TOK Essays
¡V Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that
students and teachers frequently ask about the TOK essay. Read through these
questions and the answers to check that you are doing the right thing.
What¡¦s the most important thing to bear in mind?
The first thing is to BE
CLEAR! Most students do not even manage to communicate their ideas clearly to
the examiner. Regardless of whether or not your answer is stunningly original
or crammed with a variety of interesting examples, if it is clear then you will
already have a massive head start over the majority of other students from
elsewhere in the world. That is why it is absolutely vital to plan in detail ¡V
if you have a clear plan you will write a clear essay. If you start the essay
without a clear plan then the chances are you will not do very well.
The second thing is to
remain focussed on the question. It is really easy to lose focus and when you
do your score will instantly drop. A slight switch from discussing ¡¥what we
believe is true¡¦ to ¡¥what is true¡¦ might be enough to make most of your answer
irrelevant to the question that you have been asked so you have to be really,
really careful here. Always ask yourself whether you are correctly focussed on
the question.
If my answer is not completely different to everyone else¡¦s
will I lose?
Most good essays will
offer well balanced, plausible and convincing answer to the knowledge question
that has been asked. Clearly there is not an infinite variety of plausible and
convincing answers to any question and so you should not expect your answer to
be completely different to everyone else¡¦s and nor should you strive to make it
bizarrely and outlandishly strange in an attempt to seem original. A good
answer will usually point out that x is true in some case cases because of a
certain set of reasons, while it is less true in other cases and pretty much completely
untrue elsewhere. Students who take very extreme positions tend not to do so
well in TOK because, unlike in English where you can usually find some evidence
to back up even the most unusual reading, TOK is meant to be firmly grounded in
the real world and so, for instance, it is not really that plausible to argue
that we can never know anything because that just doesn't fit with how we live
our daily lives. Similarly, answers which are overly simply probably won't do
that well because most things in TOK just aren¡¦t that clear cut. For example
students who claim that Art is completely subjective and that we can never know
whether one painting is better than another have trouble when accounting for
how the IB award some students Level 7s in art while failing others.
So in this sense your
essay might be balanced in the same way as someone else¡¦s but the difference
between your essay and everyone else¡¦s should be in exactly how you strike that
balance, exactly which discriminations you make and the kinds of evidence that
you use to persuade me that your answer is correct. The more convincing your
position: the better you will do.
How many examples do I need?
In terms of number of examples there is no set
answer. However, in a 1600 word essay you should try to have about 4-6 main
body points with one clear example that is central to each one. The best marks
will not go to those students who have lots of examples but those who choose examples
that support their point really well and then go on to consider the
counterclaims against this position (possibly using the same example or a
different one) and then respond to this counterclaim (again using the same
example or a different one - however three examples in paragraph might be
getting a bit too much).
How important is it to talk about myself?
It is important to demonstrate personal engagement,
indeed the highest marks will really only be awarded to essays that create a
sense that the writer has really engaged and got to grips with the question
that they have chosen to answer. However, there are a number of different ways
to do this. Using the personal pronoun ¡¥I¡¦ and talking about something that has
happened to you is one way to do this but it will not score highly unless it is
a strong example that convincingly supports the point you are trying to make. For
example, you will are unlikely to get any points for a personal example about
your summer holiday or your Mum¡¦s noodle soup unless it clearly and
convincingly supports your answer to the question.
Other ways to demonstrate personal engagement and
independent thought are by offering personal definitions of key words and
researching original examples that you have come up with yourself rather than
the obvious example or the one that everyone else in your class is using
because that is the one that the teacher gave you.
Ultimately the best way to demonstrate your
personal engagement with the question is through your tone of voice and the
sense that you have really ¡¥got¡¦ what this question is asking and honestly
offered your own answer to it. However, this can be hard to identify for an
examiner so it is probably best if you try to cover all of the different methods
mentioned above in order to come across as a student who is thinking for
themselves and relating this question to experiences in their own education.
Should I offer definitions of all the words in my title?
Obviously not ¡V beginning your essay with a list of
personal definitions does not make for a very engaging start. However, there may be some terms in your question
title that it is important to define and so you might need to start by doing
this. In these case it is best to offer a brief personal definition (avoid Dictionary.com!), but
be careful with going into any more detail than that. Otherwise the best way to
show that you understand what the words in the title mean is to continually
link back to the key words from the question throughout your essay. Just like
in an English essay you would usually do this at the beginning or end of a
paragraph but the best students will be able to make the link clear throughout.
