Research Report
(NQF 8 – 45 Credits)
Course Outline and Guidelines
Learner Guide V21 1
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Research Report (Dissertation)
MODULE NAME:
PREPARED BY:
MODERATOR:
REVISION DATE:
RESEARCH REPORT (DISSERTATION)
NQF Level 8 – 45 credits
DR ANNETTE BOSHOFF
MR DANIE MALAN
February 2021
CONTENT
1.
2.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 4
AIM AND OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE ...................................................................... 4
2.1
GENERAL AIM ..........................................................................................................4
2.2
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES .........................................................................................4
3. MODULE CONTEXT ......................................................................................................... 5
4. RESOURCES REQUIRED ............................................................................................... 5
4.1
PRESCRIBED TEXT .................................................................................................5
4.2
OTHER RESOURCES ..............................................................................................6
4.3
NUMBER OF REFERENCES ...................................................................................6
5. MODULE DURATION ....................................................................................................... 6
6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT ........................................................................ 6
7. ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND CRITERIA .................................................................... 7
7.1
FINAL ASSESSMENT ...............................................................................................7
7.2
DULY PERFORMED REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................8
7.3
RESUBMISSION REQUIREMENT ...........................................................................8
7.4
WEIGHTING OF THE MARKS ..................................................................................8
7.5
NQF LEVEL EIGHT (8) SAQA LEVEL DESCRIPTORS ..........................................8
7.6
PRECONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF THE DISSERTATION ..........................9
7.7
FINAL DISSERTATION SUBMISSION ...................................................................10
8. FORMAT AND STYLE FOR PROPOSAL AND THE FINAL RESEARCH REPORT
(DISSERTATION)............................................................................................................ 10
8.1
NUMBER OF PAGES ..............................................................................................10
8.2
DOCUMENT LAYOUT .............................................................................................11
8.2.1 FONT, MARGINS, PAPER SIZE AND SPACING ..................................................12
a) Font style ................................................................................................................ 12
b) Paper size .............................................................................................................. 13
c) Margins................................................................................................................... 14
d) Line spacing ........................................................................................................... 14
e) Tips to prevent losing the work that you have typed ............................................. 16
8.2.2 FORMATTING THE PAGES OF THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS............................16
8.2.3 PAGE NUMBERING ................................................................................................17
a) Page numbering rules ............................................................................................ 17
b) Creating different page numbering formats in a document ................................... 17
8.2.4 CENTRE THE TEXT VERTICALLY ON THE FRONT PAGE .................................20
8.2.5 PAPER, FONT AND SPACING ...............................................................................21
8.2.6 SYSTEM FOR NUMBERING OF SECTIONS AND SUB-SECTIONS ...................22
a) Chapter headings ................................................................................................... 22
b) Section headings:................................................................................................... 22
c) Captions for figures and tables .............................................................................. 23
9. LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS......................................................................................... 24
10. CONTENT GUIDELINES ................................................................................................ 27
10.1 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL................................................................................27
10.1.1 DEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL ........................................................................28
10.1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSAL ...................................................................28
10.1.3 CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL......................................................................29
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10.1.3.1 TITLE OF THE PROJECT................................................................................31
10.1.3.2 CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION .......................................................................31
10.1.3.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................................31
a) What is a research problem? ................................................................................. 32
b) Considerations in selecting a research problem: .................................................. 32
c) How to formulate the research problem: ............................................................... 33
10.1.3.4 AIM OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................33
10.1.3.5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY ..........................................................................33
10.1.3.6 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................34
10.1.3.7 METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................34
a) Research Approach ............................................................................................... 36
b) Theoretical Grounding - Philosophical Foundation ............................................... 37
10.1.3.8 RESEARCH STRATEGY .................................................................................38
10.1.3.9 SAMPLE DESIGN ............................................................................................40
10.1.3.10
DATA COLLECTION AND DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES ...............41
10.1.3.11
DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES ..........................42
10.1.3.12
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .....................................................................42
10.1.3.13
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY....................................................................43
10.1.3.14
VALUE OF THE RESEARCH .......................................................................44
10.1.3.15
TIME SCHEDULE .........................................................................................44
10.1.3.16
BUDGET .......................................................................................................44
10.1.3.17
LAYOUT OF THE FINAL REPORT ..............................................................45
11. ORDER OF THE FINAL PROJECT FOR BINDING ....................................................... 45
12. BENCHMARKING ........................................................................................................... 46
13. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 46
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: How to see the word count of the document. .......................................................... 6
Figure 2: Setting to show ruler bars ...................................................................................... 11
Figure 3: Change font settings .............................................................................................. 12
Figure 4: Set the paper size as A4 ........................................................................................ 13
Figure 5: Setting the margins ................................................................................................ 14
Figure 6: Settings for indents and spacing............................................................................ 15
Figure 7: Using the Show/Hide button to check the formatting ............................................ 16
Figure 8: Inserting section breaks ......................................................................................... 17
Figure 9: Insert page numbers .............................................................................................. 18
Figure 10: Cancel Link to Previous setting in the footer ....................................................... 18
Figure 11: Format page numbers.......................................................................................... 19
Figure 12: Setting Page numbering style .............................................................................. 19
Figure 13: Setting Arabic page numbers .............................................................................. 20
Figure 14: Centre the text vertically on the front page.......................................................... 20
Figure 15: Settings for indents and spacing to be used in the proposal and report............. 21
Figure 16: The process of academic research (Boshoff 2007:48) ....................................... 30
Figure 17: The three branches of Greek Philosophy (Möller et al. 2003:17) ....................... 38
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Module Context ......................................................................................................... 5
Table 2: Summary of aspects to be considered in the methodology section. ...................... 35
Table 3: Time schedule of the research project.................................................................... 44
Table 4: Budget for the research project............................................................................... 45
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1. INTRODUCTION
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the research module, which is part of the curriculum of
the Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Operations and Quality Management. We
trust that you will find doing research interesting and stimulating. We shall do our best to
help you succeed in completing the dissertation. The success of a research module
depends on your commitment to work continually on the project and not trying to
complete the project only close to the final submission date.
It is essential that you read this dissertation guide carefully as it provides information
regarding the research process as well as the administrative requirements and processes.
2. AIM AND OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE
2.1
GENERAL AIM
The focus in this module is on the production of a dissertation that is acceptable in terms of
content, literacy merit and presentation at an Honours Degree level. It must represent an
adequate summary of the available knowledge on the topic and demonstrate familiarity
with one or more research techniques.
2.2
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES
Exit level outcome 1: Demonstrate the ability to plan a research project.
Competence is evident when the learner is able to:
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Conceptualise a research project.
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Compose a concise outline of the research topic.
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Compile a clear statement of the research problem.
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Compile a clear statement of the research objective(s).
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Provide an outline of the research methodology to be used.
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Identify the delimitations and limitations of the research.
Exit level outcome 2: Demonstrate the ability to conduct literature research
Competence is evident when the learner is able to:
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Identify the appropriate literature sources (e.g. books, journal and other articles,
previous research reports and the internet).
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Access the appropriate sources.
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Show discrimination in the use of the sources accessed.
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Present the outcomes of his/her research in an acceptable format.
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Utilise a recognised referencing system to acknowledge his/her sources.
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Exit level outcome 3: Demonstrate the ability to design a research strategy
Competence is evident when the learner is able to:
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Explain his/her choice of research population, unit and element.
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Explain and justify his/her sampling methodology.
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Explain the meaning of reliability, validity and bias as they apply to the research
project.
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Explain and justify the various methods of analysing the data collected
Exit level outcome 4: Demonstrate the ability to write an acceptable dissertation at
honours degree level.
Competence is evident when the learner is able to:
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Present the findings of the research in an acceptable form
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Make appropriate use of diagrams, charts and other aids.
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Present the findings of the research as a logical argument leading to defensible
conclusions.
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Provide evidence of conceptual thinking
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Provide evidence of critical thinking
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Provide evidence of synthesis of knowledge from a number of sources
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Make recommendations based on the findings of the research.
3. MODULE CONTEXT
The Research Report (Dissertation) is one of 6 modules to be completed in the NQF level 8
(120 credits) B.Com Honours Degree in Operations and Quality Management.
Table 1: Module Context
Strategic Management
(15 credits)
Marketing Management
(Elective)
(15 credits)
Advanced Operations
Management
(15 credits)
Organisational Behaviour
(Elective)
(15 credits)
Total Quality
Management
(15 credits)
Research
Methodology
(15 credits)
Research Report (Dissertation)
(45 credits)
4. RESOURCES REQUIRED
4.1
PRESCRIBED TEXT

