tok essay layout

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

• Introduction

Purpose Of ToK

Assessment of tok, the game plan, execution of the gameplan, planning for tok essay, structure of tok essay, conclusions, bibliography.

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.

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.

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."

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How to Structure and Format your TOK Essay!

TOK is, for many, an extremely difficult subject to get your head around. A lot of the questions you get asked in class might seem entirely nonsensical to you, and perhaps the TOK essay titles seem just as confusing! One thing that we at Lanterna think is the most under-appreciated thing that truly aids understanding and expressing those more confusing concepts is clear structure and format . 

So many of the TOK essays we’ve seen students submit have had some great ideas but they seem too rambling and incoherent. Taking a few extra hours to address the structure of the essay is not just something that will make your essay ‘look’ better, but it will actually express your ideas much more clearly! What results is an examiner that clearly understands your viewpoint, rather than having to search for what you actually mean, and your grade is sure to increase! So… how do we structure and format our TOK Essay? 

Introduction (150-200 words)

• Start by focusing on the prescribed title (PT) – what catches your attention about it? 
• Define a few key terms from the prescribed title. Typically your PT will contain some words or phrases that aren’t easily definable, like “progress in knowledge” vs. “change in knowledge”, so the way in which you define these key terms is extremely important to the way that you then answer the PT. 
• Choose the AoK’s that you will consider related to this PT and perhaps a brief description of why you think these are good choices of AoK’s to discuss this title!
• State your thesis – typically the PT will be a question that you can agree, disagree, or partly agree with. 
• Give a general overview of what you will be discussing in your essay, potentially referring to the real life examples (RLE’s) that you will consider, or the Ways of Knowing (WoK) that you will discuss further in your body paragraphs. 

Body Paragraph 1 (250-350 words)

• Explore the first AoK you chose. State why that AoK either supports or doesn’t support the PT.
• Introduce a real life example
• Explain why this real life example supports or doesn’t support the PT using WoKs
• Talk about if this is a unique example, or if that example is true for most of that AoK.

Body Paragraph 2 (250-350 words)

• Counterclaim to the example you gave above – explaining why it might be flawed or what downsides it might have
• Introduce a real life example within the same AoK that counters the example in paragraph 1, using different WoKs
• Refer back to the PT with a concluding sentence stating to what extent your first AoK supports or doesn’t support your thesis based on the example and counterexample you’ve highlighted.

Body Paragraph 3 (250-350 words)

• Similar to Body Paragraph 1, explore your second AoK by bringing up a real life example, explaining it using WoKs, and evaluate

Body Paragraph 4 (250-350 words)

• Similar to Body Paragraph 2, give a counterclaim to your previous example and then refer back to the PT showing whether your second AoK supports or doesn’t support your thesis. 

Body Paragraph 5 

• If you have additional words to play around with then we’d recommend adding a body paragraph where you compare and contrast the 2 AoKs that you chose. Why is that they address the PT in different ways? Is it purely down to the WoKs we use when getting knowledge from those areas, or are there other factors at play? 
• Most importantly, refer back to the PT and your thesis. Through your analysis what is your response to the PT? Generally it’s unwise to come down extremely strongly on one side of the argument, as that probably implies that you’ve failed to recognize the arguments on the other side of the aisle. With that said, state what side you lean towards after your analysis and what examples backed that up!
• Tell us why it’s important to know the answer to this question!

Every TOK Essay will look different and this isn’t the only format you can use for your essay. In fact, for some prescribed titles you might even want to steer away from this structure if the PT lends itself to another format! However, as a baseline, this is a clear, well-thought out way to approach the confusing essay that is your TOK Essay. Let us know if you have any more questions about the TOK Essay and we’ll be happy to help you out! Good luck!

We also offer online private tuition if you would like more support with your TOK essay, and our packages here .

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Guide to the TOK Essay

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How is the Theory of Knowledge Essay Scored?

How to structure your theory of knowledge essay.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB/IBDP) is a rigorous and rewarding internationally based educational program that offers courses in numerous studies, from humanities to chemistry. Students take part in a two-year curriculum that includes external examinations, internal assessments, research papers and community service hours. Essentially, students will have to do a bit of everything, especially with IB’s core, which is CAS, TOK, and the extended essay (EE). Understanding how TOK, IB’s flagship class, is assessed with its essay is important to success in the course overall. 

What is Theory Of Knowledge (TOK)?

Theory of Knowledge is IB’s way of introducing a more intuitive way of thinking into classrooms. TOK is at its surface as simple as it sounds: you essentially learn the “what” and “why” of how we learn and understand knowledge. In order to assess students of their skills in TOK, IB uses an essay and a presentation. The essay makes up 67% of your total TOK score, making it the most important task to focus on for getting a high score. 

What is the Theory Of Knowledge Essay?

The TOK essay is a 1600 word essay written about topics usually given to students from their teachers from a list of numerous options. It is an essay that promotes arguments and counterarguments for the topic at hand. Understanding your ways of knowing (WOKs) and areas of knowledge (AOKs) is extremely crucial before you even start choosing a topic to write on, as your essay will revolve around and structure itself based on these two concepts. Being able to demonstrate higher-level thinking and using examples to solidify the points you make in your essay is also important. Additionally, you’ll need to reference every source of information that you use, since that is something examiners look for as well.

As said earlier, 67% of your grade is from the essay, and your overall TOK score receives a letter grade using a calculated score out of thirty. Your essay score and presentation score are each out of ten. The grades for your TOK presentation and essay are determined by sending material to the board of IB, from which they designate a grader/examiner to read your essay and grade based on a rubric that determines the level of knowledge you exhibit in your writing.

The following formula should better explain how to find your TOK grade. 

(presentation score) + (essay score * 2) = overall score out of 30

The grade boundaries out of 30 that determine your letter grade can vary each year so checking in with your school for the most recent ones is the best course of action, but an example set would be like this:

Once you have a letter grade for IB, your extended essay, which is another part of the core, is also included into a larger grading schema to calculate your core score, which is three additional points required to complete and earn the diploma. The following table details this grade further:

Doing well in the core is important to passing IB and getting three points out of the total 45 attainable points. 

There’s a trick that most IB students use in writing the TOK essay, and it boils down to understanding four key components of learning:

• Content : Understanding knowledge issues
• Clarity : Structuring your essay in a legible and clear/easy to read manner
• Creativity : Using your personal ways of thinking and applications of knowledge specific to your understanding of the knowledge issue
• Critical Thinking : Using a counter argument for every argument you have to analyze your own claims constantly 

Dividing your actual essay into three main chunks helps, starting with an introduction. Your introduction should be where you state your knowledge question, the central point of your essay, and you should make use of jargon specific to the concept. As the basis of your essay, the introduction should be where you form claims and counterclaims that either support or challenge the knowledge question through heavy analysis and evaluation. 

