TOK Exhibition Rubric: How the 10 Marks Work, Band by Band

The TOK exhibition rubric is one short table. It has five bands and a single question at the top. Most students glance at it once, decide it's vague, and never look again. That's a mistake, because almost every lost mark in the exhibition can be traced back to one line of it.

This guide takes the TOK exhibition rubric apart line by line. You'll see what each band really asks for, the hard caps that can wipe out marks before anyone reads a word, and one object written up at four different levels so you can see the jump from a 4 to a 9. It's written by Educifly's IB specialists, who have coached students through Theory of Knowledge since 2018.

Quick answer: what is the TOK exhibition rubric?

The TOK exhibition rubric is a single holistic marking scale out of 10, built around one driving question: does the exhibition successfully show how TOK manifests in the world around us? It has five bands: Excellent (9–10), Good (7–8), Satisfactory (5–6), Basic (3–4) and Rudimentary (1–2), plus 0. Each band judges the same four things: how clearly you identify three specific objects and their real-world contexts, how well you link each object to your chosen IA prompt, how strongly you justify each object's place in the exhibition, and how well you back your points with evidence. Your teacher marks it, the IB moderates it, and it's worth 33% of your TOK grade.

Two caps sit on top of the bands. Only two objects means a maximum of 6 marks. Only one object means a maximum of 3. And if you don't use one of the 35 official IA prompts, the mark is 0.

What is the TOK exhibition, in one paragraph?

The TOK exhibition is an internal assessment where you pick one of 35 IA prompts, choose three real objects that connect to it, and write a commentary of up to 950 words across all three. TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge, one of the three core parts of the IB Diploma. IA means Internal Assessment, which is work marked by your own teacher rather than an outside examiner.

You submit one file. It holds a title showing your prompt, an image of each object, and your typed commentary with references. If you need the full walk-through of prompts and object choice first, read our TOK exhibition guide and come back here. This page is only about the marks.

How is the TOK exhibition marked?

The TOK exhibition is marked with "global impression marking": your teacher reads the whole thing, then picks the one band that fits it best. It is not a checklist. Nobody ticks off four criteria and adds them up.

The IB's TOK subject guide says the five levels are holistic descriptors, not a list of must-have features. So your work doesn't need to hit every phrase in a band to earn that band. The teacher looks for the description that sounds most like your exhibition.

Then they choose a mark inside the band. The rule is simple:

• The higher mark in a band goes to work that shows that band's qualities strongly and is close to the band above.

• The lower mark goes to work that shows them less strongly and is close to the band below.

So a 9 is "clearly Excellent", and an 8 is "clearly Good, nearly Excellent". That's the whole marking process. It sounds loose. In practice, teachers who mark the same exhibition often land within one mark of each other, because the bands differ in very specific words.

Who marks it, and who checks the marks?

Your TOK teacher marks your exhibition, and the IB then moderates a sample from your school. Moderation means an IB moderator re-marks some exhibitions from your school. If the school's marks are too generous or too harsh, the IB moves everyone's marks up or down to match.

This matters for you. A teacher who marks kindly isn't doing you a favour if moderation drags the whole class down later. The safest plan is to write for the rubric itself, not for your teacher's mood.

The five bands of the TOK exhibition rubric at a glance

Each band describes the same four skills, and the wording gets weaker as you go down. Here is the rubric in plain English. We've paraphrased the IB's wording so it's easier to read. Your teacher can give you the exact official text from the TOK guide.

Look down the "Links" column. It goes from "well explained" to "explained" to "some explanation" to "unconvincing" to "tenuous". The skill never changes. Only the quality does.

The four things the rubric is really checking

Every band in the TOK exhibition rubric judges four skills: identify, link, justify, and support. If you remember nothing else from this page, remember those four verbs. The IB's own TOK subject report for May 2023 used this same four-part split to describe a good commentary.

