Petition for Review of the COMP5003 Data and Information Systems Final Examination
On 16 June 2026, students enrolled in COMP5003 Data and Information Systems at Adelaide University sat a final examination that many students believe did not provide a fair and reasonable opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the course material.

We want to be clear from the outset: this petition is not directed at the teaching staff, tutors, or lecturers. Throughout the semester, the teaching team was supportive, approachable, and committed to student learning. Our concerns relate specifically to the design, structure, and administration of the final examination.

Key Concerns
1. Examination Structure and Insufficient Time Allocation
The examination consisted of approximately 23 questions, including a 4–5 page case study, theory questions, and a handwritten SQL/database design section requiring students to manually construct six database tables. All of this was expected to be completed within a 120-minute timeframe. But in our assignment 1, on which this exam was based, we were given a time span of 2 weeks and had teammates to help us with it. How is that fair?

A significant proportion of students found the examination impossible to complete within the allocated time. The theory component alone consumed approximately 90 minutes for many students, leaving only around 30 minutes for the SQL section.

Students were required to interpret a lengthy scenario, understand the requirements, and produce detailed database designs under extreme time pressure. Even students who were well-prepared reported being unable to complete the assessment, not due to a lack of understanding, but because the volume and structure of the examination exceeded what could reasonably be achieved within the available time.

2. Excessive Complexity and Misalignment with Course Delivery
Throughout the semester, concepts were introduced progressively through lectures, tutorials, practical exercises, and assessments. However, the final examination presented highly complex and interconnected questions with limited opportunity for students to demonstrate foundational understanding.

Many students felt that the complexity and difficulty of the examination differed significantly from the level of difficulty experienced throughout the semester. The assessment felt disconnected from the progression of learning that students had followed during the course.

3. Case Study Design Created Unnecessary Barriers
A large portion of the examination relied on a 4–5 page hospital-based case study containing specialised medical and domain-specific terminology that was unrelated to the core learning outcomes of the course.

Students were required to repeatedly switch between the case study and separate question pages during a handwritten examination. This introduced additional cognitive load and made the assessment heavily dependent on interpreting unfamiliar terminology rather than demonstrating database design and information systems knowledge.

This created additional challenges, particularly for international students and students without prior exposure to healthcare-related terminology.

4. Late Communication of the Final Examination Hurdle
The requirement to achieve a passing mark in the final examination was communicated only 6 days before the exam.

A hurdle requirement is a significant academic condition that directly impacts how students prepare, allocate their study time, and manage their academic workload. Students should be provided with clear information about such requirements from the beginning of the course to allow adequate preparation.

The late communication of this requirement created uncertainty and raised concerns about whether students were given sufficient notice of a condition that could directly affect their final course outcome.

What We Are Requesting
We respectfully ask Adelaide University and the course administration to:

Review the structure, timing, and difficulty level of the COMP5003 final examination.
Investigate whether the examination provided a fair opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Review the communication and implementation of the final examination hurdle requirement.
Consider appropriate remedies if issues are identified with the assessment design or administration.
This petition is not about lowering academic standards. It is about ensuring that assessments accurately measure student learning, align with course expectations, and provide students with a fair and transparent opportunity to demonstrate their understanding.

If you sat this examination and share these concerns, please sign and share this petition. A strong collective response will help ensure student feedback is heard and appropriately considered.