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Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos and Natural Sciences Tripos, 2000: Notice by the Faculty Board of Biology and the Committee for the Natural Sciences Tripos

The Faculty Board of Biology and the Committee for the Natural Sciences Tripos give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2000, the form and the conduct of the examinations for the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos and the Natural Sciences Tripos will be changed as follows:

Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos, Part Ia

Anatomy

There will be two three-hour written papers, one paper will contain questions on Human Anatomy and the other will contain questions on Veterinary Anatomy. Each paper will contain three compulsory parts, and each part should take approximately one hour to complete.

Part 1 will comprise fifteen compulsory questions and candidates must attempt all of them.

Part 2 will contain three questions of which one must be answered. The questions will require an answer in essay format and will examine the candidates' ability to integrate structure with function and to construct logical arguments.

Part 3 will contain three questions of which one must be answered. The questions will require candidates to apply their anatomical knowledge to a clinical situation or problem, and to deduce basic clinical implications from first principles.

Each of the written papers will carry 60 per cent of the total marks. A sample paper will be made available to students in the Handbook at the outset of the course.

The two-hour practical examination will carry 40 per cent of the total marks. There will be separate practical examinations for medical students and for veterinary students. As in previous years candidates must visit forty stations, and at each station there will be a specimen or a problem. Candidates will move between stations every three minutes and at each station will have three minutes to answer four questions. The answers at each of the forty stations carry equal marks. The questions will examine the knowledge and understanding of all aspects of anatomy and their application, and may require the appropriate use of language and of techniques for anatomical investigation.

Exemption from the Second M.B. examination in Anatomy and the Second Vet.M.B. examination in Veterinary Anatomy A will be determined by the performance of candidates in the practical examination and in part 1 of the written paper only. All three parts of the written paper and the practical examination will contribute to the Tripos classification.

Physiology

The written paper, which will carry 85 per cent of the total marks, will be divided into three sections. Sections A and B will cover the whole course and will together carry 45 per cent of the total marks. These sections will contain a number of compulsory questions, which will require candidates either to provide short answers or to choose the best answer from several alternatives offered. Candidates should attempt all questions and are advised to spend ninety minutes on these sections. Section A will consist of questions on material dealt with in the lectures (30 per cent) and Section B will cover the experimental physiology classes and will include questions which require the analysis and interpretation of data from physiological experiments (15 per cent). Section C will carry 40 per cent of the total marks, and will have five or more essay questions of which candidates should answer two.

All candidates will take part 1 of the practical examination. It will last one hour and carry 10 per cent of the total marks. It will contain a number of compulsory questions on histological material, which may require candidates to use a microscope, and either to provide short answers or to choose the best answer from several alternatives. Candidates will not be allowed to make use of notes or books in this examination. Practical notebooks bearing the signatures of teachers under whose direction the work was performed must be submitted to the Examiners for approval by five days after the last practical class. Candidates submitting satisfactory books will be allocated 5 per cent of the total marks available, and will be exempted from taking part 2 of the practical examination.

Part 2 of the practical examination will only be for students failing to submit satisfactory practical notebooks. This part of the practical examination will carry 5 per cent of the total marks and will last three hours. It will involve laboratory experiments and the use of a microscope.

Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos, Part Ib

Anatomy and Physiology

Candidates will be examined by a written paper carrying 80 per cent of the marks, and a practical examination carrying 20 per cent of the marks.

The written paper will take three hours and will be divided into two sections. Section A will have questions on developmental biology for medicine. There will be three short answer questions and candidates must attempt all three. There will also be three essay questions of which candidates must attempt one. Section B will be divided into three parts. Part 1 will consist of fourteen compulsory multiple-choice questions: two questions on ethics and twelve questions on reproduction and endocrinology. In part 2 there will be three essay questions on endocrinology of which candidates must attempt one. In part 3 there will be three essay questions on reproduction ethics of which candidates must attempt one. A sample paper will be made available to students during the Michaelmas Term.

The practical examination will last one hour and fifteen minutes. Candidates will be required to answer up to twenty-five compulsory questions, and will visit up to twenty-five stations. Candidates will be allowed three minutes to answer each question. Up to eighteen of the questions will be on topics related to endocrinology and reproduction, and up to nine of the questions will be on topics related to development.

Overall, questions on development, including questions from the practical examination, will account for 30 per cent of the total marks. Questions on reproduction, ethics, and endocrinology, including questions from the practical examination, will account for 70 per cent of the total marks.

General Veterinary Physiology

The three-hour written paper, which will carry 75 per cent of the total marks, will contain seven questions on endocrinology, reproductive physiology, and neurophysiology. All questions will carry equal weight. Candidates will be required to answer Question 1: this will comprise six compulsory sections each requiring concise notes in answer.