1. Identify the object and its real-world context

You must name a specific, real object and say where and when it exists. "A newspaper" is a type of thing. "The front page of The Guardian on 24 June 2016, the morning after the Brexit vote" is an object with a context.

This is the first line of every band, and it's where the Rudimentary band is decided. The rubric warns against "highly generic images of types of object". A stock photo of a microscope is a type. A photo of the microscope in your school's biology lab, with a note on who uses it and for what, is a real object.

2. Link each object to the IA prompt

You must show how each object helps answer, or raise questions about, your chosen prompt. Note the word "each". Two strong links and one weak one will pull you out of the top band.

A link is not the same as a mention. Writing the prompt's words next to a description doesn't count. You have to explain the connection: this object shows X about knowledge, and that bears on the prompt because of Y.

3. Justify the object's particular contribution

You must argue why this object earns its place, and what it adds that the other two don't. This is the skill that splits the top half of the rubric from the bottom half.

Many experienced TOK teachers treat justification as the heaviest of the four. ToK Today's Daniel Trump, who writes about exhibition marking for teachers, says he gives roughly 40% of his weight to justification when placing a commentary in a band. It's also the line where "repetitive" appears in the lower bands. If all three objects are in the exhibition "because they show bias", you have one reason used three times.

4. Support your points with evidence and explicit references to the prompt

Every claim you make about an object needs a fact, a source or an example behind it, and it should point back to the prompt in so many words. "Explicit references to the prompt" means the prompt's key terms actually appear in your reasoning, not just in your title.

Evidence can be a date, a statistic, a quote from a source, a result, or a named event. Rudimentary work is "highly descriptive" or made of "unsupported assertions". Excellent work has almost nothing unsupported.

Excellent (9–10): what top-band work looks like

Excellent work identifies three specific objects with clear contexts, links every one clearly to the prompt, strongly justifies each object's unique contribution, and supports nearly every point with evidence. That's the whole band in one sentence.

In practice, a 9–10 exhibition reads like one argument in three steps. The three objects don't just sit next to each other. Each one moves the answer forward. A common pattern is a mild case, a middle case and an extreme case. Another is three different angles: personal, public and historical.

You can spot Excellent work by three habits:

• The prompt's key words appear in every object section, not just the title.

• Each object section says what the object adds that the earlier ones didn't. "Unlike the first object, this one shows…"

• Every sentence is doing a job. No general lines about knowledge being important in society.

A 10 is not perfection. The guide says "all, or nearly all" points are supported. One loose sentence doesn't drop you to an 8.

Good (7–8): what stops a strong exhibition reaching 9

Good work does everything Excellent work does, but less precisely: the links are explained yet a little blurry in places, and each object is justified but not strongly. This is where most well-prepared students land on a first draft.

The difference between a 7–8 and a 9–10 usually comes down to two words in the rubric: "particular contribution". A Good exhibition explains why each object fits the prompt. An Excellent one explains why each object fits the prompt differently.

Here's the fix our tutors apply most often at this level. Add one sentence to each object section that begins "What this object adds is…" and forces a contrast with the other two. That single sentence, done three times, is often worth a mark.

Satisfactory (5–6): the middle of the rubric

Satisfactory work has three objects, but the contexts are vague, the links are partly explained, and the justification is thin. At this level the exhibition is on topic. It just isn't making a clear argument yet.

Typical signs of a 5–6:

• The context is a half-sentence. "A photo I found online of a protest."

• Each section spends most of its words describing the object and only the last few lines on the prompt.

• Justification exists but is short. "This object is relevant because it shows how knowledge can be biased."

The route up is mechanical. Pin down the context in full. Flip the ratio of description to explanation. Then add the particular-contribution sentence from the Good band.

Basic (3–4): where the argument is missing

Basic work names three objects, but their contexts are only implied, the links are unconvincing or unfocused, and the justification is superficial and often repeated. The rubric also flags reasons that aren't supported by evidence or don't stay on the prompt.

