what is the tok essay about

How To Write A ToK Essay - Updated 2023

Ace your ToK Essay with our expert tips & tricks! Get the latest and greatest techniques on "How To Write A ToK Essay" and impress the IB examiners.📝💡

Table of content

Purpose of tok, assessment of tok, the game plan, execution of the gameplan, planning for tok essay, structure of tok essay, introduction, conclusions, bibliography.

How to write a TOK Essay? 

To answer that, you must familiarise yourself with what a TOK Essay is about.

Before you start reading this article,  Amanda  has some excellent TOK tips for you!

Theory of Knowledge is one of the most meta subjects that IB offers. Despite its complexity, TOK helps in providing a base for holistic learning and allows students to have a multidisciplinary experience. 

To understand TOK is to understand the essence of IB, a task that most people consider unattainable.

But not for you! 

Thank your lucky stars who made you land on Nail IB. How exactly will Nail IB help you? 

Well, nailing International Baccalaureate is something we will discuss later. 

Let's focus on cracking your TOK essay, shall we?

TOK demonstrates how students  can apply their knowledge  with  greater awareness  and  credibility .

Big words, huh? 

Now that we know that we cannot just slide through the Theory of Knowledge, let's understand how we can conquer this battle all guns blazing.

ToK essay’s primary objective is to answer the  why  behind our studies. 

It makes one aware of the real-life implications of their subjects. The students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions and appreciate the diversity of different perspectives. It helps the students find their unique perception, a prerequisite for excelling in the IB TOK essays.

Before we dive into our gameplan, let’s overview the rules of the game.

There are two assessment tasks in the TOK: an essay and a presentation . While a presentation encourages students to explore a real-life situation through the lens of TOK, an essay is written on the basis of the various questions provided by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

• The presentation is to assess a student’s ability to apply TOK thinking to a real-life situation whereas IB TOK essay is more conceptual.
• The essay is externally assessed by IB and must be on any one of the prescribed TOK essay titles issued by the IB for each examination session.
• Word limit of a TOK essay is 1600 words ( excludes extended notes, footnotes, bibliography).

Now that we have unleashed the game, let’s move ahead towards the gameplan of acing both, your presentation and your essay.

One of the fundamental tasks of TOK is to examine different areas of knowledge and find out their similarities and differences.

The TOK essay requires the students to investigate two Areas of Knowledge (AOK)  and two Ways of Knowing   (WOK) . AOKs and WOKs are investigated via questions such as:

• How do we know what we know? (WOK)
• What counts as evidence for X? (AOK)
• How do we judge which is the best model of Y? (WOK)
• What does theory Z mean in the real world? (AOK + WOK)

The aforementioned are  Knowledge Questions  which help combine the Areas of Knowledge and the Ways of Knowing that they are using. This eliminates the superficial way of learning and makes an individual sensitive to the nature of the information.   Our acquisition of Knowledge can be broadly divided into Shared Knowledge and Personal Knowledge.

Shared knowledge: What WE know It is the product of more than one individual. Although individuals contribute to it, shared knowledge does not solely depend upon the contributions of a particular individual—there are possibilities for others to check and amend individual contributions and add to the body of knowledge that already exists.

Personal knowledge: What I know It is essentially dependent on the experiences of a particular individual. Also known as procedural knowledge, it is gained through experience, practice and personal involvement and is intimately bound up with the particular local circumstances of the individual such as biography, interests, values, and so on.

The best hack to ace TOK essay is to develop a habit of making connections between the construction of knowledge, its acquisition and its relevance in the real world. 

After that one needs to develop an interest in understanding the difference between diversity and cultural perspectives and personal assumptions.

One also needs to critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible and purposeful lives.

Yes, this is what you signed up for. It may sound a little intimidating but once you get the hang of it you will be able to see the matrix and understand this beautiful world a little better.

Understand that to provide the best version of your writing, it will take you more than one or two drafts. First and foremost, you need to pick your essay topic diligently. Try to choose an essay topic that best interests you. The topic should also allow you to explore the Areas of Knowledge towards which you are naturally inclined. Here are a few sample questions:

a) 'Ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments.' To what extend do you agree with this statement?

b) With reference to two areas of knowledge discuss the way in which shared knowledge can shape their personal knowledge.

c) How can we know if knowledge is produced more through 'Passive Observation' or 'Active-Experiment' within the Human and Natural-sciences under a Mathematical-Perspective?

d) "The whole point of knowledge is to produce both meaning and purpose in our personal lives". Assess the validity of this statement.

Great things take time. It took me more than a couple of weeks to finalize this TOK essay guide. It is completely okay if the first few drafts may not look pleasing or award-winning to you. You will require sharpening your perspective towards the topic each time you polish your draft. Your writing journey from a dull draft to a masterpiece will be a whole process that you will have to be patient with. Have faith in yourself and proceed stepwise.

You need to consider the opinions of others who have devoted hours of research and a lifetime of dedicated studying the topic that surrounds your writing. Unravelling the realms of your mind palace is so Sherlock but let’s not deny the fact that at times, Watson is the one whose expertise helps Sherlock through pretty difficult times. I mean even Batman needs a Robin. In support of my awesome sauce examples, the point I am trying to make is that  finding support for our claims and counterclaims through research is a good thing .

Use real-life examples to support your claims and counterclaims. These examples need to be documented researched examples like studies, experiments, articles, presentations by well-known people, etc. Examples that stem from your diploma subjects are highly encouraged, but those will need to be supported by research as well.   

It is suggested that you choose a title, stick to it, tackle it and not be afraid. Do not change your mind unless there is a good reason. Also, try choosing Areas of knowledge that you truly enjoy. You know slaying a known devil is much easier than an unknown one. Allot a TIMELINE to your essay. Start with creating an outline of your essay. This will help you to track your progress and accomplish your goals

You can use tools like  Trello  to organize your ideas and plan your TOK essay.

Areas of Knowledge (AOKs): TOK distinguishes between eight areas of knowledge. They are mathematics, the natural sciences, the human sciences, the arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems. It is suggested that students study and explore six of these eight.

Ways of knowing (WOKs): TOK identifies eight specific WOKs- language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory. It is suggested that studying four of these eight in-depth would be appropriate. WOKs underlie the methodology of the areas of knowledge and provide a basis for personal knowledge.

Moving ahead, let us discuss the structure of your TOK essay.

Your essay will consist of 4 broad segregations

Before breaking down further on the pillars, keep the following in mind

• Please note what the TOK essay title is asking you. (Read it a couple of times. We highly recommend that you brainstorm ideas with your TOK coordinator)
• Make sure you understand the command term and the question it is asking.
• What kind of knowledge is being elicited?
• When choosing your areas of knowledge (AoK) and ways of knowing (WoK) make sure that you are able to draw contrasts and comparisons, that is, you are able to find evidence that supports as well as challenges your claims.
• Identify key terms in your TOK essay title. Make sure you define them. Your essay will gravitate around them. Key terms/words in your titles are your essay anchors. Your response should be built around them.
• Your writing skills come in handy while you work on your IB TOK essay. Like any other essay make sure you have proper thesis statements and topic sentences to guide the evaluator through your work.
• Respect the TOK essay title. Rephrasing the topic is not encouraged . Your main job is to address the title.

Introduce your topic accurately and state your thesis statement for the essay carefully.  A thesis statement is like a teaser to your entire essay wherein you define your key terms and introduce your interpretation of the question. Make sure that you do not reword the prescribed title in your thesis. Instead, it needs to, as the word says, INTRODUCE your readers to what your essay is about. A strong introduction allows the reader to deduce what knowledge question(s) you are trying to answer.

So, in a nutshell

• Write interesting things about the given TOK essay title .
• Define key terms
• Narrow in on the particularly interesting aspect
• State your thesis statement . This will be your short answer to your given title if you don't know how to write a killer thesis statement check out this blog from SparkNotes .
• State your Roadmap. This will help the readers in understanding the direction of your essay.

The body can be mainly divided into 3 segments.

Body (1st Segment)

• AoK Claim:  Here you investigate your first Area of Knowledge and draw parallels between your AoK and the question. This is done by stating your claim. Claims can be general in nature and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. They help you shape your essay and investigate the question further. 
• Evidence: Example of a real-life situation, describe thoroughly and accurately, which supports your stated claim. (AoK)
• Counter-Claim: State your counter-claim: like claims, those can be general and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. Counterclaim helps you show the other side the coin and gives your essay a holistic nature. 
• Evidence: A referenced real-life situation/example. Describe thoroughly and accurately, show how this supports your counterclaim (AoK ).
• Don’t forget to weave in your WoKs:  You need to take into account the source of your knowledge. Here you can also investigate if your nature of acquiring the knowledge has, in any way, affected it. It is good practice to question if your knowledge would be different had it been acquired through a different source/method
• Mini-conclusion: Here you analyze your examples in reference to your claims and counterclaims. You must connect to your thesis statement and the prescribed title. How does your proposed argument, in this particular part of the body, connect to the prescribed title and the knowledge questions you are trying to answer?

Body (2): Follow the above process for your second AOK.

• Use this part of your essay to compare and contrast your varying AoKs. You need to connect them to your thesis and your prescribed title clearly showing how your arguments respond to the PT.

Your conclusion section will make your essay come together. It is the glue that will make your essay stick together. Herein, you need to

• Reiterate your thesis (initial response).
• Use your mini conclusions to write a final conclusion.
• Tell the reader what the significance is for knowing what we know in this particular PT.
• Discuss implications as well.
• Offer another perspective, how will the perspective of a different person affect the claims/counterclaims you make in the essay?
• Don’t forget to make the end strong.

We recommend all the ib students use the  citation machine  (It's FREE) to organize or generate a bibliography for your TOK essay. Please go through this extensive guide provided by the IB before you start working on your citations.

If you are still struggling heaps with your TOK essay feel free to subscribe to our tok notes bundles or get access to more than 500+ IBDP notes and past papers here .

Nail IB is your virtual companion that helps you hustle through your diploma and provide you with the right resources at the right time. To know more about acing IB, click  here .

I hope this article will become the foundation for figuring out how to write a TOK Essay.

Remember to have faith in yourself.

I hope you NAIL your TOK essay!

Quoting the great Napolean Hill

"Whatever the mind of a man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

IB Resources you will love!

Nan + free ib flashcards, -1 + free ia samples, nan + ib videos by experts, -1 + ib sample practice questions, ib resources for nan + subjects.

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How to Write a TOK Essay

Last Updated: December 28, 2023

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been viewed 250,974 times.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Theory of Knowledge essay is a 1200–1600 word essay on prescribed topics or titles created by the IB. As the name suggests, your Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay should focus on knowledge issues (what is knowledge? why and how do we know things?) and link to other areas of knowledge as well. About two-thirds of your final TOK grade is determined by your score on your TOK essay.

Choosing Your Essay Title

• Mathematics
• Natural sciences
• Human sciences
• Religious knowledge systems
• Indigenous knowledge systems

• “Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge.”
• “When mathematicians, historians and scientists say that they have explained something, are they using the word ‘explain’ in the same way?”

• Do you understand the keywords or concepts in the title? You may not be clear on what a title is asking you to do. Go through the title and highlight any words or concepts you are unsure about. Some titles will use keywords from TOK courses, such as “belief”, “knowledge” “truth”. You may want to check back on your class notes and consider what these words mean in the context of the title.
• Do you have a strong interest in the title? The title should play to your interests and you should feel you can write about the title with care and diligence. For example, if you are skilled or interested in the arts, you may choose a title like “Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge” and pick the arts as one area of knowledge. Keep in mind, however, you should balance your passion for the title with an objective perspective.
• Do you have something relevant to say about the title? It’s important that you relate the question to the ideas you have covered in your TOK course, as well as the topics you have studied in class, and your own personal experiences or thoughts. The essay should have an objective tone, but you will still need to inject it with personality, passion, and clarity.

• For example, in a title like: “When mathematicians, historians and scientists say that they have explained something, are they using the word ‘explain’ in the same way?”, you may rephrase it into two sentences. The title refers to three AOK: mathematics, history, and science. It is then asking you to compare and contrast the way these three AOK use explanation as a way of knowing about a topic or issue.
• By breaking down the title into short sentences, you now have a clearer picture of what the title is asking you to do and how you might go about answering the title sufficiently.

