Uploading your essay & PPF
Completing and uploading your Presentation Planning Form (PPF) means that you’ve done the hard part of writing your essay, and are nearly at the end of the process.
Check out our short video explainer for the TOK essay; you can find more explainers about other aspects of the course in our TOK explainer playlist.
Writing your TOK essay PPF
The three PPF comments are a record of what you discussed during the three . Your comments will not be assessed directly, but they should be taken seriously! They provide evidence that you have spent time and effort on your essay, and approached it in a systematic, planned way.
We strongly recommend that you write your PPF comments as soon as you have had your interactions with your teacher. This will mean that it will be fresh in your mind, and much easier to records – rather than having to remember what you talked about several months down the line. We also recommend using a platform like ManageBac to record your thoughts – this will make your life a lot easier.
Bullet points are perfectly acceptable for your PPF – indeed, this is a clearer way of recording the different points you covered in the interactions than writing full paragraphs. Try to get close to the word limit – it’s 689 characters for each interaction.
TOK essay pages
The TOK essay rubric
Learn about how the essay is marked, and the skills you are expected to demonstrate in order to succeed. Read more here.
Choosing your TOK essay title
Find out how to evaluate the six prescribed essay titles, and decide on which one will work best for you. Read more here.
The three TOK essay interactions
Learn about the three interactions with your TOK teacher, and what you should be discussing in each one. Read more here.
Writing your TOK essay
Gain a few tips on how to structure your TOK essay, how to articulate your ideas, and ways to justify your claims. Read more here.
The TOK essay rubric
Find out about how to fill in the essay PPF, and why this is an important indication of your engagement with TOK. Read more here.
More support for the TOK essay
Make sure that your TOK teacher has given you access to all the documents and online material that support the essay. These include the TOK Subject Guide, the TOK essay rubric, and exemplar TOK essays (found in ‘MyIB’, which is accessible to teachers).
Make sure you go through our other pages on writing the TOK essay. You’ll find help on understanding what the is looking for, that works for you, what each of the should focus on, how to an effective TOK essay, and how to fill in your .
If your school is a member of theoryofknowledge.net, we have designed a series of lessons on the essay, with two formative assessment tasks. These will familiarize you with the essay rubric, knowledge questions, real-life situations, how to deal with perspectives and implications, and structuring an essay. If you are signed into the site, you can access these lessons here.
You can also find out our thoughts on the TOK essay (and the TOK exhibition) in several webinars that we have delivered. The main one is the TOK Assessment 2022 webinar, but we also consider this form of assessment in our free webinars on the 2022 course. You can see these webinars on this page of the site.
FAQs about the TOK essay PPF
Is my PPF marked?
No, but it is a mandatory part of the TOK essay task. Writing a thorough PPF gives a great impression about your essay, and shows that you have followed the right process in planning, structuring, and writing it.
How do I submit my PPF?
You should add your comments to the official TK/PPF form, and upload it with your TOK essay. This is all done on the IB dashboard, which is quite user-friendly. Ask your TOK teacher or DP coordinator to help you if you’re not sure.
How to write a TOK essay: webinar
This 80-minute webinar video and presentation gives you a clear, engaging, step-by-step guide to the task, helping you to understand the assessment rubric, choose the right PT, and produce an essay that hits all the assessment targets.
The video is supported by a presentation, and a Q&A debrief answering some of the most common questions asked about writing a TOK essay. Purchase your ticket here.
Get real with TOK by subscribing to the newsletter
Step into the real and unpackaged world by subscribing to our unique monthly TOK newsletter. You’ll receive links to great media sources from all over the world that place the TOK themes and areas of knowledge into an authentic context.
You’ll meet great thinkers and ideas, hone your understanding of key TOK concepts, and build up a library of examples for the essay and exhibition. Subscribe HERE!