HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR TOK ESSAY

COMPULSORY FORMAT DIAEH

TOK ESSAY
2024
 TOK ESSAY
2024
Your theory of knowledge essay must be written on one of the six
essay titles (questions) provided overleaf.
These essay titles take the form of knowledge questions that are
focused on the areas of knowledge. You may choose any of the titles
but are recommended to make your choice in consultation with your
teacher.

Your essay will be marked according to the assessment instrument

published in the theory of knowledge guide. Examiners will be looking
to see that you have provided a clear, coherent and critical exploration
of your chosen title.

Examiners will mark your essay against the title as set. It is very
important that you respond to the title exactly as given and do not
alter the title in any way. Please note that any quotations that appear
in the titles are not necessarily authentic. They will present a real point
of view but may not be direct quotations.

Your theory of knowledge essay must be submitted to your teacher for

authentication. Any external sources used must be acknowledged and
should be cited according to a recognized convention.

Your theory of knowledge essay should be written in standard size 12

font and be double spaced. It must be a maximum of 1600 words.
 PRESCRIBED
TITLES
2024
Title 1 : Is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly
condemned in history? Discuss with reference to the arts and history.

Title 2 : How can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialization

and generalization in the production of knowledge? Discuss with
reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.

Title 3 :Nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of
knowledge often so slow to adopt them? Discuss with reference to the
human sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Title 4: Do we underestimate the challenges of taking knowledge out of

its original context and transferring it to a different context? Discuss
with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Title 5: Do we need custodians of knowledge? Discuss with reference

to two areas of knowledge.

Title 6: Are we too quick to assume that the most recent evidence is
inevitably the strongest? Discuss with reference to the natural
sciences and one other area of knowledge.
 DEADLINES

1. SEPTEMBER 28 - REGISTER TITLE

AND EXAMPLES
2. OCTOBER 26 - DRAFT (TEACHERS
WILL PROVIDE A FULL FEEDBACK)
3. NOVEMBER 27 -FINAL ESSAY

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Look at the prescribed titles and register your title
and specific examples (2 per AoK) - 4 in total per
essay. This form will be sent out this week by Ms.
Richards.

Once you submit your registration, start writing using

the format on this page + template on Managebac.

Look at the checklist and make sure you

communicate with your teacher if you have any
questions.
 MANDATORY STRUCTURE FOR
INTRODUCTION WITH COLOR
CODES

IN RED - FOCUS ON THE PRESCRIBED TITLE (PT): IDENTIFY THE ASPECTS

OF THE PT THAT DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.

IN ORANGE - DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS:

SELECT A FEW KEY TERMS FROM THE PT THAT ARE NOT
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
DEFINE THESE TERMS IN RELATION TO THE PT.

IN BLUE - AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE (AOKS):

LIST THE AOK’S YOU WILL BE DISCUSSING.
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHY YOU'VE CHOSEN THESE AOK’S FOR THE PT.

IN PURPLE - STATE YOUR THESIS: ADDRESS WHETHER YOU AGREE,

DISAGREE, OR PARTIALLY AGREE WITH THE PT.

IN GREEN GENERAL OVERVIEW:

OUTLINE THE MAIN POINTS YOU'LL DISCUSS.
REFERENCE POTENTIAL REAL LIFE EXAMPLES (RLE’S) AND/OR WAYS OF
KNOWING (WOK) YOU'LL USE.