Structuring the Essay

• Understanding the knowledge issues: your essay must be focused on the knowledge issues, link and compare at least two knowledge issues, show relevancy between at least two knowledge issues, and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the knowledge issues.
• Knower’s perspective: your essay must demonstrate independent thinking, self-awareness, at least two different perspectives, and several supporting examples.
• Analysis of the knowledge issues: your essay must show insight and depth, justify your main points, present arguments and counter-arguments, and explore any assumptions and implications of your topic.
• Organization of ideas: your essay must be well structured, explain key concepts, be factually accurate, and cite references where applicable.

• You may also be asked “to what extent” or “in what way” a statement is justified. You will then need to present for and against arguments for the statement.
• If you are asked a direct question, your essay should address to what extent or in what ways you are for and against an argument or position.

• Start by doing a general, open brainstorm. Write down everything that comes to mind when you think about the title without passing judgement on any of the ideas, or stopping to read over your brainstorm.
• After five minutes of brainstorming, read over your notes. Identify ideas that relate to each other or that contradict each other. If you are evaluating or assessing a claim in the essay title, create a for column and an against column. Group your brainstorming ideas into either column. Create a third column for grey area ideas, or ambiguities, and place ideas in that column.
• Note any examples of the ideas that you wrote down. For example, you may be addressing a title like: “When mathematicians, historians and scientists say that they have explained something, are they using the word ‘explain’ in the same way?” You may create a brainstorm for each area of knowledge (mathematics, history, science) in relation to the idea of explaining something. You may then use examples of “something” that can be explained in each AOK: a mathematical equation, a historical moment in a battle or a trial, and a scientific theory.

• You should also identify the areas of knowledge you will be discussing in your essay. For example, for a title like: “Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge” you may choose two AOK: the arts and science. You may then compare and contrast the function of “reason” and “imagination” in the arts and in science.

• Paragraph 1: Introduction. You would provide an explanation and interpretation of the title and identify the key terms in the title. You would also state your thesis and explain or identify a knowledge issue related to the title.
• Paragraph 2: First Area of Knowledge. For example, the arts. Discuss how the arts answers the title and provide supporting examples. You should also note any counter-arguments against the title or any limitations of the supporting examples.
• Paragraph 3: Second Area of Knowledge. For example, mathematics. Note how mathematics answers the title and provide supporting examples. You should also note any counter-arguments against the title or any limitations of the supporting examples.
• Paragraph 4: Third Area of Knowledge (if applicable)
• Paragraph 5: Conclusion. Summarize your main ideas and restate your thesis. Conclude by answering the title fully, taking into account the counter arguments and limitations of the areas of knowledge.
• You may also decide to structure your essay based on a main argument and a main counter-argument. Your outline may contain four paragraphs total:
• Paragraph 1: Introduction and explanation of the knowledge issue.
• Paragraph 2: Main argument, with justification and one to two supporting examples.
• Paragraph 3: Main counter-argument, with justification and one to two supporting examples.
• Paragraph 4: Conclusion.

• Some students find it useful to draft their thesis statement once they have finished writing a first draft of the essay. By this point, you will likely have a better sense of the main arguments in the essay and be able to write a clear, concise thesis statement.
• For example, you may need to create a thesis statement for this title: “Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge.” You have chosen two AOK: the arts and mathematics. Consider how reason and imagination function in the arts and in mathematics, as well as the different ways they function in each AOK. Your thesis may be: “Through reason and imagination play an important role in both mathematics and the arts, the imaginative thoughts of mathematicians must be provable, while the imaginative thoughts of artists need only be reasonable.” [5] X Research source

Writing the Essay

• You may want to also refer back to your brainstorming notes to identify the supporting examples for your two areas of knowledge, or your main argument and your main counter-argument.

• For example, you may be discussing the use of reason and imagination in the arts. Rather than discuss a familiar artist, like Picasso, or a familiar example of imaginative thinking, like the Sistine Chapel, use supporting examples that feel original and insightful. Though the essay should be objective in nature, it should also feel reflective and personal. Using a supporting example that you feel passionate about, like Pollack’s kinetic movement paintings, or Rodin’s sculptures, will show you have taken the time to explore unique examples.

• Reference surprising or little known claims, but not well known facts or commonly held opinions. For example: “The sun is the center of the solar system” is a well known fact you will not need to cite. But “Rodin was a traditionally-schooled artist and had a craftsman-like approach to his work” will require a citation as it is maybe a little known fact.
• Reference any sentences or sections where you are closely following someone else’s train of thought or argument, even in your own words.
• Reference exact quotes, and use quotation marks.
• Be consistent with your citations and the way you reference certain sources.

• As you read your essay out loud, make sure there are no vague or abstract sentences or terms. You want to ensure you use your 1600 word count in a clear and concise way. Every word will count in your TOK essay.
• Confirm you have addressed knowledge issues in your essay. Your essay should answer the question “How do you know?” and assess the strengths and weaknesses of knowledge claims in at least two areas of knowledge. You should also use arguments and counter-arguments to support your thesis statement, as well as strong supporting examples.

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• ↑ http://www.dirk-solies.de/TOK/how%20to%20write%20a%20ToK%20essay%20cambridge.pdf
• ↑ http://www.toktalk.net/2009/11/20/starting-and-planning-the-tok-essay/

About This Article

To write a TOK essay that compares several areas of knowledge, start with an introductory paragraph that explains your title and states your thesis. Then, write 2-3 main body paragraphs, discussing in each a single area of knowledge and how it relates to your title. Try to provide supporting examples in each case, and address any potential counter-arguments, as well. Finally, end your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main ideas and restates your thesis. When you’re done, check to be sure that you’re within the 1,200-1,600 word limit for the essay. To learn from our English reviewer how to choose an essay title and create your thesis statement, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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A beginners guide to acing the TOK essay

A Beginners Guide to Acing the TOK Essay

Here is a complete guide to help you understand – and ace – the TOK essay.

TOK – The Theory of Knowledge Essay

The Theory of Knowledge is a theoretical knowledge based essay.

Students are required to demonstrate their ability to compare and contrast eight areas of knowledge.

The knowledge issue in the title of the essay you’ll be asked to write often relates to one or two of the eight areas.

It will likely be the examination of possible conflicts or problems between them.

This is expressed through reasoning, language, and perception.

What is the IB Diploma?

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is an internally based educational program. It is a rigorous and rewarding course that covers multiple areas of study from humanities to sciences.

Students partake in a two year curriculum that includes internal assessments, research essays, community service hours, and external examinations. This ensures that the programme is well-rounded. TOK is part of the core of IB , which also includes CAS and the Extended Essay .

Why the Paper is Important

The TOK essay is part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma. It is compulsory for all students.

It assessed four key areas, including:

Understanding

Connecting two relevant topics in a way that shows a deep understanding of these knowledge areas.

Perspective

Students show their independent thinking by exploring at least two different perspectives with supporting examples for each.

Demonstrating depth and insight by presenting arguments with justifications, as well as showing the implications of each.

A well structured essay that is factually accurate, well explained, and referenced.

Since this is such an important part of attaining your IB diploma, it is important that you begin early. Utilise all of the time you can to create a strong essay. This will not only help you pass the course well, but it can also be used as part of your portfolio.

How to Structure the TOK

If you’re new to TOK, don’t worry! These tips will help you write this knowledge-based essay .

When you’re showing your understanding of the topic in your essay, make sure that you’re covering all of the important aspects that you’re being tested on.

That is to say, you need to:

• Show your ability to identify relevant resources.
• Make sound arguments.
• Understand the topic in-depth.
• Use creative connections in your thinking and structure to link the topics.
• Show your critical thinking skills through your ability to analyze claims.

Steps to Writing the TOK Essay

1. analyze the prescribed title.

The first step is to fully understand the theory of knowledge questions being asked.

The topic will include terms that will guide you in comparing and contrasting accordingly.

2. Choose the title

Choose a title that allows you to explore your interests.

It is also important to ensure that there is enough information to work with for to unpack the topic in the essay.

3. Study the brief

There are four criteria that the IB uses to score the TOK essay. Have a look at the grading criteria to familiarise yourself with what is expected of you.

4. Begin researching

Since the TOK is reflective, you need to unpack the topic thoughtfully before writing it.

Begin by brainstorming ideas and researching the topic.

5. Create the outline of the essay

Once you have the information and are ready to write, you can outline the essay.

The structure normally consists of at least five sections and a limit of around 1200 – 1600 words in total.

6. Write the body of the essay

Once you have outlined the structure, write the essay. Be sure to compare the topics and demonstrate your research.

You’ll need to explain each argument and counter argument in full to show you’ve unpacked the topic sufficiently.

Tackle each argument in its own paragraph and be sure to link them as you make your case.

Be sure to use words that show you’re comparing and contrasting topics, like “where as,” and “compared to.”

7. Write the conclusion of the essay

The conclusion is another critical part of your TOK essay. This is what brings closure to the topic.

It should leave the reader feeling that you’ve covered the topic comprehensively.

The conclusion needs to wrap up the topic and reiterate your stance.

The conclusion should not include any new information. It should instead be a strong and convincing finale.

It will also need to tie in with the introduction, which we’ll discuss next.

8. Writing the introduction

The introduction is an important part of the essay.

This should explain what the paper is about in a way that captures the reader’s interest.

It should include a brief explanation of the essay and importantly, the reason that this essay is of value to the topic.

It is often best to write the introduction last as you’ll be more familiar and comfortable with the topic.

9. Cite your sources

It is essential that you reference your sources throughout the essay and include a reference list at the end.

10. Proofread the essay

Ensure you leave enough time to edit the essay with fresh eyes and proofread it once more before submitting it.

Writing your Research Papers at Lanterna

The TOK paper is an exciting challenge for students. By exploring topics in depth, they can showcase their ability to unpack a topic and master the life skill of critical thinking.

With the right steps and sufficient preparation, you’ll be able to ace your essay with Lanterna.

If you need more help or guidance with TOK , reach out to your instructor or connect with a tutor from Lanterna .

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Theory of knowledge

Theory of knowledge (TOK) is assessed through an exhibition and a 1,600 word essay.

It asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.

TOK is part of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, and is mandatory for all students.

Learn more about theory of knowledge . You can also find examples of TOK essay titles and read about how the IB sets deadlines for TOK .

You may also be interested in the other components of the DP core: creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay .

Learn more about TOK in a DP workshop for teachers . 

DP subject briefs

Find out about what each subject offers within the Diploma Programme (DP).

Our DP subject briefs—for both standard and higher level—contain information about core requirements, aims and assessment.

• Explore the DP subject briefs

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IB TOK Essay Rubric. Grading Criteria

As someone deeply immersed in the IB curriculum, I’ve encountered difficulty writing Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essays more times than I can count. Today, I’m here to tell you about the IB TOK essay rubric and grading criteria, offering insights I’ve gathered over the years. Trust me, understanding these elements can transform your TOK essay from good to exceptional.

What Is IB Theory of Knowledge Essay?

The International Baccalaureate TOK essay is a critical element of the IB Diploma Programme that pushes students to ponder the nature and acquisition of knowledge. This task requires students to examine and articulate their understanding of how we come to know what we claim to know, engaging them in a deep reflection on knowledge itself, its sources, and its application in various contexts.

This essay is a philosophical research that encourages critical thinking and analysis across different areas of knowledge, including ethics, science, mathematics, and the arts. At the heart of the IB TOK essay are several key components that students must know:

• The essay prompts students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and how we come to know what we claim to know. It is an exercise in critical thinking and philosophy, where students examine the bases of knowledge and how it intersects with the world around them.
• Students choose from a list of prescribed titles the IB organization releases annually. These titles prompt discussions on various topics in knowledge, ethics, science, mathematics, human sciences, and more.
• There is a maximum TOK essay word count of 1,600 words. This strict limit requires students to articulate their thoughts clearly and concisely.
• The essay is assessed using criteria that evaluate students’ ability to identify and research knowledge issues, contrast TOK key concepts , demonstrate critical thinking, and organize their ideas coherently.
• Students are encouraged to start early, select a topic that interests them, and engage in extensive research and critical thinking. Collaboration with TOK teachers for guidance and feedback throughout the writing process is also crucial.
• Through the TOK essay, students develop skills in critical thinking, analysis, synthesis of information from various disciplines, and the ability to argue coherently and persuasively.

