ToK ESSAYToK ESSAY

The instructions tell you to:The instructions tell you to:

Remember to centre your essay on knowledge issues Remember to centre your essay on knowledge issues and,where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB and,where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB programme and to your experiences as a knower. programme and to your experiences as a knower. Always justify your statements and provide relevant Always justify your statements and provide relevant examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention to the implications of your arguments, and remember to the implications of your arguments, and remember to consider what can be said against them. If you use to consider what can be said against them. If you use external sources, cite them according to a recognized external sources, cite them according to a recognized convention.convention.

Marking CriteriaMarking Criteria

40 points total; 10 for each criterion40 points total; 10 for each criterion

A: Understainding knowledge issues (KIs)A: Understainding knowledge issues (KIs) B: Knower's perspectiveB: Knower's perspective C: Quality of analysis of KIsC: Quality of analysis of KIs D: Organisation of ideasD: Organisation of ideas

A: Understanding KIsA: Understanding KIs

Link the discussion to areas of knowledge Link the discussion to areas of knowledge (AoK) and/or ways of knowing (WoK).(AoK) and/or ways of knowing (WoK).

It's It's usuallyusually best to treat no more than two or best to treat no more than two or three AoKs in detail, but others can be three AoKs in detail, but others can be mentioned as and when comparison becomes mentioned as and when comparison becomes relevant with the AoK being discussed relevant with the AoK being discussed (=links).(=links).

Other key terms that often lead to useful KI Other key terms that often lead to useful KI discussion are: discussion are: proofproof, , explanationexplanation, , evidenceevidence, , truthtruth, , experienceexperience, , cultureculture, , beliefbelief, , certaintycertainty, , intuitionintuition, , technologytechnology, , interpretationinterpretation, , values.values.

B: Knower's perspectiveB: Knower's perspective

Use original examples – this means you need Use original examples – this means you need to think about the KIs in detail to think about the KIs in detail yourselfyourself and and come to your own conclusions about how to come to your own conclusions about how to illustrate them with examples.illustrate them with examples.

Some examples might seem good, but have Some examples might seem good, but have been overused – e.g. the flat earth, 1+1=2, been overused – e.g. the flat earth, 1+1=2, the geo/heliocentric universe. I'll alert you to the geo/heliocentric universe. I'll alert you to any of these when I read though your first any of these when I read though your first draftdraft

Critically evaluateCritically evaluate ideas, both your own and ideas, both your own and those of others – even the essay title can be those of others – even the essay title can be evaluated criticallyevaluated critically

C: Quality of analysisC: Quality of analysis

You need to explore KIs in enough depth. One You need to explore KIs in enough depth. One important consideration is to make sure your important consideration is to make sure your essay goes beyond obvious and stereotypical essay goes beyond obvious and stereotypical comments about AoKs and WoKs, of which comments about AoKs and WoKs, of which the following are examples:the following are examples:

– Mathematical knowledge is universal and Mathematical knowledge is universal and objective, while the arts are subjective and objective, while the arts are subjective and personal. personal.

– Sense perception can be fooled, therefore we Sense perception can be fooled, therefore we can't trust our senses.can't trust our senses.

– History is written by the winner.History is written by the winner.

It's ok to start off discussion with a It's ok to start off discussion with a straightforward comment about a WoK/AoK, straightforward comment about a WoK/AoK, but you should expand your analysis by but you should expand your analysis by asking, for example, these questions: asking, for example, these questions:

– To what extent is my assertion true?To what extent is my assertion true?

– Under what conditions is it not true?Under what conditions is it not true?

– Why is it true under certain conditions, and Why is it true under certain conditions, and why not under others?why not under others?

– What are the implications of my assertion? What are the implications of my assertion? What does it mean in terms of the nature of What does it mean in terms of the nature of proof, evidence, explanation, interpretation, proof, evidence, explanation, interpretation, truth etc. in this AoK/WoK?truth etc. in this AoK/WoK?

Another vital point that needs addressing Another vital point that needs addressing under a discussion of criterion C is the under a discussion of criterion C is the arguing and justifying of statements. arguing and justifying of statements.

NO ASSERTION IN YOUR ESSAY (unless it is NO ASSERTION IN YOUR ESSAY (unless it is so obviously true that no reasonable individual so obviously true that no reasonable individual could question it) CAN BE STATED WITHOUT could question it) CAN BE STATED WITHOUT SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION.SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION.

This justification can be either a coherent This justification can be either a coherent argument that establishes your assertion, or a argument that establishes your assertion, or a reference to a recognised authority that backs reference to a recognised authority that backs it up (only good for factual statements).it up (only good for factual statements).

Examples can also be used to illustrate (but Examples can also be used to illustrate (but not justify) an assertion, but you need to not justify) an assertion, but you need to explicitly point out how your example does explicitly point out how your example does this (here you can also justify your assertion), this (here you can also justify your assertion), don't just assume it's obvious.don't just assume it's obvious.

D: Organisation of ideasD: Organisation of ideas

Express your arguments clearly, structure the Express your arguments clearly, structure the essay coherently.essay coherently.

Use an accepted referencing convention Use an accepted referencing convention (consistently) when you need to provide (consistently) when you need to provide sources.sources.

Formal requirements: word count, minimum Formal requirements: word count, minimum 1.5 line spacing, page numbering, name and 1.5 line spacing, page numbering, name and candidate session number on every page.candidate session number on every page.

When do I need to provide When do I need to provide sources?sources?

There are two situations in which you need to There are two situations in which you need to provide a source:provide a source:

a) You're a) You're citing a fact that is not considered part of citing a fact that is not considered part of general knowledgegeneral knowledge, about which the reader could , about which the reader could reasonably ask, "Is that really true"? In this case, you're reasonably ask, "Is that really true"? In this case, you're backing up your factual claim with proofbacking up your factual claim with proof that it is that it is correct.correct.

b) You're b) You're quoting, or paraphrasing, the idea(s) of quoting, or paraphrasing, the idea(s) of another personanother person. In this case, you're acknowledging that . In this case, you're acknowledging that the idea is not your own, and thereby the idea is not your own, and thereby maintaining your maintaining your academic honestyacademic honesty. Strictly speaking, you should do this . Strictly speaking, you should do this even in the case of, for example, quoting a fellow even in the case of, for example, quoting a fellow student from a classroom discussion.student from a classroom discussion.