Elkin, J., Ortega, M. & Williams, H. (undated) Referencing Handbook: Harvard. 2nd
Edition. Urbana-Champaign IL: University of Lincoln. Available from
https://www.google.co.za/#q=referencing+handbook+harvard+app [accessed 27 July
2016].
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
It is COMPULSORY that a minimum of two (2) journal articles are used as part of the
literature study. Ask your Librarian or Research Supervisor for the PMI access code to
the Sabinet online system that can serve as source to retrieve articles from.
4.2
OTHER RESOURCES

Bryman A, Bell E. et al. (2014). Research Methodology. Business and Management
Contexts. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
4.3
NUMBER OF REFERENCES
The adequate number of reference sources can be calculated as one (1) reference per
100 - 150 words in the Dissertation (excluding the introduction and conclusion). The
number of resources also depends on the subject field under study.
The word count can be obtained by selecting all of the text, while omitting the introduction
and conclusion parts. The count will be available at the bottom left part of your screen
(Figure 1).
Figure 1: How to see the word count of the document.
5. MODULE DURATION
The theoretical sessions must be offered over 12 hours. Additional research support must
be provided as per the individual needs of students. The responsibility lies with the student
to arrange sessions with the supervisor.
6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT


A student will only be supervised if registered for the research module. Ensure that
you have completed and submitted a modular registration form for the Dissertation.
The processes in postgraduate research studies remain the primary responsibility of
the student. This includes initiating contact with the supervisor, knowing and
understanding the administrative requirements and maintaining interest and
commitment.
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A postgraduate student is expected to be computer literate. One of the primary means
of communication with the supervisor is electronic, thus creating the need for Internet
access.
The student must submit a research proposal, which has been accepted by his industry
supervisor.
The student is responsible for requesting appointments with the supervisor for support
during the study to ensure adequate progress.
A student must ensure that sufficient progress is made to be allowed to continue with
postgraduate studies. A student must submit his/her work in progress every quarter
and that will serve as the basis for deciding whether the student has demonstrated
progress during the quarter. Refer to Par. 7.7 for final submission regulations.
The student must continue with other parts of the study while awaiting feedback after
submissions to ensure continuous progress of the study. You can continue with, for
example, writing the next section or chapter, correcting the report based on previous
feedback received, extending the literature review or ensuring the correct technical
aspects of the completed parts.
Every student must ensure that ethical regulations are not transgressed.
The student must arrange for a confidentiality agreement if needed by his/her
employer.
Conducting fieldwork for research is the main responsibility of the student, but all data
gathering instruments must be approved by the supervisor or the research committee
prior to the commencement of fieldwork.
The student must safeguard all the data collected during the research process as the
supervisor/research committee can request that the data be submitted during or at
the end of the research.
The student is responsible for the printing and binding of the examination copies
and/or the final essay/report. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.
NOTE: A formal contract between Supervisor and Student must be completed to ensure
that both parties abide by the obligations following such arrangement. Ask your supervisor
or the Administration office for a copy of the Memorandum of Agreement.
7. ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND CRITERIA
7.1
FINAL ASSESSMENT
The final summative assessment will consist of:
 the submission of a Dissertation and
 a 30 minute (including questioning time) oral defence of the research which will serve
as a Viva Voce.
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The Research Report (Dissertation) will be assessed by the Research Supervisor and
moderated according to the PMI Assessment and Moderation Policy. Results may not be
released to the students by the Research Supervisor or the Moderator.
The Research Supervisor and a Subject Matter Expert will assess the Viva Voce.
7.2
DULY PERFORMED REQUIREMENTS
The following sub-minima must be achieved by the learner:
Research Report (Dissertation) 75 %
Presentation (Viva Voce)
25 %
Students will be invited for the Viva Voce only once the minimum mark of 50% was
achieved for the Dissertation.
7.3
RESUBMISSION REQUIREMENT
The following must be achieved in order to qualify for a resubmission of the Research
Report (Dissertation):
Final Mark of 45 % - 49 %.
7.4
WEIGHTING OF THE MARKS
The weighting of the Research Report (Dissertation) and the Viva Voce is:
Research Report (Dissertation) 75 %
Presentation (Vica Voce)
25 %
Total mark
100 %
7.5
NQF LEVEL EIGHT (8) SAQA LEVEL DESCRIPTORS
This module is examined at NQF level 8 and the SAQA level descriptors (SAQA 2010)
indicated below will be considered when the Research Report (Dissertation) is assessed.
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Scope of knowledge, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate: knowledge
of and engagement in an area at the forefront of a field, discipline or practice; an
understanding of the theories, research methodologies, methods and techniques
relevant to the field, discipline or practice; and an understanding of how to apply such
knowledge in a particular context.
Knowledge literacy, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an ability to
interrogate multiple sources of knowledge in an area of specialisation and to evaluate
knowledge and processes of knowledge production.
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7.6
Method and procedure, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an
understanding of the complexities and uncertainties of selecting, applying or
transferring appropriate standard procedures, processes or techniques to unfamiliar
problems in a specialised field, discipline or practice.
Problem solving, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an ability to use
a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex or abstract
problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate
to a field, discipline or practice.
Ethics and professional practice, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate
an ability to identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the
suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
Accessing, processing and managing information, in respect of which a learner is able
to demonstrate an ability to critically review information gathering, synthesis of data,
evaluation and management processes in specialised contexts in order to develop
creative responses to problems and issues.
Producing and communicating information, in respect of which a learner is able to
demonstrate an ability to present and communicate academic, professional or
occupational ideas and texts effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative
insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to
the context.
Context and systems, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an ability to
operate effectively within a system, or manage a system based on an understanding of
the roles and relationships between elements within the system.
Management of learning, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an
ability to apply, in a self-critical manner, learning strategies which effectively address
his or her professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing
learning needs of others.
Accountability, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an ability to take
full responsibility for his or her work, decision-making and use of resources, and full
accountability for the decisions and actions of others where appropriate.
PRECONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF THE DISSERTATION
Students will be allowed to submit the final Dissertation only if there is evidence that:
 The Research Methodology module has been successfully completed.
 The research proposal was authorised and accepted by the industry supervisor/
manager of your organisation and the Declaration of Acceptance has been signed by
both the Academic Research Supervisor and the Industry Supervisor. Therefore, you
should follow the format provided as Addendum B regarding the signing off by your
manager or Industry Supervisor.
 Feedback was received from the Academic Research Supervisor on:
- at least one draft copy of the Dissertation after completing Chapters 1 to 3 and
- at least one draft copy of the completed project.
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It is the student’s responsibility to include a copy of the Academic Research Supervisor
Declaration (Addendum D) in the final submission and to ensure that the document was
signed by the Academic Research Supervisor.
7.7
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
FINAL DISSERTATION SUBMISSION
1 wire or plastic Ring-bind (plastic slide-bind also accepted) original with a transparent
front cover.
1 Staple-bind copy. This copy will be kept as a backup for unforeseen circumstances
which may result in the loss of the original. It is the student’s responsibility to keep a
backup copy should a resubmission be necessary.
The following declaration must be inserted as the first page after the front cover:
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY
I understand what plagiarism is and am aware of the policy of the Production
Management Institute of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd (PMI) in this regard.
I declare that this Dissertation is my own original work. Where other people’s work has
been used (either from a printed source, the Internet or any other source) it has been
properly acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental
requirements.
This work has not previously been submitted to PMI or any other institution for
assessment purposes.
I have not used work previously produced by another student or any other person to
hand in as my own.
I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of
passing it off as his or her own work.
Permission to conduct the study was granted by the organisation where the study was
conducted.
(Student must sign before submitting the essay)
SIGNATURE OF STUDENT
DATE:
8. FORMAT AND STYLE FOR PROPOSAL AND THE FINAL RESEARCH REPORT
(DISSERTATION)
8.1
NUMBER OF PAGES
It is not possible to indicate the number of pages that are needed. The reporting style used
in the different research approaches, the number of graphs, tables and graphics used to
represent the data and the amount of data that are represented usually determine the
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number of pages. The student must ensure that all the prescribed sections are included in
the final report. Quality, rather than quantity, is assessed.
8.2
DOCUMENT LAYOUT
It is important to follow all the formatting and layout guidelines, as you will lose marks
when errors occur. On this level of studies, it is believed that the student has medium level
competencies in MS Word and beginners level in MS Excel and MS PowerPoint.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to keep the different settings for your research report without
interfering with the settings of the other documents on your computer, closely follow the
instructions below.
In some instances, the instructions provided in this guide may seem to be tedious, as you
may know an easy way to, for example, go to a new page. There is always a good reason
for following the steps indicated in this document. It is not the purpose of this guide to
explain the reasons for the actions; that belongs in an end-user computing module.
LET’S GET STARTED…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Open a new empty document in MSWord. This will become the template for your
proposal and report.
Start by typing a few words (Research template) or random characters (xxxxxxx) on
the first line. This will ensure that some of the settings will be used by this document
only. If there is no text in the document, the settings will not work correctly.
Save the document with the name: Research Template
In order to ensure easy access to the different functions shown in this guide, start by
setting your computer to show the ruler bars on the screen (Figure 2). This needs to
be done only if your ruler bars are not currently showing.
 Click on view in the menu bar
 Ensure that Print Layout is selected as shown below
 Insert a tick in the box next to Ruler
 Once set, click on Home to return to the normal start-up screen.
Figure 2: Setting to show ruler bars
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8.2.1 FONT, MARGINS, PAPER SIZE AND SPACING
a)
Font style
All work submitted, including the Research Proposal, must be typed in Arial size 11.
To set this as the default setting for your report:
 Click on the down arrow shown in the red circle.
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Change all the settings in this screen to be as shown in Figure 3
Then click on Set As Default and a new screen will appear.
Ensure that the black dot is next to This document only
Click on OK
Figure 3: Change font settings
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NOTE:
NEVER use the underline function in the proposal or the report. There is a variety of
reasons for this. One is the fact that there are internationally specific rules for
underlining text and these rules are easily transgressed. Another is the view that
underlining text in the modern world of electronic communication is old-fashioned.
Use only bold print for the headings and other text that you want to emphasise.
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b)
Paper size
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Double click on the GREY area of the ruler bar – NOT on the white area.
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Once the Page Setup screen appears, click at the top on Paper.
Change all the settings as indicated in Figure 4.
Click on Set As Default
Click on Yes. You can change all documents on your computer to size A4 paper as the
Microsoft default is Letter size. We do not use that size paper in South Africa. If you
keep the setting at Letter size paper, the layout of your document is not correct when
you print on A4 size paper which we use in South Africa.
Figure 4: Set the paper size as A4
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c)
Margins
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Double click on the GREY area of the ruler bar – NOT on the white area.
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Once the Page Setup screen appears, click at the top on Margins.
Set all the settings as indicated in Figure 5.
Note the different setting for the left margin. This ensures space for binding.
Ensure that all the settings are the same as in Figure 5.
Do NOT click on Set As Default as it will change all your documents on your computer.
Just click on OK.
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Figure 5: Setting the margins
d)
Line spacing
It is important to use the exact settings as displayed in Figure 6 as the MSWord default
settings automatically change the spacing if not set as indicated. If you do not change the
spacing settings as indicated, your paragraph spacing will be incorrect and the cover pages
will not fit onto one A4-size page as the line spacing after using the enter key will not be
correct. The incorrect default settings will control your line spacing.
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Access the screen in Figure 6 by clicking on the extension triangle of the Paragraph
group indicated by the circle.
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Set all the settings to be exactly as it appears in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Settings for indents and spacing
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Once completed, click on Set As Default.
Ensure that the black dot is next to This document only
Click on OK.
You have now completed the set-up of the template containing the default settings.
Save the setting changes in the document by pressing Ctrl+S or click on File and then on
Save.
You can now use the template to start typing your proposal.
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e)
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Tips to prevent losing the work that you have typed
In order to keep the template without errors, start by saving the file under a new
name before starting to type in it.
Click on File and then Save As and name the file OR proposal Ver 1.
Remember to save regularly while working on the document. You can do this by
pressing Ctrl + S or click on File on then on Save.
Every time that you open the document to continue working on the document, start
by saving it under a new name. For example OR proposal Ver 2, OR proposal Ver 3
and so forth. In this way, you create a backup of the document to use if the document
that you use gets corrupted due to a virus or any other system error that may occur on
your computer.
Save the document also on anther device such as a memory stick, Flash drive or on a
CD. Do not carry this copy in the same laptop bag. Keep it at another place for in case
your laptop bag gets stolen with the computer.
Another way is to e-mail the document as an attachment to your own e-mail address
or to save it in a folder on the cloud, such as in Drop Box, which is a free cloud based
portal.
8.2.2 FORMATTING THE PAGES OF THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS
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Addendum A shows the formatting instructions and wording for the front page of the
proposal.
Addendum C shows the formatting instructions and the wording for the front page of
the research report.
NOTE: Follow the instructions for capital letters, small letters, bold or normal print and line
spacing exactly as indicated in the addenda.

