IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (2024)

Here are links to ideas and suggestions relating to the the six May 2022 IB ToK Essay topics:

  • Topic 1. Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
  • Topic 2. To what extent do you agree with the claim that "there’s a world of difference between truth and facts". (Maya Angelou) Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge.
  • Topic 3. Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
  • Topic 4.How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
  • Topic 5.How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.
  • Topic 6.If we conclude that there is some knowledge we should not pursue on ethical grounds, how can we determine the boundaries of acceptable investigation within an area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

I briefly mention some points to consider for each topic below; however, the personalised service I offer is tailored to eachstudent.

You should be very waryof simply repeating phrases and words from ToK websites.

In particular, basing your essays on downloaded templatescarries considerable risks. First, you don't know with whom you are dealing.

Secondly, your essay will share the samestructure as many others and will likely be considered as plagiarised. As an experienced philosophy and ToK examiner I knowhow easy it is to identify essays with a common source.

At any time, you can access free podcasts, videos, and articles, relevant to your IB ToK essay or presentation, from the site's social media pages.

The posts also provide links to discussions of WoKs, AoKsand real-life examples; so it's worth following or liking them:

IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (1) IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (2) IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (3)

If you require personal help choosing your May 2022 ToK essay topics, I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send details of my services and fees:

Title 1: Can there be knowledge that is independent of culture? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 1 include:

  • the relationship between truth and knowledge
  • is truth always relative to some context?
  • can the same truth be seen in different ways?

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you require tailored help with topic 1 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then I'd bedelighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 2: To what extent do you agree with the claim that "there’s a world of difference between truth and facts". (Maya Angelou) Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 2 include:

  • truth is a property of representations, e.g. factual sentences
  • facts are truth-makers - what make true sentences true
  • do all facts exist independently of all minds?

The kinds of things that can be true or false are representations: they represent things as being a certain way:some represent truly, some falsely (misrepresent things). Photographs are representations:an acceptable passport photo represents the face of the passport owner with a true likeness, for example. Factual sentences are an important kind of representation.

True factual sentences describe or represent the actual facts: e.g. the factual English sentence "gold is a metal" is true because gold is, in actual fact, a metal. False factual sentences misrepresent the facts: e.g. "gold is plastic" is false because, in actual fact, gold is not plastic, but is metal.

True factual sentences are therefore an important way of recording and communicating factual knowledge: knowledge of the facts.For example, I can use the English sentence "The city of London is on the river Thames" to communicate the factual knowledge (knowledge of the fact) that the city of London is on the river Thames.

Facts are therefore truth makers: they are what exist in reality to make factual sentences true. Reality therefore comprises, or contains all the facts. Someone who claims to live by "alternative facts"is therefore claiming to live, literally, in an alternative reality.

Many TOK students make the mistake of talking about "true facts". This commits a category mistake. Facts aren't the kind of thing that can be true or false, precisely because they aren't representations,they just exist there in reality. It is factual sentences that are true in virtue of the facts.

Some facts undoubtedly exist independently of all minds: the fact that the earth orbits the sun is so, it is a part of reality, whether or not anyone does think, or ever has thought, about it. However, are there some facts which rely on minds for their existence, such that if minds ceased to exist those facts would too?

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you're considering answering topic 2 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then I'd bedelighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 3: Is there solid justification for regarding knowledge in the natural sciences more highly than another area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 3 include:

  • the uses and purposes of knowledge
  • how are beliefs justified?
  • the difference between knowing and claiming to know

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you'd like to discuss topic 3 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then I'd bedelighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 4: How do historians and human scientists give knowledge meaning through the telling of stories? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.

Thoughts to consider with essay 4 include:

  • the role of narrative construction in knowledge creation
  • the difference between trivial and significant knowledge
  • genealogical explanations of concepts and knowledge

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you'd like help with topic 4 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then I'd bedelighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 5: How can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 5 include:

  • the purposes and uses of interpretation
  • the difference between interpreting an artist's intentions and interpreting their work
  • the relationship between interpretation and truth

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you're considering addressing topic 5 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then by all means email me and I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 6: If we conclude that there is some knowledge we should not pursue on ethical grounds, how can we determine the boundaries of acceptable investigation within an area of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 6 include:

  • the ethical difference between knowing something and using that knowledge
  • should ethics provide decision-making procedures?
  • can we assume there are there clear ethical boundaries that it is possible to determine?

These thoughts, and others, will be developed here shortly: come back soon!