The body of the essay follows the introduction, and it is where most of the conceptual analysis of your knowledge question takes place. Every argument and its counterargument should have a dedicated paragraph of its own, and make sure to not jump back and forth too much throughout the essay. to avoid creating messy transitions for the reader and potentially harming your score. Understanding the essay from the reader’s point of view is important, as it will help you better understand how to structure the body of your essay.

A conclusion in the TOK essay is mainly for finding closure among the numerous arguments that have been taking place thus far in the essay. Make sure to summarize but not repeat previous information entirely to refresh the reader. A conclusion should essentially loop back to the beginning of the essay, the knowledge question. The knowledge question’s answer should be the conclusion and the stopping point of the essay, and by now the answer you provide should be backed by paragraphs of supporting claims and counterclaims. If done right, concluding the essay can be how you earn most of your points. 

Start Early

Starting early is an obvious and effective advantage to students. Aside from TOK, let alone the presentation, IB has substantial work that requires focus and allocated time dedicated to it, such as external examinations and the extended essay. These tasks are equally as important as the TOK essay, so starting your outlining, drafting or even just planning early will set you up for success.

Send Your Drafts to Your Teacher

Your TOK teacher is a great resource for drafting essays and making edits to perfect your final product. Making use of time outside of the classroom to catch your teacher for a quick review of your essay could be a bigger advantage than you realize. Making use of an outside perspective is essential to forming a great essay. 

While your final IB grade isn’t as important as you’d think regarding college admissions, understanding how to pass TOK and using the lifelong practices you’ll learn in the class is even more important. TOK creates students who think outside conventional methods, making them excellent candidates in the eyes of college admissions offices. Taking TOK and showing proof of understanding it as well as capability of academic rigor is what colleges are looking for. For more information on how your chances of college admissions might look, use CollegeVine’s admissions calculator !

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IB TOK Essay Structure in Detail

Theory of Knowledge is an interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on understanding the different ways of knowing and how our knowledge is acquired, developed and used. It involves exploring the connections between different disciplines, such as the sciences, humanities, mathematics, and the arts, and recognizing the complexities of real-world problems and issues. Through TOK, students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, as well as develop their critical thinking skills.

TOK helps people understand the links between different disciplines, allowing them to see a broader perspective on the world. By equipping students with the tools to think critically, TOK prepares them for meaningful dialogue about complex issues. Additionally, it serves as a valuable way for students to assess and evaluate their own knowledge and beliefs, as well as question and challenge the knowledge of others. In essence, TOK encourages exploration of the different ways of knowing and understanding the world.

For teachers, understanding the importance of TOK can help to create more effective learning environments. By introducing and discussing different theories and perspectives, teachers can provoke deeper exploration and thought, which can help to ground students’ understanding and open up new sources of knowledge. Moreover, introducing TOK in the classroom can develop students’ ability to think critically, allowing them to form logical arguments and see the connection between different areas of knowledge.

To sum up, Theory of Knowledge is an interdisciplinary field of study that encourages exploration of the different ways of knowing and understanding the world. It provides students with the skills to think critically and examine the complexities of real-world issues. Additionally, it is a useful tool for teachers to help develop students’ abilities to think critically and explore different perspectives. Now, let’s take a closer look at the TOK essay structure.

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Outline of the TOK Essay Structure

The International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge essay is a 750 to 1600 word requirement on the student’s knowledge of the world, and how they analyze and evaluate it. The TOK essay structure is designed to help students express their ideas in an organized, concise and effective way.

The TOK essay has a distinct structure that should be followed throughout the paper. The basic structure includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each of these parts should be a separate section within the outline and should include specific points.

The introduction should clearly define the topic and provide an overview of the essay’s purpose. It should also introduce the three Are of Knowledge (AOKs) that are relevant to this essay and describe how they will be connected in the essay.

Following the introduction, each body paragraph should contain an argument, evidence to support it and then a conclusion that ties back to the main argument. Body paragraphs should cover each AOK mentioned in the introduction, with the arguments relating to each AOK. In addition, body paragraphs should state how each AOK is related to each other.

Finally, the conclusion should summarize all of the arguments made in the body of the essay and suggest ways to further explore the topics presented. This should be done with a focus on how these areas of knowledge intersect to create a more holistic understanding of the world.

By following this structure, students can ensure that their TOK essay is well organized and effectively communicates their ideas. Additionally, it will help students stay on track with the essay’s requirements and ensure that their essay meets the grading criteria.

Overview of the Grading Criteria for TOK Essays

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay is one of the most important components in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, and it carries a significant chunk of the overall score. Writing a compelling TOK essay requires much more than simply understanding the topics and reading about them. If you’re hoping to get an excellent grade, it’s crucial to understand how your work will be assessed.

Knowledge Questions and their Relevance

The key part of any TOK essay is the knowledge questions – these need to be answered directly with a clear focus and relevance to the question. A well-structured essay will address the question from various points of view and as far as possible. It should also provide appropriate examples and evidence for your points, any counterclaims or alternative viewpoints and your own knowledge experiences.

Organization and Structure

The essay should be logically organized and structured with clearly defined sections. Every section needs to have a purpose and its own independent set of arguments. It should also include citations and sources where appropriate, as well as personal knowledge experiences. The overall essay should be written in an academic style, consistent with the rest of the TOK curriculum.

Reasoning and Argumentation

Make sure you use complex reasoning to develop a strong argument that supports your main point in the essay. To do this effectively, you’ll need to reference other sources, research documents and your own personal experiences. Your essay should also discuss the validity and reliability of the sources used, and whether they are relevant to the particular knowledge issue being discussed.

Grammar and Language

Finally, the essay should be written using a formal language, grammar and punctuation. When writing the essay, it’s important to keep in mind that TOK is designed to be studied from an international perspective. Grammatical accuracy, clarity and consistency in language will help to make sure your points come across effectively, and allow you to get the best score.

Understanding the grading criteria that are used to assess TOK essays is crucial if you want to earn a high grade. Make sure you pay close attention to each of the criteria discussed here and ensure your essay covers them all. This will help you get the most out of your TOK essay and ensure you reach the grade you deserve.

Step-by-step Guide to Writing a TOK Essay

Writing a Theory of Knowledge essay can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By breaking the essay writing process down into small, manageable steps, you can make it easier and less stressful. This step-by-step guide shows how to use the Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) to write an effective TOK essay.

Step One: Brainstorm

The best way to start your TOK essay is to brainstorm ideas. Take some time to think about your experiences and create a list of potential topics that could be developed into an essay. Don’t worry if the ideas don’t relate directly to the question – this is just for brainstorming purposes.

Step Two: Research

Once you have an idea of what kind of essay you are going to write, it is time to do some research. Look into the different AOKs and try to pinpoint which ones are relevant to your topic. This should give you a basic knowledge of the topic and the various perspectives that need to be considered in the essay.

