Centre for the Study of Manuscript

Cultures (CSMC)
Warburgstraße 26
20354 Hamburg

Guidelines for the Written and Oral Exams in MC-1

I. Seminar Paper (‘Hausarbeit’)

A. Format
• provide a cover with all details: name, matriculation number, course of study,
academic year, name of the seminar, date etc.;
• size (excluding the cover): 12-15 pages all-included (i.e. bibliography included)
• use an A4 page;
• c. 400 words/page = all in all c. 4,800-6,000 words;
• use a font size 12 for the text and 10 for footnotes;
• use headings and running titles;
• number (1, 1.1, 1.1.1, 2 etc.) your paragraphs; do not use more than 3 levels;
• The notes and bibliography have to be formatted consistently according to the notes
and bibliography system of Chicago Style:
https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html
• use Unicode characters for all diacritics (e.g. Arial MS Unicode or Times New
Roman if the characters you need are included).

B. Submission
• The deadline for submitting the seminar paper is 31 March 2024. It is submitted by
e-mail to shervin.farridnejad@uni-hamburg.de and (CC) merryl.rebello@uni-
hamburg.de
• Please ensure that the subject of your email is formatted precisely as follows:
Your Last Name – Seminar Paper MC-1 – WS 23/24
This formatting is essential for proper identification and submission of your seminar
paper.

II. Presentation (‘Referat’)

The presentations are given on 10, 17, 24 and 31 January 2024.

A. Time assigned
• Each Reporter/Rapporteur should plan for a presentation that lasts approximately
20 minutes.
• If necessary, "Referat" presentations can be combined with others, as long as the
total time allocated for combined presentations corresponds to the sum of
individual time slots, with each segment lasting about 20 minutes.
• Note that there must remain some time for discussion.

1 Guidelines for the Written and Oral Exams in MC-1 | WiSe 2023/24
 B. Guidelines: List of readings

• Each Reporter/Rapporteur should compile a list of readings one week or six days
before the seminar. These readings should be distributed to the other participants,
preferably through an upload on AGORA or another appropriate platform. This allows
ample time for all participants to read and prepare for the upcoming discussion.
Additionally, each seminar participant should commit to reading at least one item from
the provided readings list to ensure active participation in the seminar discussions.
• It is crucial to avoid relying solely on unverified internet data for your references.
Instead, prioritize using information from credible and verifiable sources, such as
scientific institutions and assessed publications.

C. Guidelines: Basic information to be included in each “Referat” and handout, and

“Hausarbeit”

Each “Referat” can address either broad topics related to a specific manuscript culture or
specific aspects of it. However, even in a concise form, it's essential to provide fundamental
information and context, which should encompass:

• Geographical Location: Include geographical details and, if possible, provide a

map to help visualize the location.
• Historical Context: Offer insights into the historical context, including cultural
and religious aspects. You might want to include a brief chronology to outline key
historical events.
• Linguistic Context: Discuss the languages involved in the manuscript culture and
related linguistic questions. This can involve mentioning the linguistic family, the
number of speakers of these languages, and any special uses of these languages within
specific social or religious contexts.

Handout: Summarize this information in a shorter, concise form in a handout. Each handout
should fit on one A4 paper sheet and be distributed to the audience before the presentation.
This handout will serve as a reference guide during your presentation.

III. Exercise (‘Übung’)

• The objective of this task is to actively participate in the ongoing research activities
at CSMC. Please note that the deadline for submitting the seminar paper is March 31,
2024, and it should be sent via e-mail (as detailed above). Important: Ensure that the
subject line of your email is precisely as follows:
Your Last Name – Exercise MC-1 – WS 23/24
• The task involves preparing a concise report focused on either four individual
CSMC (Thursday) lectures or a single conference/2-day workshop hosted at the CSMC.
To make your selection, please refer to the "Research Events at the CSMC" file and
consult the Events calendar on the CSMC website for event options.
• The report should have a length of 2-3 pages, which is approximately 1200 to 1600
words, excluding the cover page.
• All other formatting requirements remain consistent with those specified for the
seminar paper (refer to the guidelines above).

2 Guidelines for the Written and Oral Exams in MC-1 | WiSe 2023/24