YOUR INTRODUCTION SHOULD HAVE FROM

150 - 200 WORDS.
THIS IS THE ONLY AREA WHERE YOU CAN
MENTION A PERSONAL CONNECTION IN
FIRST PERSON. IN-TEXT CITATIONS IN MLA9.
 MANDATORY STRUCTURE FOR
BODY PARAGRAPHS AOK 1
WITH COLOR CODES
500 - 550 WORDS
IN GREY - FOCUS ON THE PRESCRIBED TITLE (PT): IDENTIFY THE ASPECTS
OF THE PT THAT DRAW YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS AOK . NO OPINIONS,

IN TURQUOISE - REAL LIFE EXAMPLE 1

*NO TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES OR LIFE EXPERIENCES, USE SPECIFIC NAMES
AND EXAMPLE OF SPECIFIC SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, HISTORIANS,
MATHEMATICIANS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, ECONOMISTS (DEPENDING ON YOUR
AOK) AND THE WAY THIS EXAMPLE SUPPORTS A PERSPECTIVE LINKED TO
THE PT.

IN PINK - WAYS OF KNOWING:

DESCRIBE HOW THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF THIS AOK ALIGNS OR
CONTRADICTS THE PT AND IF IT APPLIES OR NOT TO ALL THE DISCIPLINES
OF THIS AOK (IS IT UNIVERSAL OR NOT?)

IN PURPLE - HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL FLAWS OR DOWNSIDES FROM THE

PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH.

IN GREEN - PRESENT EXAMPLE 2 WITHIN THE SAME AOK. THIS ONE

SHOULD CONTRAST YOUR FIRST EXAMPLE THROUGH A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE. *NO TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES OR LIFE EXPERIENCES, USE
SPECIFIC NAMES AND EXAMPLE OF SPECIFIC SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS,
HISTORIANS, MATHEMATICIANS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, ECONOMISTS
(DEPENDING ON YOUR AOK) AND THE WAY THIS EXAMPLE SUPPORTS A
PERSPECTIVE LINKED TO THE PT.

IN PINK - WAYS OF KNOWING:

DESCRIBE HOW THE SECOND EXAMPLE OF THIS AOK ALIGNS OR
CONTRADICTS THE PT AND IF IT APPLIES OR NOT TO ALL THE DISCIPLINES
OF THIS AOK (IS IT UNIVERSAL OR NOT?)

IN RED -SUMMARIZE THE OVERALL STANCE OF THE FIRST AOK IN

RELATION TO YOUR THESIS.

MAKE SURE YOU REFERENCE WITH IN-TEXT

CITATIONS IN MLA9
 MANDATORY STRUCTURE FOR
BODY PARAGRAPHS AOK 2
WITH COLOR CODES
500-550 WORDS
IN GREY - FOCUS ON THE PRESCRIBED TITLE (PT): IDENTIFY THE ASPECTS
OF THE PT THAT DRAW YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS AOK. NO OPINIONS,

IN TURQUOISE - REAL LIFE EXAMPLE 1 - AOK 2

*NO TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES OR LIFE EXPERIENCES, USE SPECIFIC NAMES
AND EXAMPLE OF SPECIFIC SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, HISTORIANS,
MATHEMATICIANS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, ECONOMISTS (DEPENDING ON YOUR
AOK) AND THE WAY THIS EXAMPLE SUPPORTS A PERSPECTIVE LINKED TO
THE PT.

IN PINK - WAYS OF KNOWING:

DESCRIBE HOW THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF THIS AOK ALIGNS OR
CONTRADICTS THE PT AND IF IT APPLIES OR NOT TO ALL THE DISCIPLINES
OF THIS AOK (IS IT UNIVERSAL OR NOT?)

IN PURPLE - HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL FLAWS OR DOWNSIDES FROM THE

PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH.

IN GREEN - PRESENT EXAMPLE 2 WITHIN THE SAME AOK. THIS ONE

SHOULD CONTRAST YOUR FIRST EXAMPLE THROUGH A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE. *NO TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES OR LIFE EXPERIENCES, USE
SPECIFIC NAMES AND EXAMPLE OF SPECIFIC SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS,
HISTORIANS, MATHEMATICIANS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, ECONOMISTS
(DEPENDING ON YOUR AOK) AND THE WAY THIS EXAMPLE SUPPORTS A
PERSPECTIVE LINKED TO THE PT.