If you're writing on topic 6 of the May 2022 ToK essay titles, then I'd be happy to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Site updated: September 3rd 2022

IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (14)

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IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: May 2022 (2024)

FAQs

How do you pick a title for a TOK essay? ›

Choosing a TOK essay prescribed title
  1. Don't rush your choice. ...
  2. Link the titles to the BQs. ...
  3. Link the question to the AOKs. ...
  4. Find ways to challenge the question. ...
  5. Relate the question to your own experiences. ...
  6. Place the question in a real-world context.

How do you write a 2022 TOK essay? ›

The TOK Essay Structure
  1. -Say one or two interesting things about the prescribed title question. This shows us, right away that you know what the question is asking.
  2. -Define one or two of the key terms in the title. ...
  3. -State your claim. ...
  4. -Example. ...
  5. -Counter-claim. ...
  6. -Example. ...
  7. -Sum up the development section. ...
  8. -State your claim.

How do you get a 7 in TOK essay? ›

7 Tips for Your TOK Essay
  1. By Sandro Lau. ...
  2. Become friends with Ways of Knowing (WOKs) and Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) ...
  3. Familiarise yourself with terminology. ...
  4. Challenge personal biases and preferences. ...
  5. Vary research methods. ...
  6. Make an outline first. ...
  7. Read past TOK essays that received high scores.

What happens if you fail the TOK essay? ›

If you do not submit your extended essay on time (NS = Not Submitted), or you do not submit your TOK essay on time you will not be awarded your IB Diploma. Failure to submit either will result in a failure to receive the Diploma.

How do you get 10 in TOK essay? ›

Clarity: Structuring your essay in a legible and clear/easy to read manner. Creativity: Using your personal ways of thinking and applications of knowledge specific to your understanding of the knowledge issue. Critical Thinking: Using a counter argument for every argument you have to analyze your own claims constantly.

How many hours does TOK essay take? ›

BASIC ESSAY REQUIREMENTS

– A maximum of 1600 words, not including references, acknowledgements, drawings and graphics. – Be based on one of the 6 topics/areas given each year by IB. That is, you cannot use topics from other years, which is very important. – Spend approximately 10 hours to write a good essay.

Is it easier to get an A in EE or TOK? ›

Getting 'A' in Extended Essay seems to be relatively easier than getting 'A' in ToK Essay. But, if you get one 'A' and one 'B' in these two, still you will end up getting 3 points, I believe.

What percentage is a 7 in IB? ›

Reporting IB Grades
IB GradeConverted Percentage Grade
799-100
692-98
584-91
477-83
3 more rows

What is a passing grade for TOK? ›

The minimum threshold for completing the programme is 24 points, below which the diploma is not awarded. The additional requirements are the following: CAS requirements have been met. There is no “N” awarded for TOK, the EE or for a contributing subject.

How hard is it to get above 40 in IB? ›

Getting above 40 points in IBDP sounds pretty hard but is actually achievable with good organisation and clever planning. If you are self-driven, multitasker and good at time management, you are already at the first step of success.

How hard is it to get 45 points in IB? ›

Each year, less than 1% of students achieve a 45 in their IB. With these kind of odds against you, you need a bit of help. The purpose of this (moderately tongue-in-cheek) article is to give provide planning tips to help you.

How many points is TOK worth in IB? ›

The EE and TOK are worth a maximum of 3 IB points, depending on the grades obtained overall in each course. For example, a candidate who achieves level B for Theory of Knowledge and level C for the Extended Essay will be awarded two IB points.

Can I start my TOK essay with a quote? ›

Introduction: start strong, a good quote will be a good idea. Make sure that you explain why the quote is relevant. Unpack your title. Tell your examiner what this title is about.

What should students avoid in essays? ›

  • Writing a Synopsis, Not An Analytical Essay. ...
  • Not Having a Strong Thesis Statement. ...
  • Using Too Many Quotes in An Essay. ...
  • Plagiarism. ...
  • Making Grammar, Spelling and Pronoun Mistakes. ...
  • Not Having a Good Bibliography. ...
  • Using Resources That Aren't Credible. ...
  • Want to improve your essay writing skills?
24 Jul 2020

What words should I not use in my essay? ›

You should try to avoid expressions that are too informal, unsophisticated, vague, exaggerated, or subjective, as well as those that are generally unnecessary or incorrect.

