Turn a real situation into a TOK knowledge question
Move from facts about one case to a precise question about justification, methods or interpretation.
Identify what is uncertain about knowing
Start with a situation that contains a disagreement, unexpected result or decision involving knowledge. State the ordinary question first: what happened, why it happened or what should be done. Then ask where the uncertainty about knowing lies. It may concern evidence, authority, interpretation, certainty or the limits of a method. TOK questions focus on that second level. You should still retain the real case because it gives the discussion something concrete to test rather than leaving it as a conversation about abstract vocabulary.
Remove unnecessary case-specific detail
Write a question that can apply beyond the original situation while preserving its meaningful issue. Replace a particular organization or event with the relevant knowledge process where appropriate. Do not remove so much detail that the question becomes 'What is truth?' without a workable focus. A useful practice question identifies a relationship you can examine, such as how a method affects confidence or when interpretation can be justified. These self-generated questions support learning; official exhibition prompts and prescribed essay titles must be used as instructed.
Make the terms do analytical work
Highlight the key terms and explain how you are using them. A word such as reliable may refer to consistency, accuracy or trustworthiness; those are not interchangeable in every context. Avoid adding TOK terminology simply to make the question sound sophisticated. Ask whether the question permits several defensible responses and whether examples could help decide among them. You should be able to describe what kind of argument would answer it, even if you have not yet chosen your own final view.
Develop a worked question from a map
Suppose two maps classify the same district differently. The factual question asks why the classifications differ. A knowledge question might ask how a model's purpose affects the reliability of the knowledge it provides. You can now compare purposes, choices and uses instead of treating difference as proof that all maps are untrustworthy. Test the question with another representation, such as an economic indicator. If it transfers while retaining a clear issue, you have moved beyond one case without losing the analytical focus.
Test the question against examples
Choose two specific situations and sketch a possible answer for each. Ask what evidence supports that answer and whether the distinction changes across contexts. If both examples produce only descriptions, revise the question to target the process of knowing more clearly. If any imaginable answer seems equally acceptable, clarify the terms or scope. A good question invites judgment, but that judgment still needs reasons. Consider what would make your position less convincing and whether the examples provide a fair test.
Keep the task boundary clear
Use knowledge-question practice to develop understanding in lessons and to plan discussion. When working on the exhibition, retain the official prompt exactly rather than substituting your own improved version. When writing the essay, keep the session's prescribed title intact and let related questions serve the argument. Check every substantial paragraph against the actual assessment wording. An interesting self-generated question can become a detour if it displaces the assigned task. Preserve your question notebook as a source of thinking tools, examples and unresolved issues.
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Official references
This is an original practical guide from IBvia. The examples are illustrative; your subject guide, assessment year and school instructions determine the requirements.
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