When preparing your case for an Academic Appeal, it is absolutely essential that you adhere to the official procedures of your educational institution, submitting all of the necessary information in a correct and timely manner. Your arguments must be set out with clarity and concision and the evidence you submit must be pertinent and, ideally, irrefutable. Sadly, in cases of Academic Appeal, knowing that you are in the right is not actually good enough - you do have to be able to prove it.
What kind of evidence is required?
Obviously, every case is different. Generally speaking, however, there are similarities between most different kinds of cases. The same kinds of evidence are generally required for the same kinds of case.
The acceptability of your evidence depends on the grounds on which you are appealing. Here we have compiled a few key examples of evidence you should hope to be able to provide for each type of appeal:
Evidence of extenuating circumstances
- a letter from your GP or hospital
- a letter from a solicitor
- a death certificate
- a medical certificate
- a letter from a court or from the police
If you have a letter from your GP, make sure it describes in as much detail as possible how in the doctor's opinion, your illness could have had a serious effect on your academic performance.
Evidence of an administrative or procedural error
There are a great many administrative errors that can occur in any educational establishment and when this is the case, you should attempt to provide the following evidence:
- witness statements
- any relevant digital information, including photographs and film
- details of serious disturbances, e.g. construction work (including dates, times and location)
- acknowledgement slips that prove that coursework was submitted
- any erroneous or poorly worded assignment instructions or information
- screenshots from learning resources online
- relevant emails and text messages
Evidence of prejudice or bias or a lack of appropriate assessment
It can be difficult to source concrete proof for cases of this nature, but you must endeavour to do so as speculation is not sufficient. Include anything that supports your claim and casts doubt on the impartiality of your tutors or examiners, e.g. comments made during lectures or favouritism shown towards other students. Evidence might include:
- witness statements
- any relevant digital information, including photographs and film
- any relevant emails and text messages
- comments published by an examiner or tutor that show bias, favouritism or even incompetence.
These might include anything published online, on social media accounts and comment sections, as well as official publications to which they may have contributed.
If you require any assistance in gathering evidence or deciding what is relevant and what is not, call Match Solicitors today and ask to speak to one of our specialist education solicitors who have many years' experience helping students launch successful Academic Appeals.
