Must the reading list be 700 pages?
Yes, the IRL must be as close to 700 pages as possible. If you exceed a few pages (maximum 10-12 pages), due to the length of an article or chapter, that should be okay.
Does the 700 pages include the printed front page of the articles I use, and bibliography?
The journal’s printed front page does not count. The article itself counts, including the article’s reference list.
Can I include readings from courses I have taken before, they are very relevant for my topic.
It is not relevance that defines whether you can include readings from other courses into your individual reading list, but whether or not you have taken an exam on those readings. If you have taken an exam that includes those readings, you cannot include them in your IRL.
Can I include readings from courses I have taken before, but were not part of the syllabus the semester I took that course?
Yes, you can include the new readings, because they were not part of your exam for that course.
Can I include readings from courses I followed before, but never took the exam?
Yes, you can include those readings, since you did not take the exam for that course.
What are the guidelines or regulations that apply to re-using or copying paragraphs and wording from my exam answer in HGO4040?
When it comes to the use of the text from HGO4040, one must distinguish between the use of the text from one's own answer and the literature itself. The vast majority of students use literature from HGO4040 for their master's thesis and provide references in the usual way. Sometimes it is appropriate to use certain sections or parts of the answer from HGO4040 in the theory chapter of the master's thesis, but preferably in a revised form. Then one must also state references to the works in the individual reading list used in the new text.
It is rare that the entire answer can be used as a theory chapter, and if it is done, it can be considered as cheating. This particularly happens when the reference to your own work is not stated, but it can also occur when you provide a reference. Why? Because the master's thesis must be a new work, and extensive use of previous exam answers is not allowed. This applies to all previous assignments you have written before, both from master's and bachelor's studies.
Remember that all exam assignments are checked in Urkund, which is a text recognition program used for plagiarism control in Inspera, so it is very important that students state all sources, even when this is their own work. UiO has good websites for source use and references, see especially points three and four.
In answering the exam question, can I use other references, that is, references outside my IRL?
Yes, you can use references other than the ones in your IRL, if relevant. But remember that your answer should show your command and understanding of the IRL, so you should actively engage with those readings.