Using the Show/Hide button
in the ribbon, will assist in ensuring the correct
formatting. Activate it by clicking on it in the ribbon.
Figure 7: Using the Show/Hide button to check the formatting
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If preferred, you can switch the Show/Hide button off while typing in the document by
clicking on it again. You can later switch it on again to check your formatting.
8.2.3 PAGE NUMBERING
a)
Page numbering rules
a)
b)
c)
The front page may not have a page number.
Pages must be numbered at the bottom right corner
All pages in the front section of the research proposal and research report, such as
the pages on which the abstract, acknowledgements and page of content appear, are
numbered using small roman numbers (i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x and so forth)
Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and so forth) are used for all other pages
starting at the page on which Chapter 1 starts and the numbering continues
throughout the Research Report. The page on which Chapter 1 starts must be
numbered as page 1.
d)
b)
Creating different page numbering formats in a document
Follow the steps below when formatting the different page numbering styles.
Step 1: After typing the information that belongs on the front page:
 Click behind the last letter of the text that belongs on the front page.
 Click on Layout in the menu bar, then on Breaks, then under Section Breaks, click on
Next Page. Your cursor will now be on the next page – which will be page 2.
Figure 8: Inserting section breaks
Step 2: After typing the information that belongs on the pages in the front section, such as
the page of content, declaration and so forth:
 Click behind the last letter of the text that appears on the last page of the front section
that must be numbered with Roman numbers (i, ii, iii).
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
Click on Layout in the menu bar, then on Breaks, then under Section Breaks, click on
Next Page. Your cursor will now be on the next page.
Step 3: Start typing the body of the report of which the pages must be numbered in
Arabic figures (1, 2, 3).
Step 4: Click anywhere on the first page of the body of the proposal or report – the page
on which paragraph 1 or Chapter 1 starts:
 In the menu bar, Click on Insert
 Click on the small triangle next to Page Number (Figure 9)
 Go to Bottom of Page
 Select the plain number setting with the page number on the right hand side of the
page.
Figure 9: Insert page numbers
Step 5: Double click next to the page number in the footer area of the First page of the
body of the proposal or report – the page on which paragraph 1 or Chapter 1 starts.
 You will see the words
on the right hand side, just above the footer
 Go to the ribbon bar at the top of your screen. Clicking on the Design tab, you will see
that the words Link to Previous are highlighted (Figure 10).
Figure 10: Cancel Link to Previous setting in the footer


Click on the words and the setting will be de-activated.
The words
will now not appear at the bottom of this page anymore.
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Step 6: Double click next to the page number in the footer area of the first page of the
front part of the proposal or report that should have Roman page numbers. This should be
page 2 of the document.
 Repeat step 5.
You will now be able to change the page number formats without affecting the different
sections.
Step 7: Deleting the page number on page 1
 Double click next to the page number on the front page
 Select the page number and press delete
Step 8: Changing the page number format of the Roman page number section
 Double click next to the page number on page 2 (first page of the front section)
 Select the page number, right click on the selected page number
 Click on Format Page Numbers (
 Figure 11).
 Select the options as displayed in Figure 12 and then click on OK.
Figure 11: Format page numbers
Figure 12: Setting Page numbering style
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Step 9: Changing the page number format of the Arabic page number section
 Double click next to the page number on the first page of the section where paragraph
1 or Chapter 1 of the proposal or report starts.
 Select the page number, right click on the selected page number
 Click on Format Page Numbers (
 Figure 11).