One handy trick to bear in mind when thinking about
definitions is that, considering different definitions of key words can
actually be a good way of incorporating different perspectives into your essay.
For example, if your essay question asks you whether progress is equally
possible in the sciences and the arts then how you answer that question might
depend on how you define progress and a good structure for the essay might be
to start by considering one definition of progress (i.e. progress from one
perspective) and then go on to contrast this with the answer that we get if we
consider a different definition of progress from another perspective.
Is it a good idea to
argue that it¡¦s impossible to know anything at all?
Generally no ¡K TOK examiners tend to be quite
dismissive of essays that argue either that we can¡¦t know anything at all or
that you can have your ¡¥truth¡¦ and I can have my ¡¥truth¡¦ and that these truths
are both true. The first of these approaches is often called ¡¥lazy scepticism¡¦
and the second ¡¥easy relativism¡¦ and you can see that the names imply that
these are not particularly impressive positions to adopt. This is not to say
that it¡¦s impossible to be sceptical about knowledge and argue that there are
problems with it because clearly there are. It¡¦s also not to say that it¡¦s
impossible to argue that in some situations the ¡¥truth¡¦ might actually be
different for different people. However, by and large TOK is looking at how we
can know things despite the problems we face when acquiring with knowledge or
in spite of the different opinions that exist. TOK is in many ways a pragmatic
and realistic subject that is trying to move away from creating the impression that
we just can't know anything at all. As such, the best essays will admit that
the acquisition of knowledge may not be straight-forward, but will go on to
consider how we can overcome these obstacles in the successful pursuit of
knowledge.
Do I have to cover
every AOK and WOK in my essay?
No, you won¡¦t have enough
space. However, you should start by considering all of the AOKs
and WOKs when you begin planning your essay and then
narrow it down to the 2 or 3 AOKs or WOKs where you can say the most interesting things. Make it
clear that this narrowing down is a conscious decision that you have made and
you can even briefly explain the reasons why you have made the choice that you
have, if you think that it is relevant. Remember that the highest marks will go
to the students who explore a few really key ideas in depth rather than those
who try to cover everything. Remember also that the best and most original
ideas are not necessarily going to be the ones that spring to mind first so try
to use AOKs or WOKs that
not everyone else is using ¡V as long as they work.
So how do I know which
AOKs or WOKs would be good
ones to pick?
In general, it can be good to compare an AOK where
a statement 'x' really applies well and contrast that with one where it doesn't
or doesn't seem to. So for example 'All knowledge is subjective' seems to fit
well with The Arts and Ethics, but less with Maths and Science so if you just
talk about The Arts and Ethics then you are just going to have an essay that
keeps saying ... and this is also true in Ethics, and we can see another
example of subjectivity in the Arts, etc. It would be much better to say that
this is true in the arts because of xyz reasons and not true in Maths because
of abc reasons.
If you are really
confident with TOK you might try inverting an obvious stereotype about an AOK
and seeing if you can find examples where that isn¡¦t true. For example, most
students¡¦ first reactions are that the Arts are a subjective subject whereas
Maths is a subject which contains objective, universal truths. While there is
some truth to this stereotype it is not true all the
time and the best students will be able to explore where that stereotype breaks
down and why it breaks down. For example, while judgement in art is subjective,
some truths ¡V e.g. that this picture was painted by Da
Vinci - are empirical and so we can have objective agreement about them.
Additionally, even the subjective truths aren't allowed to be absolutely anything
- even my Mum doesn't think that my Primary School paintings are as good as Da Vinci's. This kind of subtlety is what marks out the
best answers.
In addition, do not make
sweeping statements about aspects or areas of knowledge that imply that what
you are saying is always and absolutely true without exception. Instead, phrase
things in a way that acknowledges the limitations of your own knowledge and
experience: for example ¡¥Accepting for the moment the premise that ¡K then we
can say ¡K¡¦
Do I have to use TOK
words like ¡¥Areas of Knowledge¡¦ in my essay?
Yes you do as this will demonstrate a good
understanding of the course but be wary of just throwing them in everywhere: judicious
and correct use of TOK terminology is better than going over the top. The words
that should come up more frequently are the key words from the question to show
that you are remaining focussed on the question and not getting distracted by
anything else.
Do I have to include any Philosophy
or Philosophical words?
