Setting Conventions for the Final Honour School of Oriental Studies 2017

Faculty of Oriental Studies

Setting conventions for the Final Honour School of Oriental Studies 2017

HEBREW

The formal procedures determining the conduct of examinations are established and enforced by the University Proctors. These conventions are a guide to the examiners and candidates but the regulations set out in the Examination Regulations have precedence. The examiners are nominated by the Nominating Committee in the Department and those nominations are submitted for approval by the Vice-Chancellor and the Proctors.

1.  Numbering of papers follows that in the Examination Regulations 2016. The Examination Schools website (http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/exams) gives information on the provisional start date of the examination. The date, time and location of individual papers will be published not less than 5 weeks before the start of the first examination. For the order of papers in the examination itself, please refer to the Examination timetable. Academic dress must be worn for all parts of the examination including the viva if applicable.

2.  In order to maintain the anonymity of the examination, candidates are instructed to write their candidate number, not their names or Bodleian card number, on their scripts and submitted works. Candidate numbers can be obtained from the Student Self-Service.

3.  All submitted works should be typed or word- processed in double spacing and should conform to the standards of academic presentation prescribed in the "Guidelines for writers of Theses".

4.  All submitted works (dissertations, take-home essays etc.) have to be securely held together (no paper clips) with a cover sheet stating the degree, paper title, term and year of submission, your candidate number and word count. For the submission of all dissertations, two typewritten copies and an electronic copy in PDF format in a memory stick or CD, of the dissertation and a signed declaration form certifying that the dissertation is the candidate’s own workmust be sent to the Chair of Examiners, Honour School of Oriental Studies, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford, not later than 12 noon on Friday of the tenth week of the Hilary Term preceding the examination. The declaration form should be included in a sealed envelope and included with the two copies of the submitted works in a larger envelope.The larger envelope should have your candidate number at the front and addressed to Chair of Examiners, (name of degree), Examination Schools, High Street.The Chairman of Examinations in Oriental Studies would like to advise candidates to obtain a signed receipt from the Clerk of Exam Schools for their submitted work (e.g. if you are submitting dissertations or take-home essays). Remember to write your candidate number and not your name on all submitted work. Dissertations previously submitted for the Honour School of Oriental Studies may be resubmitted. No dissertation will be accepted if it has already been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution. The dissertation shall not exceed 15,000 words.

5.  When submission of written work is required, the penalty posed in case of late submission without the prior permission of the Proctors will range from outright failure of the submitted work (i.e. where it is considered that the extra time has given unfair advantage to the candidate and thus may be equated with cheating) to a percentage reduction in the mark awarded, as deemed appropriate by the examiners. Please refer to the Guidelines for Setting and Marking.

6.  Candidates should note that if they have any complaints or queries concerning the examination process, including results, these should be directed in the first instance to their colleges and not to the examiners or any member of the teaching staff.

7.  Candidates may be examined by viva voce (oral examination) and so candidates should be prepared to travel to Oxford up until the final examiners’ meeting (no later than the 4th July)

1. Hebrew: Composition and Unprepared Translation (Course I)

In this paper you must translate one passage into Hebrew and two from Hebrew into English. For the first question you can choose whether to tackle a passage for translation into Biblical or Modern Hebrew. For the second, there are passages in Biblical, Rabbinic and Modern Hebrew, and you must choose two out of these three for translation into English.

2. Prepared Texts I: Biblical texts

The examination will include: a)Hebrew texts for translation (with brief comments); b) Hebrew texts for translation with detailed comments on textual and philological matters; c) a short essay on a more general topic arising from the texts.

3. Prepared texts II: Rabbinic and Medieval Hebrew texts

This paper will be divided into two sections, both of which should be attempted. In the first, four (out of five) passages from the specified texts are to be translated and comments, as indicated, added (60%). In the second, candidates should attempt one out of a choice of five essays (40%).

4. Prepared Texts III: Modern Hebrew literature

The examination will consist of passages for translation from the set text list, as well as essays on the history and development of modern Hebrew literature and the readings in the set text list.

5. History, Culture and Society

This paper will be divided into four sections, with four questions in each section.

Section A will comprise questions on the biblical period. Section B will comprise questions on the Rabbinic and Medieval periods. Section C will comprise questions on the Modern period. Section D will comprise questions requiring knowledge of all these periods.

Candidates are required to answer four questions. They may not answer more than one question from each section. Each question will count for ¼ of the final mark.

6. Section III: Modern Hebrew Literature

This ‘take home’ paper will consist of four questions. Candidates are required toanswer two questions, and are required to write an essay of not more than 2,500words on each. Each essay willcount for half of the final mark. The essay will be published by the examiners on Monday Week 11 of Hilary Termand will be available for collection from 10am on WebLearn. Two copies of the essay should be submitted to the Examination Schools not later than12 noon on Monday Week 12 of Hilary Term. For submission instructions, please refer to paragraph four above.

7. Section V: Modern Jewish History

This ‘take home’ paper will consist of four questions. Candidates are required toanswer two questions, and are required to write an essay of not more than 2,500words on each. Each essay willcount for half of the final mark.

The essay (‘take home’) papers will be published by the examiners on Monday Week 2 of Trinity Termand is available for collection from 10am in on WebLearn. Two copies of the essay should be submitted to the Examination Schools not later than12 noon on Monday Week 3 of Trinity Term. For submission instructions, please refer to paragraph four above.

9. Dissertation

Dissertations should be submitted to the Clerk of the Schools at the Examination Schools, not later than noon on Friday, Week 10 of Hilary Term.

Dissertations must be produced by word-processor or typewriter on A4 size paper, double-spaced and with a one-inch margin. They should be appropriately bound. For submission instructions, please refer to paragraph 3 and 4 above.

Chair of Examiners: Prof Jan Joosten

Examiners: Dr Adriana X Jacobs, Prof Jan Joosten, Dr Lily Kahn (University College London)

Candidates must not under any circumstances contact examiners directly.

Michaelmas Term 2016