Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Asian Studies (research) or another relevant Research MA. Students from other departments are kindly referred to the course description of the regular MA course.
Background in classical Chinese - intermediate to advanced level. Please, contact Prof.dr. Hilde De Weerdt prior to registration, if you are not sure whether you fulfill this requirement.
Description
This semester the seminar focuses on encyclopedias (leishu). We will start with an historical overview of the genre and read through select sections of a handful of encyclopedias, discussing topics such as the relationships between encyclopedic texts and other genres of Chinese writing, the interplay of text and image, their role in the construction of knowledge, and paratextual features and the uses of encyclopedic texts. In addition to traditional philological tools, students will also learn to work with (freely available) digital tools for the analysis of classical Chinese texts, including digital markup and publishing platforms.
Course objectives
the further development of language and research skills in classical Chinese
the use and evaluation of digital tools for classical Chinese
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Attendance is compulsory for all sessions. Students must prepare well and contribute to in-class discussion. If a student cannot attend because of illness or misadventure, they should promptly inform the convener. Extra assignments may be set to make up for missed class time, at the convener’s discretion. Absence without notification may result in lower grades or exclusion from assessment components and a failing grade for the course.
Assessment method
Academic Integrity
Students should familiarize themselves with the notion of academic integrity and the ways in which this plays out in their own work. A good place to start is this page. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students may not substantially reuse texts they have previously submitted in this or other courses. Minor overlap with previous work is allowed as long as it is duly noted in citation.
Students must submit their assignment(s) to Brightspace through turnitin, so they can be checked for plagiarism. Submission via email is not accepted.
Assessment and Weighing
| Partial Assessment | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Class participation and assignments | 40% |
| Final Essay, including a translation of a text selected by the student | 60% |
The final mark for this course is formed by the weighted average.
In order to pass the course, students must complete all requirements (participation, assignments, final essay) and obtain an overall mark of 5.50 (=6) or higher.
The course is an integrated whole. All assessment parts must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Resit
Only if the total weighted average is insufficient (5.49 or lower) and the insufficient grade is the result of an insufficient final essay, a resit of the essay is possible. In that case the convener of the course may assign a (new) topic and give a new deadline. The resit will then make up 100% of the grade.
A resit of the other partial assessments is not possible.
Exam Review
Students may request an oral elucidation of the assessment within 30 days after publication of the grade.
Reading list
Texts will be distributed in class and electronically.
For the Research MA students additional readings will be determined by the convener at a later stage taking into account the students’ fields of interest. Extra sessions will be organized to discuss this extra literature.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website.
Registration Studeren à la carte en Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Vrieshof