Help topics:

• Tips
• If no results are found for a search
• Examples
  • Best use of keywords in Qualification or Unit Standard Title
  • Search for Unit Standards
  • Search for Qualifications
  • Another search for Qualifications
  • A similar search for Qualifications, this time looking at their accreditations
• Saving a report as a document

• Leave most of the blocks (search criteria) blank. Only fill in the blocks that will help you in your search.
• Each drop-down list has a blank row at the top.
• Never type the full Qualification Title or Unit Standard Title for which you are searching. Rather type a word or a phrase from the title. (See Examples).
• If you display your results as a Table, this Table can be copied into a table in any other application (e.g. a spreadsheet).
• Ensure that you choose the correct search screen (i.e. Search for a Qualification vs. Search for a Unit Standard).

If no results are found for a search:

The display will show what was searched for, and will suggest that you check the spelling of whatever you typed, that you try different keywords, and that you make different selections from the drop-down menus.

Click on Refine search in order to amend your criteria. (See Examples for some suggestions.)

If no amount of amending produces a result, this means that there are, as yet, truly no items (qualifications or unit standards) registered on the National Qualifications Framework that satisfy your search, or that the items that would satisfy your search were registered but have expired, or - in the case of as search involving accredited providers - there are no current accreditations that satisfy your search.

Examples:

Best use of keywords in Qualification or Unit Standard Title

• If you type mining operations in the Qualification Title block, the National Certificate: Mining Operations: Underground Coal will be found. But if you type National Certificate in Mining Operations: Underground Coal, it won't.
  
  For best results, type mining operations and choose National Certificate from the drop-down list in the Qualification Type block.

• Sometimes it is best to type a portion of a word. For example, manag will ensure that you find all Qualification / Unit Standard Titles containing both the words management and managing.
  Note, however, that you cannot do this in the middle of a phrase - only at the end. Thus, for example, do not type "manag of financial" - in this case, you would have to type management of financial or manag%financial. (The % sign is known as the "wildcard".)

Search for Unit Standards

1. To find all registered unit standards at NQF Level 2 with the word "mining" in the Unit Standard Title:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Type mining in the Unit Standard Title block, and choose NQF Level 2 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block.
   Click on the "go" button.
   
   
2. To find all registered unit standards at NQF Level 2 that have anything to do with mining:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Choose NQF Level 2 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block, and SGB Mining and Minerals from the drop-down list in the SGB block.
   Click on the "go" button.

The second method finds far more unit standards than the first.

Search for Qualifications

1. To find all registered qualifications at NQF Level 2 with the word "mining" in the Qualification Title:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Type mining in the Qualification Title block, and choose NQF Level 2 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block.
   Click on the "go" button.
   
   
2. To find all registered qualifications at NQF Level 2 with that have anything to do with mining:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Choose NQF Level 2 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block, and SGB Mining and Minerals from the drop-down list in the SGB block.
   Click on the "go" button.

The second method finds far more qualifications than the first.

Another search for Qualifications

1. To find all registered qualifications at NQF Level 7 from UNISA:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Choose NQF Level 7 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block, and University of South Africa from the drop-down list in the Registering Provider block.
   Click on the "go" button.
   
   
2. To refine the latter search, finding only the registered qualifications at NQF Level 7 from UNISA that have the word "science" in the Qualification Title:
   
   Click on Refine Search. This will take you back to the page that contains your latest search criteria, and these will still be present.
   Keep the existing search criteria as they are. In addition, type science in the Qualification Title Block.
   Click on the "go" button.

A similar search for Qualifications, this time looking at their accreditations:

1. To find the accreditations for all registered qualifications at NQF Level 7 that UNISA is accredited to offer:
   
   Start with all blocks blank.
   Choose NQF Level 7 from the drop-down list in the NQF Level block, and University of South Africa from the drop-down list in the Accredited Provider block.
   Click on the "go" button.
   
   
2. To refine the latter search, finding only the registered qualifications at NQF Level 7 that UNISA is accredited to offer and that have the word "science" in the Qualification Title:
   
   Click on Refine Search. This will take you back to the page that contains your latest search criteria, and these will still be present.
   Keep the existing search criteria as they are. In addition, type science in the Qualification Title Block.
   Click on the "go" button.

Saving a report as a document

The easiest way to save a report of a qualification or unit standard (obtained via the searchable database) as a document is to use Acrobat Writer or a similar package.