In what ways do our values affect our acquisition of knowledge?
TOK Exhibition Prompt 34 — Object Examples & Rationale
A complete, examiner-written breakdown of IB TOK Exhibition IA Prompt 34 — five worked object examples, linked optional themes, knowledge questions and top-band commentary to help you nail the TOK exhibition for IB DP May 2026.
The Prompt
“In what ways do our values affect our acquisition of knowledge?” — Prompt 34 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 34 – “In what ways do our values affect our acquisition of knowledge?”
TOK Exhibition Prompt 34 sits at the personal-meets-political edge of the Theory of Knowledge course because it asks how our commitments, priorities and ethical stances shape what we ever come to know. The prompt pushes you beyond surface-level objectivity claims and invites you to examine how values — environmental, communal, cultural and innovation-led — quietly steer which questions we ask, which methods we trust, and which sources we listen to. For a strong exhibition, each of your three objects must reveal a different angle on this — whether through conservation collaboration, community recycling, crowdsourced histories, renewable energy patents, or indigenous-knowledge databases.
A top-scoring IB TOK exhibition on Prompt 34 does three things well: it links each object to a specific real-world context, it justifies why that object illustrates the prompt through a clear knowledge claim about how values guide acquisition, and it connects back to an optional theme or area of knowledge.
TOK Exhibition Objects for Prompt 34
Each example below includes the object, linked optional theme, examiner-written rationale, and a knowledge question to extend your analysis.
Conservation Efforts Document for Endangered Species
Documentation of conservation efforts for endangered species, particularly those led in collaboration with indigenous communities, showcases how values around biodiversity and environmental stewardship guide knowledge acquisition in ecology and conservation science. These efforts reflect a recognition of the interconnectedness of humans and nature, emphasizing values of respect, sustainability, and coexistence. Such documentation illustrates how incorporating indigenous knowledge and values can enrich scientific approaches and outcomes in conservation efforts.
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A Community-Based Recycling Initiative’s Operational Manual
The manual for a successful community-based recycling initiative demonstrates how values related to environmental sustainability influence the development and adoption of technologies and systems for waste management. This initiative shows the practical application of values in guiding technological innovation and knowledge acquisition, highlighting the role of community engagement and technology in addressing environmental challenges.
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A Crowdsourced Digital Archive of Local Histories
A digital platform that crowdsources and archives local histories and narratives from various communities illustrates how values around cultural preservation and diversity influence the acquisition and dissemination of historical knowledge. By valuing a multitude of voices and experiences, this archive expands the scope of historical understanding beyond official narratives, demonstrating how language and storytelling are vital tools in capturing the breadth of human experience.
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2 More Objects for Prompt 34
Two additional examiner-written object examples to help you finalise your TOK exhibition selection.
A Renewable Energy Patent
The development and patenting of renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels or wind turbines, illustrate how values regarding sustainability and environmental protection drive innovation and knowledge acquisition in the field of energy. By valuing ecological balance and long-term viability, societies and individuals direct research efforts and resources towards sustainable solutions, affecting the landscape of technological knowledge and its acquisition.
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A Database of Indigenous Plant Medicine
A comprehensive database documenting the medicinal uses of plants by indigenous communities exemplifies how values around cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and biodiversity conservation influence the acquisition and preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge. This object highlights the importance of valuing diverse knowledge systems and the role of cultural respect and collaboration in facilitating the sharing and preservation of indigenous knowledge.
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Knowledge Questions for Prompt 34
Use these knowledge questions to strengthen the analytical depth of your exhibition commentary.
Are values a precondition for acquiring knowledge, or an obstacle to it?
Can we distinguish between values that direct inquiry and values that distort inquiry?
Do shared communal values produce more reliable knowledge than individual commitments?
How do power and value-systems decide which kinds of knowledge get acquired in the first place?
Is value-free knowledge acquisition even conceivable as an ideal?
Can a knower ever fully audit the values that shape what they take to be knowledge?
How to Score High on Prompt 34
Three strategies our IB examiners use when coaching students through the TOK exhibition.
Show values shaping what is sought
The clearest top-band commentary on Prompt 34 names a specific value (e.g. ecological sustainability) and shows how it determined what was actually researched, archived or measured.
Pair an institutional object with a communal one
The prompt is richest when explored from both directions — a formal patent or initiative on one hand, and a grassroots crowdsourced or indigenous source on the other.
Avoid treating values only as bias
Examiners reward students who treat values as both productive (enabling new questions) and limiting (closing off others). The dual reading scores higher than a one-sided dismissal.
TOK Exhibition Prompt 34 — FAQs
What is TOK Exhibition Prompt 34?
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