FACULTY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
A SUPPLEMENTARY HANDBOOK FOR
ARABIC, PERSIAN & TURKISH
TAKEN WITH AND AS
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES
for
Final Honours School
TO BE EXAMINED IN TRINITY TERM 2015
ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-14
DATES OF FULL TERM
Academic Year 2013-14: Dates of Full Term
Michaelmas Term
Sunday, 13 October - Saturday, 7 December
Hilary Term
Sunday, 19 January - Saturday, 15 March
Trinity Term
Sunday, 27 April
- Saturday, 21 June
CONTENTS
Preparation for the Final Honour School (FHS)
4
Teaching
4
Public Examinations
5
COURSE OUTLINES FOR ARABIC, PERSIAN & TURKISH WITH AN
Additional LANGUAGE
Arabic with An Additional Language
10
Persian with an Additional Language
12
Turkish with an Additional Language
14
Additional Languages offered/ not offered at FHS 2011:
16
Paper Descriptions & Set Texts for Additional Languages offered at FHS 2011
Arabic
16
Hebrew
19
Persian
21
Turkish
24
Teaching Staff
27
Appendix I:
Guidelines for Writers of Theses
Appendix II: Regulations Relating to the use of IT facilities
29
35
Appendix III: Academic integrity:
Good practice in citation, and avoidance of plagiarism
3
41
Preparation for the Final Honour School (FHS)
During your last two years you will be preparing for the papers which constitute
the final examination (FHS). It is this examination alone which determines your
degree result (or “class”).
You will divide your time in these two years between language work to enhance
the fluency and accuracy of your comprehension and expression, and the study of
the literature, history and culture associated with your chosen language. The
detailed reading of a selection of prescribed texts is a key part of all courses, and
gives you direct access to the conceptual world of this language, whether past or
present.
The final examinations take place in Trinity Term of Year 4 (see section below on
Public Examinations). Your time during this term is mainly your own for revision,
although language classes continue in order to keep your skills in trim, and
tutorials can also be arranged if and when you need them.
TEACHING
FHS. In Years 3 and 4, you should expect to have approximately 4-5 hours of language
tuition, 6-8 hours of lectures or classes, and 1-2 hours of tutorials per week. Several of
the weekly classes will be devoted to the study of your prescribed texts (“set texts”),
and you will be expected to prepare the appropriate section of text in advance.
Michaelmas and Hilary Terms of Year 3 tend to be quite heavy, while Trinity Term of
Year 4 is light and reserved mostly for revision. The subjects and hours of all lectures,
classes and seminars appear in the Oriental Studies lecture list, which is posted in the
foyer of the Institute at the start of each term and available online. The location of
lectures and classes in the Institute is posted on the white board in the foyer. Time
permitting, you are encouraged to attend lectures outside the Institute.
Tutorials. For every term of Years 3 and 4, you will be assigned a tutor or tutors who
will guide your studies in a specialist or general manner. Each week, your tutor will
assign you work, normally a passage of text for study, an essay topic for which specific
reading is set, or a “prose” (a passage of English to be translated into your language of
study). You must then prepare the text or write the essay or translation for discussion at
an arranged tutorial in the following week. It is through the directed reading, textual
study, essay writing, translation and discussion involved in classes and tutorials that you
will gain essential understanding of your subject.
Tutors submit written reports to your college on your progress at the end of each term,
and sooner if necessary, and these reports will be discussed with you by your college
4
tutor or other officers of the college.
Collections. In addition to FHS, you may also be given “collections” by your teachers
in the Institute, usually on the Friday or Saturday of 0th Week; these are informal
examinations, usually intended to test your command of material covered during the
previous term.
What to do if something goes wrong...
Inevitably, things do sometimes go wrong. You, your teachers, or both may be at fault
but, tempting though it is to apportion blame, it is far more important to act quickly to
resolve the problem. You have two avenues through which you may do so. In your
college, consult your Advisor or Moral Tutor, and ask her or him to help you. In the
Institute, talk to your tutor(s), to your course co-ordinator (see below), to the Tutorial
Secretary for your language, and - if your problem is a general one - discuss it with your
fellow students and raise it at the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC: see above)
Convenor, Islamic World Subject Group and JCC: Dr Walter Armbrust
PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS
GENERAL. The final examinations – FHS – are sat in the Examination Schools in the
High Street. You will be informed in writing, some weeks in advance, of the dates and
times of your examinations. You must attend wearing subfusc, the precise definition of
which is made clear in a letter sent to you by the Chairman of Examiners in advance of
the Examination.
The book called Examination Regulations (usually referred to simply as “the Grey
Book”) is the final authority on the scope and conduct of examinations. It is updated
annually. All first-year undergraduates receive a copy of the current edition through
their college when they first arrive. If any changes to the regulations governing the
course upon which you have entered are made while you are still on course, you will be
fully informed. In such an event you have the right to be examined under the old
regulations if you so wish.
Copies of past papers for all examinations in Oriental Studies are available in the
Institute library. They may also be accessed online via www.ox.ac.uk : Current students
OXAM – Oxford Exam Papers Online. In the event of a paper which is being set for the
first time, or in a markedly changed format, students will be supplied with a specimen
paper to guide them in their preparation.
5
Detailed marks are available on your Oxford Single Sign-On System a few days after
the Faculties’ final examiners’ meetings in July (See
http://www.ict.ox.ac.uk/oxford/username/). Please note that the Examination Schools
Staff are not permitted to give out any results over the telephone.
THE FINAL HONOUR SCHOOL consists of 9-10 papers, depending on the course,
and this total includes an oral examination in the (main) language of study. The
written examination takes place towards the end of Trinity Term in Year 4.
Syllabus. In the case of papers which are not linguistically or textually based, the title
of a particular paper, as given in the Examination Regulations, is usually the only
formal definition of its scope. In such papers there is always a wide choice of essaytype questions, and past papers are a good guide to the kind of topics that can be
expected to occur.
Where a paper is based wholly or partly upon a corpus of texts that have been
prescribed for study (“set texts”), you should receive a list of those texts from the staff
member(s) teaching you for that particular paper. These are published in the relevant
handbooks, available online (www.orinst.ox.ac.uk) and updated at the beginning of
Hilary Term each year (not later than Friday of 3rd Week) for the examination in the
following academic year. This is to allow the teaching staff to introduce different texts
from time to time, but no changes are allowed after the above-mentioned date, which is
16 months before the examination in question.
Setting conventions. By about the middle of Hilary Term of your fourth year, the
“setting conventions” for your FHS will be available on the Faculty’s website
(www.orinst.ox.ac.uk). The conventions provide a detailed description of the format of
each paper that you will be taking in the FHS. The description will include an indication
of any subdivision of the paper into sections, the number and type (e.g. translation,
commentary, essay) of questions to be asked, the number of questions that candidates
are required to answer, and any rules governing the distribution of their choices between
different sections of the paper. The object of the conventions is to assist candidates in
organising their revision.
The oral examination. This is usually held in 0th Week of Trinity Term of Year 4. For
the format of the oral examination see Paper 3 (Spoken Arabic).
Thesis. Theses must be handed in by Friday of the 10th Week of Hilary Term, Year 4
(i.e. early Easter Vacation). For further information see Appendix I: Final Honour
School of Oriental Studies (Arabic and Islamic Studies): Guidelines for Writers of
Theses.
Viva. Very occasionally, in order to resolve a borderline result, a student is asked to
6
attend a viva voce examination after the written papers have been assessed by the
examiners. Vivas are conducted in the Oriental Institute, and candidates must attend
wearing subfusc.
Given that candidates may be examined by viva voce (oral examination), they should be
prepared to travel to Oxford up until the final examiners’ meeting (normally by first
week of July, but maybe later).
In deciding to conduct a Viva, examiners and assessors should bear in mind that:
1. The reason for holding a Viva must be clear and is when examiners are otherwise
unable to determine the class of the submitted papers.
2. A Viva must not be used as a means of assessing suspicions about possible
plagiarism.