Step Three: Outline

Now that you have researched the topic, it is time to create an outline. Make sure to include the main points you want to cover in the essay, as well as any counterarguments that may be presented. Also, include any evidence or examples that will support your argument. The outline should be as detailed as possible to ensure that you stay on track when writing the essay.

Step Four: Writing

Now that you have completed your research and created an outline, it’s time to start writing. Remember to remain focused on your main argument and use evidence from your research to support your claims. Be sure to explain how each AOK applies to the essay, and how they interact with each other. Consider how the different perspectives can be combined to form a complex argument.

Step Five: Proofreading and Editing

Once you have completed the essay, it is important to proofread and edit. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes, and make sure your argument is well structured and logically consistent. Also, make sure to address any counterarguments that you outlined in the essay. Finally, consider adding any new information or ideas that you discovered during the writing process.

By following these steps and using the AOKs as a guide, you can be sure to craft a high-quality TOK essay that meets the assessment criteria. With the right amount of effort and dedication, you can succeed in writing an effective TOK essay.

Using Personal Knowledge Experiences in TOK Essays

The International Baccalaureate or IB TOK essay is an important component of the student’s diploma. When selecting a TOK essay topic and writing a response, it is essential to include personal knowledge experiences.

A student’s individual experiences are just as important as the facts and theories presented in an essay. Personal knowledge experiences help to bring life to the paper and make it stand out from the rest. For example, if you are writing about the concept of truth and objectivity, your personal experience may help to provide insight into how different perspectives could be interpreted.

When using personal knowledge experiences in your TOK essay , it is important to consider how these experiences could contribute positively to your argument. Ask yourself questions like ‘how has this experience informed my viewpoint?’. By reflecting on your experiences, you can demonstrate your understanding of the TOK essay question and explain why your view is important.

In addition to reflecting on relevant prior experiences, you should also think about any current research or experiences you can draw upon. If there is an opportunity to conduct interviews or visit a local museum, these activities can be used to support your argument.

It is important to remember that the personal knowledge experiences you choose should not take away from the overall structure of the paper. These experiences should be used to reinforce the points you have made and to supplement your argument. Make sure to check your essay for any grammatical errors or typos and ensure that your points are backed up by logical reasoning.

Ultimately, using personal knowledge experiences in your TOK essay can help to differentiate it from other papers. It is a great way to demonstrate your understanding of the subject and your ability to present evidence to support your views.

Tips on Thinking Critically for TOK Essays

Writing a successful Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay requires the ability to think critically and develop strong arguments. Critical thinking can be difficult and complex, so here are some tips to help:

• Gather evidence: Any successful argument needs evidence and facts to back it up. Research your topic thoroughly and make sure you have solid evidence to support your argument.
• Analyze evidence: Consider the source of the evidence and evaluate it objectively. Does this information support or contradict your argument?
• Be creative: Think outside the box when constructing your argument. Analyze different perspectives and viewpoints to gain a deeper understanding of your topic.
• Think logically: Once you have gathered all your evidence, it’s time to build an argument. Structure your argument in a logical way, leading from one point to another.
• Question assumptions: It is important to be open-minded and question any assumptions you may have about the topic. Reflect and challenge ideas to create an argument with diverse points of view.
• Anticipate counterclaims: Not all readers will agree with your argument, so be prepared to address objections or counterarguments. Showing how you thoughtfully considered the other perspective demonstrates critical thinking skills.

By following these tips, you will be able to submit a high quality TOK essay with a carefully crafted argument. Remember that clear and logical thinking is essential for a successful essay.

Creating a TOK Essay Outline

Creating an outline for a Theory of Knowledge essay can be challenging, but it will help you make sure your essay is structured clearly and logically. An outline allows you to break down your essay into sections that are easy to understand and follow. This helps to ensure that your essay takes a clear path from the introduction to the conclusion.

When creating your TOK essay outline, there are a few key steps you should take to ensure you are producing an effective outline. The first step is to brainstorm what topics and ideas you want to include in your essay. Once you have identified the topics you want to include in your essay, it is important to determine how they fit together and how you want to present them. This helps you to come up with a basic structure for your essay.

Once you have a structure in place, you should move on to developing more specific subtopics. These topics will form the basis of the main body of your essay, and help you to further develop each point you’re making. This is a crucial step in creating a TOK essay outline, as it helps to ensure that all of your ideas are clearly expressed and logically organized.

The final step in creating your TOK essay outline is to develop an effective thesis statement. This statement will serve as the main focus of your essay, and should encapsulate the main point that you are trying to make. Once you have developed a thesis statement, you will be able to start putting together the outline of your essay in a logical and organized manner.

Creating a TOK essay outline is a great way to ensure your essay is well-structured and logically organized. Following the steps outlined above will help you create an effective outline that ensures your essay is organized in a clear, logical manner.

Using Language Effectively to Support Claims in a TOK Essay

Using language effectively is an important part of crafting a quality Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay. To ensure that your essays are thought-provoking and well-structured, you should use language to support claims and strengthen arguments.

Recapping Your Key Ideas

When writing a TOK essay, it is important to restate your key points throughout the text. This helps to remind the reader of the main argument and highlights the evidence used to support it. Using simple language to effectively explain the idea again ensures that your ideas are not lost within the essay.

Using Strong Vocabulary

To make sure that your essay stands out, it’s a good idea to use strong vocabulary and varied sentence structures. This can help to emphasize a point and add detail to your essay. However, it is important to be aware of using too much “big” words; using language that is too complex can confuse your reader and obscure the point you are trying to make.

Making Connections

Connecting ideas together is another key element when writing an effective TOK essay. Using language to make connections between concepts, personal knowledge experiences and evidence can help show how each point supports the overall argument.

Making Assumptions Explicit

It is important to remember that the reader may not necessarily be familiar with the same knowledge as you. Making assumptions explicit means that you explain the source of your idea or opinion and why you believe it is valid. This also allows you to explore different perspectives on the topic.

Summarizing Your Argument

In conclusion, you should use language effectively in your TOK essay to ensure that your arguments are clear and concise. Repeating the main points, using strong vocabulary and connecting ideas together will make your argument more compelling. Additionally, making assumptions explicit and summarizing your argument at the end of the essay will help the reader understand and appreciate your unique viewpoint on the topic.

Introduction to TOK Essay Assessment Criteria

Writing a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay can be a challenging task for students. It requires careful thought, research, and organization – not only of the facts and arguments but also of the assessment criteria.

In TOK essays, students are assessed on their ability to think analytically and critically. The International Baccalaureate (IB) has developed a set of criteria that are used to evaluate each TOK essay. It’s important for students to have a good understanding of each of these criteria so they know what to focus on when writing their essay.

The Criteria

The TOK essay assessment criteria are split into two categories: C & P (communicate and present) and A & R (argument and reason).

