TOK ESSAY

1. TOK ESSAY

2. It’s easy you just need to focus on a few things • • a demonstrated understanding of the issue under discussion • • a demonstrated skill in analytical thinking in the form learned in the particular subject • • a well organized and clearly written presentation of the ideas, with control of overall argument

3. WHAT ARE THE KEY WORDS OF INSTRUCTION? • Assess? Evaluate? • You are supposed to consider the arguments both for and against it, taking into account any ambiguities in interpreting it • “to what extent” or “in what way” • Astatement is justified, then you are being asked the same thing, but in different words.

4. Marking criteria – you need to play the rules! • A. KNOWLEDGE ISSUE(S) (10 points) • Is/are the problems of knowledge implied by the prescribed title recognized and understood, and prominently maintained throughout the essay? • The phrase “problems of knowledge” refers to possible uncertainties, biases in approach to knowledge or limitations of knowledge, and the methods of verification and justification appropriate to the different areas of knowledge. • for the top mark of 10: an excellent recognition and understanding of the problem(s) of knowledge implied by the prescribed title; the development of ideas is consistently relevant to the prescribed title in particular, and to ToK in general; it is a balanced, purposeful enquiry, • and reflects the voice of the candidate.

5. B. QUALITY OF ANALYSIS (10 points) • Do the analysis, and the treatment of counter-claims, show critical reflection and insight in addressing the problem(s) of knowledge? • for the top mark of 10: an excellent level of critical reflection and insight; the discussion is detailed, and arguments are logically valid; the main points are cogently justified and evaluate, and there is effective acknowledgement of their implications; counter-claims are identified and thoroughly evaluated.

6. C. BREADTH AND LINKS (5 points) • Does the essay reflect an awareness of different Ways of Knowing and different Areas of Knowledge, and of how they may be linked? • The terms “Ways of Knowing” and “Areas of Knowledge” refer to the elements of the ToK diagram. This is not to discourage reference to elements which do not feature on the diagram and which may be equally relevant and appropriate. • The word ”across” here denotes links and comparisons across elements in the same radial section of the diagram. The word “between” here denotes links and comparisons between elements in different radial sections of the diagram. • for the top mark of 5: an excellent level of awareness of different Ways of Knowing and different Areas of Knowledge; effective links and comparisons are drawn across and between them

7. D. STRUCTURE, CLARITY, AND LOGICAL COHERENCE (5 pts) • Is the essay structured, clear and logically coherent? • If the essay is of fewer than 1200 words or exceeds 1600 words in length, zero will be awarded for this criterion. • This criterion is not intended to assess linguistic skills. Rather, it is intended to assess the extent to which the main ideas are clearly and coherently conveyed in an appropriate structured form. • for the top mark of 5: excellently structured, with a concise introduction, and a clear, logically coherent development of the argument leading to an effective conclusion; • concepts and distinctions are succinctly defined and clarified.

8. E. EXAMPLES (5 points) • Is the essay well supported by appropriate examples drawn from a variety of sources? • for the top mark of 5: excellent (consistently appropriate and effective) examples, drawn from a wide variety of sources, including the candidate’s own experience, to illustrate succinctly the main points of the argument; the examples reflect a high degree of cultural diversity

9. F. FACTUAL ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY (5 points) • Are the affirmations factually accurate and, if sources were used, were they reliable and correctly cited? • Essays which require facts to support the argument, but omit to use them, will be awarded zero. • for the top mark of 5: an excellent level of factual accuracy, and sources are reliable, and are consistently and correctly cited, according to a recognized convention

10. What Ways of Knowing and Areas of Knowledge are relevant? Which ones are the best to discuss here? • Think broadly, drawing the comparisons and links between Ways and Areas. Try drawing lines between parts of the ToK Diagram and think of connections that your title suggests. Think about the people who are doing the knowing, and about different cultural views.

11. . Gather examples to illustrate your points from notes and texts from your other IB courses, the newspaper, people you know, your own experience, or any other sources relevant. Remember, though, that the ToK essay is not a research paper. You will not find your response to the title in a book; books and other sources give you only the raw material which you must shape into your own response.

12. Make it personal it helps • Me for an example: • Vocabulary’s effect on the rate of acquiring knowledge has always been an issue of interest to me due to my life as the son of a diplomat constantly relocating and acclimating to new cultures and vocabularies. Between India, Egypt, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, my life is a cultural collage serving as an amalgamation of endless attempts to familiarize myself with new languages and dialects. I have come to believe that vocabulary does significantly affect our knowledge, but our knowledge can also significantly affect our vocabulary. Hence it would be quite biased to reach a conclusion on either end of the pendulum. In essence, the prompt is yet another example of the “chicken vs egg” debate; a question to which a unanimous answer is asymptotical. Used personal pronouns Examples from my life

13. Though it’s personal – it’s not an informal work • Don’t use contractions • Formal language • Sophisticated vocabulary

14. Examples! Examples! Examples! • No stupid examples: • “In my chemistry class…” • Good and complex examples: • Earlier this year, there was another case of social turmoil at the University of California, Berkeley, referred to as the OccupyCal Movement. Videos surfaced on the Internet showing Berkeley police violently beating student protesters multiple times. A day later, the Chancellor’s emailed the general public saying, “I have heard that the police nudged the protesters.” In this situation, the Chancellor was not lying, because he was acknowledging the occurrence of altercations between the students and the police. However, the utilization of the word ‘nudged’ instead of the word ‘attacked’ or ‘unwarranted aggression’ paints a very different scene. Personally, I do not believe that the Chancellor had another understanding of the events, yet he chose to use more elusive vocabulary in order to lessen the general public’s anger or concern. Therefore, the general public who only heard of the OccupyCal movement from the Chancellor now had a less violent image than those who experienced it, all due to the word ‘nudged’. The rationale for this example is to illustrate that our understanding and our knowledge are contingent on the vocabulary utilized.

15. Don’t Philosophize! • Try to convey to the reader your point – Don’t just use vague ideas • Start with a wide idea and then focus it • Make sure you balance between abstract ideas and specific examples

16. Clear path • For the reader – this should be a very easy read • It should be thought provoking • There should be a clear and focused direction • Paragraphs don’t just happen, there must be a reason for put a certain idea with a certain example • The order of the essay is important, there should be links between each paragraph.

17. Quick tips: • Provide your essay with an interesting title • Don’t use dictionary definitions – “Webster’s dictionary defines…” use your own definition – “my definition of….” this shows deep thought process • There is nothing wrong with researching examples: On August 17, 1998, then American President Bill Clinton was on trial for lying on oath about his sexual misconduct; his actions had transgressed the limits set by ethics. His reasons to the question, “[his] response of no sex of any kind in any manner, is false. Is that correct?” was, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ’is‘ is. If ’is‘ means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement.” In this situation, then President Clinton questioned the definition of a simple word “is” and in raising doubts about the vocabulary in a Congressional hearing, the panel was no longer certain about the ethics of his actions.