Hi,
I am a master student in Applied Linguistics. I am here asking for some suggestions.

I just got my dissertation result, but it was not assessed by my supervisor, but the uni handbook says 'the supervisor is the first marker'. He left the uni before the dissertation was finished. I appealed several days ago, but the case was denied by my department and telling me the handbook was just supplementary not formal documentations. Do you think I need to ask a higher level to evaluate this issues? Or it is really common not to have supervisor as the marker? Thanks for your suggestions in advance!

Best,
G

I think that probably varies between unis and departments. Obviously here it can't be binding.

I don't think the uni are at fault for getting someone else to mark your dissertation. If it has been double marked to a marking scheme then the result *should* be fairly consistent. What is of more concern is that your supervisor left before the dissertation was complete. Were you given alternative supervision after that? How close to the deadline did that occur and did your supervisor maintain contact even though he was no longer at the uni?

What was your result as you don't make that clear?

Did you fail or did you not get the grade you were looking for (i.e. merit or distinction)?

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

HazyJane raised some important questions here. Additionally, was the dissertation second-marked? If it was and the marks, as HazyJane further remarks, were fairly consistent, then that should be fine. I think, Masters' dissertation should be double-marked, and an agreed mark reached by the two markers (either 2 internals; or 1 internal and 1 external) before the external programme examiner validates the grades, and the students' grade officially made public.