Select the options as displayed in Figure 13 and then click on OK.
Figure 13: Setting Arabic page numbers
8.2.4 CENTRE THE TEXT VERTICALLY ON THE FRONT PAGE
This function is used to centre the text on the front page that the top and bottom text lines
are the same distance from the top and bottom margins, without using the enter key and
having to guess the distance from the margins.
You have already inserted the necessary section break
when you prepared to change the page numbering of the
document (Section 8.2.3 b) Step 1).






Click anywhere on the front page of the proposal or
report.
Double Click on the grey area of the ruler bar
On the Page Setup screen that appears, click on
layout
At Page, Vertical alignment, select centre in the
dropbox
Ensure that This section appears in the Apply to: box.
Click on OK. Do not Set As Default
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Figure 14: Centre the text vertically on the front page
Note: If the text did not centre vertically, click on the Show/Hide icon to check whether
there are not open lines before the top line or after the bottom line.
Delete these extra lines.
It is important to follow all the guidelines as you may lose marks for layout errors.
8.2.5 PAPER, FONT AND SPACING

All work submitted, including the Research Proposal, must be typed in font style
Arial size 11.
 Paper size: A4
 The format for the front page of the:
- proposal is as indicated in Addendum A
- Research Report (Dissertation) is as indicated in Addendum C.
NOTE: Follow the instructions for capital letters, small letters, bold or normal print and line
spacing exactly as indicated in the addenda.
 Line spacing: 1.5
It is important to use the exact settings as displayed in Figure 2 as the MSWord default
settings automatically change the spacing if not set as indicated below.
The screen in Figure 2 can be accessed by clicking on the extension triangle of the
Paragraph group indicated by the circle.
Figure 15: Settings for indents and spacing to be used in the proposal and report
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If the spacing is not changed as indicated above, the cover pages will not fit onto one A4size page and the line spacing between paragraphs will not be correct, as the default
settings will control your line spacing.

Text to be fully justified (blocked)

NEVER use the underline function. Use only bold print for the headings and other text
that you want to emphasise.
8.2.6 SYSTEM FOR NUMBERING OF SECTIONS AND SUB-SECTIONS
Follow the settings as indicated below:
a) Chapter headings
CHAPTER ONE
(Capital letters, bold print, centre aligned, leave 1 blank line)
INSERT THE TITLE FOR CHAPTER ONE
(Capital letters, bold print, centre aligned, leave two blank lines after the chapter title).
b) Section headings:
The first number in the paragraph (section) numbering system is the chapter number, for
example: Chapter 2 will start with 2.1, Chapter 3 with 3.1 and so forth.
1.1
MAIN HEADINGS FOR CHAPTER ONE (NEVER underline the headings; use bold
print, Capital Letters, hanging indent if it runs over two lines)
1.1.1
1.1.1.1
Sub-headings for Main Headings (NEVER underline the headings; use bold print,
Sentence case, hanging indent if it runs over two lines)
Sub-sub-headings (NEVER underline the headings; use bold print, Sentence case,
hanging indent if it runs over two lines)

Leave one blank line before a heading. You may leave a blank line after section
headings. Be consistent throughout the document.

Do not use the spacebar after heading numbers; use the Tab key. This ensures equal
spacing.

Use the same bullets and spacing after bullets throughout the document.

Start typing the text under the number. Do not indent the text. Indents are only used
with long quotations in the text. See example below.
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EXAMPLE:
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Start typing against the margin. Do not indent the text to be on the same level as the word
“Introduction”. When using bullets, the bullets must be aligned against the margin as
shown below.

Do not leave headings by themselves at the bottom of a page. Rather leave a bigger
space at the bottom of the page by moving the heading to the next page.

Leave one (1) blank line between paragraphs and ensure that the paragraph spacing
is consistent.
c) Captions for figures and tables
All figures and tables must have a caption (name or label) in bold print, for example:
Figure 3.2 Workstation before the implementation of 5S
Table 2.1 Demographics of the respondents of the interview
FIGURES: (anything other than a table will be classified as a figure, including graphs and
photos)
 Figure 1.1 (is the first figure in chapter 1)
 Figure 3.5 (is the fifth figure in chapter 3)
 Captions for figures appear below the figure.
TABLES:
 Table 1.1 (is the first table in chapter 1)
 Table 3.3 (is the third table in chapter 3)
 Captions for tables appear below the table.

Where figures and tables are taken or adapted from reference sources (not the
researcher’s own work) then the source must be provided, for example:
-
When the figure is copied as it appears in the original source:
Figure 2.2 The PDCA cycle (Deming 2003: 24)
-
When you have changed something in the figure or added/deleted words:
Figure 2.2 The PDCA cycle (Adapted from Deming 2003: 24)
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
The full reference must be added into the reference section at the end of the Research
Report (Dissertation).

Tables and figures must always be on one page, it may not run over pages, even if this
means leaving a larger than intended blank space at the bottom of the previous page.
If tables or figures cover multiple pages then it should be considered to attach them as
appendices and only include the discussion in the text.
9. LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Research projects must be written using formal academic convention. This style of writing
must be applied consistently throughout all the chapters of the project. Keep this in mind
when sources are used that use different language conventions – your final report must be
a coherent piece of writing not moving between different writing conventions.
The following conventions will apply to the style of the written presentation:
a) Do not use first person references (I, we, our and any other first person pronoun),
unless used in quoted text. You must depersonalise the text, also referred to as writing
in the third person.
Incorrect () We convert the raw material in our factory.
Correct (): The production team converts the raw material in the factory.
b) Do not refer to yourself as ‘the Researcher’ or ‘the Author’. You can do this only if you
really have to, such as in the introduction to the research in Chapter 1.
 The researcher recommends that the workers must be trained to do the job.
 It is recommended that the workers be trained to do the job.
 The researcher found that the large stock numbers increase our overhead costs.
 It was found that the large stock numbers increase the overhead costs.
c)
Do not use the vague “you”:
 When you work in a factory it is important to wear PPE.
 For someone working in a factory, it is important to wear PPE.
or
 “Working in a factory, it is important to wear PPE.”
d) Do not use any abbreviations at all, however popular or widely used they are. All
abbreviations must be written out. Examples are:
 etc. – “and so forth” or “to name only a few” – do not use etcetera
 e.g. – for example
 i.e. – therefore
e) Acronyms may be used and should be listed and explained before the glossary section
of the report. Acronyms differ from abbreviations in that abbreviations are a short way
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of writing a word such as etc. – etcetera. Acronyms are words formed by using the first
letters of a sequence of words, such as SOP – Standard Operating Procedure.
The first time an acronym is used the full explanation must be used with the acronym
in brackets. Thereafter, only the acronym can be used. Consider the following
examples:
First time used:
The standard operating procedure (SOP) for the reloading of printer 4 is available on
the internal server.
Second time used and onwards:
The SOP must be revised once the new printer is installed, as the reloading process will
change.
Additionally, all acronyms must be listed and explained just before the glossary in the
front part of the proposal and report.
f)
Do not use any generalisations or vague statements. Content must be based on fact
and not on speculation.
 Most workers were ill.
 During the second production cycle, 10 workers were ill.
g)
Do not use any clichés. These are overused or exaggerated expressions such as:
 It is a crying shame that the productivity is so low.
 As can be seen by considering the statistics, the productivity is low.
h) Do not use racist, sexist or any writing that can be considered biased. For example use:
a) working hours instead of man hours
b) employees instead of people working here
c) human beings instead of people when referring to humans in general
i)
Always use full sentences. Keep sentences short and simple.
j)
Divide all chapters with the use of appropriate sub-headings. This allows for
structuring your thoughts and makes it easier to read the report.
k) Do not use jargon/slang unless you are directly quoting what someone said. For
example:
“The operator is a mamparra.”
“It is lekker working on the new machines.”
l)
Avoid spelling errors and grammatical errors. These weaken the content and create a
very unprofessional report. Use the spell check option in MSWord but ensure that you
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use the correct option. For example: check and cheque, weather and whether, their
and there, advise (verb) and advice (noun), practise (verb) and practice (noun).
m) The use of tenses is important. The tense used will vary according to the content and
the type of report written. A simplified guideline is as follows:


