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Encourage students to reflect on the central question, 'How do we know that?', and to recognize the value of asking that question
Expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty and questions with multiple plausible answers
Equip students to effectively navigate and make sense of the world, and help prepare them to encounter novel and complex situations
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Browse IB Theory of Knowledge notes, and revision tools for SL and HL.
IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a core subject in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). It explores critical thinking about knowledge itself, examining how we know what we claim to know across different areas of knowledge including the natural sciences, human sciences, history, the arts, and mathematics, with a strong focus on philosophical inquiry, reflection on ways of knowing, and understanding the nature of knowledge claims.
The course requires 100 teaching hours over the two-year diploma programme and does not have Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL) distinctions as it is a mandatory core component for all IBDP students, with first assessment in 2022 for the current syllabus format.
TOK
| Assessment | Format | Duration/Length | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOK Essay | External assessment - 1,600-word essay on prescribed title | 1,600 words | 67% |
| TOK Exhibition | Internal assessment - commentary on 3 objects linked to TOK prompts | 950 words total (commentary) | 33% |
1.1 Core theme: Knowledge and the Knower (compulsory)
1.2 Optional theme: Knowledge and Technology
1.3 Optional theme: Knowledge and Language
1.4 Optional theme: Knowledge and Politics
1.5 Optional theme: Knowledge and Religion
1.6 Optional theme: Knowledge and Indigenous Societies
1.7 Area of knowledge: The Natural Sciences
1.8 Area of knowledge: The Human Sciences
1.9 Area of knowledge: History
1.10 Area of knowledge: Mathematics
1.11 Area of knowledge: The Arts
2.1 The exhibition at a glance
2.2 The instrument: one question, one best-fit judgement out of 10
2.3 Choosing a prompt: narrowing 35 to 1
2.4 Objects that work: specific real-world context
2.5 Linking an object to the prompt
2.6 The commentary: 950 words across three objects
2.7 The Year 1 exhibition calendar
2.8 Coaching within the rules: what guidance is allowed
2.9 The exhibition event and the administrative requirements
2.10 Moderation: what the IB does with your marks
2.11 Exemplars with band reasoning
2.12 The 35 IA prompts
3.1 The essay at a glance
3.2 The instrument: one question, five bands
3.3 What separates 9-10 from 7-8
3.4 Structure without formula
3.5 Examples are evidence, not decoration
3.6 Introductions, definitions, conclusions
3.7 Counter-pressure that does not cancel: four shapes
3.8 Unpacking any title: the method
3.9 The 1,600 words and the formal requirements
3.10 Exemplars with band reasoning
3.11 Practice titles: using the archive