The TOK essay and the TOK exhibition contribute up to three points towards the total score of the IB Diploma. The performance in TOK is combined with the Extended Essay (EE) to determine the number of additional points awarded.

IB Theory of Knowledge Essay Rubric

As an IB writer and mentor, I’ve seen these guidelines as a checklist and a map for writing insightful, coherent works in the IB Theory of Knowledge . My goal here is to explain these criteria.

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Addressing the Knowledge Question (0-2 points)

A central component of the TOK essay is its focus on a knowledge question directly related to the chosen title. This question must be explicitly identified early in the essay as a foundation for your analysis and arguments. The clarity with which you state this question and the extent to which it informs the development of your essay is crucial for scoring in this category.

Grasping Knowledge Issues (0-2 points)

Your essay must profoundly comprehend the knowledge issues connected to your central knowledge question. It includes recognizing the diverse methods through which knowledge is obtained and acknowledging the potential limitations and biases influencing our perception of the world. A high score in this area reflects your ability to dig into these complexities and present them thoughtfully within your essay.

Critical Analysis and Evaluation (0-2 points)

A critical dissection and assessment of the knowledge question are imperative in your TOK essay. It involves using relevant examples and evidence to bolster your arguments alongside a meticulous examination of the various approaches to knowledge, highlighting their strengths and pitfalls. Additionally, it includes appraising the comparative worth of these different approaches and showcasing your ability to engage with the question at hand critically.

Incorporating AOKs and WOKs (0-2 points)

our essay must showcase an adept understanding of the multifaceted nature in which knowledge is acquired, highlighting the roles of empirical evidence, logical deduction, and personal experiences. Equally important is demonstrating a thorough grasp of the various Ways of Knowing (WOKs) — including reason, emotion, perception, and language — and articulating how these intersect and interact with the central knowledge question. A high score in this criterion indicates a comprehensive integration and consideration of AOKs and WOKs in your analysis.

Demonstrating Personal Engagement (0-2 points)

Your TOK essay should vividly reflect your connection and engagement with the knowledge question. It should show your awareness of how the arguments presented resonate with your experiences and perceptions and their broader implications for the world you inhabit. Achieving high marks in this area means successfully conveying how researching the knowledge question has influenced your understanding and perspective, integrating personal insight with academic analysis.

Coherence and Structure (0-2 points)

A well-written TOK essay is characterized by its organization and clarity, featuring a distinct introduction, body, and conclusion. The arrangement should be logical and enhance the essay’s central argument, ensuring a seamless flow of ideas from start to finish. High scores in this domain are awarded to essays demonstrating meticulous planning and an ability to guide the reader.

Clarity in Presentation (0-2 points)

Your TOK essay should be articulated clearly, concisely, and well-structured, paying close attention to the accuracy of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It is also essential to adhere to the proper referencing and citation style throughout the document. Essays that score well in this category prioritize readability and scholarly integrity, making it easy for the reader to follow and appreciate the depth of the analysis. So, follow the IB TOK essay structure in detail.

Innovative Approach and Creativity (0-2 points)

Your TOK essay should exhibit originality and inventiveness in addressing the knowledge question and selecting examples and evidence to bolster your arguments. High-scoring essays in this category are characterized by their creative insights and the ability to think outside the box, demonstrating a proactive approach to elucidating the knowledge question.

IB TOK Essay Grading Criteria Explained

The grading criteria for the TOK essay follow a holistic approach, considering all aspects of the rubric. Essays are marked on a scale, with each level reflecting a range of performance in the criteria mentioned above. Here are some insights:

• Excellent Performance . Essays in this category exhibit a deep understanding of knowledge issues, sophisticated analysis, and clear, coherent organization. They effectively incorporate multiple perspectives and are enriched with well-integrated examples.
• Good Performance . These essays demonstrate a good understanding and analysis of knowledge issues, though they may lack the depth or coherence of the top-tier essays. The organization is solid, and examples are used effectively, though perhaps with less sophistication.
• Satisfactory Performance . Here, essays adequately understand the knowledge issues but may struggle with in-depth analysis or coherent organization. Using examples and considering different perspectives is present but not fully developed.
• Basic Performance . Essays in this range have a basic grasp of the knowledge issues but significant weaknesses in analysis, organization, and examples. They may overlook essential perspectives or implications.

From my experience, the key to excelling under these grading criteria lies in understanding what each criterion asks for and integrating these elements into a cohesive, compelling narrative. Crafting your essay with an awareness of these grading nuances can elevate your work from satisfactory to exceptional.

Passing Grade for the Theory of Knowledge Essay

The TOK essay and the TOK presentation form part of the core of the IB Diploma Programme, and students must pass both components to receive their diploma. The TOK essay and presentation are graded on a letter scale of A (excellent) to E (elementary), with D considered a passing grade. However, it’s important to remember that the final TOK grade is combined with the Extended Essay grade, which can significantly impact your overall diploma points.

You generally need to avoid receiving an E grade to pass the TOK component. The combined points for TOK and the EE can contribute up to 3 bonus points towards your diploma, depending on their combined quality. Scores are determined by a matrix that the IB updates periodically, so aiming for the highest possible grades in TOK and EE is crucial to maximizing your diploma points.

Remember, the specific criteria for passing can vary slightly with changes to the IB curriculum and assessment guides, so it’s always a good idea to consult the latest materials or speak with your TOK teacher for the most current information.

In summary, passing the TOK essay requires a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge issues, a critical and reflective approach to the essay question, and a commitment to articulate your thoughts clearly and coherently.

So, mastering the IB TOK essay rubric and grading criteria is a worthwhile path. It’s not just about securing high marks; it’s about developing a nuanced understanding of knowledge. As you prepare to tackle your TOK essay, carry with you the insights and strategies shared.

So, start early, seek feedback, and let your understanding of the rubric infuse every paragraph of your essay. With the right approach, the TOK essay expands your horizons of learning. Good luck, and remember, our experts are always by your side and can help you with the TOK essay .

Valerie Green

Valerie Green is a dedicated educator who spends her time helping high school and college students succeed. She writes articles and guides for various online education projects, providing students with the tools they need to excel in their studies. Friendly and approachable, she is committed to making a difference in the lives of students.

How Long Is IB IA? Average IA Word Count

From my experience as IB tutor, a frequent question among students is, “How Long Is IB IA?” This question is crucial as the IA represents a significant component of the IB diploma, reflecting a student’s ability to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world context.

IB Extended Essay Rubric. Grading Criteria

Understanding the IB extended essay rubric is essential for success. The rubric provides a framework that grades students on several key criteria including the sharpness of their research question, the rigor of their methodology, the breadth and depth of their knowledge, the fluidity and clarity of their argumentation, and their personal engagement with the research topic.

This article provides essential insights and strategies for understanding the assessment process and helping you write essays that meet and exceed the rigorous standards of the IB curriculum. Whether you’re striving for clarity of argument, effective integration of knowledge, or personal engagement, our tips will help you achieve a higher score.

IB Internal Assessment Rubric and Grading Criteria

The IB IA rubric is carefully structured to assess students’ understanding, skills and application of subject matter in a nuanced and comprehensive manner. Each subject rubric, whether for sciences such as Biology and Chemistry, humanities such as History and Psychology, or Mathematics, emphasizes a unique set of criteria tailored to assess specific competencies and skills.

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In the vast world of art, the possibilities for your IA topic are nearly limitless. Yet, this abundance of choice can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re drawn to traditional painting techniques, the avant-garde movements of the 20th century, or the intersection of digital media and art, your chosen topic should ignite a spark of curiosity and passion within you.

Theatre IA Topics: SL and HL Topic Ideas

Choosing the right topic for IA in the IB Theatre course is a crucial step that significantly influences your research process and overall learning experience. Whether in the Standard Level or Higher Level track, selecting your topic requires careful thought and consideration, aiming to balance personal interest with academic rigor. This guide offers a rich array of topic ideas and research questions to spark your creativity and intellectual curiosity in the vast world of theatre.

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12 ToK Key Concepts | Explained

Table of contents

• Writing Metier

The TOK essay is one of the parts of the IB diploma program that students tend to find more challenging than the rest. This is because it has an entirely different structure from other essays and is one that has to be done analytically. While many might not have noticed with time, it is true that the TOK framework has now changed and has become more concept based. This led to the emergence of 12 different TOK concepts.

For those of you who are in a rush and do not want to dive deeper into each concept, below I’m listing 12 TOK key concepts :

• Explanation
• Interpretation
• Justification
• Objectivity
• Perspective
• Responsibility

If you still have time and a will to learn more about each TOK concept, I suggest you continue reading this article. Because you will find plenty of useful information to select the concept that works best for you. No more words, let’s continue.

Examiners are now looking for ‘big ideas.’ They want to see how students can apply their knowledge well and develop different ways of handling things. They will also check the usage of real-life examples , and how you follow the criteria using different WOKS and AOKS , but this is another story.

This write-up is all about TOK concepts, what they are and how essential they are to help you work your way through things. In total, there are 12 TOK concepts. These key concepts help you write your TOK essay in a much more comprehensive way, which is, again, very important for you, allowing you to do a great job.

12 key concepts of TOK essay

As mentioned earlier, these key concepts are certainty, culture, evidence, explanation, interpretation, justification, objectivity, perspective, power, responsibility, truth, and values.

We will be exploring each of these in detail here so that you can learn more about what each of these is and how you can further work towards expanding on these.

1. Certainty

Certainty mainly refers to being sure about something. As students, you must carefully consider the variables to be entirely sure about what you say. The problem with this concept is that we cannot always operationalize variables.

For example, there are certain things that you cannot be sure about at all times, like your marital satisfaction, or your stress level, since there is no parameter to measure these. So you can only apply this concept when you have the leverage and possibility to be completely sure about something.

Culture is known to be the way of doing things in a particular society. A great way to study human behavior is to look at culture in that context and understand how society is affected in a certain way through culture. Moreover, with the rapid advancements in  technology , the dynamics of culture have been further influenced and reshaped.

There are several dimensions of culture that can be studied to understand fully well what is being said- like power distance, masculinity, or uncertainty avoidance. These help us understand things in a much better way in society. The process of learning different cultural practices, or how two places differ in their culture, is also a really great way of looking at things.

3. Evidence

This is one of the easiest concepts of the TOK essay, where students have to evaluate different research methods based on their proof. Whenever they give an example of choosing something that they want to talk about, they have to openly talk about how they reached that conclusion and what facts help them see the real picture. When they do that, it becomes much easier for them to see through the evidence and work towards proving their point.

This is one of the most widely used TOK essay concepts, owing to its nature.

4. Explanation

This is also one of the easiest essay concepts to work with. In this, students are expected to detail things in the right way by focusing on all the aspects that allow for that to happen. Using different theories, it becomes all the more possible to understand things in greater detail.

5. Interpretation

The way we interpret things differs from person to person . There are several factors that affect how we choose to interpret things, which is again based on our own understanding of different situations. One of the important things we discuss as part of interpretation is causality and correlation, since they are both a result of positive or negative feedback loops. Everyone interprets things differently, and that is largely dependent on our culture and our way of understanding things.

6. Justification

Justification is the process we choose to explain our point of view in a particular situation better. When we talk about justification in different scenarios, we can see how there are many different links between theoretical frameworks and choices.

It is up to us entirely how we choose to go about that and understand things in a much better way. So, if students have evidence about certain things and understand how things must be done, they can easily choose to go with justification.

7. Objectivity

Objectivity is a TOK concept that is mainly based on facts. Like with essays it can be also used in TOK presentations . This refers to what we actually know as opposed to what we think we know about a specific TOK topic . This is something that is based entirely on facts, which means that we have to keep our own biases out of the situation and need to understand fully well what the reality of the situation is.

If students know and understand what the reality is, then they can work on this with a lot of ease.

8. Perspective

This concept is one that allows us to look at things from our own lens and then analyze them based on our understanding of it is. When we have clarity in perspective, it allows us to understand things clearly and put out our own point of view in a much clearer way. The clarity in perspective is very important for us to be able to put our point across and also make sure that the others understand what we are saying and where our premise on that is coming from.

The one thing that stands out about analyzing things using this concept is that perspective is something that is deeply related to who we are as people and how our experiences have shaped us. It allows us to understand things in a much better way and also allows us to get our point across decently too. Depending on what we choose to go through, we need to use perspective.