The proposal must be written using the future tense, while the actual report
(apart from the recommendations) must be written in the past tense. The
recommendations indicate actions that will be taken in the future.
When referring to a statement in printed format, lyrics of a song, in a movie and
so forth, it must be written in the present tense. For example:
“Adams (2002:14) states that a dog is a man’s best friend.”
“In the song, I did it my way, Sinatra (1967) states that he had done it all.”
n) Avoid the use of adverbs (extremes) such as: very important, extremely expensive, of
absolutely no value and strongly disagree.
o) Never use the apostrophe version of negatives. For example:
 didn’t
 did not
 shouldn’t
 should not
 won’t
 will not
 it’s
 it is
p) Be careful with the use of the apostrophe s (‘s). The ‘s indicates ownership, for
example:
 That is John’s computer.
 It is the operators’ turn to leave early (plural).
NB! Take note of the deviation.
 Remember that “its” means “belonging to it” and
 “it’s” means “it is”. Remember to never use ‘it’s” – refer to the previous paragraph.
Take note of the use of s or ‘s with acronyms.
 The CD’s cover is broken – meaning that the cover of the CD is broken.
 All 20 CDs are on the shelf – plural.
 Always use a small letter s to indicate the plural or ownership when it forms part of
an acronym. For example:
Not CDS – use CDs. Not CD’S – use CD’s
q) NEVER use repetitive words as the first word of each sentence in a list. For example,
never use “To” when stating each objective.
Incorrect ()
 To decrease the amount of scrap
 To improve the productivity levels
 To save storage cost
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Correct ():
The objectives of the study are to:
 decrease the amount of scrap
 improve the productivity levels and to
 save storage cost.
Note that the first letters are small letters as the sentence continues from the “to” before
the colon (:). Also note the “and to” at the end of the second last bullet. Adding the “and
to” makes the sentence to flow correctly.
r)
Introductory sentences/paragraphs:

All chapters must have an introductory paragraph. Provide a short description or
summary of the content of the Chapter.
All chapters must have a closing paragraph in which the reader is informed of what will
be found in the next chapter.
Never start a bulleted list immediately below a paragraph heading. Start with an
introductory sentence. Refer to the example of the correct objective statements in
par. q.


10. CONTENT GUIDELINES
The Academic Research Supervisor will discuss the different sections during the contact
sessions.
The part that follows is an adapted version of extracts from the learner guides of several of
the IAP courses offered by PMI. On NQF Level 8 studies, by now you should know what the
different parts of the proposal or dissertation entail. It was added into this guide just to
refresh your mind about generic research practices. Refer also to the textbook used in the
Research Methodology module and other resources of which the information appears in
Section 4.
10.1 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
The first phase of the research would be to develop a proposal. A research proposal is a
document that outlines how a student proposes to undertake a specific research project.
The research proposal is a crucial step in the research process and must undergo intensive
scrutiny to ensure that quality assurance is built into the research process at an early stage
in order to optimise the quality of the research that will emanate from the approved
research proposal.
The research proposal should be a substantive proposal reflecting the student's thinking
about an identified problem at the start of the research process, giving evidence of a firm
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grasp of the problem to be studied, a thorough understanding of current and relevant
literature on the topic, research approach and methods to be employed, and ethical issues
to be considered.
A research proposal is a document that is developed to convince others that the research
project would be of value, should resources be provided to implement it. Added to this is
the fact that the proposal must also be signed off by the student’s work supervisor who, by
doing so, will indicate that the proposed project is relevant and beneficial to the
organisation.
10.1.1 DEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL
Some important questions that may guide the development of the proposal are:











What will be researched?
Where will the research be conducted?
Why is this research necessary?
What are the aims and objectives of the research?
Which philosophies and theories will guide the approach followed?
What methods will be used to complete the research?
What resources are needed to complete this research?
Which ethical aspects should be considered?
What are the possible limitations or constraints that may be experienced and how
can these be mitigated?
Within what time frame will the research be completed?
What will the cost of the research be?
The proposal should be written in such a manner that the reader is able to understand it
easily. There should be adequate information presented relating to the above questions.
Please note: The questions above must be answered as part of the sub-headings of the
proposal. Do not create separate sections in which to answer the questions.
10.1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSAL
The structure of the proposal must be:
COVER PAGE
………. Insert a section break – Next page……….
PAGE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES (if any)
LIST OF TABLES (if any)
LIST OF ADDENDA
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ABBREVIATIONS
GLOSSARY
………. Insert a section break – Next page ……….
1.
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
2.
PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH QUESTION
3.
AIM OF THE RESEARCH
4.
OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
5.
PROPOSED LITERATURE REVIEW
6.
THEORETICAL GROUNDING AND METHODOLOGY
6.1. Philosophical foundation
6.2. Research approach
6.3. Methodology
6.4. Sampling
6.5. Data analysis
6.6. Data representation
7.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
8.
RATIONALE
9.
CONSTRAINTS
10. TIMEFRAME
11. BUDGET
12. REFERENCES
13. ADDENDA
Addendum A: Signed authorisation by the industry supervisor
10.1.3 CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL
Using the above structure, the different sections of the proposal are briefly discussed. The
format of the Cover Page has already been discussed (Par 8.2.1 and Addendum A).
Obtaining a holistic view of the research process may assist in creating a better
understanding of the aspects that needs to be included in a research proposal and final
research report. Figure 2 provides a basic overview of a research project for academic
purposes.
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PROBLEM
Identify
Define
Formulate
Created in qualitative studies
HYPOTHESIS
Verified in quantitative studies
Identify
Independent
variables
Consist of
VARIABLES
Dependent
variables
Select TYPE OF DATA wanted
QUALITATIVE
QUANTITATIVE
mostly
mostly
Naturalistic
Ethnographic
Ex post facto
Surveys
Historical research
Case studies
Single case study
Field studies
Action research
Experimental
Quasi-experiment
True experiment
Experimental
group
Control group
Confirms
reliability
Using
Can be a method for
Narrative inquiry
Interviews
Accounts
Questionnaires
Observation
Personal constructs
Role play
Multiple dimensional
Content analysis
Select from population
SAMPLE
Types
Convenience
Stage
Multi-phase
Stratified
Cluster
Random
Systematic
Collect
DATA
Compile
STATISTICS
INFERENTIAL
Depends on
DESCRIPTIVE
PROVE
ANALYSE
REGRESSION
VALIDITY
Threatens
CORRELATION
Confirms in qualitative research
Determine
MEAN
MODE
MEDIAN
TRIANGULATION
Decide on
STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE
DRAW CONCLUSIONS, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND
COMPILE RESEARCH REPORT
Figure 16: The process of academic research (Boshoff 2007:48)
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10.1.3.1 TITLE OF THE PROJECT
The title of the research provides a scope for the study. It tells the reader immediately
what was done. However, it has been noticed that research titles in the past have not been
formulated well. They tended to be ambiguous and sometimes the title did not match the
contents of the report. The title must be correctly stated, because this is the first aspect of
the research report that captures the attention of the reader. If the reader is interested in
the topic, but reads on only to find that the report refers to entirely something else, it can
be frustrating to the reader.


Ensure that the title is no longer than 12 to, at the most, 15 words.
The title can be phrased as a statement or a question.
10.1.3.2 CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
The background information provides the reader with an understanding of the context of
where the research will take place. Therefore, when writing this section, do not assume
that the reader is familiar with the organisation.
This section of the proposal will include the background of the industry. It will include
information such as in which industry it operates, whether it is a local or internationally
based organisation, what the final products are and who the customers are. This part can
include very basic analyses of the internal and external (PESTEL/PRESTEC/PRESTLEC)
environments which can have an influence on the problem that will be investigated or the
answer to the research question that was asked.
In the last part of this section, specific information of the area/department/section of the
organisation where the research will take place must be provided. This is important, as the
reader needs to know the direct context in which the research will take place.
Your background must flow into the next section of the report namely the problem
statement.
10.1.3.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The problem statement flows from the background. The background discussion provided a
broad overview of the problems experienced in the organisation where the study will take
place. In the problem statement, the specific problem that will be addressed in your study
will be discussed.
Research forms a cycle. It starts with a problem and ends with a solution to the problem.
The problem statement is therefore the axis around which the whole research revolves.
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a) What is a research problem?
A research problem is the situation that causes the researcher to feel apprehensive,
confused and ill at ease. It is the demarcation of a problem area within a certain context
involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE and the WHEN of the problem situation.
In the workplace, many problem situations may give rise to research. Three sources usually
contribute to problem identification:
 Own experience or the experience of others may be a source of a problem.
 A second source could be scientific literature. You may read about certain findings and
notice that a certain field was not covered. This could lead to a research problem.
 Theories could be a third source. Gaps in theories could be researched.
Research can thus be aimed at clarifying or substantiating an existing theory, clarifying
contradictory findings, correcting a faulty methodology, correcting the inadequate or
unsuitable use of statistical techniques, reconciling conflicting opinions, or at solving
existing practical problems.
Formulating the research problem is the first and most crucial step in the research process:
- The main function is to decide what problem/improvement exercise you want to work on.
- The way you formulate a problem determines almost every step that follows.
b) Considerations in selecting a research problem:
The following aspects should be considered when selecting a research topic:
 Interest: A research endeavour is usually time consuming, and involves hard work and
possibly unforeseen problems. One should select a topic of interest to sustain the
required motivation.
 Magnitude: It is extremely important to select a topic that can be managed within the
time and resources at one’s disposal. Narrow the topic down to something
manageable, specific and clear.
 Measurement of concepts: Make sure that you are clear about the indicators and
measurement of concepts used in your study.
 Level of expertise: You must have the adequate level of expertise for the task you are
proposing since you need to do the work yourself.
 Relevance: Ensure that the study adds to the existing body of knowledge, bridges
current gaps and is useful in policy formulation. This will help you to sustain interest in
the study.
 Availability of data: Before finalising the topic, make sure that data is available.
 Ethical issues: Ethical issues can affect the study population. How ethical problems can
be overcome should be thoroughly examined when formulating the problem.
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The research problem should be stated in such a way that it would lead to analytical
thinking on the part of the researcher with the aim of possible concluding solutions to the
stated problem or research question asked.
c) How to formulate the research problem:
When formulating the research problem keep the following in mind:






