About the Final Exam

The final exam will consist of the following:

1. image identification

2. definitions

3. short essays

4. two long-essay questions

I will ask you to discuss, integrate, and compare materials from throughout the class, but will emphasize those studied after the midterm. The final exam is designed to take two hours.

Image identification: For this section of the final, be sure to review carefully the images linked to the "study aids" page. You will have only one minute for each identification. Please be prepared to do two things in your responses:

1. Identify the image (or a similar one) and its various aspects -- e.g., objects held, position, architectural style, color, special features, etc., and

2. Interpret the image, i.e., say something what it means within the tradition.

Definitions: These will be just as they are on quizzes. Two or three full and accurate sentences are sufficient.

Short essays: These will be much like on the midterm. Remember please that they are to be longer than is required on quizzes. Note the suggested time for each on the exam itself.

Two long-essay questions: These will together count for approximately 45% of the final exam grade. I have posted four essay questions on this web page, under “final exam questions.” For the final itself, I will chose two of those questions, randomly and word for word. Thus, if you have studied and prepared thorough answers to all five questions, this section should go very well.

Please note: Given that you will have seen the questions in advance, I will expect a high level of precision, detail, and writing quality -- including the frequent use of appropriate terms (dharma, moksha, ardhanarishvara, etc.) and thorough attention to dates, periods, practices, texts and textual genres.