3. A candidate must be given 2-3 days notice of the Viva.
4. The Viva must be scheduled to take place before the final examiners’ meeting.
5. A candidate who attends for a Viva can only improve on a class mark as a result
of the Viva.
Classes. Results in FHS are classified according to the following scale: I, II.1, II.2, III,
Pass, Fail. Below you will find an official description of the criteria applied in the
assessment of examination answers in the FHS in Oriental Studies, and a statement of
what the different classes of degree “mean” in terms of the qualities of performance
achieved. It should be added that, while all written papers (including a thesis, if any) are
weighted equally, the oral examination is weighted as half of one paper.
Assessment of examination answers in FHS in Oriental Studies
[This is a document first issued by the Board of the Faculty of Oriental
Studies in 1999]
A candidate’s performance in the Final Examinations of the Final Honour School
(FHS) of Oriental Studies will be assigned by the examiners to one of six classes:
first, upper second, lower second, third, pass, and fail. This single result will be
computed from the marks assigned to individual ‘papers’ (units of examination).
These may consist of passages for translation, essay-type questions, oral
examinations, take-home examinations, or theses. The marks assigned to the
component parts of a paper will be used to compute the mark given to the paper.
Written papers will be considered equipollent unless otherwise stated in
Examination Regulations.
7
Naturally the criteria of assessment vary according to the nature of the paper and
the subject. In translation from English into an Oriental language, the qualities
sought are grammatical and lexical correctness, idiomatic construction, and
stylistic propriety. Fluency is also sought when speaking is being tested. In
translation from an Oriental language into English the examiners will look for
accuracy, transparency and stylistic propriety. The fundamental criteria for the
assessment of essay-type examination answers are whether the question that has
been set has been answered and, if so, how well. The latter will depend on a
demonstration of knowledge of the subject, the strength and clarity of the
argument and the presentation of appropriate evidence. The criteria for assessing a
thesis are how well a topic has been researched and how clearly the results have
been presented. Generally speaking, marks are awarded pro rata for incompletely
answered questions. Optional exercises (as the optional thesis with Arabic &
subsidiary) and vivas can only improve or leave unaffected a final average.
The six classes of FHS in Oriental Studies may be described as follows:
I
A performance which exhibits the qualities mentioned above to a very high
degree, and which is outstanding in some way.
II.1 A performance which exhibits these qualities to a high but lesser degree,
which is fully competent but not outstanding.
II.2 A performance which exhibits still fewer of these qualities but in which
acceptable answers appear to be predominant.
III
A performance which fails to exhibit these qualities to a significant degree,
but which nevertheless contains an adequate proportion of acceptable
answers.
Pass A performance in which the student shows only a marginal level of
knowledge and competence.
Fail Any other performance.
The following criteria are used to determine a candidate’s overall classification:
I
Average mark of 68.5 or greater.
At least two marks of 70 or above. No mark below 50.
II.1 Average mark of 59 or greater.
At least two marks of 60 or above. No mark below 40.
II.2 Average mark of 49.5 or greater.
8
At least two marks of 50 or above. No mark below 30.
III
Average mark of 40 or greater.
Not more than one mark below 30.
Pass Average mark of 30 or greater.
Not more than one mark below 30.
Fail Average mark of 29 or fewer.
A distinction will be awarded for a first class performance in the oral examination.
9
COURSE OUTLINES FOR ARABIC, PERSIAN & TURKISH WITH AN
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
ARABIC WITH AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
COURSE CO-ORDINATORS: Professor Clive Holes, Professor Julia Bray, Dr Nadia
Jamil, Dr Christopher Melchert, Dr Mohammed-Salah Omri, Professor Robert Hoyland,
Dr Talal Al-Azem.
AIMS AND CONTENT:
This course aims:
1.
to give you a thorough grounding in written and spoken Arabic;
2.
to introduce you to selected literary texts in both classical and modern Arabic;
3.
to provide you with a general knowledge of the historical development of Islamic
cultures and societies;
4.
to give you a firm grounding in a second language with which Arabic is, in some
way and to a greater or lesser extent, historically and culturally linked, and to introduce
you to the literature of that language;
5.
to develop in general your skills of description, interpretation, and analysis of
literary, historical, religious, and cultural material.
In Years 3 and 4, you will broaden and deepen your command of written and spoken
Arabic (papers 1-3), and you will begin to acquire a specialised knowledge of Arabic
literature. You will also acquire a broad knowledge of the historical and cultural
development of Islamic societies until about 1500.
For your subsidiary/ additional language, which you study only in Years 3 and 4, you
choose one of the seven languages listed below. If you are interested in how languages
work grammatically, the experience of studying any of these languages alongside
Arabic will be rewarding and stimulating in itself. In terms of literature and culture, too,
you will find that both the connections and the contrast between your two areas of study
enrich your understanding of both.
You may, in addition, choose to write a thesis (see Appendix I)
It is remarkable how many of our recent graduates find interesting careers in journalism,
diplomacy, broadcasting, business and the law, where they can use their knowledge of
the language and understanding of one of the great cultures of the medieval world as
well as of the contemporary Arab world, with all its current importance and
complexities.
10
PAPERS:
This course consists of nine compulsory papers, in addition to which you may choose to
write a thesis as an optional tenth paper.
For a full description of Ar. 1-6, see the main Handbook for FHS Arabic.
Arabic
1.
Arabic unprepared translation and comprehension.
2.
Composition in Arabic.
3.
Spoken Arabic.
4.
Arabic Literature.
5.
Islamic History to 570-1500.
6.
Islamic Religion.
Additional Language - 3 Papers in ONE of the following subjects:
7, 8 & 9. (SEE BELOW, p. 16 onward)
Akkadian: co-ordinator Dr Jacob Dahl
Aramaic and Syriac: co-ordinator Dr David Tayor
Armenian: co-ordinator Professor Theo van Lint
Classics: College Tutor
Hebrew: Dr Alison Salvesen
Persian: Professor Edmund Herzig
Turkish: Laurent Mignon
Optional thesis - 1 Paper
An optional thesis to be approved by the Board
11
PERSIAN WITH AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
COURSE CO-ORDINATOR: Professor Edmund Herzig
AIMS AND CONTENT:
This course aims:
1.
To provide a thorough grounding in modern Persian, with an ability to write and
speak with fluency and accuracy, together with a good reading knowledge of classical
Persian. Students who choose to take the classical texts options will be expected to
speak and write good modern Persian and to translate from contemporary Persian texts;
those with modern interests will take at least one classical text paper.
2.
To allow students the opportunity to acquire knowledge of a second language,
which may be an ancient or a modern Oriental language (e.g., Old Iranian; Arabic).
3.
To provide a broad overall knowledge of Persian literature and culture of all
periods.
In Year 3 you will choose the second language which you wish to study and begin
preliminary instruction in that language. (The hours of instruction vary from language to
language.) You will also determine whether your choice of text options will emphasise
classical or modern literature, and whether you wish to specialise in language and
literature or in history and culture. Language instruction will continue; you will begin
preparation for the text papers, for the history and culture papers, and for the general
paper. You will attend lectures, classes and tutorials and write essays in connection with
these subjects. In Year 4, you will begin intensive preparation for Finals. Instruction in
the second language will continue with language classes and lectures on the text options
for that language, together with tutorials and essay work. Language instruction in
Persian will also continue, and you will work on your special subject. You will also
prepare for the Persian oral examination. With this combination of classical and modern
you should achieve a well-balanced, all-round knowledge of the Persian language and
its literature.
PAPERS:
This course comprises ten papers.
For a full description of Per. 1-11 & 17, see the main Handbook for FHS Persian.
Persian Language - 2 Papers
1. Persian prose composition and unprepared translation (Per. 1).
2. Spoken Persian (Per. 2).
12
Persian Texts - 3 Papers
3, 4 & 5 Three papers from the following:
(i) Classical Persian Poetry: Lyric Genres (Per. 3).
(ii) Classical Persian Poetry: Narrative Genres (Per. 4).
(iii) Classical Persian Prose (Per. 5).
(iv) Modern Persian Literature (Per. 6).
(v) Modern Persian Social and Political Writing (Per. 7).
