How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief and opinion?
TOK Exhibition Prompt 25 — Object Examples & Rationale
A complete, examiner-written breakdown of IB TOK Exhibition IA Prompt 25 — five worked object examples that draw the line between knowledge, belief and opinion across science, religion, politics and social media, with linked optional themes, knowledge questions and top-band commentary for IB DP May 2026.
The Prompt
“How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief and opinion?” — Prompt 25 of the 35 prescribed IA prompts.
Assessment Weight
TOK exhibition = one-third of your final TOK grade.
Word Count
950 words max across all 3 objects combined (plus references).
Session
Updated & mapped for TOK assessment.
Decoding Prompt 25 – “How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief and opinion?”
IB TOK Exhibition Prompt 25 asks you to draw — and then complicate — one of the foundational distinctions in epistemology: the line between knowledge (justified true belief), belief (acceptance without empirical proof) and opinion (personal interpretation). The prompt pushes you to recognise that these three categories are not always cleanly separable: a partisan voter’s guide blends fact with ideology; a religious text encodes deep belief; an op-ed presents opinion as if it were knowledge.
A top-scoring IB TOK exhibition on Prompt 25 does three things well: it places each object on the knowledge–belief–opinion spectrum, it explains the criteria that locate it there (evidence, faith, persuasion), and it connects the analysis to an optional theme or area of knowledge.
TOK Exhibition Objects for Prompt 25
Each example below includes the object, linked optional theme, examiner-written rationale, and a knowledge question to extend your analysis.
A Scientific Journal Article Reporting a New Discovery
A peer-reviewed scientific journal article, especially one reporting a new discovery based on empirical evidence and rigorous methodologies, serves as a representation of knowledge. Unlike belief or opinion, the content of such an article has been critically evaluated by experts and is supported by observable data and replicable experiments. This object exemplifies how knowledge is distinguished by its basis in verifiable facts and consensus within the scientific community, reflecting a commitment to objectivity and the scientific method.
Stuck picking 3 objects that actually score in the top band?
Most IB students lose 4–6 marks because their objects don’t clearly link to the prompt or the optional theme. Our IB-certified TOK examiners fix this in one 1:1 session on the Sev7n LMS.
- Rubric-based review of your current object choices
- Live examiner feedback on rationale + knowledge question
- Recorded sessions on our LMS — rewatch anytime
- Ready-to-submit commentary within 950-word limit
score 8+ on TOK exhibition
A Voter’s Guide Compiled by a Partisan Group
A voter’s guide, especially one compiled by a partisan organisation, often blends facts with ideological perspectives, showcasing the intersection of belief with knowledge. The guide’s content, while informative, is typically intended to persuade or influence, reflecting the underlying beliefs and values of the compiling group. This object highlights how beliefs can colour the presentation of information, affecting the perception and acceptance of what might otherwise be considered factual knowledge, and demonstrates the subjective lens through which knowledge is sometimes filtered.
Falling behind across 6 subjects + TOK + EE + CAS?
The IB workload breaks most students between DP1 and DP2. Sev7n’s 170+ IB examiners deliver live 1:1 tutoring across every IBDP subject — Sciences, Maths, Economics, Business Management, Psychology, English, and more — all on one LMS.
- Expert help for Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 & Internal Assessments
- IA topic selection, data analysis, and draft marking
- Past paper practice with examiner-style feedback
- Predicted grade improvement — most students gain 2+ points
An Editorial Op-Ed in a Newspaper
An op-ed provides a clear example of opinion, characterised by personal views, interpretations, and arguments of the author on various issues. Unlike knowledge, which is grounded in empirical evidence and consensus, or belief, which is tied to conviction and faith, an opinion is openly subjective and intended to express a viewpoint or persuade readers. This object underscores the importance of language and rhetoric in distinguishing opinions from knowledge and beliefs, emphasising the role of critical thinking in navigating these distinctions.
Your IA or Extended Essay deadline is coming. Your draft isn’t top-band yet.
Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay carry serious weight in the final IB score — yet most students submit drafts that lose easy marks on structure, data analysis, and referencing. Sev7n’s examiners review every draft against the official IB rubric before you submit.
- Topic selection & research-question refinement
- Rubric-mapped feedback on every draft (Criteria A–E)
- Data analysis, methodology & referencing support
- Final polish to push your IA from a 5 to a 7
What Parents & Students Say About Sev7n
Hear directly from IB parents about how Sev7n transformed their child’s IB journey — from predicted 4s to final 7s.
My daughter was struggling with TOK exhibition and Chemistry HL — predicted 4s in both. After 4 months with Sev7n’s examiner tutors, she scored a 7 in Chem and 9/10 on exhibition. The LMS dashboard kept me in the loop every week. Worth every rupee.