• Communication and Presentation (C&P): This criterion evaluates a student’s ability to communicate their ideas effectively and demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic. Points awarded for this criteria are based on how well the essay is structured, use of evidence, clarity of language, and strength of argument.
• Argument and Reasoning (A&R): This criterion assesses a student’s ability to apply logic and rational thinking to their essay. Points awarded for this criterion depend on the student’s capacity to use evidence to support their argument, make well-thought-out conclusions, and reference counterclaims (where relevant).

Advice For Meeting These Criteria

When writing your TOK essay, it is important to follow the criteria carefully and make sure that you address all of the points. Here are some tips to help you do this:

• Read the question correctly and make sure you understand what it is asking. Analyze the keywords and think about how you can use them in your essay.
• Research relevant AOKs (Areas of Knowledge) and create an outline to plan your essay. Make sure all of your arguments are supported by logical reasoning, evidence, and examples.
• If relevant, think of counterclaims and provide effective refutations to them.
• Write your essay using clear language and organizing your thoughts in a way that is easy to read and understand.
• Proofread your essay several times and make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.
• Write a strong conclusion that ties together all of your arguments and summarizes your main points.

By following these steps, you should be able to create an essay that meets the TOK essay assessment criteria and earns you the grade you deserve!

The Role of Counterclaims in a TOK Essay

When attempting to answer a TOK essay question, it is essential that you consider various counterarguments and opposing viewpoints. These counterclaims can help in developing a TOK essay that is well-reasoned, logical and backed up with evidence. Looking at counterclaims can also help to create a balanced argument and give your TOK essay added depth.

Including counterclaims in your TOK essay can help you to assess the strengths and weaknesses of an argument. Through considering opposing points of view, you can develop ideas that are less biased and more convincing. For example, if you are discussing the impact of technology on modern life, perhaps you could argue that technology has had both positive and negative implications for society. This can add an interesting layer to your essay and make it stand out from the crowd.

When introducing counterclaims into your TOK essay, it is important to make sure that your arguments remain impartial. Rather than simply stating that one point of view is wrong, it is better to present both sides of the argument and discuss their merits or drawbacks. It is also a good idea to use evidence or personal experiences to back up your argument.

When addressing counterclaims, be sure to include any opposing opinions on the topic, as well as potential solutions should a conflict arise. For example, if you are discussing a particular ethical dilemma, it is important to present both sides of the argument and explore any potential solutions or proposed compromises.

All in all, considering counterclaims and their potential implications is a vital part of constructing an effective TOK essay. Through engaging with opposing viewpoints and exploring possible solutions, you can produce an argument that is thought-provoking, balanced and convincing.

Summary of key points for crafting a high-scoring TOK essay

To craft a high-scoring Theory of Knowledge essay that is structurally sound, there are a few key points to consider. To begin with, it is important to have an in-depth understanding of the TOK essay structure, as well as its grading criteria. Once you understand the structure and criteria for a TOK essay, you must ensure that your essay includes the appropriate Areas of Knowledge. You should use personal knowledge experiences to answer TOK essay questions and make sure that you think critically when forming arguments.

It is also necessary to form a clear TOK essay outline, as this allows the essay to be structured properly. This means that, when writing the actual essay, it is important to use language effectively to support claims and arguments and also to include counterclaims. Finally, it is essential to meet the TOK assessment criteria set out by the instructor, as these criteria will be used to determine your grade.

In summary, to craft a high-scoring TOK essay that is structurally sound, it is important to understand the TOK essay structure, the grading criteria, and how to use the AOKs within the essay structure. Additionally, using personal knowledge experiences, thinking critically and creating a clear outline can help to ensure that the essay is written correctly. Furthermore, the essay should use correct language, include counterclaims, and meet all assessment criteria.

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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 251,164 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.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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Mastering ToK Essay Structure: A Comprehensive Guide

• December 5, 2023
• Student Support , ToK Essay

Introduction to ToK Essay Structure

December is the busy essay writing season for May session schools! I’ve been reading ToK Essays from students all over the world in which I am frequently seeing problems of structuring the ToK Essay effectively. This post aims to address the often-asked question, “ How do I structure my ToK Essay? “

The International Baccalaureate (IB) doesn’t prescribe a single structure for the ToK Essay. They require that you “ provide a clear, coherent and critical exploration of the essay title ” (IB ToK Essay Assessment Instrument, 2020) Achieving this requires a well-thought-out structure that fosters clarity, coherence, and critical exploration. Let’s break down the essentials that every ToK Essay should include, regardless of the chosen title or structure.

Essential Elements of ToK Essays

• Knowledge Arguments (or Knowledge Claims): For each Area of Knowledge (AoK) considered, formulate at least one main knowledge argument or claim.
• Real World Examples: Illustrate your knowledge arguments with real-world examples, which may also include evaluation points.
• Evaluation Points: Consider alternative viewpoints to your knowledge claims. These are crucial for a balanced and critical exploration.
• Implications: Reflect on the implications of your arguments and any conclusions you reach.

These four elements are non-negotiable in any ToK Essay.

Additional Components for Enhanced Essays

• Definitions of Key Concepts: Best integrated within your knowledge arguments.
• Thesis Statement: A sentence summarizing the essay’s main argument. Typically found in the introduction, it helps organise your arguments and maintains coherence.
• Unpacking the Prescribed Title (PT) in the Introduction: Offer your interpretation and explanation of the essay question here.

For a more detailed exploration, refer to my e-book, “ How to Write the ToK Essay in 6 Easy Steps ” linked here

Common ToK Essay Structure

A widely used structure, found in about 75-80% of ToK Essays, looks like this:

This structure is effective for most Prescribed Titles and can lead to high scores.

Alternative Structure for Deeper Analysis

Some students opt for a different approach:

This structure cleverly uses the Knowledge Argument against PT in AoK 2 as evaluation points for the argument supporting PT in AoK 1. This method allows for a more in-depth comparative analysis and potentially higher scores.

Remember, the optimal structure for your ToK Essay is one that enables you to “provide a clear, coherent and critical exploration of the essay title”. For further assistance with essay structures and content, consult my e-book “How to Write the ToK Essay in 6 Easy Steps” or detailed notes for each ToK Essay this season (links in the video description).

Embarking on your ToK Essay journey with a clear understanding of its structure is key to success. Happy writing, and remember, the path to knowledge is as much about the journey as the destination!

Stay TokTastic,

Daniel, Lisbon, Dec 23

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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.

Subscribe to the free TOK newsletter!

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and collect fantastic examples that will help you to understand the key ideas of TOK, support your essay and exhibition discussions, and help you to become an authentic critical thinker .

You’ll encounter some of the most important thinkers from the past and the present, go beyond the headlines of contemporary events and issues around the globe, and see how TOK concepts manifest in the real-world. Subscribe HERE !