Research problems can be stated in the form of either questions or statements.
It should always be formulated grammatically correct and as complete as possible.
Demarcating the research field into manageable parts by dividing the main problem
into sub problems is of the utmost importance.
No solutions must be given in the problem statement.
No causes of the problem should be given.
The effects of the problem must be described.
10.1.3.4 AIM OF THE STUDY
The aim of the study is a logical flow from your problem statement and research question.
This should be stated in not more than a paragraph. The aim must be clearly stated as it
provides a scope for the study.
10.1.3.5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
Be careful not to confuse the benefits of a study or the data collection methods with the
objectives. The objectives of your study flow from the problem statement and aim.
Objectives are:
 statements of intent and state clearly what the researcher will do to meet the aim.
 providing concrete steps on how to manifest the aims and
 it is stated to the point and practical.
To formulate objectives a verb (action word) must be used. Each objective must only
discuss one issue. Objectives are numbered or bullet-points may be used.
Look at the following examples of objectives:
The objectives of the study are to:

critically assess the way in which operators are handling bulky material waste

determine the volumes and types of material waste and to

evaluate current disposal and recovery routes.
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Ideally, on Honours level, you should not have more than four objectives. They must be
clear and they will indicate what the methodology will be. They should also be short,
unambiguous sentences. Your objectives are critical to your project, because they will
determine the methodology used, after which everything in the report will be based on the
information you collect and analyse. Therefore, discuss your objectives with your
supervisor if you are not sure about them.
From the viewpoint of objectives, research can be classified as:
a) Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem,
phenomenon, service or programme. It can provide information about, for example,
the living condition of a community, or it describes attitudes towards an issue.
b) Correlational research attempts to discover or establish the existence of a
relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a situation.
c) Explanatory research attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between
two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.
d) Exploratory research is undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to
investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study (feasibility study
or pilot study).
e) In practice, most studies are a combination of the first three categories.
10.1.3.6 LITERATURE REVIEW
This section of the proposal must provide a list of the topics, which will be reviewed
through literature. It is good practice to provide references to indicate that you have done
a preliminary literature review as part of the planning for the project.
10.1.3.7 METHODOLOGY
The methodology section of the proposal can be very brief, unlike the part that will be
submitted as Chapter 3 of the final report. This part will provide information on the specific
actions, plan and/or strategy that will be used to meet the objectives (Table 3). Refer to the
textbook used in the Research Methodology module for comprehensive discussions in
Chapter 3.
It is recommended that the objectives be used as sub-headings in the methodology section.
For each objective, the aspects mentioned in Table 3 must be identified. The completed
table will suffice for the proposal but full discussions must be included in the methodology
chapter of the report.
All sections in the table must be discussed. Only discuss items that are applicable to your
project. It should be noted that for the Research Proposal only a brief overview will be
given, but in the Research Project itself, these sections must be discussed in detail. Only
the approach and type, theoretical grounding, strategy and sampling are discussed in this
guide. By now, you should be well informed about the other aspects mentioned.
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Table 2: Summary of aspects to be considered in the methodology section.
Approach and
type
Approach:
 Quantitative
 Qualitative
 Mixed method

-
-

-
Learner Guide
Theoretical
grounding
Epistemology
Inductive
Deductive
Positivism
Empirical realism
Critical Realism
Interpretivism
Hermeneutics
Phenomenology
Ontology
Objectivism
Constructionism
Strategy










Applied
Experimental
Ex post facto
Survey
Historical research
Case study
Single case study
Field study
Action research
Implementation
research
 Pure research
Sampling
Nonprobability
 Convenience
 Stage
 Multi-phase
 Systematic
 Judgment
 Quota
 Concept/Theory
based
Probability
 Simple random
 Stratified random
 Cluster (area)









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Data collection
Methods
Narrative inquiry
Interview
Semi-structured
Structured
Account
Survey
Observation
Personal constructs
Time study
Experiment
Content analysis
Tools
 Observation sheet
 Field notes
 Digital – audio and
visual
 Interview schedule
 Questionnaire
 Stopwatch and
Timesheet
 Checklist
 Fishbone
Note:
Adding space for field
notes on other tools,
for example on
observation sheets or
checklists, ensures
richer data
Analysis





-
Coding
Correlations
Comparison
Triangulation
Statistical
Mean
Mode
Median
Probability
Deviations
Ratios
Percentiles
Representation




-
Written report
Tables
Spreadsheets
Graphical Photos
Drawings
Pictures
Graphs/Charts
Maps
Flowcharts
Research Report (Dissertation)
a) Research Approach
In this section, you must comment on the design of your project. Here you will have to
indicate whether the research approach will be quantitative, qualitative or a combination of
both approaches (Table 3).
The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative research. Here
everything that forms the research process- objectives, design, sample, and the questions
that you plan to ask of respondents- is predetermined. It is more appropriate to determine
the extent of a problem, issue or phenomenon by quantifying the variation, e.g. how many
people have a particular problem? How many people hold a particular attitude?
The unstructured (semi-structured) approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative
research. This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process. It is more
appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon without quantifying it.
The main objective is to describe the variation in a phenomenon, situation or attitude. e.g.,
description of an observed situation, accounts of different opinions different people have
about an issue, description of working conditions in a particular industry.
In many studies, you have to combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Table 3: Differences between qualitative and quantitative research (Adapted from Boshoff 2007:49)
QUALITATIVE
QUANTITATIVE




Semi-structured approach
Inductive in approach
Generates hypotheses
Naturalistic design and in-depth studies
of a few cases, even single cases
 Humans are researched in their real-life
environment




 Seeks illuminations and under-standing


Structured approach
Deductive and predictive in approach
Tests hypotheses
Experimental designs and statistical
correlations with large samples
Sees humans as natural objects and the
researcher may never have had any
contact with the humans who are
researched
Seeks casual determination, prediction
and generalisation of findings
Research methods and processes are set
in steps that guide the researcher
Researcher remains detached
 Decisions about data collection strategies 
can be made during the study
 Researcher becomes immersed in the 
research project as instrument
 Context important – the settings in which  Context not considered - generalisations
human actions occur has a significant
are generated based on behavioural
influence on the actions
observations without considering aspects
such as circumstance, culture and so
forth.
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Your research will dictate the kinds of research methodologies you use to underpin your
work and methods you use in order to collect data. If you wish to collect quantitative data,
you are probably measuring variables and verifying existing theories or hypotheses or
questioning them. Data is often used to generate new hypotheses based on the results of
data collected about different variables.
However, often collections of statistics and number crunching are not the answer to
understanding meanings, beliefs and experience, which are better understood through
qualitative data. Quantitative data is also collected in accordance with certain research
vehicles and underlying research questions. Even the production of numbers is guided by the
kinds of questions asked of the subjects, so is essentially subjective, although it appears less
so than qualitative research data.
Qualitative research is conducted when we wish to understand meanings, look at, describe
and understand experience, ideas, beliefs and values or intangibles. Example: an area of
study that would benefit from qualitative research would be that of students’ learning styles
and approaches to study, which are described and understood subjectively by students.
Following a mixed method approach, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative
research methods, is a common approach and helps you to 'triangulate' the data.
Triangulation enhances the validity of one set of findings with another set of findings.
Within method triangulation, refers to comparing the data collected through two or more of
the same data collection method, for example, the same interview with two or more
respondents.
Across method triangulation is done by comparing the data collected through very different
data collection methods. For example, you might distribute a questionnaire (normally
quantitative) to gather statistical data about responses, and then collect richer or more indepth data by interviewing (normally qualitative) selected members of your questionnaire
sample.
b) Theoretical Grounding - Philosophical Foundation
This section acts as a reminder of the philosophies that were discussed during the Research
Methodology module. Refer to the textbook used in that module for more in-depth
discussions. A number of philosophies (systems of ideas) had a significant impact on
academic research that developed through the ages. Western philosophies originated with
the classical Greeks, who used a systematic method for addressing life’s questions (Möller et
al. 2003:17).
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PHILOSOPHY
Reality = METAPHYSICS
Knowledge = EPISTEMOLOGY
Values = AXIOLOGY
Ontology
Cosmology
Scientific Inquiry
Intuition
Senses and feelings
Inductive Logic
Deductive logic
Ethics
Aesthetics
Figure 17: The three branches of Greek Philosophy (Möller et al. 2003:17)