Two patterns put exhibitions here more than any others:

1. Same reason three times. Every object is there "because it shows that knowledge can change". The rubric calls this out directly as significant repetition across the justifications.

2. Drifting away from the prompt. The commentary turns into a mini essay on the object's history, and the prompt only returns in the last line.

A Basic exhibition can often jump two bands in one redraft. The objects are usually fine. The writing around them needs rebuilding.

Rudimentary (1–2) and zero: what sinks an exhibition

Rudimentary work has objects with no stated context, or uses generic images of a type of thing, and makes links that are minimal, tenuous or unclear. The commentary is mostly description, or claims with nothing behind them.

A zero is rarer, and usually avoidable. It happens when the exhibition doesn't reach even the Rudimentary standard, or when the student doesn't use one of the official IA prompts. Rewording a prompt is the easy way to fall into this. "Is bias always present when knowledge is produced?" is not the same as prompt 12, "Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?". Copy the prompt exactly.

The hard caps: marks you can lose before the band is chosen

Three rules cap your mark no matter how good the writing is: two objects caps you at 6, one object caps you at 3, and anything past 950 words isn't read. These are the cheapest marks to protect, and they still catch students every session.

The word limit deserves a closer look. Nothing is deducted as a penalty. The examiner simply stops reading. So if your third object's justification sits in words 951 to 1,050, it doesn't exist as far as the marks go. That can quietly cost you a whole band.

One object, four different marks: a worked example

The fastest way to understand the rubric is to see the same object written at different levels. Below is one object for prompt 5, "What counts as good evidence for a claim?", written four ways. Each is a short extract, not a full 300-word section.

The object: the 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues in The Lancet, which suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The journal fully retracted it in February 2010.

Rudimentary-level extract (1–2):

"This is a picture of a science journal. Science journals publish research. Sometimes research is wrong. This shows that we cannot always trust evidence."

What's wrong: the image is a generic journal, with no specific paper, date or context. The link is a vague claim. Nothing is supported.

Basic-level extract (3–4):

"My object is a medical paper about vaccines from the 1990s that was later taken back. It shows that evidence can change over time, which links to my prompt about good evidence."

What's wrong: the context is implied, not stated. We don't know which paper, which journal or why it was withdrawn. "Evidence can change over time" is a reason that could fit any object.

Satisfactory-level extract (5–6):

"My object is Andrew Wakefield's 1998 paper in The Lancet, which linked the MMR vaccine to autism and was retracted in 2010. It shows that even published research is not always good evidence, because the study turned out to be flawed."

What's better: the object and context are now clear. What's still missing: why was it poor evidence? And what does this object add that the others don't?

Excellent-level extract (9–10):

"My first object is Andrew Wakefield's 1998 paper in The Lancet, which claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism from a study of just 12 children. The journal fully retracted it in February 2010. It raises a direct question for my prompt, 'What counts as good evidence for a claim?', because the paper passed peer review, the process we usually treat as the mark of good evidence. The problem was not the journal's label but the evidence underneath it: 12 children and no control group can't support a claim about millions. What this object adds to my exhibition is the gap between how evidence looks and how strong it is. My second object moves from expert evidence to personal evidence…"

What makes it Excellent: a specific object with its real context. Explicit use of the prompt's words. A reason backed by facts (12 children, no control group, retracted 2010). And a sentence that states this object's particular contribution and hands on to the next object.

Notice the Excellent version is not fancier. It's more specific. That's the pattern across the whole rubric.

A full three-object plan that hits every line of the rubric

A top-band exhibition usually follows a clear shape, where each object shows a different side of the same prompt. Here is a skeleton plan for the same prompt, so you can see how the "particular contribution" line works across all three objects.

Read down the last column and you have an argument. Good evidence isn't about the label (object 1), the numbers (object 2), or how long it has been accepted (object 3). The three objects together say something none of them says alone. That's exactly what the Excellent band's "particular contribution" wording is checking.

