Sunday, June 20, 2021

The Skill of Composition

One of the skills a good artist should develop is that of composition. This is how a BBC TV show called "Sketch Club" attempted to present it in 1957.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Prescribed Essay Titles May 2021

Here are the essay titles as published by the IB for the May 2021 session.

Instructions to candidates
Your theory of knowledge essay for examination must be submitted to your teacher for authentication. It must be written on one of the six titles (questions) provided overleaf. You may choose any title, but are recommended to consult with your teacher. Your essay will be marked according to the assessment instrument published in the theory of knowledge guide. The focus of your essay should be on knowledge questions. Where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB programme and to your experiences as a knower. Always justify your statements and provide relevant examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention to the implications of your arguments, and remember to consider what can be said against them. If you use external sources, cite them according to a recognized convention.

Note that statements in quotations in these titles are not necessarily authentic: they present a real point of view but may not be direct quotes. It is appropriate to analyse them but it is unnecessary, even unwise, to spend time on researching a context for them.

Examiners mark essays against the title as set.

Respond to the title exactly as given; do not alter it in any way. Your essay must have a maximum of 1600 words.

1. “Accepting knowledge claims always involves an element of trust.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

2. Within areas of knowledge, how can we differentiate between change and progress? Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge.

3. “Labels are a necessity in the organization of knowledge, but they also constrain our understanding.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

4. “Statistics conceal as much as they reveal.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas
of knowledge.

5. “Areas of knowledge are most useful in combination with each other.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

6. “Avoiding bias seems a commendable goal, but this fails to recognize the positive role that bias can play in the pursuit of knowledge.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Prescribed Essay Titles May 2020

Here are the essay titles as published by the IB for the May 2020 session.

Instructions to candidates
Your theory of knowledge essay for examination must be submitted to your teacher for authentication. It must be written on one of the six titles (questions) provided overleaf. You may choose any title, but are recommended to consult with your teacher. Your essay will be marked according to the assessment instrument published in the theory of knowledge guide. The focus of your essay should be on knowledge questions. Where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB programme and to your experiences as a knower. Always justify your statements and provide relevant examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention to the implications of your arguments, and remember to consider what can be said against them. If you use external sources, cite them according to a recognized convention.

Note that statements in quotations in these titles are not necessarily authentic: they present a real point of view but may not be direct quotes. It is appropriate to analyse them but it is unnecessary, even unwise, to spend time on researching a context for them.

Examiners mark essays against the title as set.

Respond to the title exactly as given; do not alter it in any way. Your essay must have a maximum of 1600 words.

1. “Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not”
(Pablo Picasso). Explore this distinction with reference to two areas of knowledge

2. “There is a sharp line between describing something and offering an explanation of it.” To what extent do you agree with this claim?

3. Does it matter that your personal circumstances influence how seriously your knowledge is taken?

4. “The role of analogy is to aid understanding rather than to provide justification.” To what
extent do you agree with this statement?

5. “Given that every theory has its limitations, we need to retain a multiplicity of theories to understand the world.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

6. “Present knowledge is wholly dependent on past knowledge.” Discuss this claim with
reference to two areas of knowledge.