Appeals – Form A (Re-Reads) and Form B (Formal Inquiry)
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TIMELINES
Forms (A or B) must be submitted to the appropriate Office. Timelines are directly related to the Session in which the work was originally assessed. Forms must be submitted no later than:
July 31 immediately following the Fall/Winter Session
November 15 immediately following the Spring/Summer Session
PRELIMINARY INQUIRY
Students are expected to initiate a preliminary inquiry by going directly to the appropriate instructor, officer or University authority whose decision/action is being questioned. If the preliminary inquiry has not resolved the matter in a timely fashion, proceed to filing the Form (A or B).
The timelines for submitting Forms A or B must be adhered to.
Form C: Appeal to the Senate Board for Student Appeals
Certain appeals are directed to a hearing at the outset:
- Academic Integrity Policy decision of a Faculty Adjudicator;
- Form B Formal Inquiry decisions;
- Code of Student Rights & Responsibilities – certain decisions of the Dean of Students.
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FORM A: RE-READ/RE-ASSESSMENT
WHAT IS A FORM A RE-READ/RE-ASSESSMENT?
A Re-Read is when a student questions their grade or the assessment of their performance on a piece of work or a program component and alleges error in the academic assessment of their work on the part of an instructor or a committee. In order to qualify for a re-read the piece of work or program component must be worth 10% or more of the final course grade. The results of a Form A are final and cannot be appealed.
EXCLUDED FROM THESE PROCEDURES:
Master’s theses, doctoral theses, Ph.D. comprehensive examinations, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE), and supervisory committee reports.
ADJUDICATION PROCESS:
The results shall be considered in accordance with procedures approved by the appropriate Faculty (Faculty of Humanities procedure).
In the absence of an established Faculty policy, the following shall apply: A grade change of three (3) points or greater (UP OR DOWN) on the McMaster twelve-point grading scale. For example UP: B to A, but not B to A- DOWN: B to C, but not B to C+
Submission Process
Undergraduate Students
- Review the relevant section in the Student Appeal Procedures.
- Download the Form A Re-Read/Re-Assessment form.
- Complete the Form A and save it to your computer.
- THE FEE FOR A RE-READ IS $50. Pay the $50 fee via online banking to your McMaster student account. Your account will be charged accordingly.
- Submit an ‘Appeal a Grade’ Service Request in Mosaic and provide your online banking confirmation number in the comments.
- Attach the completed form to your Service Request.
- Your Faculty Office will follow up with you to let you know about the results of the re-read.
- If your grade is successfully increased, the $50 fee is refunded to your student account.
Graduate Students
- Review the relevant section in the Student Appeal Procedures.
- Download the Form A Re-Read/Re-Assessment form.
- Complete the Form A and save it to your computer.
- THE FEE FOR A RE-READ IS $50. Pay the $50 fee via online banking to your McMaster student account. Your account will be charged accordingly.
- Submit the completed Form A and payment receipt to the SGS Admin email.
- The School of Graduate Studies will follow up with you to let you know about the results of the re-read.
- If your grade is successfully increased, the $50 fee is refunded to your student account.
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FORM B: FORMAL INQUIRY
WHAT IS A FORM B: FORMAL INQUIRY?
There are two types of Formal Inquiry: – Academic Process, and Non-Academic Process
ACADEMIC PROCESS: A student questions his/her grade or the assessment of his/her performance on a piece of work or in a course, or his/her academic standing or status in a program, and alleges error or injustice on grounds other than the academic assessment of his/her work, such as:
- the method of evaluation was not fair and reasonable in the circumstances; or
- the instructor was biased against the student; or
- the instructor deviated substantially from the course outline in contravention of applicable University policies; or
- the application of University regulations governing program or degree requirements was not fair, just, or reasonable.
NON-ACADEMIC: A student questions as unfair, unjust or unreasonable, a decision or action of a University authority or official, which has negative material consequences for their University life, and which is unrelated to courses, or to program or degree requirements.
ADJUDICATION PROCESS: The matter will be investigated as per the Student Appeal Procedures and the Associate/Assistant Dean shall make a decision and respond in writing with reasons. This response is normally provided within three weeks of receiving the formal inquiry.
SUBMISSION PROCESS: The Form B must be submitted to the appropriate Office. PLEASE SEE THE LIST OF OFFICES BELOW.
- Graduate Students submit to the School of Graduate Studies.
- Continuing Education submit to MCE.
- Undergraduate Students submit to the Faculty/Program that is responsible for the decision being questioned.
- For students in degree programs not offered by a Faculty (e.g. the Arts and Science Program), the Program Director is equivalent to the Associate Dean of a Faculty.
Some offices may accept forms electronically (e.g. via a secure upload link). If you wish to submit your Form B electronically you must contact the appropriate Office to ask if that is an option.
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Graduate Students
McMaster University Continuing Education (MCE) Students
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Undergraduate Students
Arts & Science Program
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Social Sciences
Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)