Theory of Knowledge Exhibition requires you to conduct independent research, come up with three objects with real-world context, and write a commentary. But what’s the word count for the ToK Exhibition commentary?
Generally, the ToK Exhibition commentary should be 950 words. Since IB instructs examiners not to assess more words than recommended, stick to the required word count. A rule of thumb to get this right is to distribute words evenly among the three objects.
In this guide, you’ll learn more about the length of the Theory of Knowledge Exhibition.
In particular, we’ll give you a template that you can use to ensure equal distribution of words so that your commentary doesn’t go past the suggested word count.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- IB phased out the ToK Presentation from the course and replaced it with the Exhibition assignment.
- You will still write the Theory of Knowledge Essay, but the assignment guideline for the essay are unchanged.
- The ToK Exhibition is an individual assignment, with no instance of classroom discussion allowed on the topic.
In addition to looking at the length of the exhibition project, this guide will give you some useful insights to help you better prepare to score full marks for the assignment.
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What is TOK Exhibition?
The TOK Exhibition is a new assessment task introduced to the course to replace the TOK Presentation. It examines how students can apply TOK Concepts learned in the classroom to the real world around them.
Assessed internally and moderated externally, the TOK Exhibition assignment is worth 33% of the final TOK grades.
Although the TOK Exhibition task requires you to do a live presentation of the Exhibition Objects, you won’t earn any marks for the presentation itself.
Your teacher will assess the exhibition file after the oral presentation, which is why it’s important to write the best 950-word commentary.
TOK Exhibition vs TOK Presentation: What’s the Difference?
Before we go any further with this guide, you should note that the TOK Exhibition isn’t the same as the Theory of Knowledge Presentation.
Notably, the TOK Exhibition focuses on evaluating how IB students can manifest TOK outside their classroom.
It has a different assessment instrument, a unique task, and a different moderation process.
Knowledge and the knower is the core theme of the TOK Exhibition assignment. IB requires that you think of yourself as the knower and link to your learner’s profile.
Also, the IB TOK Exhibition task introduces two optional themes, which are “knowledge and politics” and “knowledge and technology”.
What is the Maximum Word Count for a TOK Exhibition?
The TOK Exhibition commentary should be 950 words for the entire Internal Assessment.
Keep in mind that IB instructs examiners not to consider word counts past the set limit and instead base their assessment only on the first 950 words.
Even if you have a lot to write about each of your three objects, it’s important to keep the word limit in mind.
A good approach to keep your assignment close to the word count would be to have an equal distribution of words across the three objects.
Note that the word count in the TOK Exhibition commentary doesn’t include the references used in the assignment.
Also, you must not include appendices and/or extended footnotes in your TOK exhibition.
What’s the Optimal Word Count Distribution for TOK Exhibition?
To write well and with ease, it helps to have a format for your exhibition commentary. Below is an example of a structure you can use:
- Title: You should copy and paste your chosen IA prompt in this section. Don’t tweak or change word placement. The prompt must appear as is.
- Introduction (30 words): Your commentary doesn’t necessarily need an introduction. However, having one can give your readers a clear picture of what it is you intend to explore.
- Object 1 (290 words): You should explain your first object. In addition to defining the object, you must give its real-world context.
- Object 2 (290 words): Explain your second object, making sure that, in addition to giving its definition, you mention its real-world context.
- Object 3 (290 words): You must show the image of your third object and develop its explanation. Also, make sure you explain it real-world context.
- Conclusion (50 words): In 50 words, give the reader a summary of the objects you used to answer your chosen IA prompt.
You can develop your own structure, but the outline above is a good option to use if you wish to maintain a fair distribution of words across the three objects of your choice.
The explanation for each object must link to the main concept of the prompt. Furthermore, the points you make for each object must be independent of each other.
Your conclusion should comment on the question and demonstrate how TOK manifests itself in the real world based on the objects (or images of the objects) you selected.
Don’t hesitate to vary the word count for each object if you feel there’s a need to do so. Only make sure that your commentary doesn’t exceed the expected word count.
How Long Does It Take to Write a TOK Exhibition?
It’s up to you to decide how much time you want to spend working on your ToK Exhibition.
We recommend that you check how much time you have left and plan yourself accordingly.
Also, try to avoid last minute rush as they don’t often yield the best results.
Final Thoughts
Your ToK Exhibition doesn’t have to be a complex assignment.
As long as you know how to select your objects, link them together, and write a comprehensive commentary, you should score top marks for the assignment.
If you find the task overwhelming or difficult to complete, you can hire our ToK exhibition service and work with an IB expert to help you get the task done.
In addition to helping you prepare the necessary exhibition files, our top writers will help you complete the commentary within 24 hours.