TOK ESSAYS - exploring the ways of knowing rather than persuading the reader

NOTE - TOK ESSAYS  are not primarily about persuading the reader/examiner to accept your personal argument on an issue. There may be elements of persuasion but they are primarily an exploration and discussion of the ways of knowing about the argument.

The rubric or assessment guide for TOK essays is the only marking scheme available to examiners. No matter how fluently or elegantly composed, an essay which does not reflect your self-awareness as IB Learner will find it difficult to score above a B grade. SO READ THE MARKING RUBRIC AND MARK YOUR OWN ESSAY AND SATISFY YOURSELF THAT YOU HAVE ADDRESSED ALL THE CRITIERIA - YOU CAN ONLY GET MARKS UNDER THESE HEADINGS - not for general interest or other non-Tok aspects.

You can demonstrate that you are self-aware in a number of ways:

·         You use the vocabulary of the contemporary academic discourse!

·         You at least reference the text book examples relating to the title and your AOK and WOK. Also you should be able to show evidence of wider reading, Chomsky, Stephen Pinker, Richard Dawkins, Karen Armstrong, Salman Rushdie etc  A few references to great minds of past and present which are rooted in your title and seamlessly integrated into the essay is a good model for the essay. The TOK essay reveals those students who have studied the IB Learner Profile and grown in self-awareness as their essay contains a strong personal voice linked to their own perspectives on knowledge.

·         You recognise that some or all of the 6 Areas of Knowledge may be considered social and cultural constructs. (History –‘ a fable agreed upon’ Napoleon)

·         You realise that some areas of knowledge involve emotion as a way of knowing (religion, politics, history for example) and that a critical thinker must use logic to balance the search for knowledge

·         You realise that language can contain bias and condition our thinking – (enhanced interrogation techniques versus torture) The feelings engendered by these terms are quite different and colour our reactions to the matters being discussed

YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT KNOWLEDGE (the 6 Areas of Knowledge)  CAN BE A CULTURAL CONSTRUCT WHICH FITS WITH THE NARRATIVE OF YOUR CLASS, GENDER, AGE, NATIONALITY, RACE, RELIGION ETC
YOUR STATUS AS AN IB LEARNER MEANS THAT YOU APPLY THE IB LEARNER PROFILE TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE ISSUES USING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TO UNPACK AND DECONSTRUCT THE KNOWLEDGE ISSUES.

CLASSIC EXAMPLE of Knowledge Issue: “Was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ethically justified or was it in fact a war crime?” Discuss claims and counterclaims etc

*YOUR ESSAY MUST CONTAIN THESE TOK TERMS OR YOU MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SCORE GRADE A - IT IS THAT SIMPLE.*

TOK DEMANDS A SMALL BUT SPECIFIC SET OF WORDS INTEGRATED INTO THE ESSAY TO FIT WITH THE RUBRIC.

TOK ESSAY *CHECKLIST* -AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE - WAYS OF KNOWING - KNOWLEDGE ISSUES - KNOWLEDGE CLAIMS- COUNTERCLAIMS TO THE ORIGINAL CLAIMS - MY OWN KNOWER'S PERSPECTIVE MAY BE INFLUENCED BY ........

Suggested:
ONE OR TWO SHORT OPENING PARAGRAPH(S) WHICH STATE/S THE AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE/THE WAYS OF KNOWING/ and rephrases the title in a way that demonstrates that the student understands the title and signposts the overall plan of the essay

 MAIN BODY - THE HOYE SAMPLE ESSAY PLAN - Each paragraph opens with a phrase like - It can be argued..... or ....... The evidence suggest......that
ا

* knowledge claim
* can be made for the ideas........

Then an example-
Then a counter claim in the same paragraph or a short new paragraph with the counterclaim.

*
KNOWER'S PERSPECTIVE *
Students might begin a special paragraph with a* variation* of this idea - "When I reflect on this title, I am aware that many factors in my own upbringing may cause cultural bias in my way of knowing about this subject. We are all influenced by factors such as family values, national identity, race, gender, age and religion. So I must accept that different ways of looking at the world exist and that as an IB Learner, I must appreciate that others may hold different views to my own but also hold them passionately for example in India, there are many religions and we live in mutual respect though each one has strong taboos on certain foods...... The important factor in a globalised economic  community is patience as we work at understanding each others’ points of view.....