Cymraeg
How to Write Your Appeal
The Appeals Procedure is your opportunity to challenge the decision made by the Examining Board. It is essential that you clearly explain how you have an arguable case under one or more of the permitted grounds. If you do not show how your case fits under one of the three grounds above, your appeal will be rejected.
Arithmetical error or other error of fact
This ground is usually easy to explain, e.g. your assessment marks added up to a total of 55% but your module mark states 50%, or your feedback states that you did not include graphs when you did. You cannot ask for your paper to be re-marked but you can explain that you are concerned that the marks may not have been added up correctly. Be careful not to sound like you are challenging academic judgment or your appeal may be rejected.
Irregularity in the conduct of the assessment
You must explain:
- what the irregularity was in the conduct of the assessment and/or in the written instructions or advice relating to the assessment you are appealing; and
- how it had an adverse effect on the outcome of the assessment; and
- if known to the Examining Board, why their decision was unreasonable. If you do not know whether the Examining Board was aware of the irregularity or not, you can say this in your appeal and still explain why their decision would have been unreasonable if they did.
Extenuating Circumstances
For appeals on this ground you will need to address two points:
1. The first section asks you to outline your extenuating circumstances and how they have impacted you in the assessments you are appealing. This means you need to
- Explain your circumstances and explain how they meet the University’s definition of being severe and exceptional and unavoidable or unforeseen; and
- Explain the chronology of your circumstances and include any key dates. If the circumstances were not close in time to the assessments you are appealing, you must explain how the circumstances continued to have an impact on your academic performance; and
- Spell out exactly how the circumstances affected your ability to study and perform at your usual level. Did you lose time? Were you unable to concentrate or retain information? It is risky to leave it to the reader of your appeal to infer the impact of your circumstances when they have no previous knowledge of you or your case.
2. The next section asks if you reported your circumstances on an Extenuating Circumstances Form to the Examining Board by the School deadline.
- If yes, you must then explain whether the circumstances were accepted or rejected. If accepted, you must explain why the subsequent action taken by the Examining Board was unreasonable. If rejected, you must explain why the decision to reject was unreasonable.
- If no, you must provide good reason why you could not have reported your circumstances on time. From our experience, this is where most appeals fail: If the reason you give is not deemed good enough, your appeal will be rejected and your circumstances will not be considered. It is really important to think about what you write here and how you explain your reason. The University is not asking why you ‘did not’ report but why you ‘could not’.
Make sure when you are writing your appeal that it is clear and easy to read and that you stick to the relevant points. Structure it so that each point is in a separate paragraph and link to the relevant evidence. It is up to you to explain how you have an arguable case under one or more of the permitted grounds. Don’t risk your points being lost in emotion or amongst too much irrelevant detail.
Tips for Writing Your Appeal
The majority of academic appeals are unfortunately not successful. Common mistakes include:
• Failure to address key points;
• Failure to identify sound arguments;
• Insufficient evidence;
• Irrelevant evidence;
• Proliferation of weak arguments;
• Poor writing skills;
• Wrong tone (e.g. aggressive or accusatory);
• Appeal statement is too short;
• Appeal statement is too long, and;
• Appeal statement lacks structure.
We would encourage you to read the attached ‘Writing a Winning Student Appeal’ handout written by experts in academic appeals.
Other External Guidance
The OIA has a range of case studies available if you would like to look for similar cases to yours and cite them as precedent in your argument (you do not have to do this):
https://www.oiahe.org.uk/resources-and-publications/case-summaries/
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jan/08/advice-for-students-students
https://www.glasgowstudent.net/advice/academic/appeals/tips-for-writing-an-appeal-letter/
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/letter/letter-appealing-a-degree-or-module-result
Contact Student Advice
Advice@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 (0)2920 781410
Sut i Ysgrifennu’ch Apêl
Y Weithdrefn Apeliadau yw eich cyfle chi i herio'r penderfyniad a wnaed gan y Bwrdd Arholi. Mae'n hanfodol eich bod yn esbonio'n glir sut y mae modd dadlau eich achos yn unol ag un neu fwy o'r seiliau a ganiateir. Os na fyddwch yn dangos sut mae'ch achos yn cyd-fynd o dan un o'r tair sail uchod, bydd eich apêl yn cael ei gwrthod.
Gwall rhifyddol neu ffeithiol arall
Mae'r sail hon fel arfer yn hawdd i'w hegluro, e.e. mae eich marciau asesu yn creu cyfanswm o 55% ond mae marc eich modiwl yn nodi 50%, neu mae eich adborth yn nodi na wnaethoch gynnwys graffiau pan wnaethoch chi wneud hynny. Ni allwch ofyn i'ch papur gael ei ail-farcio ond gallwch egluro eich bod yn pryderu nad yw'r marciau wedi'u hadio yn gywir. Byddwch yn ofalus i beidio â swnio fel eich bod yn herio barn academaidd neu efallai y bydd eich apêl yn cael ei gwrthod.