Metaphysics and its two subdivisions, deals with the study of reality. Ontology (ontos,
meaning ‘that what is’) explores issues related to nature, existence or being, while
cosmology is concerned with the nature and origin of the cosmos (universe).
Epistemology is concerned with the nature of knowledge or how we come to know
things. We develop knowledge of truth through thinking about observations and from
logic - by reasoning deductively from a general proposition to a particular case and by
reasoning inductively from a set of particulars or facts to a great principle. We also
develop knowledge from scientific inquiry, intuition and our sense.
Axiology seeks to ascertain what is of value. More specifically, ethics explores issues of
morality and conduct, while aesthetics is concerned with beauty (Möller et al.
2003:17 - 18)
10.1.3.8
RESEARCH STRATEGY
The research strategy refers to the type of research that will be used to solve a problem,
answer a question or to test or create a hypothesis or theory. Only the strategies which are
regularly misunderstood are explained in this section.

Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions; for policy formulation,
administration and understanding of a phenomenon. It can be exploratory, but is usually
descriptive. It is almost always done on the basis of basic research. Applied research can
be carried out by academic or industrial institutions. Often, an academic institution such
as a university will have a specific applied research program funded by an industrial
partner interested in that program.

Ex post facto research can be referred to as retrospective as it is conducted after an
event has happened or an appearance occurred in order to try and determine what has
happened. Ex post facto research is used, for example, in crime cases or when a fatal
accident has happened and there are no eyewitnesses to explain what has happened. It
can therefore be said that it relates to cause-and-effect investigations (Cohen, et al.
2002: 205).
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
Historical research focusses on data from many years back, which is used to create
understanding of the past or to inform and explain current situations. The focus is on
collecting data that is older than 10 years and above on events, customs, people lives
and so forth.

Pure research involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses that are
intellectually challenging to the researcher but may or may not have practical
application at the present time or in the future. The knowledge produced through pure
research is sought in order to add to the existing body of knowledge.

