DIPLOMA PROGRAMME Teacher Support Material Theory of Knowledge Assessment exemplars k INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION First examinations 2001 Diploma Programme Theory of Knowledge Teacher Support Material: Assessment Exemplars November 2002 The International Baccalaureate Organization wishes to acknowledge the work of IB teachers and examiners in the production of this document. International Baccalaureate Organization 2002 Organisation du Baccalaurat International Route des Morillons 15 Grand-Saconnex / Genve CH-1218 Contents Introduction 1 Assessed Exemplars 3 Essay 1 3 Essay 2 9 Essay 3 15 Essay 4 20 Essay 5 24 Essay 6 28 Assessment Criteria 32 Diploma Programme Theory of Knowledge Teacher Support Material: Assessment Exemplars, November 2002 1 Introduction Purpose of this Document An extensively revised guide to Theory of Knowledge was published in April 1999. This included a radically different assessment scheme consisting of two components: an internally assessed oral presentation and an externally assessed essay. The first candidates to be assessed under the new scheme finished their Diploma Programme courses in May or November 2001. Assessment procedures need to be understood by all parties involved. The essays and comments presented in this document aim to clarify how the assessment criteria for this component work in practice. The essays were submitted in May or November 2001; the comments come from meetings of senior examiners convened for the purpose, and from subsequent discussions on e-mail. The project was delayed after two meetings in Montreal had to be postponed because of the events of 11 September 2001 in the United States. Criteria for Selection of Material We aimed to publish sets of exemplars simultaneously in English, French and Spanish, each including at least one essay in each grade. We tried also to include more than one high scoring essay in each set of exemplars, because one effect that we wished to avoid was the notion of a “model” excellent essay. Since it was not appropriate to translate student work, the essays and comments are different in each language. The five TOK essay grades, with mark ranges as set in May 2002, are as follows. Grade A Excellent 3240 marks Grade B Good 2731 marks Grade C Satisfactory 2026 marks Grade D Mediocre work 1419 marks Grade E Poor 013 marks Presentation of Material Each essay has been retyped in a consistent format but the original spelling, punctuation and bibliographic material have been retained as far as possible. Where necessary, small changes have been made to ensure that the candidate and school cannot be identified. Now that this assessment scheme, with a small amendment in November 2001 (published in February 2002), has been tested in three examination sessions, we are satisfied that it produces consistent results when used by experienced examiners. Nevertheless, we are aware that it can be improved: we expect assessment to be a major focus of discussion in the next curriculum review. Using this Document There are various ways of using this document. You may wish to read one or two essays, with comments, then try marking others for yourself, to see how closely your assessments agree with those of the senior examiners. You may wish to ask your students to mark one or two of the essays, as a way of helping them to understand what they need to aim towards, or avoid, in their own essays. Introduction 2 Diploma Programme Theory of Knowledge Teacher Support Material: Assessment Exemplars, November 2002 We would be surprised if you agreed completely with all the judgments presented here. Nevertheless, we hope they demonstrate a consistent approach with its own rationale. We would be interested to know whether you find this document useful, and how you have used it. If you would like to comment on the document, or make suggestions for changes to the assessment scheme, please use the TOK discussion forum on the IBOs online curriculum centre. Diploma Programme Theory of Knowledge Teacher Support Material: Assessment Exemplars, November 2002 3 Assessed Exemplars Essay 1 “Truth is that to which the community ultimately settles down” (Charles Peirce). Analyse and evaluate this claim. Truth-its definition, its pursuit, its discovery-is central to much of human intellectual activity. One place we look for clues about what is true is in the trends of the community. We may attempt to find it in religion or cultural beliefs, for example, that we have learned from a community that shares these beliefs. We know the earth is round or that war is bad because everyone knows it. Pierces statement praises this way of knowing, suggesting that community, whatever that 5 community may be, is a key to the search for truth. This suggestion is tied to the idea of a body of human knowledge, the idea that the human race progresses as each community member adds to the worlds knowledge, relying on what others have concluded is true and then buil