internet site devoted to collecting
unnecessary or silly comparisons between the
subject under discussion and Hitler/ The Nazis.
http://www.justlikehitler.com/
..others include –flat earth/ round earth
-the discovery of penicillin
zzzzz….
Resources and research
Sources should be varied –a bibliography
containing only websites does not impress. If you use a
website, be prepared to justify it in terms of its academic
reliability and validity.
Ask: your ToK teacher; teachers connected to the
subject areas which feature in your essay;
Librarians; relevant interviewee(s)
Keep your eyes open and read all material with
your ToK topic in mind.
Make sure you understand exactly what plagiarism
is and how to avoid it. Cite and reference in MLA
style.
Sources
Image (Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’)
http://www.forgottentreasurez.com/catalog/rodin%20thinker.jpg
Wok/ chef image
http://eilatnature.com/restaurant/images/Wok-Chef.jpg
Essay Criteria
IB ToK course guide
“Things to avoid” by Ric Simms
http://uwcac.org.uk/acad/thok/tentips_e_2.htm
http://www.justlikehitler.com/
Thinking boy image
http://pro.corbis.com/images/4217015663.jpg?size=572&uid=%7B2F9A4FE0-9812-4E1B-8AE944E0A7F5902A%7D
No Entry sign/ image
http://www.freefoto.com/images/41/01/41_01_3---No-Entry_web.jpg
Sources contd.
Simpson cartoon
http://www.geocities.com/invictusdomini/insert_brain.gif
Paris Hilton image
http://images.starpulse.com/pictures/2008/02/17/previews/Paris%20Hilt
on-EKP-003190.jpg
“Miracle”cartoon
http://www.sciencecartoonsplus.com/images/miracle3.gif
Dictionary image
http://www.pelangibooks.com/admin/pics/series/SBSGDE04.jpg
Yawning baby image
http://www.nobodyasked.com/wpcontent/uploads/2006/12/WindowsLiveWriter/Pandiculation_498F/yawn2%5
B3%5D.jpg