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IB TOK Exhibition: How it Differs from Presentations

IB TOK Exhibition: How it Differs from Presentations

3 min read | Lanterna Team | January 27, 2026

Understand the new IB TOK Exhibition. Learn how it differs from the old presentations, including objects, individual work, and the standardized assessment/grading method.

If you’ve been in an IB school for awhile, you probably remember hearing older students talking about their Theory of Knowledge presentations. You may have even watched some of them. These presentations formed the ‘internal assessment’ section of TOK, with the TOK essay as the ‘external assessment’.

The IBO recently changed the structure of the TOK course. Now, they are asking students to create a Theory of Knowledge exhibition. In this post we’ll take a look at how this differs from the old presentations and what the most important parts are.

No More Group Work!

Previously, you were asked to analyse a real life situation using a knowledge question that you created. This was designed to be a less theoretical assignment than the TOK essay. You were allowed to work on your own or in groups of up to three people. The time given for you to present varied based on the number of people in the group. This meant that the level of analysis possible varied based on the size of your group. This was often tricky to balance!

In the new Theory of Knowledge exhibition, you must work alone. This may seem like less fun, but it does help make the level of analysis expected clearer! Don’t forget that you’ll still be able to discuss your thoughts in class and bounce ideas off each other that way.

Introducing Objects

Just like the old presentation, the exhibition is all about linking the theories you’ve learnt about to real life situations. However, as it’s now an exhibition, you need to have objects to exhibit! This is probably the biggest change.

This might sound restrictive, but the definition of what an object is is actually very broad. You can include both digital and physical objects.

A digital object can be a photo of a physical object that you can’t realistically display. This might be an artefact in a museum or massive ship like the Titanic.

Digital objects can also be things like:

  • A tweet from a celebrity or world leader
  • An Instagram post
  • A news article

The key characteristic of a digital object is that it has a specific place and time associated with it. For example, a tweet has a specific location (Twitter) and time (when it was posted). This opens up so many possibilities for objects you can include!

It’s important to note that physical objects used must exist in the world generally. You can create your own objects, but they have to be recreations of pre-existing objects. This means that you can’t create your own invention to use in the exhibition.

The objects are a great way to show your creativity and enable you to investigate real life situations that are relevant to your personal interests.

New Assessment Method

Previously, the Theory of Knowledge presentation was predominantly assessed using a form that you filled out about your presentation. Students often found this frustrating as it meant you had to focus a lot on the form when you were doing a presentation.

Now, you get to choose a prompt to link your objects with. Then you get to write an analysis of each object and how it connects to the prompt that you have chosen. This may seem like extra work. However, it should mean that the grading of the exhibition is much more standardised that it was for the presentation!

One challenge is going to be staying within the word count. You get 950 words for your analysis. It’s not a lot! Focusing on being concise will be key for this.

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The IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Exhibition is a new internal assessment component that replaced the TOK Presentation. It requires students to explore how TOK manifests in the real world by selecting three objects and linking them to one of 35 prescribed TOK prompts, culminating in a 950-word written analysis.

The main differences are that the Exhibition is now an individual task (no group work), it requires students to select and analyse three 'objects' from the real world, and the assessment is based on a written commentary (950 words) rather than a live presentation. This aims for more standardised assessment and clearer expectations.

The definition of an 'object' is very broad. It can be physical (e.g., a historical artefact, a scientific instrument) or digital (e.g., a tweet, a news article, a photograph of a large structure). The key is that the object must exist in a specific time and place in the real world and allow for a deep exploration of a TOK prompt. You cannot create entirely new, fictional objects.

The Exhibition is assessed on how effectively you choose three objects, how well you link them to a chosen TOK prompt, and the depth of your analysis in the 950-word commentary. You need to clearly explain the real-world context of each object and how it illuminates the prompt, demonstrating a strong understanding of TOK concepts.

Many students find it challenging to select appropriate objects that offer rich TOK connections, choose a prompt that allows for deep analysis, and stay within the strict 950-word limit while providing sufficient depth. Conciseness and clear articulation of ideas are crucial. If you're struggling, a free consultation with a Lanterna Student Success Expert can help clarify your approach.

Our expert IB tutors, many of whom scored 40+ in the IB or have examiner experience, can provide personalised support for your TOK Exhibition. We help you understand the assessment criteria, brainstorm suitable objects and prompts, structure your analysis effectively, and refine your arguments to achieve top marks, always ensuring academic honesty.

Absolutely. Our tutors are skilled at guiding students through the brainstorming process, helping you identify real-world objects that resonate with your interests and offer strong links to TOK concepts. They can also assist in selecting the most suitable prompt to ensure your exhibition demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of TOK.

Yes, our tutors are fully up-to-date with the latest IB curriculum changes, including the new TOK Exhibition. They have extensive experience guiding students through this component, ensuring you meet all requirements and maximise your potential score.

Lanterna's free IB consultation is a no-pressure, 20-30 minute session with one of our expert Student Success Experts. It's designed to give you clarity on your IB situation, whether it's about the TOK Exhibition, other IAs, exam preparation, or general study strategies. You'll walk away with a personalised plan and clear next steps.

Yes, it's genuinely 100% free, with absolutely no obligation to book tutoring. Our goal is to provide immediate value by helping you understand your current challenges and offering expert guidance. It's a chance for you to get clarity and a simple, personalised plan from a team that has supported thousands of IB students.

Our Student Success Experts are highly experienced IB specialists who understand the program inside out. They act as your first point of contact, offering strategic advice and helping you identify your specific needs. For TOK, they can help you prioritise your approach, discuss common pitfalls, and outline a path to success, whether that involves tutoring or other resources.

The consultation is for anyone involved in the IB Diploma Programme – students, parents, or both together. Whether you're in DP1 or DP2, feeling overwhelmed, unsure about a specific component like the TOK Exhibition, or just want to optimise your study plan, our experts are there to help you gain clarity and confidence.


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