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

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Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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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 Theory of Knowledge coursework below for inspiration.

All TOK Essay Examples

Filter exemplars, for artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences., does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in "bubbles" where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., 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., 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 🚀, to what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use discuss with reference to history and one area of knowledge., 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, is replication necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two aoks., 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.

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Ace Your IB TOK Essay With This Detailed Outline

by  Antony W

October 22, 2023

The Theory of Knowledge essay is a mandatory test given to all IB diploma (IBDP) candidates, one that causes a lot of unfounded terror.

The fact that it is so different from many of the essays you are likely to do makes it all the more exciting, albeit with a bit of hard work.

While the IB TOK exam is split into two parts, 67% of the points come from the essay and the rest from the exhibition project . You need to ace the essay if you are to get respectable marks. 

As the TOK IB essay rubric shows, what is being tested is how well you use the concepts of the nature of knowledge to critically explore how we know, using arguments for and against a real-life situation of your choice.

As such, official guidelines do not define a TOK essay structure, but you won't get anywhere without one. It takes skillful manipulation to get through it, and we will show you to pass your IB TOK essay assessment.

Help for Assessment has a collection of some of the most highly qualified academicians willing to help you ace the TOK essay.

Think of masters and Ph.D. holders, IB gurus, and even professors in various disciplines willing to write your essay at the most affordable rates in town.

If an impending TOK IB essay is giving you the shivers, don’t worry. Click the button below and let us help you get the essay done in time. Quality and confidentially guaranteed.

Still, you might want to learn all there is to know about the TOK essay requirements, its recommended structure, and how each part should be written.

If so, settle down somewhere comfortable and off we go. Along the way, we will also suggest some proven tactics to help you pass the TOK essays.

You Need to Know How to Write the Essay

A good TOK essay starts with a good approach. Before you get into the actual writing, you will need to select a topic, understand it, redefine it using your own words, and construct an appropriate knowledge question.

Our guide on how to write a compelling TOK essay can point you in the right direction. 

Selecting a TOK Essay Topic

The essay usually comes with several prescribed titles (PT), from which you're supposed to pick one and run with it. For example, Do good explanations have to be true was one of the prescribed title for May 2019. 

You can follow these simple steps to choose an appropriate topic for your TOK essay .

• Brainstorm:  Go through the list of topics and let the ideas for potential topics flow, writing each down. How interested are you in each? How knowledgeable are you in each?
• Interest:  How do you relate to each topic? Ultimately, you will be required to use real-life examples and explanations to support your arguments. Choose a topic to which you have a personal connection and interest.
• Understanding : Make sure you understand the depth and scope of each topic to be able to make an informed decision. Any topic that seems ambiguous or too difficult for you may be passed on. However, it is also fun to choose one that is challenging to help you learn along the way.

For our purpose in this essay, suppose we choose to explore: "Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not" .

Understand the Question and Redefine It in Simple Words

Ideally, the title you pick should be one you can understand, but they are usually convoluted and confusing. Make sure you understand your chosen topic fully, look up any terms that are new to you, and define any new terminology. As you probably know by now with TOK, things aren’t always what they seem.

Once you have understood what the essay is about, paraphrase with simple, direct language. Set out the perspective, contrast, and comparison in the title clearly enough for a nonprofessional to understand. You can do this by first breaking it down into parts and then putting it together again.

For our chosen PT, we gather that it is asking how new knowledge is acquired. Is it by asking 'why?' or 'why not?' Which method is more reliable, and why? Answering this question will give the substance of the essay.

Once you have your title understood in depth, put it at the top of your document, centered and in bold. You are now officially on your way to a great TOK essay.

Set a Knowledge Question

From your topic and in the simplest language you can master, create your knowledge question (KQ). This is the question that your topic is going to answer, put together by words and phrases from the topic.

It is always best to work with an open-ended question that leaves you lots of room to explore different viewpoints and allows you to have a bang in the conclusion. It usually starts with, ‘to what extent’. As in: 

“With regard to religious systems, does asking ‘why?’ limit our knowledge of what actually is, or does it protect us from fallacious faith?”

Set Out Your WOK and AOK

Explore the prescribed title and your knowledge question to discover what way of knowing (WOK) and areas of knowledge (AOK) you are working with. You will need 1 WOK and at least 2 AOK - 2 is the recommended number because one is too few, and 3 or more would not allow you to explore any one area thoroughly enough within the word count of 1600 words.

There are 8 ways of knowing , which are the ways we make sense of the world and in this case, we make sense of and understand the prescribed topic.

TOK recognizes 8 areas of knowledge . We’ve outlined and explained each on the Help for Assessment Blog. 

Once you have picked one WOK and 2 AOK, you are ready to set out your TOK essay structure. 

For our example, you can easily see that religious knowledge systems are one of our AOKs. To set contrast, let us pick out ‘Natural Sciences’ for the second AOK and ‘faith’ as a way of knowing.

Let’s check out one of our recommended formats.

TOK Essay Outline

As with most essays, the Theory of Knowledge essay outline is quite simple in theory. It consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

However, the logical distinctions made between the parts are very different, so that is what we shall focus on. The recommended TOK format is designed to inspire your thinking, give form to your ideas, and present the result neatly and acceptably in a readable format.

Before you check out the TOK essay format, a word of caution: this is not a definite structure that you have to use. Instead, it is meant to be a guideline.

As stated before, there is no official format, but using this proven outline will get help to get you all three points if you do it right.

Parts of a TOK Essay

A Theory of Knowledge essay is about exploring how we know what we know . 

Again, like most essays, you can think of yourself as a smart lawyer trying to convince a judge of something. Only in this case, you will be presenting both claims and counterclaims against your argument, picking out its strong and weak points, and supporting them with evidence. 

The essay will have 7 paragraphs, totaling 1600 words. They consist of an introduction and conclusion each taking up about 200 words, and the rest split between 5 paragraphs for your claim and counterclaim.

The body will have 2 'divisions' for each AOK.

Introduction

Paragraph 1: say something interesting about the prescribed topic, designed to hook the reader’s attention. You can give a twist to the topic to make it uniquely yours, and this twist will be what you will be addressing. E.g., 

‘Many people dismiss faith on the grounds that it offers little datum for belief, yet this criticism might be closing our understanding to so much more that could be.’

Use this chance to define any new, ambiguous, or complex term in the PT. Even if you know what the terms mean, the person marking your essay might not be working with the same definition. Thus, use it to bring them to the same page. In this case, you might define ‘faith,’ ‘datum,’ ‘criticism,’ and ‘understanding.’

In the same paragraph, give your thesis statement on the topic. Try to make it different from mainstream ideas on the same to keep things interesting. Since we have already picked a combative approach to our topic, this will be easy:

‘Faith as a way of knowing is taken to completely disregard or overlook reason and logic. Yet, science has much evidence that could form the basis of faith even with a purely logical approach.’

