TOK Exhibition Commentary + Sample Included

Writing a TOK exhibition commentary seems challenging to many. However, it really isn’t as hard as you think it is. In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about writing a TOK exhibition commentary and how you can score well in it.
You just need to be highly focused when writing it. With the right know-how about what all it entails and following the rubric, you can definitely do a great job at it.
In this article, I will provide you with the main characteristics, structure, and suggestions for writing a TOK exhibition commentary. In addition, I will share a TOK exhibition sample closer to the end of the article. It was written by our IB experts from WritingMetier.com team.
The TOK exhibition commentary is a two-part assignment. The first part is one where you have to present and the second part is the commentary. To score well, you need to do great at both of them.
What is a TOK Exhibition Commentary?
A TOK exhibition commentary is a 950-word assignment that contributes to 33% of your grade. This is an individual project that you need to do with complete vigilance. And it’s extremely important for each student not to fail their TOK exhibition following the rubric.
From a set of 35 titles, you need to choose one. Based on that, you need to choose 3 objects and then you have to answer the prompt in light of the objects you have chosen. The main idea here is to make sure you also understand the practical aspect of things, and not just the theoretical one.
Steps to Writing a TOK Exhibition Commentary
Here are a few steps that can guide you through the whole process of how to write TOK exhibition commentary.
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Step 1: Choose a Prompt
The first thing you need to do is to choose a TOK exhibition prompt. When doing so, make sure you go through all the titles first and then shortlist a few that you think you can work on. You must go with a prompt that you think you can fully well explore. Have ideas in mind about what you will go for, instead of just picking a prompt that is seemingly easy.
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Step 2: Choose 3 Objects
Next, you need to choose three objects to clearly demonstrate the context of the prompt. Make sure you go for objects that are unique, and can aid in writing the essay very well. Don’t look at what objects your friends are choosing. That will only distort your understanding of what you should go for. Go for objects that are entirely unique to you. they should also be of personal interest to you so that you can explore them in great detail.
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Step 3: Plan Adequately
Before you start writing your commentary, make sure to plan well in advance. This means you should draft an outline about what all you will be including in it. Not just that, but you should also get in touch with your teacher and get guidance from them about how you plan to go ahead with this. This can just help you make sure that you’re on the right track with regard to your exhibition commentary. You also need to talk about your objectives.
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Step 4: Write the First Draft
Once you know what you are going to write about, you need to move toward the writing part. Write your first draft. In this, identify the three objects that you have chosen and then also identify the real-world contexts behind those. Next, work towards showing the link between these objects and also give a justification for why you chose those.
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Step 5: Submit the File
Once you are done with writing, go through what you have done, just to check that you are on the right track. Before submitting, there are a few things you should always double check, just to make sure. Check to see that the title is just the same as the prompt. Next, also check if you have attached the images. Also, add in the references if you took information from somewhere.
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Step 6: Do a TOK exhibition Presentation
This is not a part of the assessment. Bear in mind that you will not be awarded any marks for this either. However, it is a great way for you to promote learning. So try to share this with others to also make them benefit and add to their knowledge.
Structure of the TOK Exhibition
The TOK exhibition commentary structure is as follows:
- Write the title down first.
- Write your introduction. This can be around 30 words, do not need to make it longer and should allow you to ideally introduce the topic.
- Then work on your first object. Add as much detail as you can in this part, and also offer the real-world context behind what you are saying. This part can be around 290 words. This is ample to help you ideally talk about what you are saying. Include as much in-depth information as you can in this part as you can.
- Similarly, follow the same for your second and your third object, with the same word count as the above.
- Once done, write a conclusion of about 50 words. This should be enough to help you clearly talk about what you were saying. The idea is to summarize all of your arguments in the best way possible to help you work through things correctly.
Knowing the right structure and format, you can easily work on your TOK exhibition commentary. Writing a good commentary will become even easier for you if you follow all of these tips. Make sure to work on it the right way and use easy and simple language to help you score well.
ToK exhibition commentary example
There are not too many TOK exhibition commentary examples you can find online. Therefore, as promised, I’m sharing an example of the TOK exhibition here with you. Feel free to use it as a guide for writing a good exhibition or just for inspiration.
Ready to write your TOK exhibition commentary?
Now you are ready to work on your TOK exhibition commentary. Simply follow the steps provided in this article and use the example of TOK commentary to get a satisfactory score.
If after this, you still find yourself struggling, then you can get help from us on our website. Our experienced writers will be there to guide you through the whole process.


Vasy Kafidoff
Vasy Kafidoff is the CEO of the Writing Metier. He has been in the education business for a very long time and has relentlessly been working to ensure that students get the best quality education. When not working, he’s found behind a drum kit.
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