my primary research question/hypothesis:
TRANSCRIPT
Res
earc
h S
teps
Ski
lls
Nee
ded
Dea
dlin
es
Month Month Month Month Month Month Month Month Month
Sup
port
Sup
port
Month Month Month
www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskillsMy primary research question/hypothesis:
Refer to the research phases, typical research steps, typical skills needed and support offered on the flip side of this planner to inform your project management structure. If you know that you are going to need to refine or change your mapping occasionally, use small sticky notes to be able to reposition due dates or skills training dates easily.
Res
earc
h S
teps
Ski
lls
Nee
ded
Dea
dlin
es
Month Month Month Month Month Month Month Month Month
Sup
port
Sup
port
Month Month Month
This hard copy style of planner may not be for you, you need to work out what type of ‘tool’ will get you through. Other viable options are drawing up a Gantt chart to plot your project via a bar chart, or using electronic tools such as free web-based Gantt generators like http://www.tomsplanner.com. If you’re not keen on a Gantt chart you could plan your project on a regular calendar, or on an e-version calendar such as Microsoft Outlook’s calendar or Mac’s iCalendar.
HOW TO USE THIS PLANNER
This planner lists everything that needs to happen for you to complete your research degree. In the sample calendar provided, all the steps, actions and deadlines have been squeezed into one year, but this is not realistic and is merely an example. Follow the steps below to draw up your own customised plan on the planner, spreading the steps out over as many years as you plan on using to complete your degree. Discuss your draft plan with your supervisor. There might be steps unique to your field. If you make the changes suggested by your supervisor and do everything listed in your customised planner, with much hard work and focus, you should be able to complete your research degree on time.
Step 1
Step 2
The first row provides examples of typical deadlines in a research degree. Speak toyour department or supervisor to ascertain which ones are relevant to your project and what the deadlines are. Record these dates in the top row of your empty planner. This forms the backbone of your plan.
The second row lists the typical steps it takes to create a passing thesis/disserta-tion. Tick off the steps you have completed. Arrange the remaining steps in the second row of your own planner, working backwards from your deadlines estab-lished in Step 1. The times and order given here are only illustrative and many steps will in fact overlap. Ask your supervisor for input and adapt to fit your timeframe.
The third row indicates the minimum skills required for completing a postgradu-ate degree. You probably already have many of these skills, in which case, tick them off! Mark the ones you still want to develop and by when, and put them in the third row of your empty planner.
The fourth row is your plan to develop the skills identified in Step 3. Consultthe Research Support to Utilise section on this page to identify relevant workshops and expertise. Contact the service provider to ascertain dates, and add these to your planner.
Step 4
Step 3
INTRODUCTION
My research map from start
to finish
Postgraduate Skills Stellenbosch University
@PGSkillsStell [email protected]
www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills
Skills NeededResearch Steps
Dur
ing
this
phas
e, y
ou s
houl
d cr
eate
a p
roje
ct p
lan
with
the
hel
p of
you
r su
perv
isor.
Asc
erta
in k
ey d
eadl
ines
, res
earc
h st
eps,
as w
ell a
s th
e su
ppor
t an
d re
sour
ces
you
will
nee
d. B
uild
you
r re
sear
ch r
epor
t as
you
go
alon
g; d
o no
t lea
ve w
ritin
g to
the
end.