Tell the reader what you plan to discuss. Narrow your focus and state which WOK and AOKs you will use. From this point on, decide whether you are for or against your argument.

Body: First AOK

Paragraph 2: Just like all the paragraphs in the body, the second paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that describes clearly what your main claim or counterclaim here is. In this case, we might open it with,

‘From astronomy to biology, scientific datum shows that there is a lot yet to be understood.’

• It is then followed by an explanation/elaboration, where you clarify your claim to show what you mean.
• Give a real-life example as evidence from your own experiences, and make sure that it actually supports it. A poor example would be picked apart by an opposing lawyer. Remember, the defense is smart (if not smarter).
• Link back to the claim and question you are trying to answer to provide flow and coherence to your essay. 'E.g. 'thus, the observable phenomena in the universe is clear evidence that there is so much more than what scientific reason tells us.'

Paragraph 3: Set out a strong counterclaim to your argument in paragraph 1. You will be following the same TEEL format where you start with a strong topic sentence, explain, give an example, and link back.

Body: Second AOK

Paragraph 4 : With a focus on the second AOK, set out your claim using the same format.

Paragraph 5 : Set out your counterclaim to the claim in paragraph 4.

Paragraph 6 : conclusion. Explain what insights you have gathered from your discussion on the PT. You will also describe the implications and significance of what you have uncovered. Why do you think we (the audience) should know it? Why does it matter that we understand what you are saying?

Paragraph 7 : Perspectives and extensions. You are not closing the case in your conclusion, rather, show your audience that the discussion is still open. The goal is not to defend or refute the thesis statements, although you will also prove or disprove it here. Rather, it is to show your method of knowing.

You can acknowledge one or two questions that remain unaddressed or unresolved. Better still, adopt a different perspective from what your essay has uncovered and show you are open to new discussions.

That is the outline that can help you write an excellent TOK essay.

However, the ones marking will not be looking at the format. What will they be looking at?

The IB TOK essay rubric uses a list of descriptors to judge your essay on various points.

Since it is up to the examiner to decide how well your essay fits the descriptor tags given, make it easy for them to realize how good your essay is. Here is what they are looking for when marking the IB Theory of Knowledge essay.

1. Essay on a prescribed title

How well have you understood the prescribed title chosen? How comprehensive and cogent is your point of view on the topic? Your essay should demonstrate that you understood the topic and can draw contrasts as well as parallels in AOKs and WOKs.

You should also demonstrate that you recognize your own perspective or biases upon the subject and can analyze them as objectively as possible.

Analysis of knowledge questions

This criterion tests how thoroughly you have explored claims and counterclaims in your essay. Your main points should be well justified and your arguments compelling enough to sway your audience. You should also thoroughly explore the main counterclaims and identify any assumptions made in the process.

2. Presentation

How well do you make your point?

More to the point, how effectively do you use real-life examples to make a point for your claims and counterclaims? 

Your findings and insights should be used to extend the relevancy of these claims (or counterclaims) to other real-life situations.

What do you think, are you up to exploring your own knowledge systems and present them coherently and persuasively in a TOK essay? One unique feature of the essay is that it largely disregards fluency and quality of writing unless it impedes understanding or is too flowery to prove actual understanding.

Nevertheless, you can see that getting all three points will be a tall order. With the right essay and a respectable presentation, you can do it. Let Help for Assessments handle the essay portion for you and assure you of the 67% of points given for it. Our experts are all it takes to ace the IB Theory of Knowledge essay, thanks to our ground-breaking format and years of experience.

We will also help with other IB assessments as well as high school, college undergraduate and postgraduate coursework assignments and projects. Explore our services today to make your order. As always, we are the one-stop-shop for affordable quality and reliability, complete with 100% confidentiality.

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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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TOK - Theory of Knowledge: Researching & referencing for the TOK Essay

• Introduction
• General TOK resources
• Personal and shared knowledge
• Sense Perception
• Imagination
• Natural sciences
• Mathematics
• Human Sciences
• Indigenous knowledge systems
• Religious knowledge systems
• Paraphrasing and quoting
• Researching & referencing for the TOK Essay
• Acknowledging sources in a TOK presentation
• Areas of Knowledge
• Fiction that prompts TOK thinking

Researching for the TOK essay

As well as the print and online resources specifically mentioned on this libguide, we recommend you use subscription databases, which are authoritative and reliable sources of information. The College subscribes to a number of these databases, and they are available via the Reference Sites page/tab on the College Portal. In particular, the following databases might be useful:

Referencing for the TOK Essay

It is possible to complete a TOK essay without the need for references. However, if you refer to specific facts or opinions, views and theories of individuals, you need to reference in the usual manner, following IB Academic Honesty principles. 

In other words, it is no different to the referencing you would have done for your Extended Essay submission. 

You may use any major referencing style you and your teacher wish, but you must follow it consistently. 

Remember that if you've made an account with EasyBib directly through the Google, that is the free version, and the only style of referencing available to you is MLA. You may wish you look at the College libguide on EasyBib and join the subscription version of EasyBib, which gives you extra functionality, including choice of reference styles - APA, Harvard, Chicago, etc. 

You don't have to use EasyBib. There are other libguides to help you with aspects of referencing and citation. Simply go to  http://research.uwcsea.edu.sg/  and select the Research and Information Literacy tab. Here you will find a selection of helpful libguides about aspects of research and referencing. Additionally, you can ask the Librarian for help.

For your convenience, these links provide further information on major referencing styles:

• << Previous: Paraphrasing and quoting
• Next: Acknowledging sources in a TOK presentation >>
• Last Updated: Apr 24, 2018 3:38 PM
• URL: https://research.uwcsea.edu.sg/TOK

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TOK Outline Essay: Structure and Format

Table of Contents

A lengthy process is involved in composing a TOK essay, which starts long before the first word is written. Many authors utilize a TOK outline essay to arrange their thoughts before writing better.

A TOK essay outline is a two- to three-paragraph overview on the first page. It is a strategy that ensures an essay is well-organized and conveys its intended message.

This article provides an overview of the structure and outline of a TOK essay.

What Is a TOK Essay?

TOK means Theory of Knowledge Essay. It is usually an introduction to a complex, theoretical topic. To succeed in this essay, a writer must dig deep into particular areas of knowledge to build a case. The author would need to be intellectually motivated.

A TOK essay is a written inquiry and argumentative essay, not an essay on your knowledge or writing skills.

After the author briefly defines the TOK essay, they introduce each of the five areas that make up the essay. These are the thesis, the author’s role, the proof, the case, and the conclusion.

Let’s get into the TOK essay elements that every student should know without further ado.

Step-by-Step Guide: TOK Essay Outline Example

Introduction (150 – 200 words).