History and Culture - 1 Paper
6. General Questions (one of Per. 8, 9, 10 and 11).
Additional Language - 3 Papers from ONE of the following:
7, 8 & 9. (SEE BELOW, p. 16 onward)
Arabic: co-ordinator Dr Talal Al-Azem
Armenian: co-ordinator Professor Theo van Lint
Classics: College Tutor
Old Iranian: co-ordinator Dr Elizabeth Tucker
Turkish: co-ordinator Dr Laurent Mignon
Special Subject - 1 Paper
10. The Special Subject (Per. 17), which is to be chosen in consultation with your tutors
and the Tutorial Secretary and is approved by the Board of the Faculty of Oriental
Studies, may be in language, literature, history, or culture; it may be examined in the
form of a dissertation.
13
TURKISH WITH AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
COURSE CO-ORDINATOR: Dr Laurent Mignon
AIMS AND CONTENT:
This course aims:
1.
to make you proficient in reading, writing and speaking modern Turkish;
2.
to introduce you to a representative selection of modern Turkish literature, and to
develop your literary critical skills;
3.
to give you a basic competence in reading Ottoman;
4.
to give you an awareness of the broad outlines of Ottoman history;
5.
to help you to understand the major cultural and political issues which have been
involved in Turkey’s transition from empire to modern nationhood;
6.
to provide you with a firm grounding in a second language with which Turkish is
historically and culturally linked, and to introduce you to the literature of that language.
Throughout Years 3 and 4 you will be pursuing several different kinds of study in
parallel. Language work will continue steadily, and will focus on two types of teaching
session. You will have language tutorials, normally once a week, for which you will
usually produce either a translation from English into Turkish or a short essay (of about
400 words) in Turkish, for discussion with your tutor. There will also be 3 hours per
week of classes conducted in Turkish, designed to improve your active command of the
language. One of these will be devoted to the reading of articles from the contemporary
Turkish press, one to discussion of the political or cultural issues raised in those articles,
and one to direct practice for the aural comprehension component of the FHS paper
‘Spoken Turkish’.. The study of prescribed texts (‘set texts’), both Ottoman and
modern, literary and non-literary, will form another major ingredient of your course
work. In Year 3 you can expect to spend up to 6 hours per week in classes devoted to
the close reading and explication of these texts, to which you must come adequately
prepared.
The study of selected topics in Ottoman and modern Turkish history forms an integral
part of your work on the set texts, some of which are explicitly historical in content,
while others are strongly influenced by the political or cultural circumstances in which
they were produced. If you wish to extend your knowledge of Ottoman or modern
Turkish history further, you could (with the agreement of a tutor) choose a particular
period to study for an examined Special Subject, or a more narrowly defined topic to
make the subject of a dissertation. If your interests lie more in literature you may choose
to acquire a knowledge of older Turkish and Ottoman literature by taking Paper 7(a), or
you could select a modern literary topic as a Special Subject.
Your subsidiary/ additional language will probably demand at least one-third of your
time, especially in Year 3, when you will be attending an intensive elementary class.
14
Work on Paper 7 (whatever option you choose) will be done mainly or entirely in Year
4; if an examined paper is involved you will have tutorials and write essays. Linguistic
options, such as the study of Turkish language reform, or of the historical evolution of
the language, are also available as a Special Subject. Any Special Subject topic has to
be approved by the Faculty Board at the beginning of your final year. If you choose to
write a dissertation the length of this can be up to 15,000 words. (See Appendix I for
general guidance on the writing of dissertations.)
PAPERS
This course comprises nine papers, plus an optional Special Subject.
For a full description of Tk. 1-7 & 10, see the main Handbook for FHS Turkish.
Turkish - 6 Papers
1.
Unprepared translation from Ottoman and modern Turkish (Tk. 1).
2.
Translation into Turkish and essay in Turkish (Tk. 2).
3.
Spoken Turkish (Tk. 3).
4.
Ottoman historical texts (Tk. 4).
5.
Turkish political and cultural texts, 1860 to the present (Tk. 5).
6.
Modern Turkish literary texts (Tk. 6).
Subsidiary Language - 3 Papers from ONE of the following:
7, 8, 9. (N.B. Detailed syllabuses for these subsidiary papers are not given here for
reasons of space, and may be found in Examination Regulations.)
Arabic: co-ordinator Dr Talal Al-Azem
Armenian: co-ordinator Professor Theo van Lint
Classics: College tutor
Persian: co-ordinator Professor Edmund Herzig
Hindi/Urdu: co-ordinator Dr Imre Bangha
Optional Special Subject
10.
A Special Subject (Tk. 16), to be chosen in consultation with your tutors and
approved by the Board of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. A Special Subject may
be in language, literature, history, culture or politics; it may be examined in the
form of a dissertation.
15
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES OFFERED FOR FHS 2014:
AKKADIAN
(not offered for FHS 2012)
ARABIC
(here below, p. 16)
ARAMAIC & SYRIAC
(not offered for FHS 2012)
ARMENIAN
(not offered for FHS 2012)
HEBREW
(see below, p. 19)
OLD IRANIAN
(not offered for FHS 2012)
PERSIAN
(see below, p. 21)
TURKISH
(see below, p. 24)
ARABIC AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
(CLASSICS, HEBREW, PERSIAN, OR TURKISH AS MAIN SUBJECT)
TEACHING STAFF: Professor Julia Bray, Dr Mohammed-Salah Omri, Dr Christopher
Melchert, Dr Nicolai Sina, Dr Nadia Jamil, Mr Taj Kandoura
The following papers will be set:
1.
Arabic Prose Composition and Unprepared Translation
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS:
1st year of study: MT: 6 grammar-class hours per week; HT: 6 grammar-class
hours plus 1-2 hours tutorial class for extended reading and grammar in context;
TT 6 hours grammar-class hours (NB: These can be partially or wholly cut in
coordination with the teachers if the particular course combination in TT
involves heavy hours) plus 1-2 hours for extended reading and building
techniques and approaches for prose composition in Arabic.
2nd year of study: 2 hours per week tutorial class for extended reading and prose
composition in Arabic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION. The course involves intensive grammar classes throughout the
first year of study, supplemented in HT with tutorial classes to accelerate reading skills and
the analysis of grammar in context in preparation for studying Classical set texts in TT.
Prose-composition into modern Arabic is also usually introduced in TT of the first year. In
the second year, tutorial classes are split between improving reading fluency and refining
skills for acceptable production in Arabic. The examination will consist of one passage for
translation from English into Arabic. Two passages, one being in modern literary Arabic
and the other in pre-modern literary Arabic, will be set for translation into English.
16
2.
Literary Texts
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS
Classical set texts are studied mainly in TT of the first year of study, occasionally
extending into MT of the second and involving approximately sixteen class hours
and 3 tutorials for essays. Modern set texts are usually taught in MT-HT of the
second year, involving some 8-12 class hours plus 3 tutorials for essays.
The examination consists of two sections of equal weight: classical Arabic and
modern Arabic. For the classical section, two passages from the set texts must be
translated into English, with appropriate commentary. A choice of three essay
topics will be offered, one of which must be attempted. For the modern section,
one passage for translation into English and for comment will be set. A choice of
three essay topics will be offered, one of which must be attempted.
Guidelines for annotation and commentary:
For the classical section, comments on points of interest should be made in the form of endnotes.
Comments are called for especially in the following cases:
- where there are linguistic peculiarities such as a deviation from the orthography, morphology or
syntax of Modern Standard Arabic;
- where the text uses a technical term;
- where the text mentions a personal name, a place name, a tribal name, etc.;
- where an alternative translation seems almost equally probable (choose one for your
translation, then put the alternative in a note, preferably with some explanation of your choice);
- where a literal translation would result in unidiomatic English (the literal rendering should
then be given in a note, to show that the Arabic is understood);
- where the text shows striking stylistic features.
As for the modern section, as a general rule most exercises in commentary should begin with a
brief statement setting the passage in the overall context of the work from which it is chosen.