This concept is one in which we look at how some laws definitely have more power over other laws, which allows us to understand them better. Then we can look at which law holds more power and why.

Depending on our knowledge of power and how we can support these issues, we can get through with what we are saying and allow ourselves to fully well explain what we mean.

10. Responsibility

This concept is linked to power very closely. It focuses on fulfilling obligations in certain areas, as is expected of us. When we do that, we can fully well analyze how certain things are done.

We, as human beings, take responsibility for things we are fully aware of. This is something that is related directly to that. We can use this concept if we feel we have it in us to defend what we think is best.

This concept is related to how truthful or reliable a law is . The truth cannot be hidden. When we look at this concept, we evaluate certain things based on how true they are and how we choose to get explanations concerning that.

For example, we can talk about how true Newton’s first law is and why we consider it to be that way.

Values are what we believe in and what we allow to govern our lives. So based on that, we can examine what matters most and how society values those. Then, based on our own values and what we are choosing to explore, we can decide what we want to proceed with.

Now you know what a key concept is

Now that you clearly understand these twelve TOK concepts, the idea is to understand each of these and then talk about which one we will choose to go with considering the prescribed title selected for your essay.

Meanwhile do not forget about the submission dates for a TOK essay and understand its structure before starting to write your paper. This will help you construct a great skeleton outline for your TOK essay. Using a good skeleton,, you can ensure that your final draft will be good.

Of course, as s student, you need to first be sure about all these criteria, and then you need to make a smart choice since this will largely determine your grade on your TOK essay . So make sure to follow all the provided guidelines in order not to fail your TOK .

Ready to write your TOK? If you need any assistance, our IB TOK experts can assist.

Free topic suggestions

Vasy kafidoff.

Vasyl Kafidoff is a co-founder and CEO at WritingMetier. He is interested in education and how modern technology makes it more accessible. He wants to bring awareness about new learning possibilities as an educational specialist. When Vasy is not working, he’s found behind a drum kit.

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Extended Essay Writers

How to Structure the TOK Essay?

Luke MacQuoid

Hello, fellow IB students! Fear not if you’re struggling with the IB Theory of Knowledge essay. I’m here to guide you through writing a stellar work. Having been in your shoes and now a seasoned IB writer, I understand how daunting this task can feel. But let’s break it down together. In this article, I’ll share insights on how to structure the TOK essay, a skill I’ve honed over years of experience.

Fundamentals of TOK Essay Structure

Let’s dig into the TOK essay structure, an essential aspect of successful IB essay writing. In my view, understanding the basic structure is like having a guide for your academic paper. So, a typical TOK essay includes three main parts.

The introduction is where you set the stage. It’s about introducing your topic and presenting your thesis statement — your central argument or standpoint. A strong introduction captures the reader’s attention and clearly outlines what you will discuss.

The body of your essay is where the discussion takes place. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your thesis. Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Point . Start with a clear point that relates to your thesis.
• Explanation . Elaborate on this point. Why is it relevant? How does it relate to the TOK concepts ?
• Example . Provide examples to support your point. It could be real-life situations, specific knowledge claims, or references to areas of knowledge.
• Analysis . Analyze your example; don’t just describe it. How does it support your argument? What implications does it have for knowledge?

In the conclusion, you’re wrapping up your essay. Restate your thesis in a new light, considering the arguments and examples you’ve presented. It’s your final chance to make an impact on your reader, so make it count by summarizing your main points and leaving them with a final thought or question to ponder.

Remember, while the structure is like a skeleton, how you articulate your arguments, provide evidence, and engage with TOK concepts breathes life into your essay. Keep your writing clear, coherent, and focused on your thesis throughout.

How to Choose the Right Title for Your TOK Essay?

Selecting the appropriate title for your TOK essay is a significant step. From my extensive experience writing and mentoring in the IB program, I can tell you that your chosen title sets the tone for your essay. It’s not just a label; it’s the guiding star of your argument.

When faced with the list of prescribed titles from the IB, take your time to reflect on each one thoroughly. Which of these titles sparks your curiosity or challenges your thinking? The right title should resonate with your interests and knowledge. Here’s why this is crucial:

• Personal Engagement . A title that genuinely interests you will inspire deeper thought and more passionate writing. Your connection to the topic will shine through in your essay, making it more compelling.
• Scope for Exploration . Consider how the title allows for the exploration of TOK concepts. A good title should offer enough breadth to discuss various perspectives and areas of knowledge yet be specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis.
• Connect with Areas of Knowledge . Consider how the titles relate to different areas of knowledge (AOKs) and ways of knowing (WOKs). Choose a title that allows you to draw on the AoKs and WOKs you are most familiar with or find most intriguing.
• Formulate Your Argument . A well-chosen title will help you formulate a clear and concise thesis statement and meet a TOK essay word count . It should offer a clear path to build your arguments upon.

The title of your TOK essay is more than just a starting point; it’s the framework upon which your entire argument is built. Take the time to choose wisely, and ensure it’s a title you can engage deeply and critically. This careful consideration at the beginning significantly affects the ease of writing and the quality of your final essay.

Writing a Captivating Introduction for Your TOK Essay

Writing an introduction for your TOK essay is like setting the stage. It’s your first impression on your reader and, more importantly, the examiner. Having guided many students through this process, I’ve learned that the introduction is not just about stating facts; it’s about engaging, intriguing, and presenting your stance. Your introduction should serve several key purposes.

Present Your Thesis Statement

It is the cornerstone of your essay. Your thesis statement should clearly state your perspective or argument to the TOK title. It must be concise yet powerful, giving the reader a clear sense of your viewpoint and how you intend to research it.

Interpret the Essay Title

Before digging into your argument, you must show you’ve thought deeply about the title. Explain the title and hint at the angles you will research. It sets the context for your argument and shows the examiner that you’re addressing the title directly.

Outline Your Approach

Give the reader a map of your essay. What aspects will you cover? How will you approach them? It doesn’t mean listing every point you’ll make but giving a general idea of the structure and flow of your argument.

Engage the Reader

The introduction is also about capturing the reader’s interest. Start with an intriguing statement, a thought-provoking question, or a compelling quote. It can be a great way to draw the reader into your discussion.

Connect to TOK Concepts

Briefly indicate how your essay will engage with key TOK concepts. It could include the areas of knowledge you will focus on or the ways of knowing that will be most significant in your analysis.

Structuring the Body of Your TOK Essay

This part of the TOK essay is where you develop your ideas, present evidence, and conduct a thorough analysis. Here’s a comprehensive guide to writing the body of your TOK essay.

Paragraph Organization

Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence related to your thesis. This sentence should introduce the paragraph’s main idea, clearly linking your argument. Each section must focus on a single main idea to maintain clarity and coherence.

Develop Ideas

After introducing the main idea, it’s time to develop it. It involves explaining your point in more detail, relating it to TOK concepts, and showing how it supports your thesis. Be sure to include your insights and understanding. Your engagement with the topic is what brings your essay to life.

Use Evidence

Each point you make should be supported by evidence. It could be real-life situations, historical examples, science, literature, or personal experiences. What’s important is that your examples are relevant and help to substantiate your argument.

Critical Analysis

Don’t just present evidence; analyze it. Discuss its implications, strengths, and weaknesses. How does it support your point? What does it say about knowledge? This analysis demonstrates your critical thinking skills and depth of understanding.

Ensure that your paragraphs are interconnected. The end of each paragraph should naturally lead to the beginning of the next. This can be achieved through transition sentences summarizing one point and hinting at the next or directly linking the concepts discussed in consecutive paragraphs.

Reflect on Counterarguments

In your body paragraphs, it’s also effective to consider counterarguments or alternative perspectives. It shows the breadth of your understanding and strengthens your argument by demonstrating that you have considered and rebutted opposing views.

How to Add Real-Life Examples to Your TOK Essay?

When selecting examples, ensure they directly illuminate the point you’re making. The beauty of TOK is its interdisciplinary nature, so draw various areas like history, science, current events, or even personal experiences. This variety demonstrates your broad understanding of knowledge across different fields.

However, it’s not just about listing examples. The art lies in how you link them to TOK concepts. Each example should be a tool to explore these concepts, shedding light on your argument. It’s essential to analyze your examples, discussing their implications and relevance to the essay question. This approach shows critical thinking and a deep engagement with the material.

Also, consider the limitations of your examples. Acknowledging potential biases or missing perspectives reflects your ability to evaluate knowledge claims from multiple angles critically. Smoothly integrating these examples into your essay improves its flow and coherence, making your arguments more compelling. Remember, effective use of real-life examples can turn a good TOK essay into a great one.

Need help with your IB TOK essay?

From research and analysis to structuring and editing, our skilled mentors will be by your side, helping you write an exceptional TOK essay that meets the word count and stringent IB criteria.

Making Conclusion for Your TOK Essay

The conclusion of your TOK essay is much more than just a summary. It’s your final opportunity to make an impact. Drawing from my extensive experience in IB writing and mentoring, I can give some key elements to include.

Synthesize Key Points

Your conclusion should summarize the main points you’ve made. It isn’t about listing each point again but about drawing connections between them to reinforce how they collectively support your thesis. Show the reader how the pieces fit together.

Address the Implications

Discuss the broader implications of your argument. What does your analysis suggest about the nature of knowledge? How does it contribute to our understanding of the TOK themes? It’s your chance to demonstrate the significance of your discussion beyond the confines of the essay.

Reflect on AOKs and WOKs

Briefly reflect on how your essay engages with different areas of knowledge and ways of knowing. How have these contributed to your understanding of the topic? This reflection shows your ability to think about knowledge holistically and interconnectedly.

Leave Thought-Provoking Idea

End your essay with a thought-provoking idea or question. It could be related to a gap in the current understanding, a future direction for research , or a philosophical question that emerged from your discussion. The goal is to leave the reader thinking deeply about the topic even after reading.

The Bottom Line

And there you have it! A guide on how to structure the TOK essay. Remember, this is your opportunity to showcase your critical thinking skills. With a clear structure and a bit of creativity, you’re well on your way to success. Best of luck, and remember that our experts are always ready to help you with TOK essay writing.

Luke MacQuoid has extensive experience teaching English as a foreign language in Japan, having worked with students of all ages for over 12 years. Currently, he is teaching at the tertiary level. Luke holds a BA from the University of Sussex and an MA in TESOL from Lancaster University, both located in England. As well to his work as an IB Examiner and Master Tutor, Luke also enjoys sharing his experiences and insights with others through writing articles for various websites, including extendedessaywriters.com blog

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TOK essay guidance

TOK Home > Free TOK notes > TOK essay guidance

You write your TOK essay on your choice of six prescribed titles, which are released at the beginning of DP2, and you have approximately 6 months to complete it.

Learn about the basic details of the TOK essay on this page. After you’ve grasped these, move onto our four-step guide to the essay: 1 Understanding the rubric , 2 Choosing a title , 3 Planning and structuring , 4 Writing and uploading .

10 TOK essay starting points

• 1 The TOK essay is an individual task
• 2 It represents two thirds of the overall mark for TOK
• 3 It is externally marked
• 4 You choose your title from a list of six prescribed titles, which change every exam session
• 5 The word count for the essay is 1600 words
• 6 You’ll meet your teacher for 3 interactions to discuss your essay
• 7 Key areas that are assessed include the clarity of arguments, level of effectiveness of examples, and the focus on the title
• 8 You’ll fill in a Planning and Progress Form (PPF), which you submit with your essay (although this is not assessed)
• 9 The context of the essay is explicitly about the five  areas of knowledge
• 10 There is a single criterion for marking, and four characteristics of an excellent essay (insightful, convincing, accomplished, and lucid)

A four-step guide to the TOK essay

Click on the buttons below to take you to the four steps of creating a great TOK essay. Don’t forget that we have plenty of videos on this and other aspects of the course, and members of the site have access to a huge amount of other resources to help you master the course and assessment tasks.

Check out our three-minute explainer video on the TOK essay here . The video goes over the basics of the TOK essay, such as how it’s assessed, the word count and other practical details, terms such as ‘perspectives’ and ‘implications’, and the role of real-world examples in justifying claims and arguments.

You’ll find more videos on this and other aspects of TOK here , and you can dive into much more depth via our free and premium webinars, here .

