In the IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, the TOK Exhibition is an internal assessment where students explore how knowledge manifests in the real world. Students select one of 35 prescribed prompts (also called "IA prompts") and connect it to three specific real-world objects.
Manoj Arachige
List of the TOK Exhibition Prompts (2025)
1. What counts as knowledge?
2. Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?
3. What features of knowledge have an impact on its reliability?
4. On what grounds might we doubt a claim?
5. What counts as good evidence for a claim?
6. How does the way that we organize or classify knowledge affect what we know?
7. What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge?
8. To what extent is certainty attainable?
9. Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?
10. What challenges are raised by the dissemination and/or communication of knowledge?
11. Can new knowledge change established values or beliefs?
12. Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?
13. How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?
14. Does some knowledge belong only to particular communities of knowers?
15. What constraints are there on the pursuit of knowledge?
16. Should some knowledge not be sought on ethical grounds?
17. Why do we seek knowledge?
18. Are some things unknowable?
19. What counts as a good justification for a claim?
20. What is the relationship between personal experience and knowledge?
21. What is the relationship between knowledge and culture?
22. What role do experts play in influencing our consumption or acquisition of knowledge?
23. How important are material tools in the production or acquisition of knowledge?
24. How might the context in which knowledge is presented influence whether it is accepted or rejected?
25. How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief and opinion?
26. Does our knowledge depend on our interactions with other knowers?
27. Does all knowledge impose ethical obligations on those who know it?
28. To what extent is objectivity possible in the production or acquisition of knowledge?
29. Who owns knowledge?
30. What role does imagination play in producing knowledge about the world?
31. How can we judge when evidence is adequate?
32. What makes a good explanation?
33. How is current knowledge shaped by its historical development?
34. In what ways do our values affect our acquisition of knowledge?
35. In what ways do values affect the production of knowledge?
FAQs
How do I choose the right IB TOK prompt?
Choosing the right prompt can be tricky! It always hurts when you choose a prompt, write half the exhibition and realise you’ve run out of ideas.
The best way to approach choosing a prompt is to select a few prompts at the beginning. Go through the brainstorming and development phase for each prompt, and then select the prompt that you feel most confident in to proceed.
Do I need an introduction or conclusion in my commentary?
No. In fact, the examiners don’t like it, stating that the “exhibition is not a mini essay and does not require an introduction or a conclusion” (IBO, 2023). The task is an exploration of the prompt through the objects, it is not an essay
I’m so confused and lost on where to start my TOK exhibition, what do I do?
That’s ok! TOK is meant to be a confusing subject. It’s designed to test your critical thinking and evaluation skills. At any phase during the process, if you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath, take a break and return to it later on. Who knows - you might get a genius idea when you are doing homework for another subject!
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