What are 3 good topics for an essay? ›

Some great ideas for your essay topic are:
  • Your favorite childhood memory.
  • Most recent travel experience.
  • The death of a friend or relative that influenced you.
  • The loss of a pet that changed your life.
  • Your best friend and how you met.
  • Your first time on a plane.
  • The first book you read.
  • The worst memory you have.
6 Jun 2022

How do you pick the best title? ›

The 3 Most Common Attributes of Good Titles
  1. Short. The most memorable titles are usually on the shorter side. ...
  2. Evocative. Best-selling titles are often evocative and contain compelling wordplay and imagery. ...
  3. Memorable and unique. A good-book-title should be both memorable and unique.
9 Nov 2021

How do I choose a good title? ›

The title you choose should:
  1. Be Unique. It's getting increasingly more difficult to come up with a title that hasn't been done before, but you must. ...
  2. Be Memorable. ...
  3. Provide Insight. ...
  4. Relax. ...
  5. Brainstorm. ...
  6. Answer the Reader's Questions. ...
  7. Use Poetic Phrases.

Is it possible to get an E on EE? ›

Failing condition*: An E in either TOK or the EE is a failing condition. However, provided that your total diploma score is 26 or more, you can carry one failing condition and still be awarded the diploma.

Does TOK count towards GPA? ›

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a discussion-based class that is required in the IB Diploma Program. It is designed to help students become critical thinkers and to ultimately question where knowledge comes from. TOK has been a course at CHS since 2009, but it was never weighted in terms of GPA.

How many examples should TOK essay have? ›

How many examples do I need? In terms of number of examples there is no set answer. However, in a 1600 word essay you should try to have about 4-6 main body points with one clear example that is central to each one.

What happens if you go over the word count for TOK essay? ›

Essays that exceed the word limit will be penalized in the following ways: examiners are instructed to stop reading after 1,600 words and to base their assessment on just the first 1,600 words. a 1 mark penalty will be applied to the essay.

What is the word count for TOK essay 2022? ›

the word count is 1600 words.

Can I write a 3 page essay in 3 hours? ›

Writing 3 pages will take about 37.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1.3 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 5 hours.

How long does a 1000 essay take? ›

The writing time for a 1,000-word essay varies depending on the type of essay. You could say that it takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours to write most 1000 word college essays.

How long should an essay be in 40 minutes? ›

In most jurisdictions, secondary-level students are expected to be able to write a good, critical essay of approximately 500 words in 40 minutes. At college or university, instructors may design exams with essay questions with the assumption that one response will take a student approximately 40 minutes.

Is a 3 a fail in IB? ›

Students must achieve a total of at least 28 points, with a grade of '3' or higher in each eAssessment component, to be eligible to receive the IB MYP certificate.

Is 27 a good IB score? ›

Good IB scores—as with any academic qualifications—are subjective, being highly dependent on a student's target university (and country) and preferred course. All IB students are required to score a minimum of 24 points for six subjects. The average IB scores throughout the years have varied between 28-30 points.

Do you fail IB if you fail EE? ›

But what happens if you fail an Extended Essay? You won't get an IB diploma if you get an E in both the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. Students who fail to submit their EE don't earn the diploma. You also can't earn the diploma if you get an N in any of the subjects in the Extended Essay.

Is 38 in IB good? ›

A score in the 40s will make you a more competitive candidate academically (note: a lot of non-academic factors are at play), but a 38+ is considered a good IB score. If you're aiming for the Ivies, you certainly don't want to be dipping below the 36 mark.

How many people get 45 in IB every year? ›

The number of students achieving 40-45 points is 15,513, up from 9,701 in May 2020; The average diploma grade is 5.19, up from 4.95 in May 2020; Diploma pass rate 88.96%, up from 85.18% in May 2020.

What GPA is a B+ IB? ›

A B+ letter grade is equivalent to a 3.3 GPA, or Grade Point Average, on a 4.0 GPA scale, and a percentage grade of 87–89.

Is 70% a grade A? ›

If it was submitted late, it will be graded, but a late penalty may be applied.
...
Letter GradePercentage RangeMid-Range
A+90% to 100%95%
A80% to 89%85%
B+75% to 79%77.5%
B70% to 74%72.5%
6 more rows

Is a score of 69 passing? ›

C is anywhere between 70% and 79% D - this is still a passing grade, and it's between 59% and 69% F - this is a failing grade.

Is a score of 60% passing? ›

In fact, a “D” is considered passing in both high school and college, as it's above 60%. While a passing grade may be as low as 60%, you will want to aim higher for many reasons. As a college student, you don't want to aim to barely pass a class.