Watch our essay & exhibition webinars

Click on the images below to access these premium webinars on how to create the essay and exhibition. Access more webinars here , and watch our videos on the assessment tasks on this page .

FAQs about the TOK essay

How do i choose my tok essay title.

You choose your essay from six prescribed essay titles, that are released at the beginning of your second DP year. We give a few tips on how to choose a PT that will work for you here . But briefly, choose one that links to your pre-existing knowledge, and that you find personally engaging.

What will I be writing about in my TOK essay?

You’ll be answering your prescribed title, within the context of two areas of knowledge, considering how different perspectives might affect our response to the question, and what the implications of your arguments are.

Can I use ChatGPT to write my essay?

You can use ChatGPT to help you gather materials for your essay, but you should definitely not be using it to write the essay. Be very careful with ChatGPT. It bases its answers on online material, and much of this is inaccurate or out-of-date. For example, depending on what you ask it, it may tell you that you have to explore multiple areas of knowledge (rather than the two stipulated by the titles), and that you have to identify a separate knowledge question to the title (which is absolutely not the case).

How much help should I expect from my teacher?

Your teacher should run through the PTs when they are first released, and then meet you for three interactions, during which you’ll discuss your progress. They are allowed to give you one set of written feedback. But you can consult them at other times with specific questions.

Do I need to use real-world examples in my TOK essay?

Yes, real-life examples help illustrate your points and make your arguments more tangible. They can be drawn from personal experiences, historical events, scientific discoveries, etc.

Should I include my personal opinion in the TOK essay?

While the TOK essay is not about your personal opinion per se, it’s important to reflect on your perspective and how it shapes the way you understand the title. However, you should avoid using the essay as a platform for rants or unsubstantiated claims.

Is it necessary to include counter-arguments in my TOK essay?

Yes, including counter-arguments shows a deeper understanding of the complexity of the topic and demonstrates your critical thinking skills. It also enables you to consider different perspectives, and evaluate the implications of arguments.

Should I include the 12 key concepts in my essay?

Yes, as much as you can, draw on the key concepts such as justification, evidence, perspective, bias, certainty, and objectivity within your arguments linking them to the title, and to the real-world examples you draw on.

How do I ensure that my TOK essay reflects my own original thinking, and avoids plagiarism?

Clearly attribute ideas and sources that are not your own, and strive to present original insights and interpretations supported by evidence and reasoning. See our point above on using ChatGPT – never view this as more than a tool to help you gather material for your essay, rather than a tool to write it for you.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when writing a TOK essay?

Avoid oversimplifying complex issues, relying solely on personal opinion without justification, neglecting counter-arguments, veering off the question, and failing to include a consideration of different perspectives.

How long do I have to write my essay?

You’ll have 6 months from the time the prescribed titles are released, to the deadline date for uploading your essay to the IB. However, most schools will set their own deadline for completing the essay, so that everyone has plenty of time to complete your PPF, and upload it on time. Follow what your school tells you about this.

How important is the TOK essay PPF?

The PPF (‘Planning and Progress Form’) is the document that you fill in to outline your discussions during the three essay. Although this is not directly assessed, it is an important part of demonstrating that you have approached the TOK essay in an ethical way, which is now particularly important in the era of ChatGPT.

What are some effective strategies for revising and editing my TOK essay to improve clarity and coherence?

Take breaks between revisions, seek feedback from peers or teachers, and carefully proofread for grammar, punctuation, and coherence.

Should I include references or a bibliography in my TOK essay?

While not required, referencing sources appropriately adds credibility to your essay; use footnotes or endnotes for citations.

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How to Choose a TOK Knowledge Question

What is covered:, what is the tok essay and presentation.

• What Makes a Good TOK Presentation or Essay Topic

How to Choose a Knowledge Question

• How Does the TOK Presentation and Essay Affect My Admissions Chances

The International Baccalaureate Program (IB) is a chance for students to prove themselves capable of a standard above that of typical high schools. One of the tasks in which students do this is writing the theory of knowledge (TOK) essay. The TOK essay is a mandatory component of the core, which consists of 3 of the points attainable from the total of 45. Passing TOK is essential to getting the diploma and passing the curriculum as a whole.

Aside from the essay, there is a TOK presentation that accompanies the core. Both the essay and presentation can only be started after better understanding what drives them both, the knowledge question, which is the central focus of this blog!

The TOK essay is a 1600 word essay tackling the theoretical nuances of “how people gain knowledge.” It’s not only a chance for students to boast and display the intellectual skills and knowledge of TOK they’ve gained over the course of IB, but to also challenge their own views of knowledge as a bare concept. Understanding TOK as a course, including the ways of knowing (WOKs) and areas of knowledge (AOKs) , is essential to writing the essay and demonstrating higher-level thinking.

The TOK presentation is in some ways very similar to the essay, but is more discussion-based and open-ended in nature than the essay. The presentation also assesses critical thinking and inquisitive behaviors, but makes more use of real life scenarios as examples to understand applications of TOK on a more practical level. Due to a time limit and discussion section with the audience at the end, the presentation is much more fast-paced and requires more cohesive structuring to keep the audience locked in and make delivering information easy. 

Understanding what the TOK presentation and essay are makes it much easier to determine the components of a good and well-scoring set. 

What Makes a Good TOK Presentation or Essay Topic?

Questionable/debatable.

Both the presentation and the essay should be open-ended, and this makes sense because the writer/presenter would make use of a myriad of claims and counterclaims with various WOKs and AOKs, just to pick apart the essay to even greater details. Leaving space for thought and discussion is important because in TOK it’s hard to arrive at a conclusive answer to big questions, and that’s what IB wants! They want you to arrive at a conclusion and to even question that, before thinking you’ve arrived at an answer.

Relevant to Modern Situations

IB examiners tend to appreciate TOK topics relevant to modern day issues and events. Writing a TOK essay about the ethics of a certain global crisis happening at the time of writing would be an appealing essay, simply because it shows the writer took the extra effort to find a topic that would be relevant to a modern audience and world. Of course, writing about past events isn’t inherently bad, but finding a way to include the knowledge gained from history in modern and practical applications is more meaningful. 

Facilitates Multiple WOKs and AOKs

A topic that only focuses on a singular WOK or AOK doesn’t leave much room for the student to explore other mediums of learning and expressing knowledge, which inevitably produces a narrow-minded essay with a limited form of perception on whatever they’re analyzing. Making sure to have a topic that allows you to look at it from different WOKs and AOKs already means you can create more claims and counterclaims to strengthen your essay. 

Whether we’re talking about the essay or the presentation, your knowledge question (KQ) is the backbone of both. Breaking down the knowledge question into segments makes it a lot easier. We’d start with a starter segment for the KQ, and the following examples are great options:

• “To what extent…”
• “Is it possible for…”
• “In what sense is…”

Notice that none of the starters begin with a simple “why” or “how,” because that isn’t descriptive enough and will come across as lacking effort to IB.

Next, finding ways to use IB vocabulary in your title is also important. Words like “bias,” “belief,” and “claim” are all examples that have been used in previous IB papers. After this, finding ways to include and share your personal knowledge can change the overall feel of your KQ. Thinking of a memory that made you question knowledge is a great start to creating a topic, and relating that to your KQ can make it more personal and enjoyable to write. 

Finally, finding ways to incorporate AOKs and WOKs in your KQ is useful because it sets the path of your essay and presentation right away. An example KQ that does this might be like:

To what extent is intuition responsible for our understanding of the practical applications of theoretical mathematics? 

This title makes use of a WOK (faith) and an AOK (mathematics), and starts with a clear and well written starter. This is what an ideal KQ would look like, but the combinations and ideas are essentially endless, so taking time to construct one that you could personally discuss is important. 

A KQ will improve the overall writing and creating processes behind the essay and the presentation, but it’s also some of the defining parts of TOK, and where most students make or break their essays and presentations. So, make sure to take as much time as you need to plan out a KQ, because once your KQ is set in place, it’s just a matter of expanding and detailing upon this KQ with sources and evidence. 

How Does the TOK Presentation and Essay Affect My Admissions Chances?

While your TOK presentation and essay don’t have any direct impact on your college admissions chances, it teaches you how to write essays in a clear and concise manner, which could prove to be useful for applying to schools! For more information on what can affect your chances in applying for college, use CollegeVine’s college admissions calculator.  This free tool will take into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and more to determine your chances at your dream schools!

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IB TOK Essay examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant TOK Essay examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example Internal Assessments below for inspiration.

All TOK Essay Examples

Filter exemplars, to what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use discuss with reference to history and one area of knowledge., 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., want to get full marks for your tok essay allow us to review it for you 🎯, 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., are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, tok essay: 5. “how can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge”, 如果我们是在排除某些信息和声音的“信息同温层”里获取知识，这有关系吗请参考两个知识领域展开你的应答。, does it matter if our knowledge acquisition happens in "bubbles" where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge 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., 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., to what extent is the knowledge weproduce determined by the methodologieswe use, 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 natural science., êtes-vous d'accord qu'il est "étonnant que si peu de connaissance puissent nous donner autant de pouvoir" (bertrand russell) - discutez cette question en faisant référence aux sciences naturelles et à un autre domaine de la connaissance, est-il important que notre acquisition des connaissances se fasse dans des « bulles » où certaines informations et certaines voix sont exclues discutez cette question en faisant référence à deux domaines de la connaissance., 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., is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two area of knowledge, are visual representations always helpful in communicating knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., are visual representations always useful in communication of knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., for artists and natural scientists which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained, 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., is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge, is replication necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two aoks..

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How to Write a TOK Essay In One Night: A Guide for 2024

by  Antony W

January 9, 2024

This is the complete guide on how to write a ToK essay in one night.

Whether you still have time left or you’re in the last minute race, this guide shows you exactly how to complete the assignment in the shortest time possible.

Key Takeaways 

• Read the essay prompt carefully to understand what the assignment requires.
• Choose a prescribed title.
• Select two of the most appropriate areas of knowledge.
• Develop an outline relevant to the Theory of Knowledge essay.
• Write the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
• Proofread your work. 
• Submit your ToK essay for assessment.

If you already understand the fundamentals of writing a ToK essay but you’re already running late, Help for Assessment can get the paper done for you. Get our  ToK essay writing service   and benefit from the convenience of our custom writing. 

Otherwise, continue reading this guide to learn how to develop a comprehensive essay from start to finish, even if you have only 24 hours left.

How to Write a ToK Essay in One Night

The Theory of Knowledge essay is a 1,600 words assignment based on an already pre-determined title.

It requires you to compare and contrast the different ways of knowing with the different areas of knowledge.

Furthermore, your work must reflect on the nature of knowledge and clearly demonstrate why you know what you claim to know.

So here's what you need to do: 

1. Choose Your Prescribed Title

Choose a title from one of the prescribed essay titles provided by IB. 

You shouldn’t just pick a topic because it appears simple. We recommend that you read each title and make a careful consideration of your topic selection.

Look at the title you’ve select and try to understand the command terms and the underlying knowledge question .

Ask yourself the following:

• What question does the prescribed title ask?
• Does the title require me to focus on shared or personal knowledge?

2. Choose Two Areas of Knowledge

Keep in mind that Theory of Knowledge is comparative in nature.

Thus, when choosing your areas of knowledge ,  ensure you can easily draw relevant comparisons and contrasts to the WoKs you write.

Take note on whether the title requires you to handle two disciplines or AOK before you start writing.

And except for Math and History, you should be clear about the -discipline of the AOK that you choose.

3. Read the Essay’s Instructions Carefully

Note the keywords in the essay’s instructions.

The question might ask you to “assess” or “evaluate” a perspective, which implies that you should consider for or against the title.

Also, factor in any grey area or ambiguity linked to the title.

• If the title asks “in what way” or “to what extent”, it means you provide an argument for or against the statement.
• Where the title asks a direct question, you should address in what way or the extent to which you support or don’t support a position or argument.

4. Understand the Grading Criteria

IB assesses Theory of Knowledge essays based on four criteria, and each carries equal weight:

• Understanding Knowledge Issues: Your essay should show relevant between two knowledge issues, links and compares the issues, and demonstrate a unique comprehension of the issues. 
• Knowers Perspective: Demonstrate independent thinking. Have at least two different perspectives, a few supporting examples, and show self-awareness.
• Analyzing Knowledge Issues: Demonstrate insight and depth. Present counter-arguments and arguments, and justify key points, and show implications and assumptions of the selected prescribed title.
• Organizing Ideas: You should structure your essay properly. Ensure factual accuracy, explain key concepts, and, where applicable, cite sources.

