Can I appeal an MSc exam result?

I'm on a taught MSc at the university of Manchester in a science subject. So far I had been averaging 67% and was hopeful of bumping up to 70 after my final exams. I recenty received a shocking exam score back of 40% and I know it's wrong. I came out of the exam having answered every question and had a 'good feeling' about it. I had learnt the content and was prepared. This exam was marked by someone from the defence academy, so outside of the university and either he is a harsh marker or there is something else going on. I am told that a challenge to academic judgement cannot be made until the exam board in October when I will be able to view my script.

Has anyone been in this situation before and appealed successfully?

At the moment I am thinking of withdrawing from my studies. Since a while back I knew I didn't want to work in the sector and this result has damaged my average. I have never got less than a first or A/B and I don't want a compensated pass to tarnish my record (maybe silly but that's how I feel). I also should have gone to Birmingham and not Manchester as it's a better university in terms of teaching support but that's another story.

Have you talked to your tutor or the advisors in the SU. Read the rules?

It would seem the fact it was marked externally leaves the uni a bit helpless and as you state you cant appeal directly about a mark. It seems to be somewhat of an impasse.

Just make sure you get your protest in and dont miss any deadlines.

Whether you withdraw or not, then am not sure what good that does you. Will you or have you paid the whole years fees? Can you suspend studies? Are you going to try and recover fees? It would be quite drastic to leave over this?

All my advice is, just make sure you arent being too hasty.

Bit of a nightmare. One assumes if you are able to prove there was some sort of negligence, then you will try to claim damages.

Talk to the OIA as a sounding board, but ofc they will remind you they cant look into things until you have exhausted the unis internal procedures and not over academic judgment. You are going to need to find some pretty serious flaws in the way it has been marked.

Sorry cant be more helpful, but I do sense your frustration.

Could I ask you for some help regarding this issue. I've downloaded a copy of the appeals form from the link below and I've also attached it.

https://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=1878

I'm not sure which category to choose from i) to iv)

Now... I got 40% on this exam which is almost 20 marks lower than any other assessment. It was marked by someone from the defence academy, but the defence academy also ran another module and I got 70% from that. I don't believe this result is right... either they marked the wrong exam script or he is a very harsh marker, but surely that raises questions about standards across the course? How is it fair that one very harsh marker can jeapordise my grades?

I'm thinking of selecting:

"(iii) There is evidence of prejudice or bias or lack of proper assessment on the partof one or more of the examiners".

I may have to attach evidence and I don't know what to put other than my other course results.

The result just doesn't make sense and I'm frustrated that I can't direcly challenge such an anomalous result.

Of course you can challenge it, alleging:

b) that there had been a material administrative error or procedural irregularity in the assessment process or in putting into effect the regulations for the programme of study of such a nature as to cause significant doubt whether the decision might have been different if the error or irregularity had not occurred;

As for evidence include your other module results and any tests or mid-year assessments to show you were consistently working at high 2.1 standard, a statement that a mark of 40% is not consistent or reflective of your standard of work, a belief that the wrong script has been marked and/or attributed to you, and the possibility that the mark has incorrectly been capped at 40%. That gives you sufficient grounds to challenge the mark within the parameters of the Academic Appeals Procedure. Good luck.

Of course you can challenge it, alleging:

b) that there had been a material administrative error or procedural irregularity in the assessment process or in putting into effect the regulations for the programme of study of such a nature as to cause significant doubt whether the decision might have been different if the error or irregularity had not occurred;

As for evidence include your other module results and any tests or mid-year assessments to show you were consistently working at high 2.1 standard, a statement that a mark of 40% is not consistent or reflective of your standard of work, a belief that the wrong script has been marked and/or attributed to you, and the possibility that the mark has incorrectly been capped at 40%. That gives you sufficient grounds to challenge the mark within the parameters of the Academic Appeals Procedure. Good luck.

A mark appeal is an appeal against a board of examiners decision.

Until a board of examiners decision exists (which is at ratification) you can't appeal a board of examiners decision. It doesn't exist to appeal against.

Will the board of examiners actually look at my script and possibly change the result or will they just sign everything off?

I feel like I have been screwed over right at the end of my degree.

What can I do in the following situation:

I view my exam script in September during the viewing session and I see I have been awarded zero marks on a question, despite me repeating the content almost abverbatim from the lecture notes. This will be the case, as I did indeed memorise a lot of content for the exam and studied extensively. Can I challenge the marking by pointing out how my answers correlate to the lecture notes?

In the end, I may average 68-70% for the taught component which is enough for a distinction if I get 70% in the dissertation, but I can't be awarded a distinction if I have this compensated fail in my results. This is so unfair and I know the result isn't right before I even view my script.

Sorry I missed the reply. You really need to talk to the SU advisor as they will know the rules much better specific to your uni.

I dont know the grounds, but am sure there would be some way of challenging or seeking justification as to whether any academic consideration had been given at all for them to come up with a zero if you had recited what they had taught in the lecture.

Once you exhaust their complaints system then you can decide to take it to the OIA ask them about when they view something as an academic judgement and if it can prove to be to be so unreasonable that it can be challenged. I wouldnt give up and would see ut through, specially considering all your other work.

Do you think I will be able to take a picture of my exam script on my phone to use as evidence against the lecture notes?

This is exhausting. I honestly can't think of beginning the dissertation right now with all of this going on. I don't know if this is typical of postgrad but this has been a bad experience.

If they are letting you view the script, then cant you ask for a copy?

Have you thought about hiring a law student to assist and give you a second pair of eyes. The situation seems involved and really needs someone who is familiar with appeals procedures and can review the rules and evidence. See if the OIA are any help.

I'll ask them if I can photocopy it or take a picture when the time comes. I don't want to stir the pot too much though, so to speak and I feel like they have lost patience with me. The staff in the school of physics and astronomy are very strict, curt and it is all about the reputation of the school (in the registration session it was all about Manchester's world ranking etc). I have been told by the head of course that the academic assessment is "robust". Period. Maybe the external examiner will step in. Meh.

Thanks for the help!