The other six questions will be divided into two sections: Section A on endocrinology and reproductive physiology, and section B on neurophysiology. Candidates will be required to answer three questions in essay format as in previous years, with at least one question answered from each of Sections A and B.

The practical examination, which will carry 25 per cent of the total marks, will contain questions on the histology and experimental physiology of endocrinology, reproductive physiology, and neurophysiology. It may also include materials from the demonstration classes in Special Veterinary Physiology. This examination may include questions that require numerical calculations on experimental data.

Neurobiology

The examination will consist of one three-hour written paper and a two-part practical examination.

For the written paper candidates must answer all six parts of Question 1, and any three of the other remaining questions. Candidates are advised to spend about forty-five minutes on each of the four questions.

There will be two parts to the practical examination, each lasting forty-five minutes. One part will consist of a steeplechase in which candidates may be asked to identify and comment on various neuroanatomical structures. The other part will consist of a steeplechase relating to work in the practical neurophysiology classes. Candidates will be required to provide short answers or to choose the best answer from several alternatives.

Special Veterinary Physiology

The written paper will be ninety minutes long and contain five questions. Candidates will be required to answer Question 1, as well as two of the other four questions. All questions will carry the same weight. Question 1 will comprise of four compulsory sections, each requiring concise notes in answer. The remaining four questions will require answers in essay format as in previous years.

Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos, Part II

Two-paper subject: Human Impact on the Environment

For details on the examination in this subject see the entry for Human Impact on the Environment under Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II (General), below.

One-paper subject: Conservation Biology

There will be two written papers, of one hour and thirty-five minutes each. Each paper will consist of Sections B and C of the paper set for the special subject Human Impact on the Environment in Part II (General) of the Natural Sciences Tripos. Candidates will be expected to answer two questions on each paper, one from Section B and one from Section C. In Section B there will be a choice of three questions on Conservation Biology, and in Section C there will be a choice of two questions on Human Impact on the Environment, Past, Present, and Future.

Natural Sciences Tripos, Part Ia

Physiology

For details of the examination in this subject see the entry for Physiology under Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos, Part IA, above.

Natural Sciences Tripos, Part Ib

Fluid Mechanics

The new rubric for both papers will be:

Answer five questions, of which at least one must be from Section B.

Paper 2 will not contain any questions on the kinetic theory of gases.

History and Philosophy of Science

Papers 1 and 2 will each be divided into two sections. The first section will contain one general question, which all candidates will be required to answer. The second section will contain more specific questions of which candidates will be required to answer three.

Plant Sciences

There will be two theory papers, each of three hours' duration, which will carry equal marks.

Paper 1 will be divided into three sections, A, B, and C, and will cover material from lectures in the Michaelmas, Lent, and Easter Terms respectively. Candidates will be required to attempt a total of four essay questions, including one from each section and not more than one from Section C. Each essay will carry equal weight.

Paper 2 will consist of two sections, A and B. In Section A, candidates will be required to attempt eight out of ten short questions, covering the whole course. In Section B, candidates will be required to attempt two out of five essay questions, which will be more general in nature than those set in Paper 1. Sections A and B will each carry 50 per cent of the marks for that paper.

The practicals are continually assessed throughout the year, and the marks constitute 25 per cent of the total. Students are required to write up and submit a minimum of six practical reports in the Michaelmas Term, six reports in the Lent Term, and two in the Easter Term. The best four marks from the Michaelmas and Lent Terms, and the best mark from the Easter Term, together with the next best mark from any term will be taken for the final grade.

Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II (General)

Human Impact on the Environment

This paper also serves as the two-paper subject Human Impact on the Environment in Part II of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos.

There will be two written papers, each with eight questions divided into three sections, of three, three, and two questions, respectively. Section A will cover Population and Community Ecology, Section B will cover Conservation Biology, and Section C will cover Human Impact on the Environment, Past, Present, and Future. Candidates will be expected to answer four questions on each of the papers, with at least one from each section.

Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II

Geological Sciences, Options A and B

In addition to the essay paper to be offered by all candidates, the examination will comprise the following.

Option A (for candidates not intending to take Part III)

There will be one written paper of three hours, which will examine material taught in the core courses given in the Michaelmas Term. The paper will contain one section on each core course, and each section will contain four questions. Candidates will be required to answer four questions in total, with not more than two questions attempted from any one section.

In association with each of the core courses, candidates will be required to either sit a three-hour practical examination, in which all the questions set must be attempted, or undertake continuously assessed practical work in place of a practical examination. Candidates will be required to take two practical examinations/assessed practical assignments.

