Grounds for Exam Appeal

LickiRake

Bit of a long winded post but I'm hoping someone can help me out. Today I sat an exam worth 50% of my overall grade for a module in my final year of college, so obviously it will be very important in determining my average and intern, my degree. The previous exam papers, from 2011 to 2015, were structured, in the following way.

3 questions; Q1 is mandatory, and answer any other one from q2 and q3.

The lecture then held a revision class during the last week of lectures, of which attendance wasn't compulsory and I myself didn't go. After the lecture our class rep informed us that the lecture informed her that the exam structure had changed and the form was now 3 questions, answer any 2.

So I sat the exam today and on reviewing the questions decided to answer q2 and q3. When I got home I noticed on facebook that two other students from my class reporting that the structure of the exam was actually the same as the previous years i.e. 3 questions; Q1 is mandatory, and answer any other one from q2 and q3 and the that they had answered q2 and q3 aswel. The instructions appeared on the Title Page in small print at the end of the page, but since I assumed the structure had changed due to what my class rep said, I never checked.

Do you feel I have grounds for an appeal given that my class representative informed the class that the lecture had given her specific instructions that the exam structure had changed?

The implications of this for me personally are massive. I was aiming for a 1.1 and this was my weakest subject. So the chances of me passing the module are slim. A repeat exam next semester would mean I would be lucky to get a 2.1 and would have to wait until next September to apply for jobs, when the repeat results are released. I appreciate any help anyone can give me.

lertsnim

If you appeal they will tell you that you should have read the instructions on the front page of the exam. It doesn't matter how big the font was.

invara

I am afraid i agree with lertsnim, the instructions on the front of the paper is what matters and so I would be surprised if a a formal appeal would be successful. Your work has to be graded before an appeal can be raised- if lots of other people made the same error it is likely to be raised at the exam board; and even if it is an individual case the lecturer may make an exception (perhaps with the agreement of the external examiner and the board) to give you the benefit of the doubt as an honest mistake.

That said, I think a short email explaining the circumstances to the lecturer might allow him or her to take it into account. Most lecturers feel absolutely rotten if the assessment of a student is not a fair measure of the student's ability and effort, and look for a way to give students the benefit of the doubt.

lertsnim

What happened with the appeal?

beya2009

Hi any idea when repeat exams are in the summer in wit?

Forever21

Repeat exams 18th to 31st of August. Timetable for exams should be up in the next week.

beya2009

Forever21 wrote: »

Repeat exams 18th to 31st of August. Timetable for exams should be up in the next week.

Cheers:)