Assessment Guide: The TOK Essay on a Prescribed Title

Note on marks and boundaries. The TOK essay is marked out of 10 using a single holistic (global-impression) rubric, and the letter grade for TOK overall (A–E) is set by grade boundaries that the IB fixes per session. Any band descriptions or mark ranges here are approximate and unofficial, offered only to explain how the marking works. Always follow the official current TOK guide, the official prescribed titles for your session, and your teacher's guidance.

What the task is

The TOK essay is a formal, analytical essay written in response to one prescribed title chosen from a set of six titles released by the IB for each examination session. The titles are broad, conceptual questions about knowledge, and they are cross-disciplinary: eac