If you fail your dissertation or assignment, you will be required to resubmit the manuscript; however, the grades will be capped. In case of an exam failure, most institutions in the United Kingdom offer a resit opportunity. Remember repeated failure may lead to repeating the academic year or course termination.
There’s no need to worry if you fail your dissertation, because you have a chance of resubmission, though the grade may be capped at the minimum passing mark. But you can still make it to the submission line and move towards career-building opportunities.
Each year, several hundred university students end up failing their dissertation, coursework, exam, or assignment. Receipt of a failing mark can be the most devastating experience for students in the UK.
What to Do If You Fail Your Dissertation?
Gear up for the grind and start working on the dissertation/thesis manuscript again by keeping in mind the objections you received in the first submission. You can also use the legal forums to appeal against the dissertation failure if you think you have been treated unfairly, and get the marks amended to reach the passing line.
However, the experts at ResearchProspect recommend preparing yourself for resubmission and re-sitting in the dissertation module.
Why Students Fail in Dissertations or Coursework?
- Poor time management
- Lack of understanding of the topic
- Plagiarised content
- Academic misconduct
- Not meeting the marking criteria
- Poorly structured manuscript
- Arguments devoid of supporting references
- Personal issues and mental disorders
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Proven Tips to Avoid Dissertation Failure
If you want to avoid failure before it happens, you must take some preemptive actions, as mentioned below, before the problems become too large.
1. Meet Your Mentor Regularly
If you are struggling with your dissertation, coursework, or assignment, then discuss your problems with your academic supervisor. Meet with them regularly and get their expert opinions on literature review writing, and so on, to meet all the success factors.
2. State the Academic Hurdles or Problems Clearly
Don’t wait for your problems to become unsolvable. A small issue can escalate into a major crisis if left unaddressed for too long. That’s why you should clearly state your problems to your mentor and get solutions to avoid missing deadlines.
3. Submit the Extenuation Form
Most universities recognise that students may encounter unforeseen challenges due to financial difficulties, family issues, personal limitations, or prolonged illnesses. Therefore, it is possible to minimise the damage by filing for extenuating circumstances. Submit the extenuation form and avoid failure.
How to Tackle Failed Dissertations?
Even if you end up receiving a failing mark, you will have several options to choose from to clean the mess. However, before making any decisions, you must determine whether you have failed the entire module, just an element of a module or the dissertation.
Resubmit Dissertation
If you have forgotten your dissertation, you will be allowed to resubmit it by the deadline agreed upon by you and the university.
However, the marks awarded for a resubmitted dissertation are usually capped at a minimum passing mark as a penalty for your failure in the first place.
A complete dissertation failure in UK universities will only occur if you cannot achieve the minimum passing mark, even on your second attempt.
To improve your situation, you should regularly meet with your supervisor and avoid overlooking mandatory draft submissions.
Re-Sit in a Module
You will be required to either re-sit an exam or re-submit the coursework (in some cases) if you have failed an entire module.
Each module for which you take the exam usually has a unique set of module guidelines associated with it. How you will be reassessed is decided by the board of examiners and the lecturers only after considering these guidelines.
Again, the maximum obtainable mark is usually capped at a bare pass level if you are re-siting an exam or resubmitting coursework.
What If You Fail an Element of the Module?
If you only failed one piece of an exam or coursework and managed to achieve high marks for other modules, you may not need to resubmit that element.
The bottom line is that if your average coursework mark is above the bare minimum passing mark, you will pass that module even if you failed one piece of it.
For example, receive a failing mark of 35 in one essay coursework that counts for 25% of the overall module mark, but pass the remaining 75% module assessment (which can be in the form of an exam or coursework). You can still give the entire module.
However, depending on your university’s regulations, you may have the opportunity to resubmit the failed coursework to improve your overall course grade.
How a Failed Dissertation Can Ruin Your Career?
All UK universities have strict rules and penalties against students who are caught plagiarising. If you receive a failing mark due to plagiarism, you may not be able to resubmit your dissertation/coursework or re-sit an exam.
So, make sure to cite others’ ideas and avoid copying work from other academic sources to prevent your case from being sent to the University Ethics Board, which usually has the power to take a range of measures against you.
In most cases, you will not be able to appeal the decision being taken if you are found guilty of plagiarism. So, refrain from it and protect your academic integrity.
Interesting watch: Check out a student’s account of how and why their dissertation went awful (UK institution).
Can You Appeal Against a Failed Dissertation or Exam?
If you believe that you have been disadvantaged in some way, or your university did not consider your financial or family problems while awarding you a failing mark. You may have the grounds to appeal against the mark awarded to you.
All UK universities have their own set of rules for lodging student academic appeals. Generally, this is a very lengthy procedure. Make sure that you provide documentary evidence along with the appropriate forms to justify your appeal.
The university exam board will review your case, and you will be allowed to resubmit your work or resit the exam if your application is successful.
Detailed information on appealing procedures is usually available on the university’s website and provided to students before starting their degree.
Can Appealing Against Failing Marks Help Students?
While no student ever wants to fail an exam, coursework, assignment or dissertation, the unthinkable sometimes can happen. But it would help if you did not get discouraged by the disastrous situation, because most universities offer another chance to students who have genuine reasons.
Winning Dissertation Presentations
Don’t let all the paranoia get to you. If you don’t want your dissertation to fail, make sure to take steps to prevent that from happening.
Alternatively, checking out some real-life instances of students defending their dissertation research might help, too:
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) 2011 Winner – Matthew Thompson
2014 Three Minute Thesis winning presentation by Emily Johnston
Oxford University’s graduates’ advice for an award-nominated, A-grade dissertation
Furthermore, you can also check out real-life students’ advice about writing a winning dissertation, advice they wish someone had given them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Failing a dissertation means not meeting required standards. It may lead to retaking or resubmitting. Understand feedback, identify weaknesses, and seek support to improve and succeed next time.
If you fail to pass your master’s dissertation while being enrolled in any university in the United Kingdom. Then, you will be required to resubmit the manuscript after addressing the objections or even write a new manuscript from scratch according to the submission guidelines.
In case your dissertation gets rejected at a UK university, you will be given detailed feedback to improve the study and a chance for resubmission. If you again fail to pass, then you might get a postgraduate diploma or certificate instead of the full degree.
Yes, after failing the dissertation twice, even after the resubmission chance. You can still get graduates with a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate, which is of less academic value than a full degree.
