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How Singapore Education Works | International Baccalaureate® (IB) TOK Exhibition 2027: Three Objects, IA Prompts and 950 Words

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by

eduKate Asia
Three students sit around open books and worksheets at a classroom table, reading, writing and discussing the work together.

Quick answer: The IB TOK exhibition is an internally assessed task requiring three specific objects, each in a real-world context, connected to one prescribed IA prompt. The three commentaries have a combined maximum of 950 words. The exhibition is marked by the teacher and moderated by the IB, and contributes 33% of the final TOK grade.

This guide explains how to select objects, make their real-world contexts precise, write the three commentaries, avoid common mistakes and understand how the exhibition differs from the TOK essay.

Find the answer you need

What is the TOK exhibition?

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) exhibition is the internally assessed part of the IB Diploma Programme TOK course. Students select one of the prescribed IA prompts and create an exhibition of three objects that explores how TOK manifests in the world around us. The task is not to answer the prompt in the abstract; it is to show what the chosen objects reveal about the knowledge question.

Each object must be a specific object in a specific real-world context. A generic picture of a stethoscope is weaker than a photograph of a particular stethoscope used in a named setting, with an explanation of why that real object helps examine the chosen prompt. The context gives the object its significance.

The exhibition is marked by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB. It contributes one-third (33%) of the final TOK grade. The remaining two-thirds come from the externally assessed TOK essay.

Choose the IA prompt before choosing your objects

The IB provides a set of prescribed exhibition prompts. Students choose one prompt and use that exact prompt as the organising question for all three objects. A prompt is not a free-form title to rewrite into something more convenient.

Read the wording carefully. Words such as “knowledge”, “evidence”, “certainty”, “authority”, “interpretation” or “responsibility” may carry specific implications. A student should be clear about what the prompt asks and which aspect of knowledge each object can help illuminate.

Do not select three objects first and then force the prompt to fit them. Begin by unpacking the question, identifying possible meanings and thinking about what a real object could show that a general explanation could not.

What counts as a specific real-world object?

An object can be physical or digital, provided it can be identified in a real context and used meaningfully to explore the prompt. Examples might include a particular annotated school textbook, a specific news photograph, a named public-health information poster, a particular scientific instrument, a family recipe card or a specific data visualisation.

The important distinction is between an object and a broad type. “A newspaper” is too generic. “The front page of a named newspaper on a particular date, reporting a specified event” provides a recognisable context. “A calculator” is generic; a particular calculator used to generate a specific statistical result may be much more meaningful.

Objects should not be selected merely because they look interesting. Each must make a distinct contribution to the exhibition. If all three illustrate the same point in nearly identical ways, the student may have missed the opportunity to explore different aspects of the prompt.

How to write the three commentaries

The exhibition has three object commentaries within a combined maximum of 950 words. Students often aim for about 300 words per object, leaving a small margin for the final word count. The exact distribution can vary, but the overall limit matters.

For each object, identify what it is and where it comes from; explain its specific context; link it to the chosen IA prompt; and analyse why this object contributes something distinctive. The link should be explicit. The examiner should not have to guess why the object is present.

A useful commentary moves from context to a knowledge issue. It explains what the object reveals, what perspective or method it represents, and what limitation or tension it raises. The student’s analysis should remain anchored in the object rather than drifting into a general TOK essay.

References, bibliography and text within the objects are treated differently from the commentary word count under the IB instructions. Students should follow the current guide on what is excluded and should not use footnotes or appendices to hide additional commentary.

What the assessment rubric is looking for

The exhibition is assessed holistically through one driving question: Does the exhibition successfully show how TOK manifests in the world around us? The IB’s examiner descriptors reward specific objects and their real-world contexts, clear and well-explained links to the IA prompt, and strong justification of the contribution each object makes.

An excellent exhibition makes the link between object and prompt clear, precise and well supported. Each object adds something worthwhile. A basic exhibition may name three objects but leave the context vague or offer only superficial connections. The quality of explanation matters more than how expensive or unusual the objects are.

A student should avoid using a conclusion to answer the prompt as though it were the TOK essay. The exhibition is about showing how the prompt is illuminated by objects in the world. The three object explanations should do that work directly.

How to make the three objects different without making them unrelated

The objects should be connected to the same prompt but should ideally contribute distinct perspectives. One might show how knowledge is produced, another how it is communicated, and another how it is used or challenged. This provides variety while maintaining a coherent exhibition.

For example, for a prompt about evidence, a student might choose a specific laboratory report, a dated public news graphic and an annotated historical photograph. Each object could reveal a different issue: how data are generated, how evidence is simplified for an audience, and how an image is interpreted in context. The connection must be real and supported, not artificially imposed.

Avoid choosing objects solely because they represent three different school subjects. Subject variety can be useful, but TOK is about knowledge questions and the ways we know, not a checklist of disciplines.

Singapore examples: making an everyday object TOK-rich

A Singapore student might examine a particular public transport map, a dated NEA advisory, a school laboratory record, a specific photograph from a family archive or a particular multilingual public sign. The object becomes useful when its context raises a genuine knowledge issue.

A transport map, for instance, does not merely show stations. It involves choices about scale, categories, information priority and the assumptions made about what users need to know. A particular version used during a defined period may reveal how representation influences understanding.