5. Brainstorm Ideas for Your Prescribed Title

The Theory of Knowledge essay is inherently reflective. It requires you to demonstrate your thoughtful consideration of the title and your readiness to analyze and reflect upon it.

So brainstorm the title you’ve selected. Write all the thoughts that come to mind, and allow your ideas to flow freely.

Next, review your notes, making sure you identify interconnected ideas, as well as those that present conflicting viewpoints.

If the title presents a perspective to assess or evaluate, create two columns, one for supporting the perspective and another for opposing it, and allocate the ideas you have generated into the respective columns.

Additionally, create a third column to capture ambiguities or areas where the answer is not clear, and assign relevant ideas to this column.

Look at instances where you can use concrete examples to support the ideas you recorded. These examples will serve to enhance your arguments and add depth to your essay.

6. Create Your Theory of Knowledge Essay Outline

We’ve written quite a lot about TOK essay outline already, and we strongly recommend that you check out that guide for an in-depth teardown of the structure.

However, for the sake of this guide, here’s the summary of the format that you should follow:

First, understand that the purpose of the outline is to guide your essay, so you can easily organize your points to achieve a logical flow of information.

If you can follow this specific outline to a tee, you’ll end up with a more comprehensive essay based purely on the selected prescribed title.

Here’s the outline to use:

Write the Introduction

The introduction of your Theory of Knowledge essay sets the stage for the paper. It should be between 100 and 150 words long.

Paragraph 1

Your introduction goes here, usually in 100 to 150 words. Your description should show at most two things about the prescribed title and a few words to show that you understand the knowledge question.

Give a clear definition of one or two key terms from the prescribed title. The definitions are usually important, especially because they can give you some clues for perspectives and evidence. 

Complete the paragraph by giving your readers a clear roadmap for the essay.  By doing this, you make it easy for the reader to know exactly what to look for in your work.

Develop Your First Area of Knowledge

The second and third paragraph will cover your first area of knowledge. This area should be no more than 600 words.

Paragraph 2

• State the Claim: Write the topic sentence. Remember, a perspective is the argument about the prescribed title you selected in the first step.
• Give an Example: Give an example of the perspective, which can be anything based on your experience, as long as it’s real and specific.
• Explain: Give a clear explanation on how your example supports the perspective. For the sake of grabbing the reader’s attention, state something interesting about your example and explain what it state about the title.

Paragraph 3

• State Counterclaim: Here is where you argue against the perspective that you make in the second paragraph.
• Give an Example: Here is where you give a concrete support for the perspective that you just made.
• Explain the Example: Give a clear explanation about how the example you provided supports your perspective. Remember to write what you believe is interesting about the example. Also, mention what the example says about the selected prescribed title.
• Summary: Sum this section by linking to the prescribe title and ensuring you’ve highlighted the insight that you have had about this area of knowledge.

Develop Your Second Area of Knowledge

This is the section where you develop your second area of knowledge. Again, this part should be no more than 600 words.

Paragraph 4

• State your perspectivefor the second AOK.
• Give a solid example.
• Explain your example, making sure you show exactly how it supports the perspective.

Paragraph 5

• State the perspective for the second AOK.
• Give an example that’s good enough to support the perspective.
• Explain how the example you’ve provided supports the perspective you’ve given.

Write the Conclusion

The conclusion is the final paragraph of the ToK essay. In terms of length, it should be between 200 and 250 words long.

Paragraph 6

• Conclusion: Here, write what insights you’ve gathered, making sure it relates to the prescribed title question. Also, ensure you synthesize the main insights that you’ve gathered about the two areas of knowledge.
• Implication and Significance: Explain the impact and importance of your essay in relation to the prescribed title. Go the extra mile to give clarity on why it’s important to understand these insights.
• Perspectives and Extensions: Is there a different way that you would have approached the question? Would the approach have given a different outcome or insight than that already reflected on your essay?

Note that the Theory of Knowledge essay has changed a bit. So as to the number of paragraphs in a TOK essay , the maximum you should have now is 6, not 9.

The TOK is often assessed through a 1200-1600-word essay and an oral presentation.

The essay asks you to reflect on the nature of knowledge, as well as how you know what you claim to know. It is usually a part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma and is compulsory for all students.

Every TOK essay is different. To pass your essay, you will need to prepare thoroughly.

Treat it as you would any type of research and take some time to create an outline and write your thesis statement. After writing, make sure you cite your work properly and proofread it.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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In short, I can’t recommend this article enough. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in topic above. Good work to the writer, you have truly outsmart yourself! Keep the good content coming.

Dear Sir, I would like you to check my TOK essay. Kindly let me know where can i improve my essay.

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All You Need To Know About IB’s Theory Of Knowledge (TOK)

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is often a source of great confusion for everyone involved, up to and including some teachers. New terminology and acronyms everywhere, and questions that seem incomprehensible. Many students have difficulty wrapping their heads around what the purpose of the subject is, or what they are supposed to be doing, or how any of the content that gets covered in class ties together.

There are already several resources available that explain the specific content and buzzwords that get covered in TOK, so instead, here is an attempt to give a bigger picture and help clarify the one thing that seems to confuse students even after two years’ worth of TOK.

What On Earth Are We Doing?

Many books and guides will hasten to say that TOK is not the same as epistemology (i.e., the philosophy of knowledge). They are correct. However, TOK does share similar roots with epistemology, and it is worth going a little into them, as I find that it helps students to gain a better perspective of what it is that we’re trying to do with this subject.

The core question of epistemology and TOK is this: What is knowledge?

This may seem like a silly question, but really think about it for a bit. What are the characteristics of knowledge? How do we define it? We instinctively feel that there is a difference between saying “I know” versus “I strongly believe”, but what is that difference?

Some might say that it is the degree of certainty with which we hold the belief; that with knowledge, we’re 100% sure about it. That isn’t enough though; after all, there still exist people who are certain that the earth is flat, and most of us would hesitate to say that they know the earth is flat. So perhaps a proposition has to be a true strong belief in order to qualify as knowledge.

But that still isn’t enough. What if I had an extremely strong belief that I had won the lottery despite there having been no official news yet to that effect. I read the paper the next day for the winning lottery numbers, and it turns out, I had won the lottery. At the initial moment of my belief, did I know that I had won the lottery? After all, I had had a belief that I had been certain about, which had also been true.

This leads us to a third criteria: justification . Perhaps a belief must be backed by evidence before it gets to count as knowledge.

And so we arrive at one of the most well-known attempts at defining knowledge, courtesy of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who argued that knowledge is Justified True Belief.

Of course, things are never that easy. Amongst other problems (look up Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? by Edmund Gettier; it’s a mere three pages long, and a very easy read), this definition doesn’t seem to work for all fields of knowledge.

We don’t really seem to need all beliefs to be true or backed up by evidence in, say, the arts, or religion. Most people would agree that we do need these qualities in order for a claim to count as knowledge in the natural sciences. And this is where all the different Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) come in.

We study how knowledge is constructed in the arts, in history, in the natural sciences, and so on, because the way each AOK defines, produces, justifies, and structures its body of knowledge is different.

Similarly, what counts as justification also seems to vary a great deal from AOK to AOK, and this is where the Ways of Knowing (WOKs) come in. Pure intuition of the sort mentioned in my earlier lottery example would not be considered valid justification in the natural sciences, but one could argue that intuition and emotion are valid forms of justification in ethics.

I would wager that if we all took a closer look at our moral beliefs, most would find that the bulk of our moral beliefs rest simply on “well, this is obviously right.” As the viral quote from YA author Lauren Morril goes, “I don’t know how to explain to you that you should care about other people.” Honestly, most people don’t know how to explain it either.

So… What Are We Doing?

The point that students should take from all of this is that the jargon about Big Questions , Areas of Knowledge, Knowledge Frameworks, Ways of Knowing–all of it comes back to an attempt to take a critical look at this one term that we throw around all the time–knowledge–and try to answer that age-old question of what we even mean when we use said term.

We are trying to question concepts and assumptions that we take for granted in everyday Real Life Situations. We are trying to take a step back and examine our knowledge frameworks from a more “meta” level.

This is where students tend to struggle the most: they keep looking at questions in an AOK that are answerable by the AOK itself, such as “Is theory X scientifically valid”. This is not the kind of question that TOK is concerned with. That question could be answered by any scientist.

Instead, students should take one more step back and ask questions like “what are the benchmarks for scientific validity and why are these qualities so important for knowledge?” and “is the quality of falsifiability always necessary for knowledge to be reliable, especially in AOKs like ethics? If not, why are the natural sciences so special?”

In short, we need to be examining the very idea and structure of knowledge itself. Which leads us to…

What Are The Assessment Criteria?

TOK has no examinations. Instead, students’ grades rest entirely on two assignments:

1. The TOK Exhibition

Starting from 2022, this task will replace the oral presentation. Like the presentation before it, it is an internal assessment that is marked by the teacher (although a selection of files will be sent to the IB for moderation), and accounts for ⅓ (roughly 33%) of the total grade .

The Exhibition is meant to provide students with an opportunity to explore how TOK manifests in the world around us. Students create an exhibition and accompanying written commentary of three objects–or images of objects–that connect in some way to one of the 35 “IA prompts” provided in the Theory of Knowledge guide. Unlike the presentation task, the exhibition is an individual task , and cannot be undertaken in a group.

Some examples of IA prompts include:

• What counts as knowledge?
• Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?
• What features of knowledge have an impact on its reliability?
• On what grounds might we doubt a claim?
• What counts as good evidence for a claim?

2. The TOK Essay

There will be a set of Prescribed Titles issued by the IB for each examination session. Students are required to produce an essay of a maximum of 1600 words in response to one of those titles. This is an external assessment , and all essays will be sent to the IB examiners for marking. The essay accounts for ⅔ (roughly 67%) of the final grade .

Examples of past titles include:

• “Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not” (Pablo Picasso). Explore this distinction with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Does it matter that your personal circumstances influence how seriously your knowledge is taken?
• “Accepting knowledge claims always involves an element of trust.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• “Labels are a necessity in the organization of knowledge, but they also constrain our understanding.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Shared knowledge often changes over time. Does this fact undermine our confidence in current shared knowledge?

It’s worth pointing out that, due to the nature of the assessment criteria, there is no set content or curriculum to learn or memorize .

Instead, students should focus on the major themes and questions being explored, and constantly try to take an active, critical look at the other subjects they are studying, as well as the other things they may read about in the news, or encounter in their own daily lives, and try to apply these questions and themes to these real life encounters. This way, when it comes time to do the exhibition and essay, they will have no problems coming up with Real Life Situations to use.

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Unpacking the 2024 November TOK Titles: A Comprehensive IB Solved Guide

The November 2024 IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Essay Titles are out!

Let's be honest – tackling the TOK essay can be a daunting task. With so many ideas, concepts and topics at our disposal and a myriad of ideas swirling around, it's easy to feel overwhelmed at the outset.

That's where we come in.

In this article, we'll delve into each title and offer some strategic advice on how to approach them.

General Tips to Unpacking a Title

When we first encounter a prompt, we want to think in terms of perspectives and counter-perspectives (formerly known as claims and counterclaims). This framework allows for a structured essay, exploring the title through the lens of two chosen Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) and weaving in different arguments. While the ultimate conclusion you draw may often reside somewhere between these extremes or on a conditional basis (e.g. perspective 1 is correct in certain circumstances, while perspective 2 is a better approach in other), starting with opposing arguments can facilitate the development of a more nuanced exploration and argument.

So let's get to it – here is everything you need to know about the November 2024 TOK Essay titles:

Title 1:  Does our responsibility to acquire knowledge vary according to the area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: History (Mandatory) and Natural Sciences/The Arts/Human Sciences

This title prompts an assessment of whether we have different levels of responsibility to acquire knowledge across different AOKs. While you are open to argue against the title directly, suggesting that the responsibility is the same across AOKs, this would be unwise. It would be better to reflect on each AOK and perhaps present one perspective in support of the responsibility and one perspective against it, drawing a conclusion on which argument is stronger in each AOK.