Please note that this contextual introduction should be brief and should not lead to a detailed
account of plot or story-line. After the brief introduction, the remainder of the commentary
should concentrate on language, imagery and style. It is often appropriate to demonstrate how a
piece shows the characteristics of the time when it was written in terms of style: is it an example
of romantic writing or graphic mimetic realism or magical realism? How are the characters
represented? Does it blend elements of popular and high culture in its language and narrative
style, and so forth? Some reference may be made to social or political circumstances if they are
relevant to the passage, but this must not be at the expense of the literary analysis. Use the
passage provided for brief quotations to back up your points. At all costs, avoid paraphrasing
the passage: this is the most common error made in this type of exercise.
SET TEXTS: Classical - al-Tanukhi, al-Faraj ba'd al-shidda, ed. `Abbud Shalji, Beirut,
II, 191-205 and III, 378-85; Modern - Tawfiq al-Hakim: Ughniyat al-mawt.Mahmud
Tahir Lashin: Hadith al-qarya; Yusif Idris: Bayt min lahmImil Habibi: al-Kharaza alzarqa' wa 'awda jubayna.
3.
Islamic texts
17
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS
Islamic texts are usually taught in MT-HT of the second year of study, involving
approximately 8-12 class hours and 3 tutorials for essays.
The examination will be in two parts. The first will offer a number of short passages
from the set texts for translation and appropriate annotation. Annotation is especially
expected where literal translation would be misleading or where some context is vital to
understanding the passage. The average mark achieved in the translation section will
count for one third of the total mark. The second section will offer a choice of six or
more essay questions. Candidates are expected to address two of the essay questions.
Each essay will count for one third of the total mark.
SET TEXTS:
Qur'an 100 and 33:1–10;
Ibn Hishām, al-Sīra al-nabawiyya, ed. by Muḥammad ʿAlī al-Quṭb and Muḥammad alDālī Balṭah, vol. 1, Beirut 1998, 176–8;
al-Nawawī, Kitāb al-arbaʿīn, ḥadīth nos. 1–10.
18
HEBREW AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
(ARABIC AS MAIN SUBJECT)
TEACHING STAFF: Dr. Jordan Finkin (papers 2 & 3); Mr. Gil Zahavi (paper 1)
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS: Students pursuing Arabic with Hebrew as a subsidiary
language begin their Hebrew language instruction in Michaelmas Term of their second
year of in-Oxford tuition. Instruction for papers 2 and 3 begin the following term. Given
the rigorous demands of this course, instruction for all papers proceeds continuously
through Hilary Term of the students’ final year.
The following papers will be set:
1.
Prose composition and unprepared translation
2.
Prepared texts I
3.
Prepared texts II
SET TEXTS:
Stories:
—Y. L. Perets, “Ha-mekubalim” (Y. L. Perets, Hasidut [Tel-Aviv: Dvir, 1971]): 168172.
—Amos Oz, “Navadim ve-tsefa” (Amos Oz, Artsot ha-tan [Tel-Aviv: Am oved,
1976]):26-42.
—S. Y. Agnon, “Ma’ase ha-ez” (S. Y. Agnon, Sippurim ve’aggadot [Schocken 1962]):
93-95.
—From: Hanan Hever and Moshe Ron, eds. 50 Yisraelim Ketsartsarim (Jerusalem:
Hasifriyah hahadashah, 1999):
—Ephraim Kishon, “Tremp” (pp. 168-170)
—Atallah Mansour, “Paamayim kafe” (pp. 112-117)
—Ida Fink, “Jean Christophe” (pp. 139-142)
Poetry:
—Yehuda Amichai, “Shelom bar” (Yehuda Amichai, Velo al-menat lizkor [Jerusalem:
Schocken, 1971]): 52.
—Yehuda Amichai, “Haval. Hayinu amtsa’ah tovah” (Yehuda Amichai, Achshav
bara’ash [Jerusalem: Schocken, 1975]): 56-57.
—Yona Volakh, “Yonatan” (Yona Volakh, Tat hakarah niftahat kemo menifah
19
[Jerusalem: Hasifriyah hahadashah, 1992]): 9.
—From: Zisi Stavi, ed. 66 Meshorerim (Tel-Aviv: Yediot Ahoronot, 1996)
—Yehuda Amichai, “Bekhol humrat ha-rahamim” (pp. 120-121)
—Roni Somek, “Kav ha-oni” (pp. 360)
—Erez Biton, “Shir keniyah bedizingov” (pp. 401-402)
—From: Stanley Burnshaw, T. Carmi, and Ezra Spicehandler, ed. The Modern Hebrew
Poem Itself (New York: Schocken Books, 1966)
—H. N. Bialik, “Tsanah lo zalzal” (pp. 30)
—Avraham Shlonsky, “Amal” (pp. 74)
—Natan Alterman, “Ha-holed” (pp. 116-118)
—Tuvya Rubner, “Aviv ba-olam” (pp. 152)
—Hayim Guri, “Odises” (pp. 155)
—From: T. Carmi, ed. The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse (London: Penguin Books,
1981):
—S. Tshernikhovshy, “Ayit! Ayit, al harayikh” (pp. 517-518)
—Amir Gilboa, “Ve-ahi shotek” (pp. 559)
—Dan Pagis, “Katuv be-iparon ba-karon he-hatum” (pp. 575)
English:
—Benjamin Tammuz, “The Swimming Contest” (Glenda Abramson, ed. The Oxford
Book of Hebrew Short Stories [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997]): 127-138.
20
PERSIAN AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
(ARABIC, CLASSICS OR TURKISH AS MAIN SUBJECT)
TEACHING STAFF: Professor Edmund Herzig; Dr Sima Orsini; Dr Dominic Parviz
Brookshaw.
Three papers will be set (excluding, this year, Classical Poetry and Classical Prose
options)
1.
Persian prose composition and unprepared translation
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS: Year 3 (6 hours per week); Year 4 (2 hours per week).
2.
Modern Literature.
WHEN TAUGHT/ HOURS: Yrs 3-4, up to 32 hours of classes and 4 tutorials
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Students will study samples of modern Persian prose and
poetry, learning to understand and appreciate the social contexts and styles represented
in the works of selected writers.
SET TEXTS:
Prose:
S. Hedayat, Saye va roushan, Tehran, 1312, pp. 79-96: ‘Arusak-e posht-e parde
Poetry:
Nima Yoshij, Majmu-e-ye athar-e Nima Yushij. Daftar-e avval. She‘r. ed. by S. Tahbaz,
Tehran,
1364.
Bu
Jahl-e
man,
p.
401;
p.
73:
Angasi
(http://sartre2.byu.edu/persian/poetry/Angaasi.html);
Nader Naderpur, Ash‘ar-e bar-gozide (1326-1349),Tehran, 1351, p. 55-6: Nagofte
Forugh Farrokhzad, Tavallod-e digar (1338-1342), Tehran, 1378, p. 295: Gonah
Feridun Moshiri, She‘r rahayi-st. Namuneha-ye az she‘r-e emruz-e Iran, Tehran, 1377
p. 130-2: Kuche
3.
Modern Social and Political writing.
WHEN TAUGHT/HOURS: Year 3, 32 hours texts classes and four tutorials.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Students will study examples of modern Persian social and political writing,
learning both to read and comprehend the texts themselves and to understand the
context of particular writers and works.
21
SET TEXTS:
These texts are selected from a number of modern thinkers, clerics and statesmen.
The current list comprises: Mohammad Mosaddeq, Ayatollah Sayyed Abo'l-Qasem
Kashani, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Khomayni,
Mehdi Bazargan, Abo'l-Hasan Bani-Sadr, the newspaper article: 'Iran va este'mar
sorkh va siyah', Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamene'i, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani, Hojjatoleslam Sayyed Mohammad Khatami, Ayatollah Hosayn Ali
Montazeri. All of the texts have been collected in an unpublished special edition:
'Persian Texts for Modern Social and Political Writing', Second Edition, October
2009, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. This is available for
purchase from the Faculty Office.
RECOMMENDED INTRODUCTORY READING:
Abrahamian, Ervand, A History of Modern Iran, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2008.
Ansari, Ali, Modern Iran: The Pahlavis and after, 2nd edition, London: Longman,
2007.