PH
AS
E O
NE
Deadlines
Mon
th
2M
onth
3
Con
tinue
det
aile
d se
cond
ary
rese
arch
Plan
you
r re
sear
ch
proj
ect
Con
tinue
det
aile
d se
cond
ary
rese
arch
Dec
ide
roug
h st
ruct
ure
of t
hesi
s/di
sser
tatio
nW
rite
Cha
pter
1
(Bac
kgro
und
info
and
re
sear
ch p
robl
em)
Con
tact
sup
ervi
sor
– di
scus
s ex
pect
atio
ns a
nd
sign
an
agre
emen
t/M
oUA
scer
tain
sub
mis
sion
de
adlin
es fo
r pr
opos
al,
for
ethi
cal a
ppro
val (
if re
quir
ed)
and
for
thes
is/d
isse
rtat
ion
Con
tact
facu
lty
libra
rian
Show
dra
ft p
roje
ct
plan
to
supe
rvis
or
How
to:
Cho
ose
a re
sear
ch t
opic
Cho
ose
a su
perv
isor
Impr
ove
liter
atur
e se
arch
st
rate
gyFi
nd a
nd u
se r
elev
ant
data
base
sU
se M
ende
ley
Form
ulat
e a
rese
arch
qu
estio
n or
hyp
othe
sis
Und
erst
and:
The
res
earc
h pr
oces
s
How
to:
Proj
ect
man
age
your
res
earc
hIm
prov
e lit
erat
ure
sear
ch s
trat
egy
Find
and
use
re
leva
nt d
atab
ases
Use
Men
dele
y
Und
erst
and:
The
str
uctu
re o
f the
th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
n/
prop
osal
How
to:
Wri
te s
cien
tific
ally
/in a
sc
hola
rly
or a
cade
mic
w
ayW
rite
a p
ropo
sal
Und
erst
and:
The
logi
c of
the
th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
n/
prop
osal
Mon
th
1
Dec
ide
on a
top
icD
o pr
elim
inar
y re
sear
chId
entif
y a
rese
arch
pr
oble
mFi
nalis
e hy
poth
esis
or
rese
arch
que
stio
nSt
art
deta
iled
seco
ndar
y re
sear
ch
Thi
s ph
ase
of t
he p
roje
ct c
an b
e da
untin
g. A
s th
e pr
ojec
t un
fold
s, yo
u m
ay h
ave
to u
pdat
e yo
ur p
lans
and
rev
iew
you
r ex
pect
atio
ns.
Wha
teve
r ha
ppen
s, ke
ep
your
sup
ervi
sor
info
rmed
. Rem
embe
r yo
ur w
ork-
life
bala
nce,
and
you
r re
ason
s fo
r em
bark
ing
on a
res
earc
h de
gree
.
PH
AS
E T
WO
Mon
th
5M
onth
6
Dev
elop
res
earc
h de
sign
Wri
te C
hapt
er 3
(R
esea
rch
desi
gn)
Star
t da
ta c
olle
ctio
n on
ce e
thic
s ap
prov
al is
gr
ante
d*U
pdat
e m
etho
ds
chap
ter
Subm
it to
Eth
ics
Com
mitt
eeH
and
in p
ropo
sal
How
to:
Org
anis
e yo
ur
info
rmat
ion
Cre
ate
a te
mpl
ate
for
your
the
sis/
diss
erta
tion
in
wor
d pr
oces
sing
sof
twar
e (e
.g. M
SWor
d)
Und
erst
and:
Ethi
cal c
onsi
dera
tions
The
pro
cedu
re fo
r ge
ttin
g et
hics
app
rova
l
How
to:
Cho
ose
appr
opri
ate
rese
arch
met
hods
for
your
res
earc
h qu
estio
nC
hoos
e ap
prop
riat
e re
sear
ch in
stru
men
ts
How
to:
Col
lect
dat
a fo
r ea
sy
stat
istic
al a
naly
sis
Use
rel
evan
t re
sear
ch
met
hods
/inst
rum
ents
Man
age
the
supe
rvis
ory
rela
tions
hip
Mon
th 4
Con
tinue
det
aile
d se
cond
ary
rese
arch
Org
anis
e se
cond
ary
rese
arch
not
es
Wri
te C
hapt
er 2
(L
itera
ture
rev
iew
)D
evel
op r
esea
rch
desi
gn
Thi
s ph
ase
is
abou
t co
nsol
idat
ing
your
re
sults
an
d w
ritin
g yo
ur
rese
arch
rep
ort.
You
will
nee
d to
sta
y ve
ry fo
cuse
d on
ans
wer
ing
the
rese
arch
que
stio
n. K
now
whe
n to
sto
p: y
our
post
grad
uate
res
earc
h is
on
ly a
beg
inni
ng a
nd n
ot y
our
life’
s w
ork.
