One of the hardest parts of the TOK May 2026 essay is organizing your thoughts before you start writing. Without a clear plan, essays often lose structure and depth, costing valuable marks. To help, we’ve designed simple but powerful planning templates for each of the six prescribed titles. These frameworks will guide you step by step through claims, counterclaims, and examples.
RevisionDojo specializes in giving IB students structured support, ensuring every TOK essay is clear, balanced, and examiner-ready.
Quick Start: Why Use a Planning Template?
- Keeps your essay focused on the prescribed title.
- Ensures you include both claims and counterclaims.
- Helps you balance examples across AOKs.
- Saves time during drafting by organizing your arguments.
General TOK Essay Template
Use this as a base for any title:
- Introduction
- Define key terms in the prescribed title.
- Identify the main knowledge question (KQ).
- Outline your approach (AOKs, claims, counterclaims).
- Body Paragraph 1
- Claim (linked to AOK 1)
- Real-life example
- Counterclaim
- Evaluation
- Body Paragraph 2
- Claim (linked to AOK 2)
- Real-life example
- Counterclaim
- Evaluation
- Body Paragraph 3 (optional)
- Additional perspective or theme (culture, politics, technology).
- Conclusion
- Revisit the knowledge question.
- Summarize insights.
- State implications for knowledge.
See how this fits into an essay in our Structuring Guide.
Title-Specific Planning Templates
Title 1: Observation as an Essential but Flawed Tool
- KQ: To what extent can flawed observation still produce reliable knowledge?
- AOKs: Natural Sciences, The Arts
- Examples: Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, eyewitness testimony, abstract art.
- Counterclaims: Bias in perception, subjectivity in art interpretation.
Full analysis: Title 1 guide.
Title 2: Doubt as Central to Knowledge
- KQ: Is doubt a driver or obstacle in knowledge production?
- AOKs: Natural Sciences, History
- Examples: Einstein questioning Newton, historical revisionism, Descartes’ methodic doubt.
- Counterclaims: Too much doubt leads to conspiracy theories or paralysis.
See: Title 2 guide.
Title 3: Power of Knowledge Conveyance
- KQ: How does communication shape the authority of knowledge?
- AOKs: History, Mathematics
- Examples: Nazi propaganda, MLK’s speech, mathematical notation.
- Counterclaims: Knowledge may retain power regardless of how it’s conveyed.
More in: Title 3 guide.
Title 4: Context in Understanding Knowledge
- KQ: How essential is context in making knowledge meaningful?
- AOKs: Literature, Human Sciences
- Examples: Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Milgram’s obedience study, U.S. Constitution.
- Counterclaims: Some knowledge claims stand independent of context.
Full breakdown: Title 4 guide.
Title 5: Pythagoras and “All Things Are Numbers”
- KQ: Can mathematics fully represent reality?
- AOKs: Mathematics, The Arts
- Examples: Fibonacci sequence, golden ratio in architecture, Pythagorean tuning.
- Counterclaims: Not all aspects of human experience can be quantified.
See: Title 5 guide.
Title 6: Interpretation as a Tool in Knowledge
- KQ: Is interpretation a strength or weakness in knowledge production?
- AOKs: History, Natural Sciences
- Examples: Competing views of the French Revolution, interpretations of quantum mechanics, Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
- Counterclaims: Overinterpretation can distort meaning and reliability.
Detailed analysis: Title 6 guide.
How to Use These Templates
- Choose your title.
- Fill in claims, counterclaims, and examples using the framework.
- Draft your essay, making sure every section ties back to the prescribed title.
- Revise against the TOK rubric.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I have to follow these templates exactly?
No. These are flexible frameworks, not rigid rules. Adapt them to your writing style and examples.
2. Should I use three AOKs instead of two?
No. Two AOKs with depth and balance are better. Adding more often weakens analysis.
3. Can I use the same template for multiple titles?
Yes—the general template works for all. Just tailor the claims and examples to fit the prescribed question.
Conclusion: Planning for Success
The best TOK May 2026 essays start with careful planning. By using these templates, you’ll ensure your essay is structured, balanced, and aligned with the rubric. Planning saves time, reduces stress, and sets you up for top marks.
RevisionDojo provides not just templates but complete guides to mastering every May 2026 title.
RevisionDojo Call to Action
Ready to draft your essay? Explore our Ultimate May 2026 Essay Guide or see our Common Mistakes Guide to fine-tune your plan. RevisionDojo is your best resource for TOK success.
Internal Links Used:
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/structuring-your-tok-may-2026-essay-a-step-by-step-guide
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-1-in-the-production-of-knowledge-does-it-matter-that-observation-is-an-essential-but-flawed-tool
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-2-to-what-extent-do-you-agree-that-doubt-is-central-to-the-pursuit-of-knowledge
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-3-is-the-power-of-knowledge-determined-by-the-way-in-which-the-knowledge-is-conveyed
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-4-in-the-acquisition-of-knowledge-can-we-only-understand-something-to-the-extent-that-we-understand-its-context
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-5-to-what-extent-do-you-agree-with-the-claim-that-all-things-are-numbers-pythagoras
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/tok-may-2026-title-6-to-what-extent-is-interpretation-a-reliable-tool-in-the-production-of-knowledge
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/how-examiners-grade-the-tok-may-2026-essay
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/revisiondojo-ultimate-tok-may-2026-essay-guide-mastering-all-6-prompts
- https://www.revisiondojo.com/blog/common-mistakes-students-make-in-the-tok-may-2026-essay-and-how-to-avoid-them
