The Complete IB TOK Exhibition Guide

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Exhibition task is one of the most unique IB assessment tasks you will complete, worth 1/3 of your final TOK grade. It is a truly complex challenge – you need to find a way to integrate TOK concepts, your selected objects and your selected theme, all while remaining focused on addressing the prompt.

In this guide, we will unpack everything you need to achieve a Grade A in your TOK Exhibition, from object selection to a structure designed around the marking criteria, setting you up for success!

Selecting a Prompt and Objects

It can be daunting to select a prompt with 35 different options. Our recommendation is to shortlist them – narrow the 35 prompts down to 5-6 which really stand out to you. When finalising your prompt, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

1. Ensure you understand the prompt and can connect it to a theme

2. Select a prompt which allows you to discuss a range of perspectives and ideas

3. Start thinking about potential objects for each of your shortlisted prompts and select the prompt which allows you to integrate the best objects and analysis

But how do you even choose an object? Could I choose my living room couch? Or a football jersey?...Where do you even start?!

The TOK guide outlines some criteria to help narrow the scope of your selection process:

1. The object can be a digital or physical object

2. The object should be of personal interest and should have a personal context for you. It does not necessarily have to be something you own, but you must establish a personal connection to the object in some way.

Some interesting examples which we have seen from our students include personal training splits, novels studied in class, tweets from their social feed, photographs from overseas travels and childhood toys.

3. The object must have an identifiable, real-world specific context. It must not be a hypothetical or vague object. For example...

"World War 2 historiography" would NOT be a specific object...

Whereas, "Trevor-Roper's historical text, The Wartime Journals" would be an object with a specific real-world context.

And to that we'd add one more component that is almost essential to succeed:

4. The object has to be connectable to the prompt and be illustrative of the point you are trying to make!

Structuring the TOK Exhibition

With so many different components to cover and a marking criteria with such depth, it can be daunting to even start writing this task. Our recommended structure provides a framework for you to get started, while also ensuring that you integrate the characteristics of a top-band essay using the TOK Exhibition marking criteria.

To Intro or not to Intro

There has been some disagreement as to whether or not an introduction is necessary for this task. With only 950 words available to cover three objects, integrating TOK concepts, the prompt and the theme, every word is vital.

At IB Solved, we pride ourselves on providing specialist advice which aligns with EXACTLY what the IB wants to see. So we went digging through the feedback on some IB-released exemplars and found the following excerpt from a top-scoring TOK exhibition:

"This student has included an introduction to their work. It should be noted that this is not required, but students are free to include a short introduction if they wish to do so"

So from a strategic perspective, we recommend NOT including an introduction and instead focusing on using the full 300-320 words for each of their three objects.

Part 1: Introduce the Object and its Specific Real-World Context

The very first thing to do is to introduce your object. You need to establish the object's specific real-world context and also a personal connection; explain what it is with relation to its real-world context, where and when YOU first encountered it, the impact it had on YOU and finally, its connection to the prompt.

This should be around 60-80 words and is vital to reaching the top band of the marking criteria, by 'clearly identifying' the specific real-world context of the object, as well as providing a strong justification for the object's inclusion within the exhibition.

Part 2: Object + Prompt + TOK Concepts = Top Band Analysis

This section is the bulk of your writing for each object and you have A LOT to cover. To reach the top band, you need to do 3 things:

1. Establish a clear and well-explained link between the object and the prompt

2. Provide a strong justification of the particular contribution of the object (this is why it is important to select objects which each allow you to discuss a distinct perspective on the prompt)

3. Construct points which are well-supported by appropriate evidence, making explicit references to the prompt

And we'd like to add one bonus factor, which is inspired by the overarching question of the TOK exhibition marking criteria – "Does the exhibition successfully show how TOK manifests in the world around us?":

4.  Integrate TOK concepts, theories and language within your arguments

So what does this look like in practice? How can you possibly do this within the constraints of this section, which should be between 220-250 words?

The trick is to do many of these things at once (yes, that is incredibly vague, but the structure below will add much needed clarity):

• Topic Sentence: Connect the object (which you have just introduced) to the prompt and state your argument, implementing the words of the prompt in your statement

• Make Your Argument: Explain your point, implementing the TOK concepts and making explicit references to the prompt

• Relate back to Your Object: Use your object as a clear exemplification of the point you are making, providing specific and detailed analysis to demonstrate how the object proves your point, justifying its inclusion in the exhibition

• Concluding Sentence: Reiterate the point you are making, using the words of the prompt to show how you have developed an effective argument which is connected to the prompt

Now depending on how much analysis and discussion is required to truly expand on your point, you may have one or two different points to make. Ensure that regardless of the number of points, you always relate each point back to both the object and the prompt.

So whether you decide to do 2 short points or one longer point, you are always making explicit references back to both the object (to justify its inclusion) and the prompt (to meet that third criterion noted earlier).

Part 3: Strong Closing Link Statement

You thought we were done earlier?

Think again, because we really want to show these IB markers that we understand the requirements of the task and remind them that we have met all the expectations of the top criterion. And we want to do it all in ideally one, maximum two, final, magical sentences…

But how?

OPP (yes, I know you IB students are sick of acronyms but too bad because this is important), which stands for Object, Point, Prompt.

But to really demonstrate this, let's use an example from one of our exemplar TOK Exhibitions. This exhibition discusses the prompt:

"What is the relationship between personal experience and knowledge?"

The candidate uses her mother's diary as the object, and secures her top mark with the following statement:

"Therefore, this object reveals how personal experiences can contribute to historical knowledge by providing unique individualised insights. Whilst often historians will exercise caution and insist upon corroboration between experiences, a strong relationship between personal experiences and historical knowledge exists." 

Object. Point. Prompt.

How to Start?

And that's it! Still unsure how to start? Need some help putting the pieces together for this complex yet important task? Make sure to check out some of our Grade 7 TOK Exhibition Exemplars, especially our perfect 10/10 IB TOK Exhibition Example!

Or even better, click below to work with one of our many expert IB Theory of Knowledge tutors who can guide you personally through the complete process of achieving top marks in your own TOK Exhibition!

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