IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) SL Theory of Knowledge Example

The student maintains a clear and sustained focus on the prescribed title and keeps the discussion anchored in the two required areas of knowledge.

The student's essay has a coherent line of argument that is easy to follow, with a consistent overall position rather than a list of disconnected points.

The student uses relevant examples from both history and the natural sciences, and several of them are specific enough to support genuine analysis.

The student shows some awareness of alternative perspectives by contrasting different readings of historical evidence and by recognising that scientific knowledge can change over time.

The student identifies appropriate reliability mechanisms such as corroboration, repeated trials, and peer review, which strengthens the TOK dimension of the essay.

The student's evaluation is often asserted rather than developed, so claims about reliability are sometimes too sweeping and not fully justified.

Some TOK concepts, especially interpretation and reliability, need sharper distinction and more precise explanation.

The historical examples would benefit from closer analysis of how the evidence supports the claim, rather than relying on broad conclusions about bias or certainty.

The student's scientific discussion should explain more clearly how interpretation operates in science, not just that scientific findings are revised.

The conclusion becomes too categorical and does not fully reflect the nuance introduced earlier in the essay.