FINA
L CO
UNTD
OWN
PH
AS
E T
HR
EE
Mon
th
8M
onth
9
Fina
lise
chap
ter
stru
ctur
esW
rite
bod
y ch
apte
rsW
rite
con
clus
ion
Fina
lise
intr
oduc
tion
Dea
l with
abs
trac
ts,
appe
ndic
esU
pdat
e bi
blio
grap
hyM
ark
your
ow
n th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
nEd
it fin
al d
raft
Subm
it fin
al d
raft
to
supe
rvis
or
How
to:
Col
lect
dat
a fo
r ea
sy
stat
istic
al a
naly
sis
Cap
ture
dat
a us
ing
soft
war
e (e
.g. E
xcel
)A
naly
se d
ata
How
to:
Ref
ine
your
aca
dem
ic
wri
ting
Stru
ctur
e a
thes
is/d
isse
rtat
ion
How
to:
Edit
your
th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
nM
ark
your
ow
n th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
n
Mon
th
7
Col
lect
dat
a*U
pdat
e m
etho
ds
chap
ter
Con
tinue
lite
ratu
re
revi
ew
Dec
ide
if yo
u w
ant
to c
arry
on
with
a f
urth
er d
egre
e, g
et w
ork
expe
rien
ce in
indu
stry
or
star
t a
care
er in
aca
dem
ia.
Car
eful
ly c
onsi
der
the
timin
g, co
sts
and
bene
fits
of e
ach
optio
n. C
eleb
rate
you
r ac
hiev
e-m
ent
once
you
hav
e pa
ssed
you
r de
gree
!
YOUR
FUT
URE
PH
AS
E F
OU
R
Mon
th 1
1M
onth
12
Iden
tify
care
er g
oals
Cre
ate
a C
VEs
tabl
ish:
• You
r m
otiv
atio
n fo
r do
ing
a Ph
D• T
he v
alue
it w
ill h
ave
for
your
car
eer
• The
tim
e it
(rea
lly) t
akes
• Tim
e pe
r w
eek
you
need
to s
et a
side
• All
cost
s in
volv
ed a
nd
sour
ces
of fu
ndin
g
Com
pare
you
r ex
pect
atio
ns w
ith
real
ity b
y ta
lkin
g to
:•
Pote
ntia
l sup
ervi
sors
fr
om r
esea
rch
field
s yo
u ar
e in
tere
sted
in
• You
r fa
mily
, fri
ends
an
d em
ploy
er. W
ill
they
sup
port
you
? H
ow?
• The
Pos
tgra
duat
e O
ffice
Subm
it th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
n fo
r ex
amin
atio
nC
eleb
rate
you
r ac
hiev
emen
t!
Load
the
sis/
diss
erta
tion
onto
Sun
Scho
lar,
have
it
prin
ted
(opt
iona
l)A
pply
for
PhD
/job
How
to:
Find
an
edito
rH
ow t
o:D
ecid
e w
heth
er t
o do
a P
hDId
entif
y ca
reer
goa
lsC
reat
e a
CV
Con
duct
a jo
b in
terv
iew
How
to:
Find
fund
ing
for
your
re
sear
ch
*Not
e: da
ta c
olle
ctio
n, lik
e m
any
of
the
step
s lis
ted,
will
mos
t lik
ely
take
lo
nger
than
indi
cate
d he
re.
Mon
th 1
0
Inco
rpor
ate
supe
rvis
or’s
com
men
ts
Subm
it th
esis
/dis
sert
atio
n fo
r ed
iting
*Not
e: et
hics
app
rova
l can
take
up
to tw
o m
onth
s or
mor
e!
The
tim
esp
ans
allo
cate
d ar
e pu
rely
ill
ustr
ativ
e an
d st
eps
are
gene
ric.
C
usto
mis
e w
ith t
he
guid
ance
of y
our
supe
rvis
or.
Sam
ple
STAR
TING
OUT
MID
-TER
M G
OALS
This planner is brought to you by the Postgraduate Skills Development team in the Postgraduate Office (PGO). It has been designed to help you create a customized project plan for your research degree.
A project plan will turn a seemingly daunting task into a series of attainable steps. Since one can easily drift aimlessly, planning will give you the drive and momentum to complete your research degree on time.
While it is inevitable that you encounter some surprises along the way, planning reduces the chances of things going wrong and minimises the damage when they do.
A project plan, used in conjunction with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), provides a useful structure for discussions between you and your supervisor.
