Notes on Structure and Layout

The TOK Presentation: How to present an introduction

The timing of the introduction is the key: if you're presenting individually (10 mins overall time), the intro should be about 45 seconds; if presenting in a pair (2o mins overall time), it should be about 90 seconds.

Let's suppose that you feel strongly about the topic of 'Spiritual Healing' and choose this for your TOK presentation.

Remember: even though you're not compelled to present using a slide show, you must aim to follow these FOUR steps that immediately address the marking criteria:

Step 1: present the real life example or situation (RLE) that got you thinking about the topic of your choice.

For example:
this could be a reading from the bible about Jesus' miracles or a video clip about more recent miracle events or even a song/hymn lyric that inspired you to reflect on your topic.

Note: this shouldn't last more than 15-30 seconds and should simply give a flavour of your starting point.

Step 2: present in bullet points, the common assumptions people make relating to your chosen topic - that is, reveal the beliefs people hold without question or what people usually take for granted.

For example:

• Believers in miracle healings often assume that a higher power exists that carries out these miracles.


• Divine intervention into human or natural events is the best explanation for, or 'cause' of these healings.

Step 3: State in bullet points the main knowledge issues your presentation will explore.

For example:

• Is spiritual healing good evidence for the existence of a higher, divine power?
• How far can the belief in a spiritual healing force be justified?
• What is left for us when medical knowledge cannot help to make us better?
• To what extent is it justified to resort to supernatural explanations when we reach the limits of medical knowledge?

Keep to a maximum of FOUR KIs: two main ones and two secondary.

Step 4: State the main approaches or perspectives that you will take to explore the knowledge issues.

For example:

• History
• Natural Sciences
• Psychology

Note: these should be related to the AoKs and you should have a minimum of 3 (if presenting individually) and a maximum of 5 (if presenting in a pair).

You'll notice that there's not much difference between WRITING an introduction to your essay and PRESENTING an introduction: the structure is essentially the same. In the essay you write in FULL SENTENCES; in the presentation you can use coherent BULLET POINTS.