We tried three big coaching centres in Dubai before finding Sev7n. The difference: actual IB examiners, not generic teachers. My son’s Economics HL teacher here has marked IB papers for 8 years. Game-changer for his IA and predicted grade.
What I love most is the auto-recorded sessions and weekly parent reports. I’m a working mom and can’t hover over my daughter’s shoulder — Sev7n’s LMS makes it easy to stay informed without being intrusive. TOK essay went from 3 to 8.
The free demo class itself was more useful than months of IB support elsewhere. The tutor didn’t just teach — she diagnosed exactly where my son was losing marks on Paper 2. Honest, professional, and genuinely examiner-level. Signed up the same day.
Our Singapore time zone was always an issue with Indian tutors. Sev7n matched us with a tutor who’s based in the UK and teaches in our window. My daughter’s Maths AA HL went from a predicted 5 to 7 in 6 months. Can’t recommend enough.
We’ve worked with 4 different TOK tutors before Sev7n. None came close. Their examiner gave my son a detailed marksheet mapped to the IB rubric — something no one else did. Final TOK essay: A (predicted C). That grade just saved his university offer.
2 More Objects for Prompt 25
Two additional examiner-written object examples to help you finalise your TOK exhibition selection.
A Religious Text
Religious texts are foundational to the beliefs of various faith communities, embodying convictions that are accepted on faith rather than empirical evidence. These texts illustrate how belief is distinguished from knowledge and opinion by its reliance on spiritual conviction, tradition, and the authority of sacred writings. The reverence and spiritual significance attributed to religious texts demonstrate how beliefs are deeply ingrained in cultural and personal identity, distinct from the empirical basis of knowledge or the subjective nature of opinion.
Tired of one-size-fits-all coaching centres that don’t really know IB?
Sev7n’s proprietary LMS pairs you with an examiner who’s actually marked IB papers. Every class is live, every session is recorded, and every parent gets a weekly progress report — all on one clean platform built for IB families.
- 100% live 1:1 or small-batch classes (never big-class chaos)
- Every session auto-recorded — rewatch, revise, repeat
- Weekly WhatsApp progress reports for parents
- Flexible time zones — tutors across India, UK, UAE, Singapore
User Reviews on a Product Website
User reviews on a product website offer a mix of subjective opinions, personal experiences, and factual information about product performance. These reviews encapsulate the spectrum from opinion (personal satisfaction with the product) to knowledge (specific, verifiable facts about the product’s features). This object illustrates the challenge of navigating between subjective opinions, objective knowledge, and individual beliefs in the digital age, highlighting the critical role of discernment in evaluating the validity and reliability of online information.
Your school teacher can’t mark IB exam papers. Our tutors can.
There’s a massive difference between someone who teaches IB content and someone who actually marks IB exam scripts. At Sev7n, 170+ of our tutors are IB-certified examiners — which means they know exactly what scores, and what doesn’t.
- Verified IB examiners — not just IB teachers
- Deep rubric knowledge across HL, SL & all assessment objectives
- Insider insight into common examiner mistakes students make
- Personalised feedback that matches real IB markschemes
Matched to your subject.
Knowledge Questions for Prompt 25
Use these knowledge questions to strengthen the analytical depth of your exhibition commentary.
Is the line between knowledge and belief the same in every culture and area of knowledge?
Can opinion harden into belief, and belief into knowledge, simply through repetition?
What role does evidence play in moving a claim from opinion to knowledge?
Are religious beliefs a different category of mental content, or just unverified beliefs?
How do digital platforms blur the distinctions between knowledge, belief and opinion?
Does the distinction between knowledge, belief and opinion depend on the knower or on the claim itself?
How to Score High on Prompt 25
Three strategies our IB examiners use when coaching students through the TOK exhibition.
Place each object explicitly on the spectrum
Don’t just discuss the object — say plainly whether it represents knowledge, belief or opinion, and which criteria put it there. Examiners reward this clarity.
Pick at least one hybrid object
A partisan voter’s guide or online product review is more interesting than a ‘pure’ example. Hybrid objects let you explore the messy edges of the distinction.
Use precise epistemic vocabulary
Words like ‘justified’, ‘verifiable’, ’empirical’, ‘subjective’ and ‘authoritative’ show the examiner you understand the underlying epistemology, not just the object.
TOK Exhibition Prompt 25 — FAQs
What is TOK Exhibition Prompt 25?
How many objects do I need to present for Prompt 25?
Which optional themes work best with this prompt?
What is the word limit for the TOK exhibition commentary?
Can Sev7n help me with my own TOK exhibition draft?
Ready to turn your TOK Exhibition into a Top-Band Submission?
Join 700+ IB students already working with Sev7n’s IB-certified examiners. Book a free demo today.
📱 Book Free Demo Now Explore Sev7n IB Tuitions
