Creating a TOK Exhibition

How to create and deliver an effective TOK exhibition

The TOK exhibition is based on three elements:

• An IA prompt that you select from a list of 35

• Three objects with a specific real-world context

• A 950-word commentary

It is recommended that you set your exhibition within the context of one of the optional themes, or the core theme.

There’s no set way of starting your exhibition, but perhaps the most advisable way would be to begin with the theme that you’d like to focus on. Then, choose a prompt that you think will give you an interesting ‘lens’ through which you can view this context.

During the course, you should have come across images and objects that you could either use directly, or which will give you an idea of what will work for the exhibition. You may also have done formative exhibition tasks.

It is great practice to keep a record of these in ManageBac.

Your teacher will help to explain the objective of the exhibition task, which is 'demonstrating how TOK manifests itself in the world around us' via a 950-word commentary linking your objects to the prompt you have chosen. You’ll need to ensure that your objects have a specific real-world context (don’t just choose generic objects like ‘a church’, or ‘a textbook’). One good trick is to make sure your objects mean something to you personally, and can be clearly and easily justified.

Your teacher is permitted to give you oral or written feedback on your exhibition draft, indicating to you how you can improve it, although they are not allowed to edit what you have written.

Your school will decide how you will deliver your exhibition. It could be a whole-school event involving staff and parents, or be much smaller scale, and just take place within your usual TOK classroom. However it happens, you will be expected to display your three objects, and be ready to outline your ideas and assertions.