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Top 8 Examiner Tips
1
Never open with a dictionary definition
Examiners see this thousands of times. It signals a formulaic essay. Open with a specific real-world scenario instead.
2
Your thesis must be debatable
A good thesis can be challenged. If no reasonable person would disagree with your opening claim, it’s too weak. Make a bold, nuanced argument.
3
Use the title’s exact words in your essay
Examiners mark against the title. Paraphrasing suggests you’re not engaging with the specific claim. Quote the exact phrasing and unpack it.
4
Examples must be specific AND analysed
Name the person, the discovery, the event, the year. Then spend more words analysing what it reveals about knowledge than describing what happened.
5
Your two AOKs must contrast, not echo
If Natural Sciences and History produce the same insight in your essay, you’ve wasted your second AOK. Show why different knowledge communities reach different conclusions.
6
Address the counter-argument before the conclusion
Don’t save your counter-argument for the conclusion — it needs space for rebuttal. Place it in the body where you can properly respond to it.
7
Conclusions must synthesise, not summarise
“In conclusion, I have shown…” loses marks. Your conclusion should reveal something new — a tension, an insight, an unresolved question — that emerges from comparing your two AOKs.
8
Quality over quantity
A 1,400-word essay with deep analysis beats a 1,600-word essay with shallow coverage. Every sentence should earn its place.
Language That Earns Marks vs. Language That Loses Marks
✅ Language Examiners Reward
- “This suggests that knowledge in X is characterised by…”
- “In contrast, within [AOK 2], the same claim produces…”
- “A counter-argument would hold that… however…”
- “What this reveals about the nature of knowledge is…”
- “The extent to which this applies depends on…”
❌ Language That Loses Marks
- “According to the dictionary, knowledge means…”
- “Scientists say that…” (which scientists?)
- “In conclusion, I have shown that…”
- “I personally believe that…” (without TOK grounding)
- “This shows that knowledge is reliable” (what does reliable mean here?)
Final Exam Tips
✅ Last 48 Hours Before Submission
- ✔ Read the title aloud — does every paragraph connect back to those exact words?
- ✔ Check word count: must be between 1,200 and 1,600 words
- ✔ Every example: is it specific? Named, dated, located?
- ✔ Replace any vague language (“scientists,” “people,” “many studies”) with specifics
- ✔ Read your conclusion: does it synthesise or just summarise?
- ✔ Check TOK concepts are used correctly (not just mentioned)
⚠ Common Pitfall
The most common reason students drop from a 7 to a 6 in TOK is an under-developed counter-argument. Spend at least 150 words properly engaging with the strongest objection to your thesis.