Notices by Faculty Boards, or other bodies concerned, of changes to the form and conduct of certain examinations to be held in 2005-06, by comparison with those examinations in 2005, are published below. Complete details of the form and conduct of all examinations are available from the Faculties or Departments concerned.
The Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos give notice that, with effect from the examinations to be held in 2006, the form and conduct of the examinations for the Natural Sciences Tripos will be as follows:
The theory papers will carry 80% of the total marks, distributed equally between the two papers. Assessed practicals will carry 20% of the total marks.
Theory Paper 2 will contain five sections, and each section will consist of either one or several questions. All questions must be answered. They may require the design, analysis, or interpretation of investigations relevant to the topics covered in the lectures.
Theory Paper 1 and arrangements for practical work remain unchanged.
Papers 1 and 2 are each divided into three sections. On each paper, candidates will be required to answer two questions in each section. One question will require candidates to write short accounts of two out of four given topics. The other question in each section will require candidates to write one essay from a choice of essay questions. One third of the marks for each section are allocated to the short accounts question and the remaining two thirds is allocated to the essay question.
In Paper 1, Section A contains questions on Cognitive Psychology, Section B contains questions on Psychobiology, and Section C contains questions on Developmental Psychology.
In Paper 2, Section A contains questions on Cognitive Psychology, Section B contains questions on Social Psychology, and Section C contains questions on Reasoning, Intelligence, and Abnormal Psychology.
Paper 3 is a practical paper, and is unchanged.
Candidates will be examined by two written papers, the first lasting three hours and carrying 50% of the total marks, the second lasting one hour and carrying 25% of the marks, and by a practical examination lasting ninety minutes and carrying 25% of the total marks. The written papers will require knowledge of cellular, molecular, developmental, sensory, motor, and cognitive neurobiology, in the broad areas covered by the course, and the practical paper will require knowledge of the areas covered in the practical classes.
For the first written paper, candidates will be required to answer four essay questions from ten questions covering the whole of the course. This paper carries 50% of the total marks.
The second written paper will comprise forty compulsory questions each requiring candidates to choose the best answer from five alternatives. This paper carries 25% of the total marks.
The practical examination will require candidates to either give short answers, or to choose the best answer from several alternatives, or to plot, draw, mark, or annotate graphs or diagrams.
The examination will test knowledge and understanding of the material contained in the Part IB Pathology course. The examination will consist of three papers. Papers 1 and 2 will be written papers, and Paper 3 will be a practical paper.
All three papers contribute to the Tripos mark in the proportions: Paper 1 (multiple-choice question paper): 30% (equal weight for each question); Paper 2 (Written paper): 50% (equal weight for each question); Paper 3 (Practical paper): 20%.
Paper 1 will consist of compulsory short answer or multiple-choice questions. The questions may be taken from topics covered in any part of the course. Candidates will be allowed one and a half hours to complete this paper.
Paper 2 is an essay paper and has two sections, Section I and Section II. Candidates will be asked to answer two questions from Section I and two questions from Section II. The two sections will each have four questions and these may be related to topics covered in any part of the course. Candidates will be allowed three hours to complete this paper.
Paper 3 is a practical examination. Questions will examine core knowledge and understanding of any aspect of the course. Questions may include knowledge and application of laboratory techniques, recognition, and interpretation of biological, photographic, diagrammatic, and sectioned material, as well as interpretation and handling of data. Candidates must attempt all questions and will be allowed three hours to complete this paper.
Biological and Biomedical Sciences is a new subject in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos for 2005-06. The examinations are based on a number of papers from other provision in the University, or are the same as papers previously offered in Part II of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos. The examinations will take account of performance in: four single subject (major) papers, given a weighting of 65%; one minor subject paper, given a weighting of 15%; and a written dissertation, given a weighting of 20%. The following table identifies the papers used for each Major and Minor Subject: candidates are advised to review the examination requirements for those papers and any notified changes to the form and conduct of them.