Is it hard to get 7s in IB? ›

So, the answer is that it is hard to get a 7 but that shouldn't stop you choosing the IB Physics Course (at HL or SL), if that is what you have set your mind on. Here we have talked to our top IB Physics tutors and IB Examiners to give you their tips for the best chance of success.

How many people fail IB? ›

Although you might believe that the number is 50% or less, there was around a 78% pass rate in the IB last year! That's around 4 out of every 5 students who are able to pass. The good news? That means you're quite likely to pass the IB as well!

Is IB score out of 42 or 45? ›

The highest possible score for an IB diploma is 45 points. The possible 45 points are awarded as follows: Each of the six subject areas is awarded a mark on a scale of 1 to 7. (6 x 7 = 42)

Is 21 IB points good? ›

The overall score, or grade, is made by adding up points from each subject. To gain the IB Diploma, students must pass each component with a total score of 24 or higher. The best scores possible in each component are: Higher level 21 IB points.

What is the lowest IB score you can get? ›

IB subjects are graded on a 1- 7 scale with 7 being the highest score. To qualify for the award of the IB Diploma a student must receive a combined score of 24 points across 6 subjects with at least 12 points from higher level subjects and a minimum of 9 points from standard level subject.

Can you get 0 IB? ›

It's impossible to score a 0 in any IB examination unless you were found indulging in academic malpractices, you have 6 subjects in a typical IB workload (assuming you're a regular diploma student), you'll get at least 6 points even if you write nothing in the papers.

Is 40 42 IB score good? ›

A score in the 40s will make you a more competitive candidate academically (note: a lot of non-academic factors are at play), but a 38+ is considered a good IB score.

Is 32 IB points good? ›

An IB score of 38 points out of a maximum of 45 is equivalent to five A grades at A-level. A score of 30 IB points reflects three and a half A's at A level, which is enough to gain admission to most good universities in the UK (Oxbridge would require higher results).

What percentage of IB students get 40 points? ›

Diploma pass rate 88.96%, up from 85.18% in May 2020.
...
Renaissance College.
Number of students entered for the full diploma129
% of students achieving 30+ IB Diploma Points96.1%
% of students achieving 35+ IB Diploma Points81.4%
% of students achieving 40+ IB Diploma Points50.4%
Mean grade for all students6.1
4 more rows
30 Jul 2021

Does the title count in TOK essay? ›

Students who modify the titles are likely to receive lower scores, since the knowledge questions that are explored in the essay must be connected to the titles in their prescribed formulation.

Do you put your name on TOK essay? ›

- The essay must be written in standard 12 font and double spaced. Maximum length of the essay is 1600 words. - There shouldn't be any personal data in the TOK essay (no names and no candidate codes). - Choose one referencing system (footnotes, Chicago, APA etc.)

How do I start my TOK essay? ›

Paragraph 1: Introduction
  1. 1 – Start the essay by saying something relatable or interesting.
  2. 2 – Your Thesis/ Stand.
  3. 3 – Outline of the paragraph.
  4. 1 – Begin your paragraph with a claim or topic sentence.
  5. 2 – Explain and Elaborate.
  6. 3 – Give an example with an explanation.
  7. 4 – Linking back.
  8. 1 – State your counterclaim.
3 Oct 2019

How many TOK essay titles are there? ›

The International Baccalaureate Organization releases six TOK essay titles, twice a year for submission either in May or November. So you need to know which cohort you're submitting with.

Can I put a question for my title in my essay? ›

It is not advisable to have a question as the title of your paper as it is the first thing readers will see about your paper. The aim of conducting research is to find answers and having a question in your title may not be attractive to the readers.

How many examples should I use in my TOK essay? ›

How many examples do I need? In terms of number of examples there is no set answer. However, in a 1600 word essay you should try to have about 4-6 main body points with one clear example that is central to each one.

How much of your IB course grade is the TOK essay worth? ›

The EE and TOK are worth a maximum of 3 IB points, depending on the grades obtained overall in each course. For example, a candidate who achieves level B for Theory of Knowledge and level C for the Extended Essay will be awarded two IB points.

What are the 6 TOK themes? ›

So how are the themes assessed?
  • Knowledge and Language.
  • Knowledge and Technology.
  • Knowledge and Indigenous Societies.
  • Knowledge and religion.
  • Knowledge and Politics.

Is TOK part of GPA? ›

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a discussion-based class that is required in the IB Diploma Program. It is designed to help students become critical thinkers and to ultimately question where knowledge comes from. TOK has been a course at CHS since 2009, but it was never weighted in terms of GPA.

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