Your own objects must be your own, of course. Use the shape, not these exact items.

What the TOK exhibition rubric does not reward

The rubric gives no marks for areas of knowledge, for answering the prompt outright, for design, or for how impressive the objects are. Students waste words on all four.

• Areas of knowledge. The IB's 2026 examiner instructions say plainly that areas of knowledge are not mentioned in the exhibition assessment, and their presence or absence isn't assessed. We cover this in our guide to the TOK areas of knowledge. Save them for the essay.

• A final answer to the prompt. You explore how each object links to the prompt. You don't have to reach a verdict. A neat conclusion paragraph earns nothing extra and eats words.

• Visual design. Many schools hold a public exhibition day with printed displays. That event is not marked. Only the submitted file is.

• Rare or dramatic objects. A museum artefact isn't worth more than your grandmother's recipe card. The mark comes from the context, link and justification, not from the object's fame.

One more thing to know. The TOK guide asks you to build your exhibition around the core theme, Knowledge and the Knower, or one of the optional themes. The rubric itself doesn't give marks for naming a theme. But a clear theme keeps your three objects pulling in the same direction, which helps the links and the justification.

How long should each part of the commentary be?

Aim for about 300 words per object, split roughly into 50 words to identify, 100 to link, 100 to justify, and 50 to support and hand on. That totals about 900 words and leaves a small buffer under the 950 limit.

The split isn't an IB rule. It's a planning tool. What matters is that description never swallows the explanation. If more than a third of a section is describing the object, the link and justification are being squeezed.

Self-check: mark your own exhibition against the rubric

Before you submit, run your draft through these twelve questions; each "no" points to the band line you're losing marks on. Print them. Answer them honestly for each of the three objects.

• Is my title the IA prompt copied word for word from the list of 35?

• Have I included an image of each of my three objects?

• Could a stranger find each exact object from my description?

• Have I stated when and where each object exists, or existed?

• Is each image a photo of the real object, not a stock image of a type of thing?

• Does the prompt's key wording appear inside each object section, not only in the title?

• For each object, have I explained how it connects to the prompt, not just said that it does?

• Does each section say what this object adds that the other two don't?

• Are my three reasons for including the objects different from each other?

• Is every claim backed by a fact, a date, a source or a named example?

• Is less than a third of each section spent describing the object?

• Is my commentary 950 words or fewer, not counting title and references?

Twelve yeses usually means a 9 or 10. Most first drafts score seven or eight yeses, which lines up with the Good band.

Common mistakes and the band they drag you to

Most lost marks come from a small set of repeat mistakes, and each one maps to a specific line of the rubric. Here are the ones we see most in drafts.

How your exhibition mark feeds into your IB score

Your exhibition mark out of 10 counts for 33% of your TOK grade, the essay counts for 67%, and your TOK grade (A to E) then combines with your Extended Essay grade to give up to 3 bonus points. Put simply, the essay counts twice as much as the exhibition.

The IB turns your combined TOK marks into a letter grade using grade boundaries it sets each session. That letter goes into the TOK and EE matrix. An A in TOK with an A in the EE earns the full 3 bonus points toward the Diploma's 45. An E in either one is a failing condition for the whole Diploma. Our guide to the TOK and EE matrix shows every combination.

This is why the exhibition deserves real effort, even at 33%. It's the one TOK task where you control every variable: the prompt, the objects and the words. There's no exam room and no surprise title. A 9 in the exhibition takes pressure off the essay.

When to use the rubric during the process

Use the rubric three times: when you choose objects, when you draft, and when you do the final check. Most students only look at it at the end, when it's too late to change objects.

1. Choosing objects. Test each candidate object against the Identify and Justify lines. Can you name its exact context? Can you say what it adds that the others don't? If not, drop it now.

