Real-world examples are the evidence of a TOK argument. They are what stop the essay from being a set of abstract claims and turn it into a careful piece of thinking about how knowledge actually works. This guide explains why examples matter, what makes an example useful, the difference between an example and evidence, how to explain why an example matters, how to use one example deeply rather than many superficially, and how to use examples for different kinds of TOK argument. It applies to the current IB TOK course and works alongside our essay guide and claims and counterclaims guide.
Why Real-World Examples Matter
TOK is about knowledge in the real world, not in the abstract. A claim about how evidence works in the sciences is much stronger when it is grounded in a specific case where evidence changed what scientists accepted. Examples anchor the argument in reality, test whether the claim actually holds, and give the reader something concrete to evaluate. An essay with no examples is usually too abstract to defend; an essay with examples that are not analysed is usually a list rather than an argument.
What Makes an Example Useful?
- Specificity. A particular case, not a category. "A 2023 court ruling on a specific statute" is more useful than "the legal system".
- Relevance. The example should genuinely speak to the claim, not merely touch it.
- Analytical potential. The example should be rich enough to support analysis: it should raise a question about how knowledge is produced, shared, or limited.
- Connection to the claim. The example should support a specific step of the argument, not sit beside it.
Generic examples that could appear in any essay are usually a sign that the example has been chosen for convenience rather than relevance.
Example vs Evidence
There is an important distinction. An example is a case you introduce; evidence is what the case shows for the argument. The same example can be evidence or not, depending on whether you analyse it. An example that is dropped in without explanation is not yet evidence; it becomes evidence when you explain what it shows and how it supports the claim. The analysis, not the example, is what does the work.
How to Explain Why an Example Matters
After introducing an example, ask three questions and answer them in the writing:
- What does this example show about knowledge? State the point the example makes.
- How does it support the claim? Connect the example explicitly to the step of the argument it supports.
- What would be different if this example were different? This tests whether the example is doing real work, or just filling space.
A useful habit: after each example, write one or two sentences that connect it explicitly to the claim and the question. If you cannot write those sentences, the example is probably not doing work.
Use One Example Deeply Rather Than Many Superficially
It is usually better to use one example in depth than several examples in passing. A single example, carefully analysed, can support a claim; several examples listed without analysis usually cannot. This is a strategy rather than a universal rule: where a question genuinely calls for comparison across cases, more than one example may be appropriate. But the default in TOK is depth over breadth, because the marks reward the analysis, not the number of examples.
Examples for Different Types of TOK Arguments
Different kinds of TOK argument call for different kinds of example. These are original illustrative framings, not real cases:
- An argument about change in what is accepted. Use a specific case in which what a community accepted changed over time, and analyse what drove the change. The example should let you say something about how new evidence, new methods, or new perspectives shifted acceptance.
- An argument about the role of perspective. Use a specific case in which different communities reached different conclusions from similar material, and analyse what the difference reveals about the role of perspective.
- An argument about the limits of a method. Use a specific case in which a method could not answer a question it was applied to, and analyse what the limit shows about the method.
- An argument about the role of instruments or technology. Use a specific case in which a new instrument or technology changed what could be known, and analyse what the change shows about the dependence of knowledge on tools.
Do not create fake references or cite fictional events. Use real cases you can describe accurately, and analyse them rather than narrating them.
Common Mistakes
- Listing examples. Several examples with no analysis.
- Generic examples. Categories rather than specific cases.
- Unanalysed examples. An example dropped in without explanation.
- Disconnect from the claim. An example that does not support a specific step of the argument.
- Fictional cases. Invented events presented as real.
- Over-reliance on one famous case. The same example used in every essay, whether or not it fits.
Practice Framework
A repeatable method for building example use:
- Choose a specific, real case. One you can describe accurately and that genuinely speaks to the claim.
- State what it shows about knowledge. The point the example makes.
- Connect it to the claim. The step of the argument it supports.
- Test it. What would be different if this example were different?
- Draw the implication. What follows from this for the question.
How HK Study Hub Can Help
Tutoring helps most when it targets your specific examples and argument rather than repeating generic advice. A tutor can help you choose relevant examples, explain what they show, and connect them to claims and counterclaims. Tutors can provide guidance and feedback, but the student's final work and ideas must remain their own. If you would like support, see our IB TOK tutoring in Hong Kong.
Practice Between Lessons With HK Study Hub AI
We're building an AI-powered practice platform to help students continue learning between tutoring sessions with targeted questions, feedback and personalized practice. Explore AI Tutor (currently under development).
TOK Examples FAQs
How many examples should I use? Usually one in depth is better than several in passing, but where a question calls for comparison, more than one may be appropriate. The marks reward analysis, not number.
What makes a good example? A specific, real case that genuinely speaks to the claim and is rich enough to analyse.
Can I use famous examples? Yes, if they genuinely fit. Avoid using the same famous case in every essay whether or not it fits.
Do I need to cite sources? You should be able to describe the case accurately. Follow your school's guidance on referencing for the TOK assessments.
What is the difference between an example and evidence? An example is a case you introduce; evidence is what the case shows once you have analysed it. The analysis, not the example, does the work.
For more, see our essay guide, claims and counterclaims guide and performance guide. Browse the IB TOK resource hub, all IB resources, or IB tutoring in Hong Kong.