The Student Room Group
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes
Visit website

Open University and Pending results

has anybody ever had a pending result and can tell me what happened. I have just received a pending result today and i am so worried.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I have a pending result also. I’m concerned I’ve failed. But then I think they wouldn’t take 6 weeks to tell me that so maybe it’s because I’m close to a boundary. I don’t want to resit 😭.
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes
Visit website
I also had a pending result and am still waiting, messaged my tutor and she said that they may be waiting for more information before deciding on a final mark. I'm pretty sure that if I scrape through with a pass - it will be a tight one. I've done well in previous years but I've been under a lot of stress since Christmas so I'm hoping that it's just a case of them checking other assignments and markings.
Reply 3
I also have a pending result for my final module. Which means I am waiting for my degree classification and everyone else has theirs! My tma marks were really high on this module so there shouldn't be any discrepancies about being close to the grade boundary, unless my ema was really low.I had pending on a module last year and it took about 6 weeks to get a result. I'm furious. It feels so disappointing to not be able to celebrate getting your degree when yoh was expecting too.
Reply 4
I have also received a pending result for one of my modules but not sure why. I've been panicking too because I've already enrolled for my final year and applied for student finance.
Reply 5
Pending results occur because they had insufficient information to determine your grade. Hence there are a large variety of reasons which could cause a pending result.

Possible reasons could include technical issues with the exam script that was submitted (they struggle to open it at their end), special circumstances which needs to be investigated further (more complex cases), academic conduct issues (plagiarism in the remote exam/EMA/TMAs) etc.

The time it will take to get a grade will vary depending on the reason. A technical issue could be resolved quickly. Whereas an academic conduct investigation can take time. Also staff could have some annual leave over the summer so that could potentially delay things further.
Reply 6
You’d be informed of an academic conduct investigation ! A student in another pending thread was informed he/she was being checked for plagiarism within a few days of receiving the pending result. I’ve been told one of the main reasons is a grade boundary. It takes so long because the panel has to come together again in some way. They look through previous work done by the student. When they come to a consensus and a result is decided it then has to be given the go ahead by the external examiner. That means being sent to the external examiner again and it needing to be returned. This obviously takes time and it’s not like the people involved are working 24/7.
Reply 7
Original post by Madis0n
You’d be informed of an academic conduct investigation ! A student in another pending thread was informed he/she was being checked for plagiarism within a few days of receiving the pending result. I’ve been told one of the main reasons is a grade boundary. It takes so long because the panel has to come together again in some way. They look through previous work done by the student. When they come to a consensus and a result is decided it then has to be given the go ahead by the external examiner. That means being sent to the external examiner again and it needing to be returned. This obviously takes time and it’s not like the people involved are working 24/7.


A grade boundary is not the main reason. The MRP already has all the information required (ie exam scripts and TMAs etc). They already consider people on the borderline of grade boundaries at the award board meeting and make the decision prior to results day.
(edited 2 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by XXL3
A grade boundary is not the main reason. The MRP already has all the information required (ie exam scripts and TMAs etc). They already consider people on the borderline of grade boundaries at the award board meeting and make the decision prior to results day.

Well that’s not what I’ve been told. I’m curious where you’ve received your information from. Are you part of the process since you seem to know exactly how they operate? On the exam panel perhaps? Or are you a student who has received this years results who is attempting to worry those who have not.

There are many reasons a pending result can occur, being on a grade boundary is one of them. Just because they have access doesn’t mean they have gone through them and even then it may be checked by another. If it is due to what they think may be academic misconduct they would inform you an investigation was occurring not after having carried out an investigation. I’m sure you have to be interviewed also. The original marking time is ample enough to decide if an investigation is required. In the student handbook it even notes that a TMA score can contribute to a pending result. I heard of one student who they couldn’t make out his writing.

The only angle I can see of your posts in this thread is to try to cause concern and unnecessary worry for those without marks. You started out by saying how quickly a person would get their results if a file had been hard to open, insinuating the longer the wait the reason was more serious. If a pending is received it means that the panel is not done with it and this is due to a variety of reasons. Then it needs to be checked by the external examiner and these things do take time.

For students who are waiting I’ve spoken to people who had their results a week later and some 5 1/2 weeks later. All was ok. Good luck for when they come in x
Reply 9
Original post by Madis0n
Well that’s not what I’ve been told. I’m curious where you’ve received your information from. Are you part of the process since you seem to know exactly how they operate? On the exam panel perhaps? Or are you a student who has received this years results who is attempting to worry those who have not.

