Dear PhD students,

I'm a former university lecturer (PhD 2006 Imperial College) and now a barrister who specialises in PhD appeals.

Here are some free resources that might assist in your appeal. Please note, however, that nothing can replace the case-specific advice of a qualified professional.

1. How to appeal if you fail your PhD (the Guardian, 2nd March 2017; https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/02/how-to-appeal-if-you-fail-your-phd[url])
8 steps to improve the chances of a successful PhD appeal

2. How to represent yourself at an academic appeal hearing (Student Wire, 19th March 2015; [url]https://studentwire.co.uk/how-to-represent-yourself-at-an-academic-appeal-hearing/)

3. Tips for student advisers on appeal hearings (6th November 2017)
(http://www.academicappeals.co.uk/tips/)

4. Contract cheating and essay mills: how much proof do you need? (Times Higher, 13th November 2017; https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/contract-cheating-and-essay-mills-how-much-proof-do-you-need)
Useful material on standard of proof.

5. 4-minute video giving tips on university appeals (https://youtu.be/Mz9PrqkJFA4)

6. UK Quality Code for Higher Education, chapter B11 (Research Degrees)
This can be a helpful document in some PhD appeals, in particular to stress the importance of following assessment procedures rigorously.

7. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (http://www.oiahe.org.uk/) contains summaries of past cases that could be used to persuasive effect in PhD appeals.

Good luck!

Daniel Sokol, Founder, Alpha Academic Appeals

Classy.