Also consider the difference between the acquisition and production of knowledge – perhaps we have a broader responsibility to produce new knowledge in some areas of knowledge but not necessarily to acquire it as individual knowers.

Some perspectives you may consider:

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire knowledge to ensure that we construct an accurate record of the past. It is our responsibility to know our History and learn from the past.

Counter-Perspective: Historical knowledge is limited by subjectivity and collective memory, hence it is not essential to acquire knowledge of our past to build a successful future.

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire artistic knowledge to understand cultures and societies.

Counter-Perspective: The acquisition of knowledge in the Arts is for aesthetic purposes and enjoyment, not the fulfilment of a responsibility.

Natural Sciences/Human Sciences

Perspective: We have a responsibility to acquire new scientific knowledge for the continual development of mankind.

Counter-Perspective: Understanding how the world/humans work is not necessary knowledge for knowers to acquire.

Title 2:  In the production of knowledge, is ingenuity always needed but never enough? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Mathematics (Mandatory) and Natural Sciences/The Arts/Human Sciences

This is a super interesting title – ensure you define 'ingenuity' from the outset. The essay almost structures itself – your first paragraph in each AOK can consider how/whether ingenuity is 'always needed', exploring how this plays out in each AOK, while the second paragraph can explore whether or not it is 'never enough'.

Some ideas you may consider:

Paradigm Shifts – To revolutionise an AOK, often ingenuity is needed to enact a paradigm shift (a new way of thinking which changes the entire knowledge structure of an AOK) and to ensure progress.

Creativity – Creative thinking is important not only for AOKs such as the Arts, but even in Mathematics and the Sciences. Discovering innovative ways of devising experiments or utilising clever analogies to explain incredibly complex concepts is integral to these AOKs.

Structure – Ingenuity is only valuable within a framework for knowledge production, whether this be an artistic process or the scientific method.

Title 3:  How might it benefit an area of knowledge to sever ties with its past? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: History, Natural Sciences, The Arts and Human Sciences

The 'How' of this title restricts the scope to discussing different 'benefits' rather than a standard 'perspective-counter' analysis. It will also be important to define exactly what 'severing ties' involves – does this mean completely ignoring all past knowledge or simply becoming less attached to existing ways of thinking?

Some ideas for this title:

Fresh Ideas and Paradigm Shifts – By severing ties, you open up the possibility of acquiring knowledge which can overhaul an entire AOK, drastically accelerating progress.

Bias – By severing past ties, knowers can free themselves of the biases of their predecessors.

Innovation – Since existing frameworks of thinking often lead to similar conclusions, you can expand the possibilities of new knowledge by severing past ties.

However, you may interestingly conclude that these benefits are only reaped when ties to the past are severed to an extent, as it may be detrimental to an AOK to entirely negate past knowledge.

Title 4:  To what extent do you agree that there is no significant difference between hypothesis and speculation? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Human Sciences and History/Natural Sciences

This prompt is very focused on your definitions. I would suggest defining these terms distinctly and precisely from the outset. The primary question which this title is asking is whether hypotheses are mere "speculation" or "guesses", or if there is a significant difference.

Also, if selecting the Human and Natural Sciences, please ensure that your perspectives aren't repetitious and highlight the differences between these AOKs.

Development – Speculation and hypothesis differ in the fact that the development of a hypothesis generally requires significant prior research and an understanding of existing knowledge

Experimentation – Hypotheses are developed purposefully and then empirical experimentation are conducted to provide evidence either in support or against them

Emotion – Speculation tends to come from 'feelings' or 'impressions', whereas the development of a hypothesis is far more methodical

Title 5:  In the production of knowledge, are we too quick to dismiss anomalies? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Recommended AOKs: Human Sciences/History/Natural Sciences

This title allows you to reflect on whether or not we dismiss 'anomalies' (a key term to be defined) too quickly when producing knowledge.

Paradigm Shift – Anomalies are often the prompt for a paradigm shift in the sciences, causing us to challenge existing beliefs and ideas

Exceptions – Often rather than investigating anomalies further and considering an overhaul of existing knowledge, anomalies are dismissed as 'exceptions' to the rule, rather than a justification to question the rule itself

Generalisation – There is often a focus on generating 'general' rules and theories which can lead anomalies to be dismissed (think of the Human Sciences – how often do we produce a rule about human behaviour but ignore those who behave contrary to the rule)

Title 6:  In the pursuit of knowledge, what is gained by the artist adopting the lens of the scientist and the scientist adopting the lens of the artist? Discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences.

Recommended AOKs: The Arts and the Natural Sciences

This title requires you to define the 'lens' of each of these AOKs from the outset. It will be better to define them quite opposingly – the scientist is more methodical, experimental and structured, whilst the artist is more free-flowing and creative. You will then be able to take these attributes and argue which elements would be better across the two disciplines.

Creativity – Scientists can benefit from the creativity of artists when developing innovative ways of experimenting, presenting results and constructing abstract theories

Structure – Artists can often benefit from a methodical approach to constructing art, particularly when aiming to convey a specific message or purpose through their art

Flexibility – Artists are often quite flexible when constructing an artwork, always willing to change and adapt to their free-flowing thoughts, an attribute which is highly beneficial for scientists who at times may become rigid in their thinking and fixed to pre-existing scientific beliefs.

And that's it - our comprehensive guide to the 2024 November TOK Titles! If you're still racking your brain as to how to begin the writing process for your TOK essay, why not check out our post on The Complete IB TOK Essay Guide . Or check out one of our Grade A Exemplar TOK Essays ! Or better yet, if you are looking for some more personal assistance with your IB TOK Essay, click below to reach out to us and we can work with you through the entire writing process, from title selection to the best structure for success!

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The Morning

How tiktok changed us.

The app’s videos have become a fixture in the lives of tens of millions of Americans.

By Sapna Maheshwari

She covers media and technology.

In the coming days, Congress may advance a bill to ban TikTok or force its sale to an American company. Politicians in both parties call the app a threat to national security. But its reach is felt most acutely in our culture. Since it first arrived in the United States in 2018 (after merging with another app), its 15-second gulps of entertainment have become a fixture in the lives of tens of millions of Americans — including those who’ve never opened the app.

The engine that powers this juggernaut is TikTok’s recommendation algorithm, which figures out what users like and populates a customized feed of addictive videos. It’s called the For You Page, or FYP. It was not built to connect people with friends, the way Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were. It was built to entertain.

As the app fights the most serious threat yet to its autonomy, my colleagues and I explored the ways that its innovation has reshaped American lives . In today’s newsletter, I’ll spotlight a few of them.

Hollywood. The film industry at first ignored and feared TikTok. But it eventually embraced the platform as a marketing tool for a new generation of moviegoers. The Sony romantic comedy “Anyone But You” drew a weak $8 million in ticket sales over Christmas weekend, my colleague Brooks Barnes, who covers Hollywood companies, writes. But “the movie turned into a full-fledged hit ($219 million) after TikTok users (at the urging of Sony) began making videos of themselves re-enacting the credit sequence.” The app is virtually a “ticket-selling machine,” he writes.

Schools. A few schools have removed bathroom mirrors because so many students were leaving class to film TikTok videos there. These clips constitute “a TikTok genre, dating back at least five years, in which students use school bathrooms as film sets for dance routines , lip-syncing clips or critiques of unclean lavatories,” my colleague Natasha Singer, who covers tech use in schools, writes. School bathrooms have also become “arenas to stage, film and post videos of bullying, physical assaults on schoolmates and acts of vandalism.”

News. For 14 percent of American adults, TikTok is a regular news source, up from 3 percent in 2020. People who don’t have traditional backgrounds in journalism, akin to bloggers for the TikTok era, aggregate and share information in snappy videos. Traditional news outlets are scrambling to catch up — and fretting about accuracy and context. Organizations including The New York Times are also making short-form videos in which reporters talk to the camera about their stories, the TikTok way.

Cooking. Recipes got a makeover on TikTok, as creators depart from static images and step-by-step instructions. My colleague Becky Hughes, NYT Cooking’s social media editor, writes that traditional recipes have given way to looser concepts. That has helped create trends like eggs fried in a puddle of pesto , sandwich fillings chopped into a homogenous mixture and mini pancakes served like cereal , she says. “The most shareable recipes are the ones that you can watch once, then turn around and make — no measurements, bake times or reading needed,” she writes. “Just dump, stir, like, follow, repeat.”

Our story also chronicles how TikTok has prompted self-diagnoses of ADHD and replaced window shopping at the mall. My colleagues looked at the app’s knack for spreading conspiracy theories, its fight with Taylor Swift’s record label and the secrecy around its algorithm. We hope you’ll spend some time on these articles, even if it’s only to check how many TikTok “microtrends,” such as glazed-donut skin and sleepy-girl mocktails, you’ve heard of.

More on TikTok

What happens to a niche product when TikTok makes it viral? It lands at Walmart .

Political debate is rife on the app. But few politicians have a substantial presence there.

TikTok has turned to nuns, veterans and ranchers to argue that it’s a force for good.

THE LATEST NEWS

Iran and israel.

Israel struck Iran early today , Israeli and Iranian officials said. It appears to be the Israeli military’s first retaliation for the Iranian attack on Israel this past week.

Iranian and Israeli television played down the strike, as did some officials. A newsreader in Iran described the attack as “not a big deal.” Israeli officials said the limited response was intended to avoid escalation .

Iranian officials said that small drones had hit a military base near the city of Isfahan, in central Iran. A separate group of drones was shot down about 500 miles further north, the officials said. The Israeli military has declined to comment.

Isfahan, a tourist hub, is also a center of missile production and the site of four small nuclear facilities.

Read what we know about the attack .

Israel-Hamas War

Hamas rejected Israel’s latest offer to pause the fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages, the C.I.A. director said.

The U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have supported admitting Palestine as a full member state.

Reaction to the War

The police arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University for violating rules about when and where protests can take place.

A disrupted honors ceremony, a shattered window, an injured security guard: Leaders of universities, worried about a breakdown in civility, are more tightly enforcing campus rules about demonstrations.

More International News

Heavy rains fell in Afghanistan and Pakistan , killing more than 130 people. The authorities have forecast more flooding and rainfall.

Voting in India’s election begins today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is expected to win a third term, has remained popular even as he has become more autocratic .

Millions of girls in Africa will not receive promised doses of the HPV vaccine because of manufacturing issues at the drugmaker Merck.

Trump on Trial

All 12 jurors have been seated for Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan. The judge, Juan Merchan, said he hoped opening arguments would begin on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Merchan excused two jurors who had previously been chosen, including one who worried about her identity becoming public.

More on Politics

A committee vote advanced a foreign aid bill for Ukraine and Israel . The move underscored Speaker Mike Johnson’s reliance on Democrats.

A federal judge rejected Trump’s attempt to delay a group of civil lawsuits over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that were brought by police officers and members of Congress.

The U.S. sent dozens of migrants back to Haiti as deportation flights restarted.

The Biden administration blocked plans in Alaska to build an industrial road through a national park to reach a large copper deposit.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign qualified for the ballot in Michigan , a swing state. Democrats fear he’ll siphon votes from President Biden.

Jimmy Kimmel weighed in on Johnson’s troubles with his conference .

Other Big Stories

Apple removed the Meta-owned apps WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China on Beijing’s orders.

Emergency room visits related to heat illness increased in the U.S. in 2023 , the warmest year on Earth in a century and a half.

Hilary Cass, the pediatrician who led a review of gender transition treatments in England, had the courage to follow the evidence , David Brooks writes.

How would Americans react to the O.J. verdict today? The answer highlights our racial progress since the 1990s, John McWhorter writes.

Here are columns by Michelle Goldberg and Pamela Paul on Columbia’s response to protests and Frank Bruni on the Trumps’ marriage .

MORNING READS

Like it’s 1989: In the 1980s and ’90s, Dafydd Jones’s pictures captured the parties of Manhattan’s rich and powerful .

Social Q’s: “Should I be loyal to my father or to my dying uncle? ”

In Manhattan: A Nigerian chess master is trying to break the record for the longest chess marathon . And he’s playing the games in Times Square.

Processing: After a hard loss, an e-bike helped a writer embrace life again .

Rebrand: Manischewitz, a staple in American Jewish households, is using a fresh look and new recipes to court a new generation.

Lives Lived: The guitarist and singer Dickey Betts was a guiding force in the Allman Brothers Band for decades, helping to define Southern rock. He died at 80 .

