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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Formulate research plans 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
115082  Formulate research plans 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Translation, Interpreting and Language Editing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 7  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7  20 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard requires learners to be able to develop research plans and proposals that effectively address formulated research questions. Credited learners can scope a particular field or area within a field to develop a new research problem and then develop research plans to answer such questions.

Credited learners are capable of:
  • Scoping a research field or areas within a field of enquiry.
  • Identifying research focus that can contribute to an existing body of knowledge.
  • Constructing methodological approaches and identifying theoretical frameworks to address research questions.
  • Proposing research plans that are feasible within specific fields. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credits and level assigned to this unit standard is based on the assumption that learners have already attained the following competencies:
  • Collect, analyse, organise and communicate information.
  • Communicate effectively using language skills in the mode of written presentation in two languages.
  • Situate text in terms of culture.
  • Translate pragmatic text.
  • Collect and organise information resources for pragmatic text translation. (Range: Networking, storing information, annotation of text, etc.)
  • Organise and manage quality of own translation and translation activities responsibly and effectively ensuring quality of own and other translations. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    The typical scope of this unit standard is competence relating to the translation of technical text for specialised readership, rather than general readership, and pragmatic text.

    Fields/contexts include agriculture and nature conservation; culture and arts; business, commerce and management; communication studies and language; education, training and development; manufacturing, engineering and technology; human and social sciences; law, military science and security; health sciences and social services; physical, mathematical, computer and life sciences; services; physical planning and construction. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Scope a research field or areas within a field of enquiry. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Synthesis of literature is relevant. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Information identified is relevant to the research area. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Main researchers and streams in field of enquiry have been correctly identified. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Identify research focus that can contribute to an existing body of knowledge. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Identified aims are specific. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Definition of specialised research focus is clear. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Potential contribution to an existing body of knowledge is significant and original. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Focus of research is relevant to the translation community. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The rationale for research is clearly stated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Construct methodological approaches and theoretical frameworks to address research questions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Methodological approaches are explained and justified in terms of specific research focuses/areas. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Selection of methodological approaches is appropriate for specific research focuses/areas. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Construction of theoretical frameworks is clearly set out and justified. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Theoretical frameworks are appropriate for specific research focuses/areas. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Theoretical frameworks are sufficiently sophisticated to deal with the specialised research question. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Propose research plans that are feasible within specific fields. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Plans are formulated clearly in terms of style and format. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Plans reflect a good command of the material. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Plans comply with academic conventions in the relevant field. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Plans comply with ethical requirements. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programs that result in the outcomes specified for this unit standard.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA.
  • The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Credited learners understand and can explain:
  • Reviewing literature
  • Main researchers and streams in a field of enquiry
  • Research aim identification
  • Definition of specialised research focus
  • Contribution to an existing body of knowledge
  • Construction of methodological approaches
  • Theoretical frameworks
  • Academic conventions in the relevant field
  • Ethical requirements
  • Quality criteria 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identifying and solving problems where responses to problems show that such critical and creative thinking has been used to make responsible decisions regarding theoretical frameworks to ensure that they are sufficiently sophisticated to deal with specialised research questions. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively to meet ethical and academic convention requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information regarding theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicating effectively using language skills in the mode of written presentation of research plans. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrating an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognizing that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when identifying research focuses that can contribute to an existing body of knowledge in a significant and original way. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    N/A 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  48801   National Diploma: Specialised Translation  Level 7  Level N/A: Pre-2009 was L7  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-12-31  CHE 
    Elective  49316   National Certificate: Text Editing and Document Design  Level 7  NQF Level 07  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-12-31  CHE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.