Anghysondeb yn y modd y cynhaliwyd yr asesiad
- beth oedd yr anghysondeb wrth gynnal yr asesiad a/neu yn y cyfarwyddiadau ysgrifenedig neu'r cyngor sy'n ymwneud â'r asesiad yr ydych yn apelio; a
- sut y cafodd effaith andwyol ar ganlyniad yr asesiad; ac
- os yw'n hysbys i'r Bwrdd Arholi, pam fod eu penderfyniad yn afresymol. Os nad ydych yn gwybod a oedd y Bwrdd Arholi yn ymwybodol o'r anghysondeb ai peidio, gallwch ddweud hyn yn eich apêl a dal i egluro pam y byddai eu penderfyniad wedi bod yn afresymol pe bai wedi gwneud hynny.
Amgylchiadau Esgusodol
Ar gyfer apeliadau ar y sail hon bydd angen i chi egluro dau bwynt:
1. Mae'r adran gyntaf yn gofyn i chi amlinellu eich amgylchiadau esgusodol a sut maent wedi effeithio arnoch yn yr asesiadau rydych yn apelio. Mae hyn yn golygu bod angen i chi:
- Esbonio eich amgylchiadau ac egluro sut maent yn bodloni diffiniad y Brifysgol o fod yn ddifrifol ac yn eithriadol ac yn anochel neu'n annisgwyl; ac
- Esbonio cronoleg eich amgylchiadau a chynnwys unrhyw ddyddiadau allweddol. Os nad oedd yr amgylchiadau'n agos at yr asesiadau yr ydych yn apelio, rhaid i chi egluro sut roedd yr amgylchiadau'n parhau i gael effaith ar eich perfformiad academaidd; a
- Nodwch sut yn union yr effeithiodd yr amgylchiadau ar eich gallu i astudio a pherfformio ar eich lefel arferol. Wnaethoch chi golli amser? Oeddech chi'n methu canolbwyntio na chadw gwybodaeth? Mae'n beryglus rhoi ffeithiau amwys am eich amgylchiadau pan nad oes gan ddarllenydd eich apêl unrhyw wybodaeth flaenorol amdanoch chi na'ch achos.
2. A wnaethoch lenwi Ffurflen Amgylchiadau Esgusodol a’i chyflwyno i’r Bwrdd Arholi erbyn dyddiad cau’r Ysgol?
- Os ydych, rhaid i chi wedyn egluro a gafodd yr amgylchiadau eu derbyn neu eu gwrthod. Os cewch eich derbyn, rhaid i chi egluro pam roedd y camau dilynol a gymerwyd gan y Bwrdd Arholi yn afresymol. Os cewch eich gwrthod, rhaid i chi egluro pam fod y penderfyniad i wrthod yn afresymol.
- Os na, rhaid i chi roi rheswm da pam na allech fod wedi rhoi gwybod am eich amgylchiadau mewn pryd. O'n profiad ni, dyma’r pwynt lle mae'r rhan fwyaf o apeliadau'n methu: Os nad yw'r rheswm a roddwch yn cael ei ystyried yn ddigon da, bydd eich apêl yn cael ei gwrthod ac ni fydd eich amgylchiadau'n cael eu hystyried. Mae'n bwysig iawn meddwl am yr hyn rydych chi'n ei ysgrifennu yma a sut rydych chi'n esbonio'ch rheswm. Nid yw'r Brifysgol yn gofyn pam ‘na wnaethoch’ adrodd ond pam ‘na allech’ wneud hynny.
Gwnewch yn siŵr pan fyddwch yn ysgrifennu eich apêl ei bod yn glir ac yn hawdd ei darllen a'ch bod yn cadw at y pwyntiau perthnasol. Strwythurwch eich apêl fel bod pob pwynt mewn paragraff ar wahân ac yn cysylltu â'r dystiolaeth berthnasol. Eich cyfrifoldeb chi yw esbonio bod gennych achos credadwy yn unol ag un neu fwy o’r seiliau perthnasol. Peidiwch â gadael i emosiwn drechu’ch pwyntiau neu gynnwys gormod o wybodaeth amherthnasol.
Awgrymiadau ar gyfer Ysgrifennu'ch Apêl
Yn anffodus, nid yw'r rhan fwyaf o apeliadau academaidd yn llwyddiannus. Mae camgymeriadau cyffredin yn cynnwys:
• Methu ag egluro pwyntiau allweddol;
• Methu â nodi dadleuon cadarn;
• Tystiolaeth annigonol;
• Tystiolaeth amherthnasol;
• Dadleuon gwan aml;
• Sgiliau ysgrifennu gwael;
• Tôn anghywir (e.e. ymosodol neu gyhuddgar);
• Mae'r datganiad apêl yn rhy fyr;
• Mae'r datganiad apêl yn rhy hir, ac;
• Nid oes strwythur i'r datganiad apêl.
Byddem yn eich annog i ddarllen y daflen 'Ysgrifennu Apêl Myfyriwr Buddugol' sydd wedi'i hysgrifennu gan arbenigwyr mewn apeliadau academaidd.
Canllawiau Allanol Eraill