No - the IB
have made it clear that TOK is not a philosophy course, instead it is meant to
be grounded in the real world and your own experiences as a student. As such
you should try to avoid including complex philosophical points unless you
really understand them and they really are fully relevant to the essay, even
then it is often to put these points into your own words rather than quote
philosophers because TOK is about you thinking for yourself rather than quoting
someone else¡¦s thoughts.
Do I have to research
the quotations in the question title?
It is a good idea to know
where the quotation came from, who said it and why but you wouldn¡¦t necessarily
include any of this in your essay. In fact, the quotation may not really be
relevant at all to the essay question as they are sometimes just used to give
you a flavour of the what the essay is about. For
example in the ¡¥What I Tell You Three Times is True¡¦ question ¡V the number
¡¥three¡¦ and the fact that this comes from Lewis Carroll are not necessarily as
important as the point about repetition and so detailed research into the works
of Lewis Carroll will not really help you with this question.
Can I use quotations
from famous people to back up my argument?
Students often like
starting essays, concluding essays or supporting points with quotations from
famous people like Oscar Wilde or Albert Einstein. The fact that these people
are experts tends to lend an air of credibility to your argument. However, the opinion
of someone like Oscar Wilde is only going to be relevant in certain, very
specific circumstances, for example, if you are exploring aesthetics (the
theory about what makes beautiful things beautiful) then it might be worth
considering Oscar Wilde¡¦s perspective on this topic as he was an artist¡K but
you have to remember that his view is only one perspective and just because Wilde
said it, it doesn¡¦t mean that he has the best or most convincing theory about
beauty. You should also remember that, outside of the topic of aesthetics, it
might not be a such good idea to quote Oscar Wilde at all: his opinions on how
to live a good life, for example, can be sharply witty and sound quite
appealing ... but we need to remember that he did die penniless and alone in
Paris so is he really someone that we want to listen to?
Similarly, Einstein is a
hugely important figure in the history of science and it might be worthwhile
quoting him if you were exploring the forces that drive or inspire genius.
However, again you should bear in mind that Einstein¡¦s personal statement about
what inspires him is not necessarily something that is going to be true of all
thinkers. On top of that you should remember that it has been almost 100 years
since the publication of Einstein¡¦s last great work, the General Theory of
Relativity, so if you are looking for an up to date comment on the nature of
scientific knowledge then it might be best to look elsewhere.
In general the rule with
quotations is that you should only quote from someone when they are an expert
in the relevant field and even then you have to bear in mind that their opinion
is nothing more than that, an opinion. Just like your opinions have to be
backed up with evidence and proof, so do the opinions of experts¡K just because
Einstein said it, it doesn¡¦t mean it¡¦s true until you show me the proof. One
danger you should also be aware of if you quote too much is that the expert¡¦s
voice can come to replace your own and so you should only quote opinions
sparingly. One additional way to prevent the expert¡¦s voice from dominating
your essay is to use quotations from them in your counterclaims; if you go on
to disagree with the expert then that¡¦s usually a clear indication that you are
thinking for yourself.
Finally, be careful where
you get your quotation from. ¡¥Brainyquote.com¡¦ might be a repository of
thousands of fantastic and completely accurate quotations but it doesn¡¦t create
a great impression of your ability to select reliable sources so try to find
the original source for your quotation and quote that!
Do I need to include
different perspectives in my essay?
Definitely, although
remember that ¡¥different perspectives¡¦ can mean a range of different things.
One nice way to include different perspectives is by considering the question
from the ¡¥perspective¡¦ of the different AOKs. So, for
example, you might answer the question from the perspective of the sciences and
then compare this with the perspective of the arts ¡V this is a particularly
nice trick because it also enables you to draw in some comparisons between the AOKs at the same time. However, there are other
perspectives that you considering and exploring different cultural, political,
philosophical, historical and intellectual perspectives or different schools of
thought within an AOK can lead to a more interesting and more convincing essay.
Do I have to
distinguish between ¡¥personal¡¦ and ¡¥shared¡¦ knowledge in my essay?
It¡¦s definitely a good
idea to consider these ideas in your planning but, as with anything, you should
only really include them if they are relevant to your essay. One effective way
to include these different kinds of knowledge in your essay is to treat them as
different perspectives on the same issue. For example, if you are looking at
whether it is possible to make progress in the arts then the answer might be
quite different depending on whether I am talking about progress at a personal
level (clearly I can get better at drawing) or at a shared / communal level
because it¡¦s not entirely clear what it would mean for art overall to get
¡¥better¡¦. This links nicely with the previous point as a way of considering
different perspectives on the same issue and can be a good way of killing two
birds with one stone.