Avery, Peter; Hambly, Gavin; Melville, Charles (eds.), The Cambridge History of Iran,
volume 7: From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Republic, Cambridge: CUP, 1991; chapters
7, 20, 21.
Beeman, William O., The "Great Satan" vs. the "Mad Mullahs": How the United States
and Iran Demonize each other, Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press,
2008; especially chapters 1 'Discourse and Demonization', and 4 'Discourse and
Rhetoric'.
de Groot, Joanna, Religion, Culture and Politics in Iran: From the Qajars to Khomeini,
London, I.B. Tauris, 2007; especially chapter 5 'A story of language, symbol and
discourse'.
Gheissari, Ali and Vali Nasr, Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty,
Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Kamrava, Mehran, Iran's Intellectual Revolution, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2008.
Kashani-Sabet, Firoozeh, ‘Cultures of Iranianness: The Evolving Polemic of Iranian
Nationalism’, in Nikkie R. Keddie and Rudi Matthee (eds.), Iran and the Surrounding
World: Interactions in Culture and Cultural Politics, Seattle WA and London:
Washington UP, 2002, pp. 232-53.
Keddie, Nikki, Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution, updated edition, New
Haven and London: Yale UP, 2006.
Milani, Mohsen, The Making of Iran’s Islamic Revolution: From Monarchy to Islamic
Republic, second edition, Boulder Colorado: Westview Press, 1994.
Mottahedeh, Roy, The Mantle of the Prophet: Religion and Politics in Iran, London,
Chatto and Windus, 1986.
22
Ridgeon, Lloyd (ed.), Religion and Politics in Modern Iran: A Reader, London and
New York: I.B. Tauris, 2005.
23
TURKISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
(ARABIC, CLASSICS OR PERSIAN AS MAIN SUBJECT)
The following papers will be set:
1.
Turkish prose composition and unprepared translation.
TEACHING STAFF: Dr Emine Çakır-Sürmeli, Dr Celia Kerslake, Dr Laurent Mignon
WHEN TAUGHT/HOURS: Weekly tutorials for prose composition will be given in
Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity Terms of Year 4. Weekly or fortnightly classes on
unprepared translation may be offered in Hilary and Trinity Terms of Year 4.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Prose composition is the term used at Oxford for the
translation of a passage of English prose into the language being studied. The object of
Turkish prose composition is to teach you to express specific ideas and arguments in
contemporary Turkish, precisely, grammatically, idiomatically and in a style
appropriate to the subject matter.
Translation from Turkish into English forms a major part of the work of the ‘set texts’
classes which you will be attending from the second half of Hilary term of Year 3
onwards. You will receive detailed guidance both on the technical aspects of analysing
Turkish prose structure and the stylistic issues involved in translation. vocabulary
learning, However, in order to perform well in unprepared translation at the end of a
two-year course you will need to adopt a disciplined and systematic approach to
vocabulary learning from the earliest days of your course and sustain it over the full two
years.
The examination will consist of one passage for translation from English into Turkish
and two passages of modern (post-1928) Turkish for translation into English.
2
Either (a) Late Ottoman and modern Turkish literary texts
Or
(b) Modern Turkish literary texts
TEACHING STAFF: Dr Laurent Mignon
WHEN TAUGHT/HOURS: Second half of Hilary Term and Trinity Term of Year 3,
Michaelmas Term of Year 4. 2-3 hours of classes per week. Occasional essay/comment
tutorials.
24
Paper 2 (b):
SET TEXTS:
a)
A selection of modern prose
Ömer Seyfettin, ‘Gizli Mabet’, Bütün Eserleri: Hikâyeler 3, ed. Hülya Argunşah
(Istanbul: Dergâh Yayınları, 1999), pp. 332-339.
Refik Halit Karay, ‘Hülya Bu Ya’, Reprinted in Özlem Alpin, Türk Bilimkurgu Öyküleri
(Istanbul: İm Kitapları, 2003), pp. 11-22.
Sait Faik, ‘Semaver’, Reprinted in Şükran Kurdakul, Çağdaş Türk Edebiyatı (Ankara:
Bilgi Yayınevi, 1994), pp. 58-60.
Orhan Pamuk, Excerpt from İstanbul: Hatıralar ve Şehir, (Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları,
2006), pp. 224-228. (AT)
Karin Karakaşlı, ‘Garine’, Can Kırıkları, 3. Baskı (Istanbul: Doğan Kitapçılık, 2007),
pp. 9-14. (AT)
b) A selection of modern poetry
Nazım Hikmet, ‘Piyer Loti’, Bütün Şiirleri (Istanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları, 2007), pp.
34-37.
Yahya Kemal, ‘Koca Mustapaşa’, Kendi Gök Kubbemiz (Istanbul: İstanbul Fetih
Cemiyeti, 1999), pp. 48-52.
Orhan Veli, ‘Sere Serpe’, ‘Şoförün Karısı’, Bütün Şiirleri (Istanbul: Adam Yayınları,
1999), pp. 44 and 91.
Cemal Süreya, ‘Elma’ (AT), ‘Sayım’, Sevda Sözleri (Istanbul: Yapı Kredi Yayınları,
2000), p. 25.
Gülten Akın, ‘Oyun’, Reprinted in Ataol Behramoğlu, Son Yüzyıl Büyük Türk Şiiri
Antolojisi 2 (Istanbul: Sosyal Yayınlar, 1997), pp. 709-710.
Birhan Keskin, ‘Delilirikler I’ and ‘‘Delilirikler II’, Reprinted in Mustafa Sever,
Divan’dan Günümüze Türk Kadın Şairler Antolojisi (Istanbul: Yön Yayıncılık,
1993), pp. 169-171.
Ataol Behramoğlu, ‘Bu Aşk Burada Biter’, Seçme Şiirler (Istanbul: Adam Yayınları,
2000), p. 11.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The texts set for this paper consist of selected short stories,
poetry and excerpts from longer narratives. The detailed class study of the texts makes it
possible for any linguistic problems to be dealt with, and also for attention to be paid to
the ways in which a writer’s style and narrative technique contribute to the meaning of a
work. The texts are discussed both in terms of their literary qualities and, where
relevant, in relation to their historical or political context. The texts will provide you
with a firm background in Turkish literary history. They will also introduce you to some
of the major issues explored by contemporary critics in Turkey, from debates about
minority literature to controversies on “native orientalism”.
The examination will contain translation, commentary and essay questions. In
commentary questions on short stories you will be expected to bring out the significance
of a particular passage in relation to the work as a whole, and to discuss issues such as
style, narrative technique, point of view, and characterization. Commentaries on poetry
may involve comparisons between two or more poems, and in all cases you are
expected to be able to identify and discuss the particular strategies that contribute to a
25
poem’s overall effect. Essay questions will focus on the set texts themselves, but will
assume some knowledge of their authors and of the historical, literary and ideological
contexts in which the works were produced.
RECOMMENDED INTRODUCTORY READING
Göksu, Saime and Timms, Edward. Romantic Communist: The Life and Work of Nazim Hikmet,
London, 1999.
Evin, A.O., Origins and Development of the Turkish Novel, Minneapolis, 1983.
Heper, Metin et al. (eds). Turkey and the West: Changing Political and Cultural Identities, London,
1993. (Chapters, 4, 5, 11.)
Kerslake, Celia. ‘New Directions in the Turkish Novel’, in Brian Beeley (ed.), Turkish Transformation,
Huntingdon, 2002.
Mignon, Laurent, ‘Lost in Transliteration: A Few Remarks on the Armeno–Turkish
Novel and Turkish Literary Historiography’ in Evangelia Balta and Mehmet Ölmez,
Between Religion and Language, Istanbul: Eren, 2011: 101-123.
Ostle, Robin (ed.). Modern Literature in the Near and Middle East 1850-1970, London,
1991. (Chapters 7 and 12.)
Seyhan, Azade. Tales of Crossed Destinies: The Modern Turkish Novel in a
Comparative Context. New York: The Modern Language Association,
2008.
3.
Either (a) Political and cultural texts, 1860 to the present.
