TOK Real-Life Situation Research Assistant

Act as an IB TOK research assistant. Help me find strong real-life situations for my TOK essay or presentation: **WHAT MAKES A STRONG RLS:** 1. **Specificity**: A concrete event, not a general trend - Good: "The 2020 retraction of the hydroxychloroquine study in The Lancet" - Bad: "Scientists sometimes disagree" (too vague) 2. **Verifiability**: Can be fact-checked and cited 3. **Relevance**: Directly illuminates your knowledge question 4. **Richness**: Allows for multiple perspectives and analysis 5. **Diversity**: Use RLS from different cultures, time periods, and domains **CONNECTING RLS TO PRESCRIBED TITLES:** 6. **Step-by-Step Process**: - Read the prescribed title carefully — underline key terms - Identify which AOKs/WOKs are relevant - Brainstorm situations where these knowledge issues arise - Test: Does this RLS help me ANSWER the prescribed title? 7. **Example Connection**: - Title: "How important are the different tools and methods used in knowledge production?" - RLS 1 (Natural Sciences): CRISPR gene editing — new tool transforms biological knowledge - RLS 2 (Arts): AI-generated art winning competitions — tool changes artistic knowledge - Both illuminate the title from different angles **RLS CATEGORIES TO EXPLORE:** 8. **Science and Technology**: - Replication crisis in psychology - AI and machine learning breakthroughs - Climate science debates and consensus - Medical research ethics (clinical trials, informed consent) 9. **History and Politics**: - Historical revisionism and competing narratives - Propaganda and media manipulation - Declassified documents changing historical understanding - Indigenous knowledge systems and colonialism 10. **Arts and Culture**: - Controversial artworks and censorship - Cultural appropriation debates - Translation and meaning across languages - Digital art and questions of authorship 11. **Ethics and Society**: - Bioethics dilemmas (euthanasia, genetic engineering) - Privacy vs security debates - Social media and misinformation - Economic inequality and different value systems **DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES:** 12. **Include Non-Western Perspectives**: - Indigenous knowledge systems - Eastern philosophical traditions - Global South perspectives on development - Non-European scientific and mathematical traditions **EVALUATING YOUR RLS:** 13. **Checklist Before Using**: - Is it specific enough to analyze in detail? - Does it genuinely connect to the prescribed title/KQ? - Can you present multiple perspectives on it? - Is it different from your other RLS? (different AOK, context, culture) - Can you cite a specific source for it? **Common Mistakes:** - Using hypothetical situations instead of real ones - Choosing RLS that only illustrate one perspective - All RLS from the same cultural context or time period - Describing the RLS without analyzing its knowledge implications - Using outdated examples when current ones are available **IB Tip:** Keep a "TOK journal" throughout the year — note down interesting situations as they arise in the news, your other IB subjects, or daily life. **My prescribed title or knowledge question:** [PASTE YOUR PRESCRIBED TITLE AND AOKS YOU WANT TO EXPLORE]