There are many reasons a pending result can occur, being on a grade boundary is one of them. Just because they have access doesn’t mean they have gone through them and even then it may be checked by another. If it is due to what they think may be academic misconduct they would inform you an investigation was occurring not after having carried out an investigation. I’m sure you have to be interviewed also. The original marking time is ample enough to decide if an investigation is required. In the student handbook it even notes that a TMA score can contribute to a pending result. I heard of one student who they couldn’t make out his writing.

The only angle I can see of your posts in this thread is to try to cause concern and unnecessary worry for those without marks. You started out by saying how quickly a person would get their results if a file had been hard to open, insinuating the longer the wait the reason was more serious. If a pending is received it means that the panel is not done with it and this is due to a variety of reasons. Then it needs to be checked by the external examiner and these things do take time.

For students who are waiting I’ve spoken to people who had their results a week later and some 5 1/2 weeks later. All was ok. Good luck for when they come in x

Mine really couldn't be a grade boundary issue. I have five tmas marked at 84, 85, 95, 95 and 98. So there really shouldn't be much confusion about boundaries unless my ema was 40 (which seems unlikely). They haven't contacted me with a reason such as plagerism. They refuse to discuss it with you. Its infuriating. I am due to begin a postgraduate course next week that I can't start without my final degree classification but they ou don't care about that. Just keep telling me to wait 6 weeks :mad: rant over :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Wigwoo
Mine really couldn't be a grade boundary issue. I have five tmas marked at 84, 85, 95, 95 and 98. So there really shouldn't be much confusion about boundaries unless my ema was 40 (which seems unlikely). They haven't contacted me with a reason such as plagerism. They refuse to discuss it with you. Its infuriating. I am due to begin a postgraduate course next week that I can't start without my final degree classification but they ou don't care about that. Just keep telling me to wait 6 weeks :mad: rant over :smile:


Only 2 weeks left to go now. I was recently told (don’t know if it’s true) that the panel who marks is your actual module team and when a pending happens it’s the chair who communicates with the external for the mark. I honestly just think after doing the first round of marking it’s just more of a hassle tying up loose ends so to speak.
Reply 11
Original post by Madis0n
Only 2 weeks left to go now. I was recently told (don’t know if it’s true) that the panel who marks is your actual module team and when a pending happens it’s the chair who communicates with the external for the mark. I honestly just think after doing the first round of marking it’s just more of a hassle tying up loose ends so to speak.

Hi
I have been waiting 4 weeks to for my final module results. I did have to have a regrade over one reference which I rephrased badly. I was told won't be long now until I get my module results. Still waiting that was 2 weeks ago. I'm guessing when they say 6 weeks they mean it.
Reply 12
Original post by ib407
Hi
I have been waiting 4 weeks to for my final module results. I did have to have a regrade over one reference which I rephrased badly. I was told won't be long now until I get my module results. Still waiting that was 2 weeks ago. I'm guessing when they say 6 weeks they mean it.

I think next Tuesday is when I’ll start an internal countdown 😂
Me too I was waiting for almost 5 weeks this has stopped me moving on with my work. i hope I will pass this module
Reply 14
Original post by Anonymous
Me too I was waiting for almost 5 weeks this has stopped me moving on with my work. i hope I will pass this module

I’m sure we will all do fine. I think we would have received a fail with/without resit if we hadn’t passed. Countdown starts today. I’ve a feeling they will come Thursday or Friday.
Reply 15
Original post by Madis0n
I’m sure we will all do fine. I think we would have received a fail with/without resit if we hadn’t passed. Countdown starts today. I’ve a feeling they will come Thursday or Friday.

Hi, yes same. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!
Reply 16
Original post by ib407
Hi, yes same. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!

Yes, you too. :smile:
Original post by Madis0n
I’m sure we will all do fine. I think we would have received a fail with/without resit if we hadn’t passed. Countdown starts today. I’ve a feeling they will come Thursday or Friday.


Hi I will let your know as soon as i get results
Reply 18
I received my module result today after 5 1/2 weeks of waiting. It was the result I wanted thankfully. They awarded me a grade higher as I was borderine. Just waiting for the course result now. Really happy with the outcome.
Reply 19
Congratulations 🥳. Great to hear someone’s had them back. I suppose they will trickle out; still waiting on mine but now feel better knowing someone’s had theirs.

Quick Reply