Or
(b) Political and cultural texts, 1920 to the present.
TEACHING STAFF: Dr Laurent Mignon.
WHEN TAUGHT/HOURS: Hilary Term of Year 4. 2-3 hours of classes per week.
Occasional essay tutorials.
Paper 3 (b):
SET TEXTS:
Yahya Kemal, Azîz İstanbul (Istanbul, 1964), pp. 121-24: ‘Ezansız semtler’.
Ziya Gökalp, Türkçülüğün Esasları, 5. Basılış (Istanbul, 1963), pp. 31-35: ‘Halka
doğru’.
Sabahattin Eyuboğlu, Mavi ve Kara, 2. Basım (İstanbul, 1973), pp. 5-10: ‘Bizim
Anadolu’.
Murat Belge, Tarihten Güncelliğe (İstanbul, 1983), pp. 56-61: ‘Ortadoğu’nun Ortak
Kültürü’.
Ali Bulaç, Gündemdeki Konular: Modernizm-İrtica-Sivilleşme, 3. Basım (İstanbul:
1991), pp. 53-59: ‘Kimlik Sorunu’.
26
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this paper is to give you an insight into the
range of cultural and ideological viewpoints that were represented in Turkish
intellectual life over the course of the twentieth century. The texts set constitute a
selection of writings on political and cultural issues, ranging chronologically from the
1920s to the 1980s. They present a spectrum of nationalist, humanist, leftist and Islamist
viewpoints on questions of modern Turkish identity and how this relates to history,
Enlightenment values, tradition and religion.
The examination will contain passages from the set texts for translation with annotation.
There will also be a choice of essay questions on the subject matter, style or purpose of
particular texts. Some of the essay questions will ask for comment on a passage
reproduced on the examination paper.
RECOMMENDED INTRODUCTORY READING
Ahmad, Feroz. The Making of Modern Turkey, London, 1993.
Davison, Roderic. Turkey: A Short History, 3rd edn., Huntingdon, 1998.
Hanioglu, Sukru. The Young Turks in Opposition. Oxford : Oxford University Press,
1995.
Heper, Metin et al. (eds). Turkey and the West: Changing Political and Cultural
Identities, London, 1993. (Chapters 4, 5, 11.)
Kadioglu, Ayse et al. (eds). Symbiotic Antagonisms: Competing Nationalisms in Turkey.
Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, 2011.
Lewis, Bernard. The Emergence of Modern Turkey, 2nd edn, London, 1968.
Macfie, A.L., Atatürk, London, 1994.
Mango, Andrew. Atatürk, London, 1999.
Poulton, Hugh. Top Hat, Grey Wolf and Crescent: Turkish Nationalism and the Turkish
Republic, London, 1997
Zürcher, Erik Jan. Turkey: A Modern History, Revised edn, London, 2004.
27
TEACHING STAFF
The following list gives the Faculty and College affiliations, rooms, (internal) telephone
numbers, and email addresses of most of the members of the Faculty who teach Islamic
Studies. Messages can also be left in the pigeonholes in the foyer of the Institute.
Dr Talal Al-Azem, Early Career Fellow in Arabic/Islamic History. Room 320,
Wellington Square; Tel: (2)78237
Dr Walter Armbrust, University Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern Studies (St
Antony’s). Middle East Centre, St Antony’s. Tel: (2)74471; Email:
walter.armbrust@sant.ox.ac.uk
Dr Emine Çakır, Language Instructor, Oriental Institute, Room 212, Email:
emine.cakir@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Professor Geert Jan van Gelder, Laudian Professor of Arabic (St John’s). Oriental
Institute, Room 114. Tel: (2)78224; Email: gerard.vangelder@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Professor Edmund Herzig, Soudavar Professor of Persian Studies (Wadham). Oriental
Institute, Room 214. Tel: (2)78234; Email: edmund.herzig@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Professor Robert Hoyland, Professor in Islamic History. Oriental Institute, Room 107
Tel. (2)78216; Email: robert.hoyland@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Nadia Jamil, Senior Instructor in Classical and Modern Arabic. Oriental Institute (on
leave), Room 109. Tel: (2)78238; Email: nadia.jamil@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Mr Tajalsir Kandoura, Instructor in Arabic. Oriental Institute, Room 202. Tel: (2)
78196; Email: taj.kandoura@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Celia Kerslake, University
celia.kerslake@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Lecturer
in
Turkish
(retired).
Email:
Dr Marie Legendre, Departmental Lecturer in Islamic History. Oriental Institute, Room
107 Tel. (2)78216; Email: marie.legendre@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Christopher Melchert, University Lecturer in Arabic and Islam (Pembroke). Oriental
Institute, Room 103; Tel. (2)78211; Email: christopher.melchert@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Laurent Mignon, University Lecturer in Turkish. Oriental Institute, Room 106.
Tel:(2)78213; Email: laurent.mignon@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Sima Orsini, Instructor in Persian. Oriental Institute, Room 205. Tel (2)88217;Email:
sima.orsini@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Mohammed-Salah Omri, University Lecturer in Modern Arabic Language and
Literature (St John’s). Oriental Institute, Room 104. Tel: (2)78221; Email: mohammedsalah.omri@orinst.ox.ac.uk
Dr Nicolai Sinai, Shaikh Zayed University Lecturer in Islamic Studies; Pembroke
College. Email: nicolai.sinai@orinst.ox.ac.uk
28
Dr Elizabeth Tucker (Wolfson). Email: elizabeth.tucker@wolfson.ox.ac.uk
29
APPENDIX I
Final Honour Schools in Arabic and Islamic Studies and Arabic with a Subsidiary
Language
GUIDELINES FOR WRITERS OF THESES
Status of the thesis within the degree course
If you are reading for a degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies, you have to write a thesis.
If you are reading for a degree in Arabic with a Subsidiary Language, you may choose
to write a thesis as an optional addition to your prescribed nine examination papers.
It is imperative to recognize that the writing of a thesis involves quite as much work as
for a paper, and that the work differs from conventional study in shape and demand. The
subject of your thesis may, but need not, overlap with a subject or period covered by
one or more of your other papers, but you must not repeat material used in your thesis in
any of your papers, and you will not be given credit for material extensively repeated.
Key dates
All thesis topics have to receive prior approval from the Faculty Board. There is a form
for applying for this approval, which can be obtained from the Faculty Office and has
to be countersigned by the tutor who is going to be supervising the thesis.
The date by which the application must be submitted (as for your Further and Special
Subject options) is Monday of Week 6 of Hilary Term in your third year.
Your completed thesis has to be submitted to the Chairman of Examiners, Honour
School of Oriental Studies, c/o Clerk of the Schools, Examination Schools, High Street,
Oxford, no later than 12 noon on Friday of Week 10 of Hilary Term of your fourth
year.
Planning and Choice of Topic
You should discuss the topic of your thesis in the first instance with your course coordinator. If your course co-ordinator does not feel qualified to give detailed advice he
or she will put you in touch with someone suitable to supervise a thesis in the chosen
area. You should do so as early as possible. Trinity Term, Year 1 is probably the best
time for preliminary discussions. In no case should you leave the choice of a subject for
your thesis later than the beginning of Michaelmas Term, Year 3.
30
The Supervisor’s Role
The supervisor of your thesis will assist in the choice of a topic and give initial advice
on relevant sources and methods. He or she will advise on sources and presentation and
assist with bibliographical advice; he or she will certainly expect to read draft chapters
or sections. He or she may, but will not necessarily, read and comment on a complete
first draft. But a thesis must be your own work. That is its challenge and its justification.
Candidates must certify on submitting the thesis that it is indeed their own work, and
supervisors have to countersign this certificate (which must also state that the thesis has
not previously been submitted, in whole or part, for another Final Honour School or
other degree in Oxford or elsewhere).
Theses - Good and Indifferent
The hallmark of a good thesis is that it contains a consecutive argument or set of
arguments on its topic. Apart from showing a sound grasp of the secondary literature on
the subject and/or period and an awareness of the problems of the topic, you should
deploy the evidence of the sources to support the elements in your general argument. It
should be made clear how you have approached the subject, what conclusions you have
reached and, if appropriate, how your approach and conclusions are related to the views
of other scholars.
