Prescribed title

What is the prescribed title again?? Comparative Essay Two (2) AOKs are being compared with certain themes (from the PT) bridging them together. How are they different and similar? Equivalent treatment of AOKs

MUST HAVES FOR THE PRESCRIBED TITLE: Examiners WANT you to make it personal Completely fine to use “I”, “We”, “Me” Take on a point-counter point approach Make your point, provide a counterclaim, repeat Include ONLY a thorough investigation of 2 AOKs You CAN divide the paper into separate sections according to the AOKs. You must connect the AOKs and offer appropriate transitions. You are encouraged to synthesize these two AOKs at some point (comparing/contrasting them) Do NOT include a knowledge question in your introduction

Top Ten PT Essay Tips according to TOK guru Tim Woods! 1. All TOK essays are cross-disciplinary; they are never just about one way of knowing (perception, language, reason, etc.) or one area of knowledge (mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, history, etc.) 2. But be careful about which WOKs and AOKs you include. Review all of your notes to refresh your understanding and make sure you’re seeing the relevant connections and make sure (after you’ve done your research) that you have interesting points to make (claims and counter claims). 3.  Make an outline first. The outline is your road map and it’s where you make a lot of your major decisions. It will also help you to develop an argument, with each paragraph building on the one before.

Top Ten PT Essay Tips according to TOK guru Tim Woods! 4.  Research in a lot of different ways: websites, your class notes, talking with people (parents, classmates, your teachers). Find arguments which support both sides of (for and against) your thesis and examples that support your claims and counterclaims. As you develop insights you can use, make sure to record them. 5.  Make sure you have clarified the scope of your essay (what you're aiming to do). Make it clear, in your introduction, which WOKs and AOKs you’re using. And define your key terms carefully, in ways that are useful to your argument. Dictionary definitions rarely do this. At the minimum, be sure to not just use the first definition you find. 6.  It’s easy to forget that TOK is about developing your ability to think for yourself. Give yourself some time away from your outline, to reflect before you begin your real essay. And then try to give yourself a few breaks from your essay as well, so you can come back to it with fresh eyes. It’s hard to see the weaknesses of your thinking while you’re busy trying to get it done (i.e. in a hurry). Come up with your own ideas.

Top Ten PT Essay Tips according to TOK guru Tim Woods! 7.  Read at least 3 examples of excellent TOK Essays written by other people. 8.  Keep editing. Each of your paragraphs should show opposing viewpoints concisely. Compare two opposing ideas about how natural science might relate to your knowledge question. 9.  Use specific and qualified language. Rather than writing that “all science always provides useful insights,” instead say that, “chemistry often provides useful insights.” Words like often or sometimes (instead of always), might or could (instead of should) help to keep from over-generalizing or saying more than you can actually support in your essay.

Top Ten PT Essay Tips according to TOK guru Tim Woods! 10.  To prove your essay's thesis you’ll need to rely on evidence. Various types of facts are fine (quotations, statistics, true stories from your reading or your own life). Avoid using clichés and common examples. If you can use examples that the marker hasn’t heard before this will show that you are thinking for yourself. BONUS TIP: Read it out loud, after you have finished it. This will help you to find mistakes and areas that don’t flow as well as you thought.

Unpacking the prescribed titles

The unpacking process What command is used? Rephrase the title in your own words (w/o changing the title!). What is the PT asking you do to? Identify and define (in your own words) key words and phrases. Identify contestable concepts. Identify ambiguous words. Identify assumptions in the title. Identify possible knowledge questions. Identify relevant examples.

commands Analyze – Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure. Define – Give the precise meaning of a word, phrase, concept or physical quantity. Describe – give a detailed account. Discuss – offer a considered and balance review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

commands Distinguish – Make clear the differences between two or more concepts or items. Evaluate – Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations. Examine – Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issue.

commands Compare – Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout. Compare and contrast – Give an account of similarities and differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout. Contrast – Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout. Explain – Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.

commands Distinguish – Make clear the differences between two or more concepts or items. Evaluate – Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations. Examine – Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issue.

commands Identify – Provide an answer from a number of possibilities. Justify – Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion. To what extent – Consider the merits or otherwise of an argument or concept. Opinions and conclusions should be presented clearly and supported with appropriate evidence and sound argument.

Example pt unpacked 1.“The fields of study of academic disciplines can overlap, but adopting interdisciplinary approaches to the production of knowledge leads only to confusion.” Discuss this claim.

Prescribed titles 2019 1. “The quality of knowledge is best measured by how many people accept it.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Prescribed titles 2019 2. “The production of knowledge is always a collaborative task and never solely a product of the individual.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

3. Do good explanations have to be true? Prescribed titles 2019 3. Do good explanations have to be true?

Prescribed titles 2019 4. “Disinterestedness is essential in the pursuit of knowledge.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Prescribed titles 2019 5. “The production of knowledge requires accepting conclusions that go beyond the evidence for them.” Discuss this claim.

Prescribed titles 2019 6. “One way to assure the health of a discipline is to nurture contrasting perspectives.” Discuss this claim.