The introduction describes the question the essay will answer and the desired outcome for the reader. Here is an outline to follow:

• Introduce your TOK essay
• Provide definitions for essential terms
• Identify the knowledge issues to be addressed
• Present a thesis statement.
• Provide a concise summary of your key points
• Establish a transition for the TOK essay’s body

Body Paragraphs (1000 – 1200 Words)

The body paragraph in a TOK essay is the central piece of your work. Here you can show your familiarity with the topic and cite important pieces of information while giving examples to back your claims. You should:

• Provide your subject sentence
• Provide your primary justification for why your argument is true.
• Give instances and evidence from practical life to support your ideas.
• Emphasize the significance of the knowledge issues in your conclusion.

The Conclusion of a TOK Essay

The author concludes the TOK paper by restating his thesis statement, summarizing the primary points.

Step-by-Step Guide: TOK Essay Structure and Format

The structure and format usually consist of the Introduction, Body paragraph, and conclusion. Here’s how to get started.

Introduction

Your reader will gain a basic understanding of the subject at hand after reading this section. The introduction explains in depth what you plan to say and offers some context.

There are two main sections to this section in a theory of knowledge essay. It’s where you put your main argument or thesis statement, which lays out the overall goals of your paper.

Second, it has the knowledge problem, the key issue you’ll have to solve. Give some justification for why this subject matters and warrants investigation.

For the reader’s comprehension, you must define any unfamiliar terms used in your work.

The Body Paragraph

The following paragraphs both argue for and against your position. They offer evidence to support the assertion you stated in your thesis statement.

Your claims are supported by the evidence presented in each paragraph. Paragraphs typically have a:

• Topic sentence (the major idea in support of the thesis)
• Evidence to validate that notion
• Counterclaim (an argument against the thesis)
• Evidence in support of that claim
• Rebuttal (why that claim is inadequate)
• conclusion.

Keep the title and your thesis in mind at all times. What is your conclusion after analyzing the title? It’s usually not a good idea to take a firm stance on a contentious issue. Doing so may indicate a failure to appreciate the other side’s arguments.

Tell us which side you think is more plausible after reading your analysis and why. Also, justify the relevance of the response to this inquiry.

Final Words

A TOK outline essay helps a writer draft content in the best possible, logical manner. This allows the essay to flow well and be coherent .

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to Write a Good TOK Essay, 5 Easy Ways

Are you interested in learning how to write a good TOK essay?

Are you wondering what a TOK essay is?

TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge.

The theory of knowledge, TOK, is interdisciplinary, meaning it may borrow concepts and ideas from almost any other field of study. The main objective is to encourage students to reflect on and eventually form their views on various issues. So, it’s no surprise you may have writing struggles and hard times while putting your ideas together.

Due to their unique nature, TOK essays need specific knowledge and skill sets from students who want to achieve academic success. The themes and format for TOK essays are unique. Therefore, it’s essential to study them.

Writing a good essay on the Theory of Knowledge is challenging. Read this guide for all advice to create a well-graded TOK essay.

What Is a TOK Essay?

The IB’s Theory of Knowledge essay requires students to write a paper between 1,200 and 1,600 words long on a subject or title chosen by the IB. Your Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay, as its name indicates, should address questions of knowledge (what is information? why and how do we know things?) and draw connections to other bodies of knowledge.

A TOK essay must address the following eight domains of knowledge :

• Mathematics.
• Natural Sciences.
• Human Sciences.
• Religious knowledge systems.
• Indigenous knowledge systems.

You must concentrate on the fundamental questions of the subject matter, draw appropriate connections between ideas, and demonstrate an advanced and timely grasp of the material.

In addition, you must show that you can think on your own, have a unique viewpoint, understand the topic, and be self-aware. If you need clarifications, you can always hire TOK essay writers to receive the necessary assistance. 

The TOK essay analysis will need a thorough understanding of the essay’s key ideas, consequences, assumptions, arguments, and counterarguments. The thesis’s supporting statements must be logically sound and based on solid evidence; you must thoroughly explain the essential ideas and include appropriate citations.

Tutorial on Creating a TOK Essay

You’ll want to choose a killer title and formulate a solid strategy, but none of that will matter if you don’t know what it’s all about.

When it comes to composing a TOK essay, it all boils down to four C’s:

• Creativity. You need to learn to think on your own.
• Content. Having a firm grasp of the topic at hand and being able to articulate it in writing is a must.
• Clarity. You need the necessary writing skills to compose a coherent essay.
• Critical thinking. You must provide sufficient evidence and rebuttal to persuade the audience of your position.

Furthermore, selecting your thesis topic with consideration is crucial. Make sure it’s something you’re qualified to write.

Despite your confidence, a thorough study of your thesis is essential for constructing a defense that adequately addresses any potential objections to your position. Make notes and a rough draft of your TOK essay while doing research. You can improve the result by increasing your writing productivity while sticking to effective practices.

TOK Essay Format

Introduction.

The introduction is the first point of interaction between the writer and the reader. You should explain the topic and your position on it in the beginning. You want to grab your reader’s interest immediately by outlining your paper’s scope and explaining what you already know about the subject in the opening.

Start with a shocking fact or statistic to get people interested in reading your TOK essay. Afterward, you should include your thesis statement.

Write a distinct paragraph for each argument and rebuttal you’ve uncovered for your TOK essay’s body. As a result, the paper will have a professional look. Invest extra effort in dissecting and explaining the most crucial points of view. 

Paragraph transitions are fundamental. Your essay will be hard to read if you jumble ideas or skip from one topic to another. Think about who you’re writing for, what they care about, and how to convince them to agree.

The last section should leave readers with a feeling of completion. Authors often restate their main points once again in the previous paragraph. If you can find a method to write about your thesis and knowledge in a different approach and structure the essential points in a new way, you’ll make a very effective finish to your TOK essay. 

Your last statement should be compelling. Have a friend read your introduction and conclusion and comment on whether they seem well-ordered and structured. Correct any spelling, punctuation, or contextual errors before turning it in. Writing with economy, clarity, and accuracy makes for a great essay.

Citation and Reference Format

There will be a need to reference and cite most instances. The MLA or APA style is used to reference outside resources. The answer to this question may be found in the guidelines provided by your teacher or tutor. You need to cite information that’s neither widely known nor widely unknown, the precise words of another person, and the repetition of another person’s argument structure or logic in your own words, even if you’re paraphrasing.

Proofreading

To meet the word count, you must improve the quality of your writing. First, see whether the essay adequately addresses the knowledge problem . Furthermore, be careful to express and back up your claims completely. Display a sense of tempo and flow. Finally, remove egregious contextual flaws by checking for and correcting language and spelling mistakes.

Conclusion: How to Write a TOK Essay

The IB’s Theory of Knowledge requirement is unlike anything else out there. As a result, many students may be confused since this type of writing requires them to think and reflect in ways they never have before.