The work should be well-written and properly presented, with footnote references in
orderly, consistent and unfussy shape and a sensibly-selected bibliography. Good
presentation, in the experience of many examiners, is usually combined with high
quality of analysis. Conversely, careless or unclear writing, uncorrected mis-spellings,
typing errors and plain misquotations often go with an uncertain or myopic focus on the
subject.
Authors sometimes become so interested in their topic that they overlook the need to
provide at least a brief introduction to it and to set it in its broader historical context or
contexts. (An introductory section to a thesis may often usefully include a survey of the
existing literature on a topic and ‘pointers’ to its particular interest and problems.)
While reading and research are being carried out, you should also be planning how to
shape materials into an argument. Research, while sometimes frustrating, is intensely
stimulating; it can also become a beguiling end in itself. Laboriously collected materials
are worthless unless they contribute to a coherent argument. For this reason, you should
begin to plan the structure of your argument as early as possible; some plans may need
to be discarded until the most feasible one has been found.
It is a reasonable assumption that writing the thesis will take longer than expected: a
31
good thesis will certainly require more than one draft of parts if not of the whole. Plenty
of time should be allowed for getting the final typed version into presentable form
without disrupting work for other papers or revision.
You should remember that the thesis counts as one finals paper and one paper only.
You should organise your time with this fact clearly in mind.
Format of the Thesis
(a)
Length
Your thesis should not exceed 15,000 words, including text and notes but
excluding appendices and bibliography (see below). As a rough guide, 15,000
words, double-spaced on A4 paper, with 12-point type, will normally comprise
45-50 sides.
(b)
Pagination
Pagination should run consecutively from beginning to end and include any
appendices etc. Cross references should be to pages and not simply to any
sectional divisions.
(c)
Order of Contents
After the title-page there should normally be:
(i)
A table of contents, showing, in sequence, with page numbers, the
subdivisions of the thesis. Titles of chapters and appendices should be
given; titles of subsections of chapters may be given.
(ii)
A list of abbreviations, cue-titles, symbols etc.
(iii) A brief introduction in which the examiners’ attention is drawn to the aims
and broad argument(s) of the work, and in which any relevant points about
sources and obligations to the work of other scholars are made.
(iv) The thesis itself, divided into chapters. The chapters should have clear
descriptive titles.
(v)
A conclusion, consisting of a few hundred words which summarize the
findings and briefly explore their implications.
32
(vi) Any appendices (which are likely not to count towards the word limit, see
below)
(vii) A bibliography. This is essential, and should be sensibly selective, omitting
nothing which has been important in the production of the thesis. Works
which are not specifically mentioned in the text may be included, but it is
not necessary to include everything that may have been read or consulted.
Works should be listed alphabetically by surname of author.
(d)
Footnotes, references, and bibliography
Footnotes (except for references) should be as few and as brief as possible: they
count towards the overall word-limit. The practice of putting into footnotes
information which cannot be digested in the text should be avoided. Notes should
be printed, single-spaced, in 12-point type, at the foot of the page. Footnote
numbers should be superscript (not bracketed) and run in a continuous sequence
through each chapter. In subject areas where standard abbreviations for muchquoted books and periodicals are in common use, these abbreviations may be
employed in text, footnotes, or bibliography; they should be listed separately after
the table of contents. When reference is given for a quotation or for a viewpoint or
item of information, it must be precise. But judgment needs to be exercised as to
when reference is required: statements of fact which no reader would question do
not need to be supported by references.
It is recommended that references be given in footnotes by means of author’s
name and/or full or abbreviated title. For example: ‘Beeston, Arabic Language,
72’ or ‘Beeston (1970), 72’. All works referred to in this way must be listed in full
at the end of the text in alphabetical order by author’s name. Your bibliography
might take the following form; you do not have to follow exactly this format, but
whichever you do adopt must be equally clear, precise and consistent.
(i)
Books
Beeston, A.F.L., The Arabic Language Today, London, 1970.
or
Beeston, A.F.L (1970), The Arabic Language Today, London.
(ii)
Contributions to Books
Beeston, A.F.L, ‘Background topics’, in A.F.L. Beeston, T.M. Johnstone,
33
R.B. Serjeant, and G.R. Smith (eds), Arabic Literature to the End of the
Umayyad Period, Cambridge, 1983, pp. 1-26.
or
Beeston, A.F.L. (1983), ‘Background topics’, in A.F.L. Beeston, T.M.
Johnstone, R.B. Serjeant, and G.R. Smith (eds), Arabic Literature to the
End of the Umayyad Period, Cambridge, pp. 1-26.
(iii) Journal Articles
Beeston, A.F.L., ‘A Sabean penal law’, Le Muséon 64 (1951) : 7-l5.
or
Beeston, A.F.L. (1951), ‘A Sabean penal law’, Le Muséon 64:7-15.
(e)
Tables, Photographs, Maps, Graphs and Drawings
You are encouraged to employ tables, illustrations and graphs on any occasion
when an argument can be more clearly and elegantly expressed by their
employment. If they are not your own work, their original source must be
acknowledged.
(f)
Appendices
These should be used only to convey essential data that cannot be elegantly
subsumed within the body of the text. They are particularly appropriate for
material which does not count within the word limit of the thesis, such as
transcriptions of texts, or catalogues of data.
(g)
Transliteration
If you are specialising in Arabic or Persian, your thesis will almost certainly
require you to transliterate from one or both of these languages into western
script. Such transliteration must be systematic, and follow a standard scholarly
method. The same applies to transliteration from Ottoman Turkish. You should
consult your supervisor as to which system is most appropriate to your subject.
34
(h)
Printing and Binding
Your thesis must be printed (or typed) in double spacing on A4 paper, with
margins not less that 2.5cm (1”). The gutter margin must be at least 3.5cm. The
thesis must be bound or held firmly in a stiff cover.
35
Appendix II
Your attention is drawn to the following University regulations concerning the use of
Information Technology facilities:
REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
FACILITIES
Made by the ICTC on 6 June 2002
Approved by Council on 24 July 2002
Date of effect: 1 October 2002
1.
In these regulations, unless the context requires otherwise, ‘college’ means any
college, society, or Permanent Private Hall or any other institution designated by
Council by regulation as being permitted to present candidates for matriculation.
2.
University IT and network facilities are provided for use in accordance with the
following policy set by Council:
(1) The University provides computer facilities and access to its computer
networks only for purposes directly connected with the work of the University
and the colleges and with the normal academic activities of their members.
(2)
Individuals have no right to use university facilities for any other purpose.
(3) The University reserves the right to exercise control over all activities
employing its computer facilities, including examining the content of users’ data,
such as e-mail, where that is necessary:
(a)
for the proper regulation of the University’s facilities;
(b) in connection with properly authorised investigations in relation
to breaches or alleged breaches of provisions in the University’s statutes
and regulations, including these regulations; or
(c)
(4)
to meet legal requirements.
Such action will be undertaken only in accordance with these regulations.
3.
These regulations govern all use of university IT and network facilities, whether
accessed by university property or otherwise.
4.
Use is subject at all times to such monitoring as may be necessary for the proper
management of the network, or as may be specifically authorised in accordance
with these regulations.
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5.
(1) Persons may make use of university facilities only with proper
authorisation.
(2) ‘Proper authorisation’ in this context means prior authorisation by the
appropriate officer, who shall be the Director of Oxford University Computing
Services (‘OUCS’) or his or her nominated deputy in the case of services under
the supervision of OUCS, or the nominated college or departmental officer in the
case of services provided by a college or department.
(3) Any authorisation is subject to compliance with the University’s statutes
and regulations, including these regulations, and will be considered to be
terminated by any breach or attempted breach of these regulations.
6.
(1)
Authorisation will be specific to an individual.
(2) Any password, authorisation code, etc. given to a user will be for his or her
use only, and must be kept secure and not disclosed to or used by any other
person.
7.