Whether you work in a highly structured research team or mostly on your own, you remain responsible for finishing your thesis/dissertation on time. The goal is to become an independent scholar, able to design and manage your own research programme. We hope this planner will assist you on your journey in obtaining this goal.
The Postgraduate Skills Development Team
OTHER USEFUL PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS
The printing of this research planner was originally co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union
YOUR SUPERVISOR
Although there are many services at SU to help you complete your research degree on time, your supervisor remains the main guide and authority on your postgraduate journey.
Tip 1: Incorporate the discussion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) into your first few discussions with your supervisor (if not initiated by your supervisor). The MoU will give structure to your project management – it will form an outline covering when and how you hope to achieve your target and clarify certain expectations in the process. If your department does not have an MoU, see an example of an MoU that can be tailored to your context on www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills.
Tip 2: Use the information provided in this planner to inform your discus-sions with your supervisor. Your supervisor will welcome you showing the initiative. Although, even in a structured research environment you should manage your own effort and contribution, it is still both wise and respectful to get your supervisor’s input. Most of the skills and steps discussed in this planner are generic, for discipline-specific skills and steps, your supervisor will guide and advise you.
An interactive resource with guides and tips from the beginning stages of considering a research degree, all the way through to writing up (Available on our Postgraduate Skills Development website). Use this toolkit in conjunction with this planner.
The Postgraduate Research
Degree Toolkit
RESEARCH SUPPORT TO UTILISE
South African contextualized research-related resources designed to support postgraduates and their
supervisors. Visit this valuable open access site to enrich your research journey:
www.postgradenvironments.com
EPE
When plotting your activities on your planner, it is important to investigate what is available to you and then to incorporate the supports relevant to you into your project plan, like:
Postgraduate Skills DevelopmentWorkshops
Our Postgraduate Skills Development Programme hosts a number of workshops free to SU postgraduates! Sign up via our
website: *www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills.
For students who cannot be on campus, see the online courses available on the SUNLearn e-learning platform
(learn.sun.ac.za). Search and self-enrol for the Post Skills Dev-2019 Postgraduate Skills Development module.
Postgraduate Times
Newsletter
Sign up for our monthly Skills Development newsletter for news about events and opportunities for postgraduates (via www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills)
Library and Information Training
Research Methodology
Support
Our Skills Development Programme offers a generic 3-day Creating your thesis or dissertation workshop that covers research methodology. Faculties offer specialised courses on methodology - find out from your supervisor or departmental research administrator what your faculty offers. In addition, SU has a number of accredited short courses.
See: www.shortcourses.sun.ac.za and the African Doctoral Academy: www.sun.ac.za/ada
Writing Workshops and Consultations
The Writing Lab
Various workshops and consultations throughout the year to improve your scientific writing skills. Free writing consultations
to SU students to discuss their written work. Skype sessions can be arranged for students who are off-campus. See:
http://www0.sun.ac.za/languagecentre.
Editing Support
Editors check layout, language and references. Professional editing is expensive, so rather wait until your final draft has been approved by your supervisor. Follow your department’s guidelines on editing. Book your editor long in advance and leave at least two weeks before submission for the editor to do a good job. See www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills for more on how to find editors.
Information Technology Online Survey SupportIf required, consult: http://infoteg.sun.ac.za/advsup/surveys.htm.
Statistical SupportIf required, make an appointment with a qualified statistician at the
Centre for Statistical Consultation (CSC): https://www.sun.ac.za/
english/research-innovation/csc, during the planning phase, not only when it is time to do data analysis.
CentralAnalytical
FacilitiesComplex scientific analytical multi-user research equipment http://www.sun.ac.za/english/faculty/science/CAF
African lnstitute for atlas.ti
Rigorous qualitative research
analysis support www.sun.ac.za/
english/entities/ada/aia
Enhancing Postgraduate Environments (EPE)website
A high-level research environment, exclusively for Master’s, doctoral students and researchers is in
the main Library (Stellenbosch)
Library Research Commons
Your faculty librarian is one of the most important resources at your disposal. Search for your librarian here: http://library.sun.ac.za.
Essential free training to support your research. Visit: http://library.sun.ac.za for training dates, or contact your faculty
librarian for individual training.