Government 99 will require an essay by Junior Honors candidates in May, instead of a final exam, Stanley H. Hoffman, Henry LaBarre Jayne Assistant Professor of Government, revealed yesterday.

The list of topics will be announced three days before the 3000-word papers are due, Hoffman noted, in the hope that "students will be forced to write exclusively from information gained in tutorial."

Although the grade on the essay will be an important part of the final grade in Junior tutorial, Hoffman stressed that admission to Senior Honors tutorial depends more on the candidate's general record in Government courses than on his specific grade in Government 99.

Further explanation will be mailed to Junior Honors candidates in the Government Department early in January.