Doing well on the externally graded TOK essay might be challenging, but the above-discussed tips on writing a TOK essay can help you to nail the writing process and get an excellent result. 

All in all, the most straightforward approach to composing a good TOK essay is to read the question carefully and think about what it’s asking. Then, ensure that the title accurately reflects your intended audience’s position, context, and purpose.

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How the Language of TV is Influencing How We See Ourselves

TikTok has spawned a curious new way of understanding ordinary life: villain arcs, main character energy and seasons.

By Kim Hew-Low

Last summer, I was struck by a video I came across on TikTok. In it, a 20-something flops faceup onto her bed. Her roots are grown out, her eyeliner is heavy and her gaze, vaguely forlorn, is intensified by a key light tinted blue. Her hand gropes around the adjacent night stand to silence her vibrating phone. Then the Netflix logo flashes, followed by a credit line: “A life written and directed by Beatrice Harrods.” A stop-motion sequence follows the passage of time: a vase of chrysanthemums, then roses; one candle, then another; an unfurling rug and the text “Season 2.” Cut back to Harrods: Her roots are touched up, and her gaze, now pointed at the camera, seems to relish being watched.

You see a lot of this on TikTok now: videos that describe ordinary life using the language of television. Scroll through, and you’ll find users charting the different “seasons” of their lives or highlighting the emergence of plot “arcs.” You may find users referring to the people in their lives as “casts” — including both passing encounters with “paid extras” and recurring appearances by “guest stars.” A friend’s unexpected appearance might be tagged “NOO! Ur not in this episode” or described, as one user had it, as the moment “when someone from Season 2 of my life somehow crosses over into Season 4.”

There is a certain permeability between art and life, and pleasure in perceiving it: We take satisfaction in recognizing our lives in onscreen plot lines, as we thrill to real-life moments that feel “just like a movie.” But TikTok’s video-based format has wildly amplified the impulse to collapse the distance between the two and imagine yourself as an onscreen character. The app’s tools make it easy for people to film and edit footage of themselves, narrating their own stories in breezy narrative beats — making life look like an episode of television. The result is a perfect ecosystem for watching and being watched, where once-passive audiences are encouraged to see themselves as the writers, directors and stars of their own motion pictures.

Perhaps there is therapeutic value in conceptualizing your life as a coherent story — one you can not only analyze but direct. One key piece of televisual jargon that has thrived online feels especially suited to this purpose. The “canon event” describes a crucial, sometimes traumatic occurrence that activates or shapes a person’s character. This kind of thinking may be related to therapy, but it has since been extrapolated wholesale into Hollywood tropes. Last year, the popularity of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” — with its talk of critical “canon events” shaping the lives of heroes — inspired TikTok users to embrace the term. But in the transition from big to palm-size screen, the idea became a deadpan punchline, identifying not superheroic origin stories but the formative trials of ordinary youth. One video applied the term to “every teenage girl getting into her first situationship with a medium ugly guy that bears a striking resemblance to the rat from Flushed Away.”

The challenge, for a narcissist, is to realize that we are all our own protagonists.

There’s a related genre of video that encourages viewers to use the visual language of TV to romanticize their lives. This often involves footage of quotidian activities — waiting for the subway, restocking a fridge, pouring a beverage — elevated through production techniques: flattering close-ups, curated props, the amateur’s equivalent of dedicated hair, wardrobe and makeup departments. By reframing mundane activities as the well-lit choreography of a story’s protagonist, these videos render the everyday with a kind of glamour and gravity. If all the world is now a set, “main characters” like these are rewarded by the attention economy — a fact that has inspired some users to turn “main-character energy” into something like a life philosophy. One woman, in the first of 22 “episodes” dedicated to proselytizing her “seasons theory” on TikTok, described how she improved “Season 3” of her life by asking herself what Serena van der Woodsen and Carrie Bradshaw would do. (Those main characters, of “Gossip Girl” and “Sex and the City,” narrativized their own lives for a blog and a newspaper column.)

It’s one thing to “romanticize” a day of remote work, as one TikTok user did, in an attempt to “become the main character” of her life. (She sought out a cafe that called to mind Central Perk and Luke’s Diner, fictional settings from “Friends” and “Gilmore Girls.”) But in other videos, users have expressed how certain types of narcissistic, self-dramatizing behavior — habits that were eventually branded “main-character syndrome” — have impoverished their friendships. Even the remedies people suggested for this pathology were formulated within the same televisual framework. In a conversation with the comedian Catherine Cohen, who described the fixation on “main-character energy” as “deranged,” the podcaster Hannah Berner proposed: “Let’s normalize sometimes being like, This season I’m in the back.”

The challenge, for a narcissist, is to realize that we are all our own protagonists — that any delusions we harbor about being the center of the story must be squared with a shared reality in which no one is. This is, broadly speaking, one of the core developmental processes that mark maturation into adulthood. There was a time when conventional wisdom defined an ideal state of adulthood as one of having shed all illusions of one’s centrality. But the psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott challenged this notion in his 1971 book, “Playing and Reality”: People needn’t shed their illusions, he argued, only learn how to hold them in coexistence with wider reality, recognizing their own subjectivity for what it is. He suggested that, for children, playing with “transitional objects” could facilitate this process, by mediating inner and outer realities — a teddy bear, for instance, can be inanimate but simultaneously alive, a sewn-together object that also thinks and feels.

Scrolling past TikTok videos of “main characters” scrutinizing their “casts” for upcoming “seasons,” I often wonder if I am looking at a kind of transitional object. Life in the offscreen world rarely supplies its own narrative meaning; its messiness and mundanity don’t conform to the neat arcs produced by writers’ rooms. But the younger users coming of age on social media have encountered the world through an astonishing deluge of content in which life, mediated by narrative tropes, produces meaning that is legible by design. If maturation requires bridging these illusions with the formlessness of reality, then self-narrativization may be a kind of intermediary. In the same way that a child, playing with a teddy bear, learns how her imagination relates to the external world, users reconcile similar incongruities by telling the stories of their lives on TikTok. They combine the cinematic with the everyday, their centrality with their marginality, meaning with a lack thereof.

At some point I came across a video that opened, predictably, with a close-up of its young creator’s face. Seated in a mall food court, she raised a piece of sushi to her mouth but was suddenly struck by the scene around her. The camera, cast outward, flashed clips of strangers — one staring at a laptop, another pushing a shopping cart — under the text: “when ur out in public and you remember that everyone is their own main character.” In the caption, the user added: “like damn, my frontal lobe feels developed.”

Source photographs for illustration above: Grant Faint/Getty Images; Aleksandra Pikalova/Getty Images; Oliver Rossi/Getty Images; Guzel/Getty Images.

Kim Hew-Low is an Australian writer living in Brooklyn.

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