Users are not permitted to use university IT or network facilities for any of the
following:
(1)
any unlawful activity;
(2) the creation, transmission, storage, downloading, or display of any
offensive, obscene, indecent, or menacing images, data, or other material, or any
data capable of being resolved into such images or material, except in the case of
the use of the facilities for properly supervised research purposes when that use is
lawful and when the user has obtained prior written authority for the particular
activity from the head of his or her department or the chairman of his or her
faculty board (or, if the user is the head of a department or the chairman of a
faculty board, from the head of his or her division);
(3) the creation or transmission of material which is designed or likely to cause
annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety or to harass another person;
(4) the creation or transmission of defamatory material about any individual or
organisation;
(5) the sending of any e-mail that does not correctly identify the sender of that
e-mail or attempts to disguise the identity of the computer from which it was sent;
(6) the sending of any message appearing to originate from another person, or
otherwise attempting to impersonate another person;
(7) the transmission, without proper authorisation, of e-mail to a large number
of recipients, unless those recipients have indicated an interest in receiving such e37
mail, or the sending or forwarding of e-mail which is intended to encourage the
propagation of copies of itself;
(8) the creation or transmission of or access to material in such a way as to
infringe a copyright, moral right, trade mark, or other intellectual property right;
(9) private profit, except to the extent authorised under the user’s conditions of
employment or other agreement with the University or a college; or commercial
purposes without specific authorisation;
(10) gaining or attempting to gain unauthorised access to any facility or service
within or outside the University, or making any attempt to disrupt or impair such a
service;
(11) the deliberate or reckless undertaking of activities such as may result in any
of the following:
(a) the waste of staff effort or network resources, including time on
any system accessible via the university network;
(b) the corruption or disruption of other users’ data;
(c) the violation of the privacy of other users;
(d) the disruption of the work of other users;
(e) the introduction or transmission of a virus into the network;
(l2) activities not directly connected with employment, study, or research in the
University or the colleges (excluding reasonable and limited use for social and
recreational purposes where not in breach of these regulations or otherwise
forbidden) without proper authorisation.
8.
Software and computer-readable datasets made available on the university
network may be used only subject to the relevant licensing conditions, and, where
applicable, to the Code of Conduct published by the Combined Higher Education
Software Team (‘CHEST’).
9.
Users shall treat as confidential any information which may become available to
them through the use of such facilities and which is not clearly intended for
unrestricted dissemination; such information shall not be copied, modified,
disseminated, or used either in whole or in part without the permission of the
person or body entitled to give it.
10.
(1) No user may use IT facilities to hold or process data relating to a living
individual save in accordance with the provisions of current data protection
legislation (which in most cases will require the prior consent of the individual or
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individuals whose data are to be processed).
(2) Any person wishing to use IT facilities for such processing is required to
inform the University Data Protection Officer in advance and to comply with any
guidance given concerning the manner in which the processing may be carried
out.
11.
Any person responsible for the administration of any university or college
computer or network system, or otherwise having access to data on such a system,
shall comply with the provisions of the ‘Statement of IT Security and Privacy
Policy’, as published by the ICT Committee from time to time.
12.
Users shall at all times endeavour to comply with guidance issued from time to
time by OUCS to assist with the management and efficient use of the network.
13.
Connection of computers, whether college, departmental, or privately owned, to
the university network is subject to the following additional conditions:
(1) (a) Computers connected to the university network may use only
network identifiers which follow the University’s naming convention, and
are registered with OUCS.
(b) In particular all such names must be within the domain
.ox.ac.uk.
(c) Any exception to this must be authorised by the Director of
OUCS, and may be subject to payment of a licence fee.
(2) (a) The administrators of computers connected to the university
network are responsible for ensuring their security against unauthorised
access, participation in ‘denial of service’ attacks, etc.
(b) The University may temporarily bar access to any computer or
sub-network that appears to pose a danger to the security or integrity of any
system or network, either within or outside Oxford, or which, through a
security breach, may bring disrepute to the University.
(3) (a) Providers of any service must take all reasonable steps to ensure
that that service does not cause an excessive amount of traffic on the
University’s internal network or its external network links.
(b) The University may bar access at any time to computers which
appear to cause unreasonable consumption of network resources.
(4) (a) Hosting Web pages on computers connected to the university
network is permitted subject to the knowledge and consent of the
department or college responsible for the local resources, but providers of
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any such Web pages must endeavour to comply with guidelines published
by OUCS or other relevant authorities.
(b) It is not permitted to offer commercial services through Web
pages supported through the university network, or to provide ‘home-page’
facilities for any commercial organisation, except with the permission of the
Director of OUCS; this permission may require the payment of a licence
fee.
5)
Participation in distributed file-sharing networks is not permitted,
except in the case of the use of the facilities for properly authorised
academic purposes when that use is lawful and when the user:
a)
in the case of services under the supervision of OUCS, has
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Director of OUCS or his or her
nominated deputy that the user has obtained prior written authority for the
particular activity from the head of his or her department or the chairman of
his or her faculty board; or
(b) in the case of services provided by a college or department, has
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the nominated college or departmental
officer that the user has obtained prior written authority for the particular
activity from the head of that college or department.
(6) (a) No computer connected to the university network may be used
to give any person who is not a member or employee of the University or its
colleges access to any network services outside the department or college
where that computer is situated.
(b) Certain exceptions may be made, for example, for members of
other UK universities, official visitors to a department or college, or those
paying a licence fee.
(c) Areas of doubt should be discussed with the Registration
Manager at OUCS.
14.
(1) If a user is thought to be in breach of any of the University’s statutes or
regulations, including these regulations, he or she shall be reported to the
appropriate officer who may recommend to the appropriate university or college
authority that proceedings be instituted under either or both of university and
college disciplinary procedures.
(2) Access to facilities may be withdrawn under section 46 of Statute XI
pending a determination, or may be made subject to such conditions as the
Proctors or the Registrar (as the case may be) shall think proper in the
circumstances.
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Examining Users’ Data
15.
All staff of an IT facility who are given privileged access to information available
through that facility must respect the privacy and security of any information, not
clearly intended for unrestricted dissemination, that becomes known to them by
any means, deliberate or accidental.
16.
(1) System Administrators (i.e. those responsible for the management,
operation, or maintenance of computer systems) have the right to access users’
files and examine network traffic, but only if necessary in pursuit of their role as
System Administrators.
(2) They must endeavour to avoid specifically examining the contents of users’
files without proper authorisation.
17.
(1) If it is necessary for a System Administrator to inspect the contents of a
user’s files, the procedure set out in paragraphs (2)-(5) below must be followed.
(2)
Normally, the user’s permission should be sought.
(3) Should such access be necessary without seeking the user’s permission, it
should, wherever possible, be approved by an appropriate authority prior to
inspection.
(4) If it has not been possible to obtain prior permission, any access should be
reported to the user or to an appropriate authority as soon as possible.
(5) For the purposes of these regulations ‘appropriate authority’ is defined as
follows:
(a) in the case of any university-owned system, whether central or
departmental: if the files belong to a student member, the Proctors; if the
files belong to any member of the University other than a student member,
the Registrar or his or her nominee; or, if the files belong to an employee
who is not a member of the University, the head of the department, college,
or other unit to which the employee is responsible, or the head’s delegated
representative;
(b) in the case of a departmental system, either those named in ()
above, or, in all circumstances, the head of department or his or her
delegated representative;
(c) in the case of a college system, the head of the college or his or her
delegated representative.
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Appendix III
Academic integrity:
Good practice in citation, and the avoidance of plagiarism
In their Essential Information for Students, the University’s Proctors and
Assessor draw attention to two extremely important disciplinary regulations for all
students:
“4. No candidate shall present for an examination as his or her own work any part or the
substance of any part of another person’s work.
5. In any written work (whether thesis, dissertation, essay, coursework, or written
examinations) passages quoted or closely paraphrased from another person’s work must
be identified as quotations or paraphrases, and the source of the quoted or paraphrased
material must be clearly acknowledged.
(The Proctors’ and Assessor’s Memorandum, Section 9.5
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/proctors/pam/index.shtlm)
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