Knowledge Construction

So far in your school career, you have mostly been concerned with learning knowledge. TOK asks you to do something different. Instead of thinking only about knowledge acquisition, the TOK course requires you to understand how knowledge is made. 

Where does knowledge come from?
​Who makes new knowledge?

Once we get into thinking about knowledge production, we can move along to ask some interesting questions about knowledge and how it is constructed.

Do the people who make knowledge always get it right?
Are some types of knowledge more robust than others?

TOK is about understanding the problems of knowledge construction.

How is TOK Assessed?

TOK has two assessment components: an external component (the essay) and an internal component (the exhibition). The essay is marked by external IB examiners and the exhibition is marked by the teacher (internally). The teacher’s marks are then moderated by IB examiners based on the evidence shown on the TOK presentation planning document.

​Both the essay and the presentation are given a mark out of 10. However, the essay is weighted so that it is worth twice that of the presentation.

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The TOK Exhibition

What is the TOK Exhibition?

How is the TOK exhibition assessed?

​​The TOK exhibition is an internal assessment task (marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB), representing ⅓ of your overall mark in TOK.
● The aim is to show how TOK manifests itself in the world around us.
● To do this, you choose 1 of 35 IA prompts, find 3  specific real-world ‘objects’, and write a 950 word commentary connecting the objects to your prompt.
● It is recommended that your exhibition is set within the context of one of the themes (the knower, indigenous societies, language, politics, religion, technology).

Students create a single file containing the content of their TOK exhibition, which includes:
1. a title that clearly identifies their selected IA prompt
2. images of their three objects
3. a 950 word commentary on each object
​4. appropriate referencing and citations

Your teacher will assess it and a sample from the school will be moderated by the IBO.

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The TOK Essay

What does the essay assess?

The essay assesses your ability to write about knowledge questions and your critical thinking skills through the discussion of one of the six prescribed titles. The titles are not meant to be treated only in the abstract, or on the basis of external authorities. In all cases, essays should express the conclusions reached by students through a sustained consideration of knowledge questions. Claims and counterclaims should be formulated and main ideas should be illustrated with effective examples. Essays should demonstrate the student’s ability to link knowledge questions to at least two areas of knowledge.

Essay Requirements 

The essay is 1600 words maximum response to one of six prescribed titles published by the IB for each assessment session. It is not a research task, but specific examples are needed to support claims and arguments. The prescribed titles ask generic questions about knowledge and are cross-disciplinary in nature. They may be answered with reference to any part or parts of the TOK course, to specific disciplines, or with reference to opinions gained about knowledge both inside and outside the classroom.

"The Knowledge Factory is about the production of different types of knowledge. Each subject has its own production line where things are done differently. You should be able to compare the production of knowledge in one subject with that of another". by Dr Cox

Recommended Websites

There are so many resources for TOK and not all of them are good.

The IBO strongly recommends that students do not go to TOK websites that offer help and advice for the prescribed essay titles. If you do you will be influenced by compelling ideas that are not your own. You will be penalised accordingly.

Numpty Knowledge recomends using Mr Hoye's TOK Website. This a reputable resource that is aimed at more able students. It is completely free to use and has links to other 'safe' TOK resources.

Mr Hoye's TOK Website