IN PINK - WAYS OF KNOWING:

DESCRIBE HOW THE SECOND EXAMPLE OF THIS AOK ALIGNS OR
CONTRADICTS THE PT AND IF IT APPLIES OR NOT TO ALL THE DISCIPLINES
OF THIS AOK (IS IT UNIVERSAL OR NOT?)

IN RED -SUMMARIZE THE OVERALL STANCE OF YOUR SECOND AOK IN

RELATION TO YOUR THESIS.

MAKE SURE YOU REFERENCE WITH IN-TEXT

CITATIONS IN MLA9
 TRANSITIONING PARAGRAPH
(PRIOR TO CONCLUSION)
MAXIMUM 100 WORDS

IN PURPLE -
1. COMPARISON: CONTRAST THE TWO AOK’S YOU'VE DISCUSSED.
2. DIFFERENCES: IS THE VARIATION DUE TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF
KNOWING OR ARE THERE OTHER FACTORS?
3. EVALUATION: HOW DO THESE DIFFERENCES IMPACT YOUR RESPONSE
TO THE PT?

THIS PARAGRAPH IS OPTIONAL BUT TRULY

CONTRIBUTES TO YOUR ANALYSIS
 MANDATORY STRUCTURE FOR
CONCLUSION WITH COLOR
CODES

IN RED - REFERRING BACK:

RELATE YOUR FINDINGS TO THE ORIGINAL PT AND YOUR THESIS ACROSS
BOTH AOKS.

IN ORANGE - STATE YOUR POSITION AFTER YOUR COMPREHENSIVE

ANALYSIS. MAKE SURE TO PRESENT A BALANCED VIEW.

IN BLUE - CONCLUDE BY EXPRESSING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWING

THE ANSWER TO THE PT.

CONCLUSION SHOULD HAVE AROUND

150-200 WORDS
IN-TEXT CITATIONS IN MLA 9.

YOUR TOTAL WORD COUNT SHOULD HAVE

1550 TO 1600 WORDS.
 CHECKLIST
REGISTER YOUR TITLE AND THE 2 EXAMPLES FOR EACH AOK BY
SEPTEMBER 28 VIA MICROSOFT FORMS BY MS RICHARDS.

PROMPT TITLE AND WORD COUNT AT THE TOP (NO TITLE PAGE)

FONT - ARIAL 12, WORKS CITED IN SAME FONT

DOUBLE SPACED , NORMAL 1 INCH MARGINS

COLOR CODE ALL YOUR ESSAY

ACCORDING TO THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WORDCOUNT 1600
PAGE NUMBERS AT BOTTOM RIGHT SIMPLE FONT ......LIKE 1, 2, 3
WORKS CITED (WITH IN-TEXT) ON A NEW PAGE. ALPHABETICAL
AND HANGING INDENTS. MLA9
PAGE. ENSURE THAT PICTURES ARE CITED AS WELL (IF YOU INCLUDE
ANY).

NAME YOUR FILE THE FOLLOWING WAY:

Student Name_0027301234_abc123_TOK ESSAY_Teacher's initials
ANDREI FEDENEV – AF / VERONICA RICHARDS – VR /
GERARD FINNEGAN – GF / MITHRA DANIELS – MRD /
MUKTA MUNDHRA – MM / PETER WILLIAMS – PEW /
SAIRA J NAZIR SJR
YOU MUST ALSO REPLACE ABC123 WITH YOUR
PERSONAL CODE.
YOU MUST REPLACE 1234 WITH YOUR
CANDIDATE CODE.
STUDENT NAME_0027301234_ABC

REVISE YOUR VOCABULARY AND MAKE SURE YOU LOOKED AT THE

GLOSSARY ATTACHED.

SUBMIT DRAFT 1 VIA MANAGEBAC ON YOUR YEAR GROUP DEADLINE

BY OCTOBER 26 AT 11:59 PM