Clearing Up Confusion on Appeals

In reviewing a record number of appeals earlier this year, it was evident to the Examination Committee that there is still a misunderstanding about the role of the appeal process. Here are the basic concepts:

1. All papers close to the pass mark have been graded multiple times. The appeals process cannot be used to have your paper re-graded.
2. After the sample solutions and the Examiners’ Report have been posted, if you have an alternative answer that is responsive to the question, then you may submit it as an appeal. You must provide specific details on why the alternative solution is correct. The appeal would be reviewed with one of the following outcomes:
   • The submission is not an alternative solution and it will not be considered by the committee. (This allows the committee reviewers to devote their time to evaluating and researching valid appeals.)
   • It has the potential to be an alternative solution and will be considered by the committee. The appeal will be “double blinded,” i.e., neither the name nor the candidate number will be used, so the committee would not be able to look at the candidate’s paper—it would only consider the alternative solution as it is presented in the appeal.
3. The appeals that are considered by the committee will be sent to the Part Chair and the graders of the question. The proposed alternative will be researched.
4. After the research has been reviewed, the officers will make one of the following determinations:
   • The candidate did not propose an alternative answer that was fundamentally different from the sample answer that was released. Therefore, this appeal would not result in any re-grading of candidate papers.
   • Although it was not among the published sample solutions, this alternative answer was evaluated and accepted during the grading process. It was, therefore, part of the original grading rubric. This appeal would not result in a change to the grading rubric or the scoring of this question.
   • The alternative answer that was submitted had been evaluated during the grading process but was not accepted. Upon review, it was determined that the original judgment applied during the grading process was appropriate and the appeal would be denied.
   • The proposed alternative solution is a reasonable alternative approach and was accepted during the appeals review. The grading rubric would be changed to include the alternative answer and candidate papers would be re-graded.
5. Even if your alternative solution is accepted, it does not mean that your actual response would gain enough points to have your grade changed. (Conversely, since other papers would be re-graded, it sometimes happens that a person who did not submit an appeal could have his or her score changed enough to have his or her grade changed to a Pass.)