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

Conduct research 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
117434  Conduct research 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Criminology and Criminal Justice 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security Safety in Society 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 7  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7  15 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Registered" 		 2004-12-02  2007-12-02  SAQA 1057/04 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-12-02   2011-12-02  

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 
The rationale for this unit standard is embedded in the role of research in any given field. Research is crucial in South Africa in terms of being able to contribute to improving society as a whole by empirical enquiry, validation and confirmation of knowledge. Understanding the implications of research-related activities are important factors when attaining the outcomes of this unit standard. Learners mostly apply competence in their area of practice within the field, or within a research career, and learning towards this unit standard allows learners to explore education and career opportunities.

This unit standard is designed to deliver research competence and the purpose of this unit standard is to enable learners to conduct fundamental and applied research, including
  • Planning descriptive, quantitative and qualitative research projects in a responsible manner
  • Maintaining professional and ethical working relationships with fellow researchers and participants
  • Conducting quantitative and qualitative value-free research with integrity
  • Providing reliable, valid and credible findings.

    Learners become aware of the importance of reflecting and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively, as they identify various sources of information, access such sources and use the information appropriately. They learn to participate as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities, by contributing to the development of knowledge, and by conducting themselves in an ethical and professional manner. By gathering information through research, they learn the importance of being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts. Finally, by attaining the outcomes consulting skills are developed that allow learners to develop entrepreneurial opportunities within the field. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Communication and language competencies should be in place before an attempt is made to attain the outcomes of this unit standard. Learners should already be able to engage in sustained oral communication and evaluate spoken texts; read, analyse and respond to a variety of texts; write for a wide range of contexts. 

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
  • The learner should demonstrate competence relating to a wide range of research methods, such as fundamental, descriptive and historical research, pure and applied quantitative research, comparative research and qualitative research
  • Research variables include dependent, independent, moderating, intervening and extraneous variables
  • Hypotheses/research questions can be directional or non directional
  • The research plan should include the planned design, research objectives, participant selection, measurement, information collection procedure, and analytical methods
  • Research methodology includes amongst others experimental (more than two groups), non-experimental, quasi-experimental research methodology, multiple methods or triangulation
  • Information sources include primary and secondary sources
  • Quantitative descriptive statistics include, amongst others, average, frequency, range, variance, and correlation statistics
  • Quantitative inferential statistics include tests such as t-tests and analysis of variance
  • Qualitative research techniques include techniques such as biography, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and case studies

    Range statements
  • The learner should demonstrate competence relating to a wide range of research methods, such as fundamental, descriptive and historical research, pure and applied quantitative research, comparative research and qualitative research
  • Research variables include dependent, independent, moderating, intervening and extraneous variables
  • Hypotheses/research questions can be directional or non directional
  • The research plan should include the planned design, research objectives, participant selection, measurement, information collection procedure, and analytical methods
  • Research methodology includes amongst others experimental (more than two groups), non-experimental, quasi-experimental research methodology, multiple methods or triangulation
  • Information sources include primary and secondary sources
  • Quantitative descriptive statistics include, amongst others, average, frequency, range, variance, and correlation statistics
  • Quantitative inferential statistics include tests such as t-tests and analysis of variance
  • Qualitative research techniques include techniques such as biography, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and case studies 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Plan research. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The specified research area is clearly and unambiguously delineated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The specified research problem is accurately described and defined using operational definitions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The specific research question/problem to be examined is formulated clearly and conceptualised accurately. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Research variables are accurately identified. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Where applicable, clear hypotheses that are measurable, parsimonious and logical developed, and arguments that support the hypotheses are provided. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The research plan/design and methods are feasible and meet ethical requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants are Maintained. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Gather information for research. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Reliable descriptive, quantitative and qualitative information/data gathering methods are identified and used. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Accurate criteria for selecting information sources are developed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Information sources identified are appropriate to the research question/problem. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants are maintained. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Information is gathered that is accurate and appropriate to the question/problem being investigated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Process information for research. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Research information is accurately recorded. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Quantitative research data is captured and coded correctly. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Descriptive, inferential and quantitative statistics are accurately computed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Qualitative research data is accurately recorded and analysed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Research data is correctly described, analysed and interpreted. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants are maintained. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programmes that result in the outcomes specified for the qualification. The CHE is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners in order to meet the requirements of this unit standard. Those assessing the outcomes of this unit standard should be qualified assessors, registered with the CHE for assessment of the qualification. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Qualifying learners should understand and explain:
  • The development and importance of theoretical/philosophical research approaches and their application to social science research
  • The development of traditional and post-modern perspectives
  • The framework provided by South African law and the Constitution
  • Researcher responsibilities towards society, individuals, field workers, research respondents and fellow researchers
  • Rights of research groups, in particular vulnerable groups.
  • Ethical factors, ethics and ethical principles in research
  • Different types, concepts, principles, techniques and certain prevention/reduction measures
  • Purposes and types of research
  • Research methodology
  • Different methods of measurement
  • Sources of information
  • Types of research variables
  • Operational definitions
  • Hypotheses development and testing
  • Reliability and validity, and factors impacting on these
  • Report writing 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made by setting clear hypotheses/research questions (where applicable) that are measurable, parsimonious, logical, and arguments that support the hypotheses/research questions are developed. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a team member, group, organisation, or community by maintaining professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage activities responsibly and effectively by developing a research plan/design that is feasible and meets ethical requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information that is accurate, and appropriate to the problem being investigated; information is accurately recorded, coded and captured. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical, and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation by setting clear hypotheses/research questions, where applicable, that are measurable, parsimonious, logical and arguments that support the hypotheses/research questions are developed; information is gathered that is accurate and appropriate to the question being investigated; descriptive techniques and statistics are accurately computed. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others by maintaining professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants; descriptive techniques and statistics are accurately recorded/computed and analysed; inferential statistics are accurately recorded/computed and analysed. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation by planning research that sets out the importance of the research problem and by accurately defining/describing the research problem; using operational definitions and accurately identified variables; setting a clear hypotheses, where applicable, that is measurable, parsimonious, logical, and simple with an argument that supports the hypothesis; developing a research plan/design that is feasible and meets ethical requirements; maintaining professional and ethical working relationships with colleagues and participants. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Credits

    Total hours required by the learner to achieve the required outcomes:

    Activity Hours

    Classroom learning 50
    On-the-job learning 30
    Self directed learning 30
    Coaching required 40
    Other -
    Total 150
    Total credits 15 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  57977   National Certificate: Forensic Biology  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 
    Core  59257   Bachelor of Nursing  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 
    Fundamental  63689   Bachelor of Arts: Geographical Information Science  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-06-30   
    Fundamental  58579   National Diploma: Air Traffic Control  Level 6  NQF Level 06  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  TETA 
    Fundamental  63711   Bachelor of Geographical Information Science (GISc)  Level 7  NQF Level 07  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-06-30   
    Fundamental  58012   National Certificate: Disaster Risk Management  Level 7  NQF Level 07  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2018-12-31  CHE 
    Elective  58008   National Diploma: Aircraft Piloting  Level 6  NQF Level 06  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2016-12-31  TETA 


    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.