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The IB uses four criteria to grade your essay, each of which carries equal weight. You should have a copy of these criteria and have them in mind as you write your essay. The four areas you will be assessed on include: Understanding the knowledge issues: your essay must be focused on the knowledge issues, link and compare at least two knowledge issues, show relevancy between at least two knowledge issues, and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the knowledge issues. Knower's perspective: your essay must demonstrate independent thinking, self-awareness, at least two different perspectives, and several supporting examples. Analysis of the knowledge issues: your essay must show insight and depth, justify your main points, present arguments and counter-arguments, and explore any assumptions and implications of your topic. Organization of ideas: your essay must be well structured, explain key concepts, be factually accurate, and cite references where applicable. Note the keywords in the essay instructions. You may be told to "assess" or "evaluate" a claim. This means you must consider arguments for and against the title, and take into account any ambiguities or grey areas related to the title. You may also be asked "to what extent" or "in what way" a statement is justified. You will then need to present for and against arguments for the statement. If you are asked a direct question, your essay should address to what extent or in what ways you are for and against an argument or position. Before you dive into your outline, get your ideas flowing by taking five to ten minutes to brainstorm. The TOK essay is primarily a reflective essay, so you will want to demonstrate you have thought about the title and are prepared to reflect on and analyze the title. Start by doing a general, open brainstorm. Write down everything that comes to mind when you think about the title without passing judgement on any of the ideas, or stopping to read over your brainstorm. After five minutes of brainstorming, read over your notes. Identify ideas that relate to each other or that contradict each other. If you are evaluating or assessing a claim in the essay title, create a for column and an against column. Group your brainstorming ideas into either column. Create a third column for grey area ideas, or ambiguities, and place ideas in that column. Note any examples of the ideas that you wrote down. For example, you may be addressing a title like: "When mathematicians, historians and scientists say that they have explained something, are they using the word 'explain' in the same way?" You may create a brainstorm for each area of knowledge (mathematics, history, science) in relation to the idea of explaining something. You may then use examples of "something" that can be explained in each AOK: a mathematical equation, a historical moment in a battle or a trial, and a scientific theory. The knowledge issue will be a question or issue that refers to your understanding of the world, yourself, and others, in connection with the search for knowledge. You are trying to answer the question: "How do you know?" A knowledge issue in an essay title will relate to one or two eight AOK (Mathematics, Natural sciences, Human Sciences, History, The arts, Ethics, Religious knowledge systems, Indigenous knowledge systems) and should examine the potential problems or conflicts in these areas of knowledge or between these areas of knowledge. You should also identify the areas of knowledge you will be discussing in your essay. For example, for a title like: "Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge" you may choose two AOK: the arts and science. You may then compare and contrast the function of "reason" and "imagination" in the arts and in science. Use your brainstorming session and your chosen AOK to create an essay outline. This outline will act as your roadmap and help you structure your essay in a concise and clear way. Your essay outline will be dependent on the type of essay title you choose. If you are writing about one to three AOK, for example, in a title like: "Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge", you may structure your essay using a simple five paragraph format. Paragraph 1: Introduction. You would provide an explanation and interpretation of the title and identify the key terms in the title. You would also state your thesis and explain or identify a knowledge issue related to the title. Paragraph 2: First Area of Knowledge. For example, the arts. Discuss how the arts answers the title and provide supporting examples. You should also note any counter-arguments against the title or any limitations of the supporting examples. Paragraph 3: Second Area of Knowledge. For example, mathematics. Note how mathematics answers the title and provide supporting examples. You should also note any counter-arguments against the title or any limitations of the supporting examples. Paragraph 4: Third Area of Knowledge (if applicable) Paragraph 5: Conclusion. Summarize your main ideas and restate your thesis. Conclude by answering the title fully, taking into account the counter arguments and limitations of the areas of knowledge. You may also decide to structure your essay based on a main argument and a main counter-argument. Your outline may contain four paragraphs total: Paragraph 1: Introduction and explanation of the knowledge issue. Paragraph 2: Main argument, with justification and one to two supporting examples. Paragraph 3: Main counter-argument, with justification and one to two supporting examples. Paragraph 4: Conclusion. . Read over the essay title again, as well as your brainstorming notes and your essay outline, before you create your thesis statement. Your thesis statement is the fundamental claim you are making in the essay, and should link everything in your essay together. Some students find it useful to draft their thesis statement once they have finished writing a first draft of the essay. By this point, you will likely have a better sense of the main arguments in the essay and be able to write a clear, concise thesis statement. For example, you may need to create a thesis statement for this title: "Compare the roles played by reason and imagination in at least two Areas of Knowledge." You have chosen two AOK: the arts and mathematics. Consider how reason and imagination function in the arts and in mathematics, as well as the different ways they function in each AOK. Your thesis may be: "Through reason and imagination play an important role in both mathematics and the arts, the imaginative thoughts of mathematicians must be provable, while the imaginative thoughts of artists need only be reasonable."

Summary:
Note the assessment criteria. Read the essay instructions. Brainstorm ideas around the essay title. Identify the knowledge issue in the essay title. Create an outline. Create a thesis statement