There will be two written papers of two hours, each of which will examine the option courses given in the Lent Term. Each paper will contain one section on each of the option courses. Candidates will be required to answer two questions, with not more than one question attempted from any one section.

In association with each of the option courses, candidates will be required to either sit a practical examination of two and a half hours, in which all the questions set must be attempted, or undertake continuously assessed practical work in place of a practical examination. Candidates will be required to take two practical examinations/assessed practical assignments.

Candidates will also be required to submit the following:

Option B (for candidates intending to take Part III)

There will be one written paper of three hours, which will examine material taught in the core courses given in the Michaelmas Term. The paper will contain one section on each core course, and each section will contain four questions. Candidates will be required to answer four questions in total, with not more than two questions attempted from any one section.

In association with each of the core courses, candidates will be required to either sit a three-hour practical examination, in which all the questions set must be attempted, or undertake continuously assessed practical work in place of a practical examination. Candidates will be required to take two practical examinations/assessed practical assignments.

There will be two written papers of three hours, each of which will examine the material taught in the option courses given in the Lent Term. Each paper will contain one section on each of the option courses. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, with not more than one question attempted from any one section.

In association with each of the option courses, candidates will be required to either sit a practical examination of two and half hours, in which all the questions set must be attempted, or undertake continuously assessed practical work in place of a practical examination. Candidates will be required to take three practical examinations/assessed practical assignments.

Candidates will also be required to submit the following:

History and Philosophy of Science

There will be eight papers, Papers 1-8, rather than seven papers as in previous years. These papers will be divided into two sections. Candidates will be required to answer questions from both sections of each paper. In each paper, Section A will consist of general questions of which candidates will be required to answer one, and Section B will consist of more specific questions of which candidates will be required to answer two.

Neuroscience

The weighting of marks for the examination will be as follows: 72 per cent for the four written papers, 20 per cent for the research project, and 8 per cent for the critical review.

For the research project each candidate must submit both a written report and give a brief oral presentation. The written report must be submitted not later than the fifth day of Full Easter Term, and will carry 17 per cent of the marks. It must be printed or typewritten, and not more than 5,000 words in length (excluding footnotes, figure legends, tables, references, and appendices). The oral presentation will be given on a date to be announced in Full Easter Term, to an audience consisting of staff and students, and including at least two internal Examiners. The oral presentation will carry 3 per cent of the marks.

Physiology

In the Michaelmas Term each candidate will be required to undertake a specified number of experimental laboratory classes and to keep a record of the work done in these classes. These records will be submitted to the Examiners for assessment.

In the Lent Term each candidate will be required to prepare a report on a research project. The report is to be submitted to the Examiners for assessment, together with a summary of not more than 500 words. During the Easter Term candidates will be required to give a poster presentation of their project and be examined on it by viva voce. The report, presentation, and viva voce examination will together carry 25 per cent of the total marks for the examination.

Each candidate will take four written papers, each lasting three hours. Paper 1 will examine the candidate's ability to assess or analyse critically one or more pieces of work. This paper will carry 15 per cent of the total marks for the examination.

Papers 2 and 3 will contain seven questions each, one on each module. Each question will contain at least three either/or choices, and candidates will be required to attempt three questions. Paper 4 will include questions requiring answers that draw on material from more than one module, and candidates will be required to attempt two questions. Papers 2, 3, and 4 will each carry 20 per cent of the total marks for the examination.

Physiology and Psychology

Candidates for this joint subject will be examined in Psychology by two of Papers 2-4 of the single subject Psychology in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos. An additional question on statistics and experimental design will be included in one of these papers for candidates in Physiology and Psychology. All questions will carry equal marks. In each paper candidates will be required to answer three questions with no restriction of choice.

Psychology

Paper 1 will be divided into three sections, A, B, and C. Section A will contain two questions on statistics. Section B will contain no fewer than two questions on methodology and experimental design. Section C will contain no fewer than five questions that examine candidates' capacity to relate information from different areas of the subject, and may include questions on the history and philosophy of psychology. All questions will carry equal marks. Candidates will be required to answer three questions in total, one from each of the three sections.

Papers 2, 3, and 4 will each be divided into four sections, A, B, C, and D. The total number of questions in Papers 2, 3, and 4 will be approximately the same as the total number of questions in Section A-D of Papers 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the examination held in 1999. All questions will carry equal marks. In each of Papers 2, 3, and 4 candidates will be required to answer three questions, with not more than two from any one section.

During the Full Michaelmas Term a sample of the new format examination paper will be made available to students.


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Cambridge University Reporter, 1 December 1999
Copyright © 1999 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.