Six Steps to Writing a Good Tok Essay: a Student Guide
SIX STEPS TO WRITING A GOOD TOK ESSAY:
A STUDENT GUIDE
STEP 1:
SELECT A TITLE FROM THE IB LIST.
Do not instantly seize upon a title that sounds appealing and plunge into it headlong. Instead, read carefully all titles (that is, all topics or questions) on the list. Which one allows you to demonstrate best your understanding of ToK issues and your own critical skills? Remember that you may not change the title to something else that you wish you had been asked, but must respond to what the IB has given.
WHAT ARE THE KEY WORDS OF CONCEPTS?
Are there key words of the Theory of Knowledge course – words such as “belief,” “knowledge,” “truth,” or “justification”? Are you clear about what they mean? Are you aware of ambiguities in meaning, or of possible alternative meanings? Check back on class notes, and give these words some thought.
How are the key concepts related to each other? Put the title into your own words to make sure you understand what is being asked. STEP 2
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS
AND THE MARKING CRITERIA.
Do not skip this step. Do not skip this step.
Do not even think about skipping this step.
(a) Read the instructions. What are the key words of instruction?
WHAT ARE THE KEY WORDS OF INSTRUCTION?
If you are told to “assess” or “evaluate” a claim, then you are supposed to consider the arguments both for and against it, taking into account any ambiguities in interpreting it. Possible responses, for example:
• that the claim is justified in these ways or up to this point, but not justified in those ways or beyond that point
• that whether or not the claim is justified depends on what is meant by one of its key words of concepts, so that if you take one version of the key word the claim is justified, but if you take a different version it is not
• that, although some justification can be offered for this point of view, the claim is really an oversimplification and misrepresentation
A STUDENT GUIDE
STEP 1:
SELECT A TITLE FROM THE IB LIST.
Do not instantly seize upon a title that sounds appealing and plunge into it headlong. Instead, read carefully all titles (that is, all topics or questions) on the list. Which one allows you to demonstrate best your understanding of ToK issues and your own critical skills? Remember that you may not change the title to something else that you wish you had been asked, but must respond to what the IB has given.
WHAT ARE THE KEY WORDS OF CONCEPTS?
Are there key words of the Theory of Knowledge course – words such as “belief,” “knowledge,” “truth,” or “justification”? Are you clear about what they mean? Are you aware of ambiguities in meaning, or of possible alternative meanings? Check back on class notes, and give these words some thought.
How are the key concepts related to each other? Put the title into your own words to make sure you understand what is being asked. STEP 2
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS
AND THE MARKING CRITERIA.
Do not skip this step. Do not skip this step.
Do not even think about skipping this step.
(a) Read the instructions. What are the key words of instruction?
WHAT ARE THE KEY WORDS OF INSTRUCTION?
If you are told to “assess” or “evaluate” a claim, then you are supposed to consider the arguments both for and against it, taking into account any ambiguities in interpreting it. Possible responses, for example:
• that the claim is justified in these ways or up to this point, but not justified in those ways or beyond that point
• that whether or not the claim is justified depends on what is meant by one of its key words of concepts, so that if you take one version of the key word the claim is justified, but if you take a different version it is not
• that, although some justification can be offered for this point of view, the claim is really an oversimplification and misrepresentation