How to understand your TOK topics better?
Many of our IB students have a similar problem when they start doing their Theory of Knowledge (TOK), that is “How to understand my TOK topics better?”. Generally speaking, if we cannot understand and define the topics well, it is hard to further facilitate a clear and persuasive argument.
What we have to do first is to break down every single word in the topics, but what’s next? We will share some ideas and strategies on comprehending the TOK topics. Let’s get started!
How to choose your topic?
You can take the first step to consider your interest when you choose your TOK topic. Interest is the greatest motivation for continuing your pathway on this challenge. Apart from your interest, areas of knowledge (AOK) give crucial dimensions for preparing your TOK. You may also try to think of the relations between the topic and the AOK and try to brainstorm some initial thoughts about the question.
How to understand your TOK topics?
You may find it difficult to understand the TOK topics and that hinders our students the most in the beginning, let alone organising the structure of the whole passage. You have to know what are the concepts behind the questions and try to untie the hybrid relationships among them.
The following steps may give you some ideas on analysing the topics.
1. Break down the topic to make it easier to understand
Try to break down every single word and term in your topics and figure out what they imply. Define and analyse the key concept beneath the keywords in your topic. If it is difficult for you to understand the concepts behind the topic, you may start from the following questions step by step:
- Which area of knowledge is being asked?
- Is it related to shared or personal knowledge or experience?
2. Connect the topics with AOK
Consider the relation between the TOK topic and Area(s) of Knowledge (AOK). It would also be better for you to think of 2 or more AOK, you can develop a fundamental discussion across different perspectives.
The linkage between AOK(s) can provide you with some innovative and strong ideas for your opinion. Start with these perspectives with real-life situations, key terms, concepts and ideas from influential thinkers that can help you accomplish your essay with a more grounded argument.
The Areas of Knowledge:
- Human Sciences
- History
- Mathematics
- The Arts
- Natural Sciences
3. Ways of knowing (WOK)
Ways of knowledge would be essential for knowing how we perceive the world and receive knowledge. There are 8 ways of knowing, including language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory, which are essential for explaining the TOK.
They underline the methodology of the areas of knowledge and provide a basis for personal knowledge when you are giving experience as an example and explaining how areas of knowledge operate. It works better with AOK when you are trying to understand the topic. One thing is the use of WOK needs the context of AOK and relations to the individual.
4. Try to rephrase the topic
Rewriting the topic in your own words to create a clearer map of what should be defined and elaborated next. It also enables you to have an easy-to-read picture of what is being asked.
Link with the 6 Big Questions for TOK
There are 6 questions about the relationship between knowledge and our world. You may start from considering these questions to understand what the topics want to ask and facilitate your essay structure. Usually, these questions can help you develop your own knowledge questions which are the souls of your TOK.
1. What is Theory of Knowledge and why do we study it?
The most important focus is “How do we know?”, and including the following questions,
– What counts as evidence for X?
– How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
– What does theory Z mean in the real world?
These questions may give you some basic dimensions to dig into the topics.
2. How does our knowledge about the world inform the way we construct our values?
This question is about the relationship between knowledge and our outlook and trying to elaborate the relationships between different Areas of Knowledge. Knowledge is hybrid and cannot be separated.
3. How is our understanding of the world influenced by the ways of knowing is communicated?
The way that knowledge is being represented and interpreted is essential for the circulation of information. For example, how do technology and language nowadays change our understanding of the world? How do we make sense of different things?
4. How do our perspectives and biases shape our knowledge and understanding?
Especially for religion and politics, they are always led to a more subjective discussion. You may think about how our values were shaped by personal or collective experience, and what are the factors that would affect people’s perspectives on controversial issues.
5. How is new knowledge about the world constructed?
It evaluates how and why our understanding of the world evolves over time. We’ll talk about shifts in the arts, how science is tentative, or language and culture are changing.
6. How do we become discerning knowers?
It examines what it takes to become an advanced world knower and how this distinguishes one from others.
After understanding and defining your topic, you may start collecting related references for your TOK, like personal experience and real-life issues, that would be useful and profound for elaborating the concepts and arguments. As long as you have your knowledge questions, the structure and flow will be clear for you to finish the TOK. We hope the above mentioned could ease your way to complete your great work!