TOK essay checklist: how to check your essay against the IB criteria (without a tutor)

The TOK essay is marked with a single holistic instrument out of 10: there are no separate criteria with individual marks. The instrument asks one question: does the student provide a clear, coherent and critical exploration of the essay title? That makes self-checking possible. You do not need to juggle several rubric strands; you need to test your draft against one question, rigorously. This checklist turns that question into concrete checks you can run on your own.

How the TOK essay is actually marked

Your essay is placed in one of five levels on its overall quality, not scored criterion by criterion. The descriptions below follow the wording of the TOK guide:

Band	Marks	What it looks like
Excellent	9-10	A sustained focus on the title, linked effectively to areas of knowledge. Arguments are clear, coherent and effectively supported by specific examples, and their implications are considered. Clear awareness and evaluation of different points of view.
Good	7-8	Focused on the title and linked effectively to areas of knowledge. Arguments are clear, coherent and supported by examples. Awareness and some evaluation of different points of view.
Satisfactory	5-6	Focused on the title and developed with some links to areas of knowledge. Arguments are offered and supported by examples. Some awareness of different points of view.
Basic	3-4	Connected to the title, with superficial or limited links to areas of knowledge. Largely descriptive, with limited arguments that are unclear and not supported by effective examples.
Rudimentary	1-2	Weakly connected to the title. Any relevant points are descriptive or consist only of unsupported assertions.

The limit is 1,600 words, and the essay is written on one of the prescribed titles for your session, as worded, with no changes. Together with the Extended Essay, TOK contributes up to 3 bonus points to your Diploma total.

The checklist

Title focus

Every paragraph connects back to the prescribed title as written, not to a more comfortable paraphrase you drifted into.
Somewhere in the essay you explicitly answer the question the title asks, clearly enough that a reader could quote your answer.
Key ambiguous terms in the title are unpacked early, and your working definitions hold for the whole essay.

Knowledge questions and areas of knowledge

The essay explores knowledge questions: how knowledge is produced, tested and trusted, not just facts about a topic.
The areas of knowledge the title involves are linked to the discussion, not just named (a tip: two developed in depth usually serve a 1,600-word essay better than several touched on).

Examples

Each main claim is supported by a specific, named real-world example, such as a particular discovery, event, artwork or case, described precisely enough to do argumentative work.
Examples are analysed, not decorated: you show what the example demonstrates about the knowledge question, not just that it exists.

Counter-arguments and perspectives

Every major claim meets a genuine counter-claim or alternative perspective, and you respond to it rather than leaving it hanging.
Different perspectives are evaluated, not merely listed for balance.

Coherence

A reader can state your overall thesis after a single read.
The conclusion is the outcome of your analysis: it goes beyond anything you could have written before doing the exploration.

What holds an essay below the 7-8 band

Reading the levels side by side shows where the marks move:

Links to areas of knowledge that are present but not effective: "some links" is the 5-6 wording; "linked effectively" is 7-8.
Arguments offered but not clear and coherent: points are made and illustrated, but they do not build into one line of argument.
Perspectives noticed but not evaluated: "some people think X, others think Y" is awareness. Weighing them is what "some evaluation" asks for.
Description: "the discussion is largely descriptive" is how the 3-4 level describes an essay; read as a whole, a largely descriptive essay tends to fit that level, however accurate it is.
Title drift: the introduction addresses the title and the body addresses the topic. Every level is judged on the exploration of the title.

Self-check, teacher feedback, or AI

Your TOK teacher's comments are the best feedback you will get, but there are not many rounds of it. Running this checklist first means your teacher's time goes on substance rather than on problems you could have caught yourself. With your teacher's agreement, for a second opinion in a minute or two, IBLens applies the holistic instrument to your draft: the band it currently sits in and the opening of the comment explaining why are free, before any payment.

Check your essay with the TOK essay grader →

Frequently asked questions

How is the TOK essay marked? Are there separate criteria?

No. Unlike the Extended Essay and subject internal assessments, the TOK essay, like the TOK exhibition, uses one holistic assessment instrument out of 10. Examiners judge the essay as a whole against the question "does the student provide a clear, coherent and critical exploration of the essay title?" and place it in one of five levels.

How many points is the TOK essay worth for my Diploma?

The essay is marked out of 10 and determines most of your TOK grade (A-E). Your TOK grade then combines with your Extended Essay grade to award up to 3 bonus points towards the Diploma. A grade E in TOK or in the Extended Essay is a failing condition.

Can I just ask ChatGPT to check my TOK essay?

A general chatbot will comment on the writing, but it does not apply the TOK instrument unless you give it the exact assessment language, and it may work from an older or invented rubric. A check built on the instrument asks the examiner's actual question and tells you which band the essay currently sits in.