| Major subjects | Examination requirements |
| Mechanisms of disease | The papers previously offered as the four-paper subject Mechanisms of Disease from Part II of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos |
| Pathology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Pathology |
| Pharmacology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Pharmacology |
| Psychology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Psychology |
| Biochemistry | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Biochemistry |
| Plant sciences | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Plant Sciences |
| Genetics | Four of the six written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| History and sociology of medicine | Papers 7 and 8 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II History and Philosophy of Science, and Papers Int. 5. and Soc. 10. of Part II of the Social and Political Sciences Tripos |
| Physiology | Either Papers 1, 2, 4, and 5 or Papers 1, 2, 3, and 6 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology |
| Zoology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Zoology |
| Minor subjects | Examination requirements |
| Biology of parasitism | The paper previously offered as the one-paper subject Biology of parasitism from Part II of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos |
| Genetics and behaviour | Paper B3 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| Evolution and diversity | Paper B4 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| Ecology and adaptation | Paper B5 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| Medical neurobiology | Paper 6 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology |
| Medicine, ethics, and law | The paper previously offered as the one-paper subject Medicine, ethics, and law from Part II of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos |
| Medicine, body, and society | Paper Soc.10. of Part II of the Social and Political Sciences Tripos |
| Systems physiology | Paper 3 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology |
| Developmental physiology | Paper 4 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology |
| Medicine from antiquity to the Enlightenment | Paper 7 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II History and Philosophy of Science |
| Modern medicine and biomedical sciences | Paper 8 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II History and Philosophy of Science |
| Psychology of education | Paper 1 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Sociology of education | Paper 3 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Philosophy of education | Paper 2 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| History of education | Paper 4 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Plant and microbial genetics | Paper 2 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| Human genetics | Paper 4 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| Evolutionary genetics | Paper 5 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
All students are also required to submit a dissertation, which shall be an extended account of a topic or question that lies broadly within the field of either the Major or Minor Subject offered. Students must, by notifying the course organizer for the appropriate course, obtain approval of the proposed title and subject of their dissertation, not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term. The dissertation shall not exceed 6,000 words, excluding appendices, tables, figures, footnotes, and bibliography, and shall be typewritten or word-processed, double spaced, on one side of A4 paper with 2.5 cm margins, a font size no larger than 12pt and no smaller than 10pt and permanently bound.
Two copies of the dissertation shall be submitted to the Part II BBS course organizer, via the Faculty of Biology office, in its complete form, by the first day of Full Easter Term. The dissertation shall be accompanied by an A4 cover page, which shall include:
10 minutes' reading time will be given for Papers 2, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B. During this time, candidates may read the paper but may not begin writing. After the 10 minutes have elapsed, the three-hour examination will start.
The examination includes four written papers and the submission of project work.
Paper 1 is sub-divided into three Sections (A, B, and C) with one question to be answered from each Section. Section A will contain questions on Statistics; Section B will contain a question on Methodology and Experimental Design; Section C will contain essay questions that require candidates to synthesize information from different branches of the subject, or to discuss the history and philosophy of psychology. In Section C, there is the opportunity to write about one of the grand issues of cognitive and behavioural neuroscience (e.g. Are objects and concepts represented in the brain by the activities of single cells? In what sense can animals think? How far is our behaviour influenced by our evolutionary history?).
Papers 2 and 3 are each divided into three Sections. Candidates are required to answer one question from each Section. Section A will contain questions on Perception and Cognition covering topics such as Vision, Hearing, Attention, Language, Memory, Thought, and Intelligence. Section B will contain questions on Neuroscience, Comparative Psychology, and Neuropsychology. Section C will contain questions on Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Individual Differences. (Note: Abnormal Psychology questions can appear in either Sections B or C, depending on the degree to which neuropsychological knowledge has to be recruited.)
Paper 4 has the same structure as Papers 2 and 3, but there are no constraints in the choice of three questions.
Papers 1-6 will all be weighted equally and together will count for 75% of the total marks in the subject. The project and extended essay will count for 25% of the total.
10 minutes' reading time will be given for Papers 1, 2, and 3. During this time, candidates may read the paper but may not begin writing. After the 10 minutes have elapsed, the three-hour examination will start.