N.H.L.: The board of governors approved the Arizona Coyotes’ move to Salt Lake City .

College football: Colorado coach Deion Sanders scoffed at the number of Buffaloes players entering the transfer portal , asking, “What are we losing?”

ARTS AND IDEAS

Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” is out today, and fans who want to own a physical copy have no shortage of options. On Swift’s website, you can buy vinyl, CD, and even cassette versions. She offered autographed LPs, though those quickly sold out. One retailer is selling four separate CDs, each with a different bonus track.

As streaming cuts into the sales of records, many artists are trying to lift revenues by marketing albums as collectibles . “The music industry is trying to figure out how to maximize superfans and give them more of what they want,” Dan Runcie, an industry analyst, said.

More on Swift

“She sounds confused, bitter, raging, vulnerable, yet more gloriously chaotic than we’ve ever heard her before”: Read Rolling Stone’s review of the album .

Swift’s album arrived amid a promotional blitz . Sirius XM added a Swift radio station, Apple Music used her lyrics in a word game, and Spotify erected a Swift-branded “library installation” in L.A.

Swift’s album has come out nearly a month after Beyoncé’s new release. Rather than competing over the charts, the two superstars are giving each other some space .

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Top matzo, bread or bagels with Joan Nathan’s homemade whitefish salad .

Listen to new songs from Olivia Rodrigo and others .

Upgrade your backyard .

Relax and let a robot vacuum do the work.

Take our news quiz .

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was inkblot .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku , Connections and Strands .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow.

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox . Reach our team at [email protected] .

Sapna Maheshwari reports on TikTok, technology and emerging media companies. She has been a business reporter for more than a decade. Contact her at [email protected] . More about Sapna Maheshwari

Is the US banning TikTok? What a TikTok ban would mean for you.

Even if president joe biden signs the bill into law, it will face a slew of legal challenges from tiktok and its supporters..

Time may be running out for TikTok .

In March, the House voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would force Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations. The bill then moved to the Senate , where its future was uncertain.

This week House Speaker Mike Johnson tied the measure to a foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel, putting it on a fast track to becoming law and increasing the possibility of a ban in the United States. 

The House on Saturday approved the emergency spending package . The measure passed on a bipartisan 360-to-58 vote.

The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week and President Joe Biden has promised to sign it.

One possible hitch: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who opposes the TikTok bill on First Amendment grounds and the foreign aid package it is attached to, says he wants to drag out the vote. 

But, he conceded in an essay published Friday: "The censors who abound in Congress will likely vote to ban TikTok or force a change in ownership. It will likely soon be law."

What would the TikTok bill do?

The bill would would be a major blow to the popular app which is used by as many as 170 million Americans. It would force ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations within months of the legislation becoming law or face a nationwide ban .

"It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually," TikTok said Saturday in an emailed statement.

What happens if Biden signs the TikTok bill?

Even if Biden signs the bill into law, it will face a slew of legal challenges from TikTok and its supporters . 

TikTok says it will exhaust all legal avenues before it considers divestiture from ByteDance. The popular app has successfully fought back similar measures in the courts.

When would ByteDance be forced to sell TikTok?

The bill itself gives ByteDance nearly a year to divest TikTok – nine months, with a possible three-month extension – far longer than the six-month deadline the original House measure proposed. 

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell of Washington State said the extended deadline could help the bill survive legal challenges.

The Chinese Embassy is meeting with congressional staffers to lobby against the legislation, two Capitol Hill staffers told Politico.

Apple removed several apps including Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China at Beijing’s request in apparent retaliation for the legislation.

Why does Congress want to ban TikTok?

The popular app has faced scrutiny over its Chinese control which lawmakers say poses a national security threat.

TikTok says it has never been asked to provide U.S. user data to the Chinese government and wouldn’t anyway.

TikTok has also come under fire for the way its algorithm recommends videos to users, including videos on sensitive subjects and videos about the Israel-Hamas war

Where does Biden stand on a TikTok ban?

Biden supports a forced sale of TikTok but "has not called for a ban" on the app, his top science advisor said at Semafor's World Economy Summit.

"The big issue for TikTok from a national security perspective is about the vast amount of information that the platform is able to collect about people and specifically the fact that because of its ownership there’s there’s a direct line to the People’s Republic of China, which in in the geopolitics of today is a deeply concerning issue," Arati Prabhakar, the White House Director of Science and Technology Policy, said.

Who opposes the TikTok bill? Free speech advocates and tech groups

Free speech advocates have spoken out against the possibility of a TikTok ban. They say banning TikTok is the wrong way to address concerns about the practices of social media companies.

"Longstanding Supreme Court precedent protects Americans' First Amendment right to access information, ideas, and media from abroad. By banning TikTok, the bill would infringe on this right, and with no real pay-off,"Nadine Farid Johnson, policy director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said in a statement. “China and other foreign adversaries could still purchase Americans’ sensitive data from data brokers on the open market. And they could still engage in disinformation campaigns using American-owned platforms.”

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a science and technology policy think tank, also opposes the TikTok bill.

"The TikTok ban is bad policy, plain and simple," ITIF Vice President Daniel Castro said in a statement. And, he said, "it will not stop China’s techno-nationalist agenda."

Would TikTok parent company ByteDance sell TikTok? 

TikTok has said it considers any law that would force a sale as the equivalent of a ban because of the hurdles facing any deal. 

Divestiture also would require Beijing’s approval. Last year, the Chinese government said it opposed a forced sale.

Who would buy TikTok?

"While the price tag will be eye-popping, TikTok's strategic value and consumer platform will have a number of financial and tech strategic players interested," said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives.

Investor groups and major tech giants including Microsoft, Apple and Oracle will consider bids, according to Ives. He also expects joint bids from a handful of Big Tech companies.

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and "Shark Tank" star Kevin O’Leary have also expressed interest in buying TikTok.

An initial public offering or a spin-off are two other potential outcomes, Ives said.

What about the TikTok algorithm?

Another key challenge is TikTok’s algorithm that recommends videos to users. The bill prohibits ByteDance from controlling the algorithm. China has cracked down on Chinese tech companies exporting those technologies.

Ives said China and ByteDance "will never allow the source code to be sold to a U.S. tech company in our view."

In addition, "detaching the algorithm from ByteDance would be a very complex process with much scrutiny from U.S. regulators," he said.

How would a TikTok ban work?

If signed into law, the bill would prevent app stores like Apple and Google from distributing or updating TikTok and web hosting companies from distributing it.

Banning the app won’t necessarily stop TikTok fans from using it. In 2020 when India banned TikTok after an incident at the Chinese border, TikTok users found workarounds to circumvent the ban.

Those strategies include using a VPN or changing your location on your phone to fool the app stores. Another option is "side-loading" − downloading and installing a bootleg version of the TikTok app from the internet − but it carries the risk of downloading malware.

Who would benefit from a TikTok ban?

YouTube, Facebook and Instagram would benefit most from a TikTok ban. Snapchat and Pinterest could also draw users and advertising dollars from TikTok, analysts say.

YouTube continues to be the No. 1 app with teens . Nine in 10 teens use the app followed by TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%) and Instagram (59%), according to Pew Research Center. Teens are less likely to use Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) than they were a decade ago.

X owner Elon Musk conducted a poll on the social media platform, hinting he might bring back mobile video app Vine .  Musk said Friday he opposed banning TikTok.

"In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform," he wrote on X. "Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression. It is not what America stands for."

What do Americans think about a TikTok ban?

The American public remains divided. 

Nearly half of the respondents in a CNBC All-America Economic Survey poll taken in March say TikTok should be banned or sold to a non-Chinese company.

Forty percent of Democrats and 60% of Republicans support a ban or a sale of the popular app, the survey found.

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By more than two-to-one, Americans support U.S. government banning TikTok

More than twice as many Americans support the U.S. government banning TikTok as oppose it (50% vs. 22%), though a sizable share (28%) are not sure, according to a new Pew Research Center survey that comes amid intensifying scrutiny of the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.

In recent weeks, the Biden administration has called on TikTok’s parent company , ByteDance, to either sell the app or face a possible ban in the United States because of concerns about data privacy and national security. The White House has also signaled its support for draft legislation in the House of Representatives that would allow the federal government to regulate or ban technology produced by some foreign countries, such as TikTok. The federal government and multiple states have also already banned TikTok on government devices .

Support for a government ban on TikTok is higher among Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party than among Democrats and Democratic leaners (60% vs. 43%). It’s particularly high among conservative Republicans (70%) and less so among moderate or liberal Republicans (46%). Among Democrats, conservatives and moderates are more supportive of a ban than liberals (49% vs. 36%).

Older Americans are much more supportive of banning the platform than younger ones: 71% of those ages 65 and older support it, compared with 54% of those ages 50 to 64 and fewer than half of adults under 50. Those under 30 stand out for being the only age group in which more people oppose banning the platform than support it (46% vs. 29%).

Pew Research Center has measured American attitudes toward China for more than two decades. We undertook this analysis as part of a larger study of Americans’ foreign policy attitudes.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20-26, 2023. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way, nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For this research, all respondents were asked a multiple-choice knowledge question about where TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based. They were all then asked another technology-related knowledge question (“What is the name of Google’s parent company?”) as well as a question about their own TikTok usage. Respondents were then asked 14 questions about U.S. foreign policy and image before they were asked about their support or opposition to the U.S. government banning TikTok.

Here are the questions used for the report , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

Some of these age differences are related to use of TikTok. Younger people are more likely to be TikTok users: In a 2021 Pew Research Center survey , 48% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 said they used the platform, compared with 21% among adults overall.

Users of the platform are less supportive of banning it than non-users, according to the new survey. Still, about one-in-five adult TikTok users (19%) say they support a U.S. government ban of the app; 60% of non-users say the same. However, even among non-users, older people are more supportive of a ban.

TikTok use also plays a role within each party. Similarly low shares of Republicans and Democrats who use TikTok support a ban (21% and 18%, respectively). But among non-users, Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats to support a ban (70% vs. 54%).

Most Americans know TikTok is owned by a company based in China

Americans who are aware that TikTok is owned by the China-based company ByteDance are particularly likely to support banning it.

In a multiple-choice knowledge question included in the new survey, 64% of Americans correctly identify China as the country in which TikTok’s parent company is located. Nearly a third are not sure, while the remainder choose an incorrect country. (The survey was in the field while TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was testifying before Congress .)

Adults under 30 are somewhat less likely than older Americans to know where TikTok’s parent company is based, as are those with lower levels of education. Republicans and Democrats are about equally likely to know of TikTok’s connection to China, but conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are more likely to answer correctly than their moderate counterparts in each party. TikTok users are slightly less likely to know where the app’s parent company is based than non-users (60% vs. 66%).

Notably, a higher share of Americans correctly identify the location of TikTok’s parent company than the name of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, when presented with a similar multiple-choice knowledge question. Only around a third of Americans (35%) correctly name Alphabet as the company that owns Google – though in this case, younger Americans were more likely than older Americans to answer correctly.

More broadly, Americans’ views of China are also related to support for banning TikTok. Adults who have an unfavorable view of China are much more likely to support a TikTok ban than those who see the country positively (54% vs. 27%). Those who have a very unfavorable view of China are particularly likely to support a ban, compared with those with a somewhat unfavorable view of the country (66% vs. 40%).

Americans are skeptical of Chinese social media companies

The new survey also finds that Americans don’t trust Chinese social media companies. Nearly nine-in-ten (88%) say they have little or no confidence in Chinese social media companies to follow what their privacy policies say they will do with personal information, including 59% who say they have no confidence at all. A large majority (87%) also don’t believe that Chinese social media companies will use their personal information in ways that they feel comfortable with – including 58% who have no confidence at all in these companies to handle their data.

Some of this reflects general skepticism about how social media companies operate, rather than sentiments toward China specifically. Large shares of Americans also have little or no confidence in American social media companies to follow privacy policies (75%) or to use their personal information in ways they feel comfortable with (78%). However, only around a third of U.S. adults say they have no confidence at all in American companies, in contrast with the majorities who say the same about Chinese companies.

Older adults and conservative Republicans are especially likely to say they have no confidence at all in Chinese social media companies to follow privacy policies or use their personal information appropriately.

Note: Here are the questions used for the report , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

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