Your Example Does Not Prove Your Claim Yet
Find the Gap
One of the most common TOK problems is the gap between the example and the claim. The student writes a claim, gives an example, and then assumes the example proves it. But the proof is not automatic. The missing part is the reasoning.
Explain the Mechanism
A claim might say: 'Knowledge in the human sciences is shaped by the way researchers classify behaviour.' Then the example describes a psychology study or survey. That is not enough. The paragraph still needs to explain how classification affected what was measured, what was ignored, and how the conclusion became credible.
Avoid Overclaiming
Use the 'not yet' test. After your example, ask: 'So what exactly does this prove?' If the answer is only the same as the claim, you have not explained the link. If the answer gives a mechanism, you are closer.
Use the Not-Yet Test
A weak link says: 'This proves that methods matter.' A stronger link says: 'This supports the claim because the method determined which behaviours counted as evidence, so the final knowledge claim depended partly on the categories chosen before observation began.' That sentence explains the mechanism.
Repair the Reasoning
Another reason examples fail to prove claims is overclaiming. One example cannot prove a universal statement like 'all knowledge is biased' or 'science is always uncertain'. It can support a narrower claim: under certain conditions, a method, perspective, or assumption affects knowledge. Narrower claims are easier to prove and usually more TOK-like.
To repair the gap, write three hidden planning sentences before drafting. One: 'The example shows...' Two: 'This matters for knowledge because...' Three: 'The claim should therefore be limited to...' These sentences may not all appear in the final essay, but they help you build real reasoning.
If your example does not prove your claim yet, that is normal. It means you are at the planning stage. Do not force the paragraph. Adjust the claim, clarify the mechanism, or choose a better example. Strong TOK writing is not example plus claim. It is example plus reasoning plus limit.