A public-health advisory can raise questions about evidence, authority and the communication of uncertainty. A student should identify the actual advisory and date, then explain what kind of knowledge it communicates, what evidence supports it and how a reader should interpret its scope.

The student must not expose private information or use an object in a way that breaches privacy. A family document, medical record or private message may need to be anonymised or replaced with a safer object.

Common mistakes that weaken the exhibition

The first common error is choosing generic objects. A stock image of a book or a random calculator does not establish the specific real-world context that the rubric expects. The second is describing the object at length without explaining how it connects to the prompt.

The third is repeating the same TOK idea three times. Each object should contribute a distinct insight. The fourth is drifting into a mini-essay about the theme, with only a passing mention of the object. The fifth is writing a conclusion that tries to settle the prescribed prompt rather than showing how the objects illuminate it.

Another mistake is selecting objects because they are visually striking but difficult to analyse. The object should have enough contextual detail and evidential value to sustain commentary. A simple, authentic object with a clear connection is often stronger than an exotic item with a forced explanation.

How teachers and students can plan the process

Start with a lesson or discussion on the prescribed prompts and the exhibition rubric. Students can brainstorm candidate objects and describe the real-world contexts before deciding which three work best. The teacher should help learners understand the task and give appropriate guidance without writing the commentaries for them.

A practical sequence is: choose a prompt; generate several object possibilities; check whether each object has a specific context; draft the connection to the prompt; compare the distinct contribution of each object; then finalise three objects and write the commentaries.

Leave time for editing and word-count control. The student should read the three commentaries together and ask whether the exhibition feels like three separate examples or one coherent exploration with complementary objects. The latter is the aim.

Academic integrity, images and references

The objects must be authentic and the student’s explanation must be their own. Images should show the actual object or a permitted representation, with source details where needed. Students must follow the school’s rules on use of photographs, copyright and personal information.

A fabricated object context, invented quotation or misleading date undermines the exhibition. If the student cannot verify the context, choose another object. TOK rewards thinking about how knowledge is produced and justified; the evidence used in the exhibition should model that same care.

The student should retain a copy of the chosen prompt and accurate details about each object. Sources should support factual descriptions, but references must not replace the student’s own analysis.

How the exhibition and essay fit together

TOK has two assessment tasks. The exhibition is the internal assessment, worth 33%. The TOK essay is externally assessed, worth 67%, and responds to one of six prescribed titles issued by the IB for the relevant examination session.

The exhibition asks students to connect TOK with the world through three objects. The essay is a more sustained discussion of a prescribed title, typically drawing on areas of knowledge. The exhibition is not a shortened essay, and the essay is not a longer exhibition commentary.

Students should plan both tasks carefully, but must not submit the same piece of work for both components. Each task has its own purpose, prompt and assessment expectations.

A final student checklist

Before submitting, confirm the exact IA prompt; identify three specific objects; verify each object’s real-world context; explain each object’s contribution; maintain a clear link to the prompt; keep the commentary within 950 words; and check the source and image details.

Read the exhibition against the driving question. Does it show how TOK manifests in the world around us? Are the links explicit and well explained? Does each object contribute something distinct? Is the commentary analytical rather than descriptive?

If any object could be replaced by a generic picture without changing the argument, its context may not be specific enough. Improve the context or select a more meaningful object before final submission.

TOK exhibition submission checklist

  • Choose one exact prescribed IA prompt from the IB list.
  • Select three specific objects, not generic categories or stock images.
  • Record the real-world context and provenance of every object.
  • Explain an explicit and meaningful connection between each object and the prompt.
  • Show what each object contributes that the other two do not.
  • Keep the three commentaries within a combined 950-word maximum.
  • Use factual sources and accurate references without replacing personal analysis.
  • Check privacy, consent and copyright before including images or personal artefacts.
  • Read the exhibition as one coherent exploration, not three unrelated descriptions.
  • Confirm school submission and authenticity requirements.

Frequently asked questions

How many objects are required for the TOK exhibition?

Three specific objects, each placed in a real-world context.

How many words can the TOK exhibition have?

A combined maximum of 950 words for the three commentaries.

What percentage is the TOK exhibition worth?

One-third, or 33%, of the final TOK grade.

Who marks the TOK exhibition?

The teacher marks it and the IB externally moderates it.

Do all three objects use the same IA prompt?

Yes. The student chooses one prescribed prompt and connects all three objects to it.

Can an object be a photograph or digital item?

Yes, if it is a specific object or artefact with a real context and a meaningful connection to the prompt.

Should the exhibition have a conclusion?

The task is to explain how the objects illuminate the prompt; it is not an essay that answers the prompt with a conclusion.

Can I use a stock image of a generic object?

A generic image may fail to establish the specific real-world context expected. Use a traceable, context-specific object.

How much does the TOK essay contribute?

Two-thirds, or 67%, of the final TOK grade.

Official sources and further eduKateSG reading

Reviewed 11 November 2026. The three-object format, 950-word ceiling and assessment weighting reflect the IB TOK guide and 2027 examiner instructions. Students should use the current session’s prescribed IA prompt list and their school’s submission requirements. eduKateSG is an independent educational publisher.

Continue through the IB Diploma core and assessment guides

These guides explain how the Diploma is awarded and how its core assessment works. Read them together to understand the relationship between total points, TOK, the Extended Essay and CAS completion.