2. Drafting. Write each object section in the four-part order: identify, link, justify, support. The rubric then reads like your outline.

3. Final check. Run the twelve-question self-check above. Count your words.

Most schools set the exhibition in the first year of the Diploma, often in the second half of the year. Your teacher can comment on a draft, but they can't edit or rewrite it for you. So the quality of your first full draft matters a lot.

If your child has a draft and isn't sure which band it's sitting in, that's exactly the question a second reader answers fastest. Educifly's IB specialists coach the TOK exhibition and essay one to one, with the same tutor every week. TOK coaching is a paid add-on, not part of regular subject tutoring, so families only take it if they need it. You can see how it works on our TOK help page. If you're new to TOK as a whole, our guide to what TOK is covers the full course.

The bottom line

The TOK exhibition rubric is one scale with five bands, and every band checks the same four skills: identify the object, link it to the prompt, justify its particular contribution, and support your points. The difference between a 5 and a 9 is rarely talent. It's specificity. Name the exact object, explain the link instead of stating it, say what each object adds that the others don't, and back every claim.

Protect the free marks first: three objects, the prompt copied exactly, and 950 words or fewer. Then write for the Excellent band, one object at a time.

Want a tutor to mark your child's draft against the rubric before the deadline? Book a free trial class and bring the draft along.

FAQ: TOK exhibition rubric

What is the TOK exhibition rubric?

The TOK exhibition rubric is the IB's assessment instrument for the exhibition. It's one holistic scale out of 10, built around a single question: does the exhibition successfully show how TOK manifests in the world around us? It has five bands, from Rudimentary (1–2) to Excellent (9–10), plus 0.

How many marks is the TOK exhibition out of?

The TOK exhibition is marked out of 10. It counts for 33% of your overall TOK grade. The TOK essay, also marked out of 10, makes up the other 67%.

What are the TOK exhibition mark bands?

There are five bands: Excellent (9–10), Good (7–8), Satisfactory (5–6), Basic (3–4) and Rudimentary (1–2). A mark of 0 is given if the work doesn't reach the Rudimentary standard or doesn't use one of the official IA prompts.

Is the TOK exhibition rubric a checklist?

No. It uses global impression marking. Your teacher reads the whole exhibition and chooses the band description that fits best. You don't need to meet every phrase in a band to get that band. Within a band, stronger work gets the higher mark and weaker work gets the lower one.

Who marks the TOK exhibition?

Your own TOK teacher marks it. The IB then moderates a sample from your school. If the school's marks are out of line, the IB adjusts them up or down for the whole group.

What happens if I only include two objects?

Your mark is capped at 6 out of 10, however good the writing is. With only one object, the cap is 3. Always submit three objects, each with an image and commentary.

What happens if I go over 950 words?

The IB's 2026 examiner instructions tell examiners to stop reading at 950 words. Anything after that point isn't considered. There's no separate penalty, but any linking or justifying in the extra words is simply lost. Your title and references don't count toward the 950.

Do I need areas of knowledge in the TOK exhibition?

No. The IB's examiner instructions say areas of knowledge aren't mentioned in the exhibition assessment and their presence or absence isn't assessed. They matter in the TOK essay, which must link to two areas of knowledge.

What is the difference between a 7 and a 9 in the TOK exhibition?

A 7–8 explains the links and justifies each object, but with some imprecision. A 9–10 makes every link clear, strongly justifies each object's particular contribution, and backs nearly every point with evidence and explicit references to the prompt. In practice, the jump usually comes from saying what each object adds that the other two don't.

Can I change the wording of the IA prompt?

No. You must use one of the 35 IA prompts exactly as written. An exhibition that doesn't use an official prompt receives 0. Copy the prompt word for word into your title.

Does the design of my exhibition display affect my mark?

No. Only the submitted file is marked: the title, the three images and the typed commentary. A school exhibition day with posters or displays can be a good experience, but it isn't part of the assessed mark.