Action research is often misunderstood. The common perspective is that taking action
to solve a problem in any situation is action research. That is not true. Action research is
done by the participants on their own work in order to improve their own practices
(Kemmis and McTaggart in Cohen et al. 2002:227). Action research is a reflective
strategy where an individual researches his/her own practice, in order to understand
why he/she is doing things in the way it is done. The information is then used to identify
ways in which he/she can improve his/her own practice. Action research is usually the
strategy used during a professional and/or personal developmental process. An example
can be a manager who reflects on his/her own practice after receiving a low score on
leadership style during a performance feedback session. He/she then conduct formal
research on leadership styles, implement the new knowledge on his/her own life at
work and continually reflect on the results of his/her new leadership style.
The researchers do not rely only on their personal perspectives. They also collect data
from outsiders such as the team members reporting to them, through interviews,
questionnaires and reflective sessions after watching a video recording of him/her
having a motivational talk with the staff. Therefore, the process of planning the research
is the same as for any other type of research.
It is significantly important to know that the writing style of action research differs
from the normal research writing style. This is the ONLY type of research in which it is
compulsory to write in the first person as the researcher is also the object that is being
researched. For example, the reporting after watching a video will be: “I observed that I
had not make eye contact with all the staff in the meeting. I only focused on the staff
sitting at the back of the venue. I now understand why the staff who sat in the front
seats did not actively partake in the discussions”.
Action research is mostly qualitative research. A mixed method approach can develop
when qualitative data is quantified. For example, the manager can use a rating scale in
the questionnaire in which the staff provides feedback on his/her new leadership style.
Action research is generally grounded in either hermeneutics or in phenomenology or a
combination of both. The characteristics of the two theories closely intertwine and
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therefore the final approach can be referred to as a single theoretical approach, namely
the hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Support for combining the two theories
is found in the fact that Gallagher (2000:141) uses the word “hermeneutical” as an
adjective for the noun “phenomenon” by stating that “[…] educational research itself
[…] is a hermeneutical phenomenon”.
10.1.3.9 SAMPLE DESIGN
Researchers usually draw conclusions about large groups by taking a sample. A sample is a
segment of the population selected to represent the population as a whole. Ideally, the
sample should be representative and allow the researcher to make accurate estimates of the
thoughts and behaviour of the larger population.
Designing the sample calls for three decisions:
Who will be surveyed? (The Sample)
• The researcher must determine what type of information is needed and who is most
likely to have it.
• How many people will be surveyed? (Sample Size)
• Large samples give more reliable results than small samples. However it is not necessary
to sample the entire target population. How should the sample be chosen? (Sampling)
• Sample members may be chosen at random from the entire population (probability
sample)
• The researcher might select people who are easier to obtain information from
(nonprobability sample).
The needs of the research project will determine which method is most effective.
a) Probability samples
 Simple random sample: Every member of the population has a known and equal chance
of being selected.
 Stratified random sample: Population is divided into mutually exclusive groups such as
age groups and random samples are drawn from each group.
 Cluster (area) sample: The population is divided into mutually exclusive groups such as
blocks, and the researcher draws a sample of the group to interview.
b) Nonprobability samples
 Convenience sample: The researcher selects the easiest population members from which
to obtain information.
 Judgment sample: The researcher uses his/her judgement to select population members
who are good prospects for accurate information.
 Quota sample: The researcher finds and interviews a prescribed number of people in
each of several categories.
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 Concept/Theory based sample: The researcher chooses the respondents based on the
fact that he/she knows that the sample have knowledge of the problem or the theory on
which the research is based and that they will be able to provide rich data.
10.1.3.10 DATA COLLECTION AND DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
What methodology to use?
The choice of methodology will depend on the actual problem statement. Below is a brief
discussion of some of the various methods that can be used.
• Surveys consist of interviews or questionnaires. This would involve an interview with
one or more people or sending out questionnaires if the sample group is large.
• Observations are structured data collection techniques where people, behaviour,
products, processes or systems are observed and findings recorded on an observation
sheet, video recording, photos and so forth.
• Time studies are often combined with observation, but can also be used alone. It would
involve measuring and recording the time frame in which actions or processes take
place.
• Tests and experiments can be conducted to try and find the best, product, component,
solution, method or system.
• Gathering secondary data for analysis. These can be found on the internet (Literature
research) or any of a number of documents available in the company. These can be for
example logbooks, statistics, reports, output figures or productivity calculations.
The basic questions of what? when? how? how much? how long? who? where? why? must
be answered.
a)
-
For test and experiments the following must be reported:
Improvisations/changes of the procedures of others discussed in the Literature Review
Actual procedures carried out including the apparatus and materials used
Definitions of specific terms
Formulae used
Duration of actions taken
Corrective action taken if applicable
Graphics to explain the process
Other details to make the process clear
Limitations of the method
b)
-
For observations/time studies the following must be reported:
Why use an observation/time study?
Types of information to be gathered
Sites/departments/units visited and why them?
Background information on the sites/departments/units
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- Methods used to collect the information
- Limitations of the method
c)
-
For interviews and questionnaires the following must be reported:
Why this method?
Objectives of your interview/survey
Design of the questions, types of questions asked, areas of information targeted
Piloting
Samples of questions and questionnaire placed in the addendum section
People interviewed and used to complete the questionnaire and why they were used
Numbers of the people involved and their backgrounds
Response rate if a questionnaire was involved.
Always remember: only the method is discussed here – all results will be placed in the
relevant section of the report.
10.1.3.11 DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
The analysis of the data collected must also be described briefly. You need to describe, once
you have selected the data, using one or more of the methods above, how you are going to
be analysing it. You must explain here whether you will analyse the data manually or by
using a computer software programme. The analysis techniques refers to the use of
frequency tables, diagrams like pie charts and bar graphs, pareto analysis, calculation of
means, showing connection and relationships amongst others.
10.1.3.12 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Collecting data through any of the methods may involve some ethical issues in relation to
the participants and the researcher. In this section, you need to comment on what the
possible ethical issues in the project are and what you will be doing to counteract them.
The following are examples of possible ethical issues:
- Your request for information may put pressure or create anxiety on a respondent.
- If you cannot justify the relevance of the research you are conducting, you are wasting
your respondents’ time, which is unethical.
- It is considered unethical to collect information without the knowledge of the
participant, and their expressed willingness and informed consent.
- Certain types of information can be regarded as sensitive or confidential by some people
and thus an invasion to their privacy, asking for such information may upset or
embarrass a respondent. In collecting data you need to be careful about the sensitivities
of your respondents.
- When you collect data from respondents or involve subjects in an experiment, you need
to examine carefully whether their involvement is likely to harm them in any way. Harm
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-
-
-
-
includes research that might include hazardous experiments, discomfort, anxiety,
harassment, invasion of privacy, or demeaning or dehumanising procedures.
Sharing information about a respondent with others for purposes other than research is
unethical. Sometimes you need to identify your study population to put your findings
into context. In such a situation, you need to make sure that at least the information
provided by respondents is kept anonymous. It is unethical to identify an individual’s
responses. Therefore, you need to ensure that after the information has been collected,
the source cannot be known.
Bias on the part of the researcher is unethical. Bias is a deliberate attempt to either to
hide what you have found in your study, or highlight something disproportionately to its
true existence.
To report the findings in a way that changes or slants them to serve your own or
someone else’s interest is unethical.
Inappropriate use of the information: The use of information in a way that directly or
indirectly adversely affects the respondents is unethical. If so, the study population
needs to be protected. Sometimes it is possible to harm individuals in the process of
achieving benefits for the organization. An example would be a study to examine the
feasibility of restructuring an organization. Restructuring may be beneficial to the
organization as a whole, but may be harmful to some individuals. Should you ask
respondents for information that is likely to be used against them? It is ethical to ask
questions provided you tell respondents of the potential use of the information,
including the possibility of it being used against some of them, and you let them decide
if they want to participate.
The research must yield results that are useful to society. Information that is not
necessary must not be collected.
Participants in the research must be informed of the real purpose of the research
Deception, for example, concealed observation is not acceptable.
Full disclosure is required of all support (including financial support).
Research results of interest to the public, should be made available to the public.
All conclusions must be supported by evidence.
The methodology must be reported in detail.
10.1.3.13 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The discussion on the limitations of the study should be not more than half a page. Here the
researcher is acknowledging that there may be other variables acting on the problem, but
these will not be studied because of reasons provided. For example, the study will be
conducted only in one of the branches of the business, as the company will not allow travel
allowances to visit the branches that are situated in other provinces.
In addition, for any limitation mentioned, there must be an indication of how it can be
mitigated.
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10.1.3.14 VALUE OF THE RESEARCH
In this section of the proposal, you will comment on the benefits that the company will get
when the research is done and the recommendations for solving the problem is successfully
implemented. The value to the company must be clearly stated.
Possible benefits and/or value to the company could be:
Reducing the operating costs of the assembly operations may contribute to a larger
return on investment. The saving can be invested in robotics, which will increase the
throughput rate even more.
Improving Total Productive Management (TPM) may result in:
 Improved process flow
 improved ergonomics and
 higher efficiency of assembly operations.
10.1.3.15 TIME SCHEDULE
You will need to include a time schedule for the project. Please consider practical steps that
must be taken when planning for your research. Remember this section of your proposal
must be carefully planned, as you will use it as a guide to approach your project. Consider
the example provided. You can also use a Gantt chart, rather than the table.
Table 3: Time schedule of the research project
ACTIVITY
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY
1. Have proposal
Develop and work towards proposal approval
approved
This includes internet searches, photocopies of
2. Literature search
relevant material at the library
3. Field Work
Collect data
4. Data analysis
Analyse collected data of all methods used
Compiling and assembling all the chapters of the
5. Report writing
report.
Report to be edited for technical and language
6. Report editing
considerations
4. Report binding
2 copies to be made
PERIOD
02 February 2019 –
28 February 2019
10.1.3.16 BUDGET
You will need to include a budget for your research. This budget will describe exactly how
much the project will cost in Rand value. Please tabulate your budget section as per example
below. On this level of studies it is not acceptable to include cost such as internet café,
printing of proposal and report, photocopies and the like. It refers mainly to cost that will be
incurred to conduct the study or to implement the recommendations.
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Table 4: Budget for the research project
TYPE OF COST
Human Resources
Material
Downtime cost
AMOUNT IN
RAND
EXPLANATION
Overtime payable for the installation of the new machine
Material needed for the trial runs which will be disposed
as scrap
Line X will not be operational for X hours during the
installation of the new machine
TOTAL
Note:
If no significant cost will be incurred, simply state:
No budget is indicated, as no significant cost will be incurred.
10.1.3.17 LAYOUT OF THE FINAL REPORT
This section will merely list the major chapter headings of the final report. Do not include all
the headings indicated in Section 11. It will be stated as:
The layout of the final report will be:
Chapter 1 Research Orientation
Chapter 2 Literature Review
Chapter 3 Methodology
Chapter 4 Results and Discussion of Results
Chapter 5 Conclusion
Chapter 6 Recommendations
References
Annexures
11.
ORDER OF THE FINAL PROJECT FOR BINDING
The different sections in the final report for binding must follow the order below.
Title page (Change to report title page layout – Addendum C. Use date of submission)
Declaration of originality (signed)
Dedication (Optional)
Acknowledgements
Abstract or executive summary (choose appropriate term)
Page of content
List of figures
List of tables
List of addenda (Only if you have used addenda)
Abbreviations and acronyms
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Glossary
All chapters of the report
Addenda
Declaration of acceptance of the project proposal (Addendum B) (signed)
Record of draft submissions and support sessions (Addendum D) (signed)
12.
BENCHMARKING
The standards for research submitted for assessment purposes as set by the University of
Pretoria were considered when developing this module. The format for the Harvard
referencing is based on the standards set by the University of Lincoln.
13.
REFERENCES
Boshoff, A E M J (2007) A hermeneutical approach to curriculum interpretation:
Deconstruction as a learning activity. M.Ed. dissertation. UNISA. Available from:
http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/1316/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed
10 October 2009.
Cohen, L, Manion, L & Morrison, K (2002) Research methods in Education. 5th Edition.
London and New York: Routledge Falmer. Taylor and Francis Group.
Gallagher, S (2000) Hermeneutical Approaches to Education Research. In Hermeneutics and
Educational Discourse. Edited by H. Danner. Johannesburg: Heinemann, pp. 129-148.
Möller, T, Higgs, P & Deacan, R (2003) Learning Guide: Education Studies EDS721. Faculty of
Education, University of Pretoria.
Richrath, W H & MacDonald, J D (2008) Integrated Application Project III and Dissertation
Learner Guide. Johannesburg: PMI
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Addendum A
INSERT THE TITLE OF THE RESEARCH REPORT (Capital letters, Centre, Bold)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
by (centre, all small letters)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
INSERT YOUR FULL NAMES AND SURNAME (Capital letters, Centre, Bold)
ID NUMBER: Insert your ID Number (Centre, Bold)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Research Proposal submitted in preliminary fulfilment of the Research Report to obtain the
B.Com Honours Degree in Operations and Quality Management
(Leave 3 blank lines)
at the (centre, all small letters)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Production Management Institute of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd (PMI)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Academic Supervisor: Insert the name of your research supervisor at PMI (centre, Capital
and small letters)
(Leave 1 blank line)
Industry supervisor: Insert the name of the person assisting you at your workplace (centre,
Capital and small letters)
(if applicable)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
?? Month 20?? (centre, bold, full date as indicated)
Centre align the text vertically and horizontally on the front page
There may not be a page number on the front cover
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Addendum B
DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROJECT PROPOSAL
1.
APPROVAL BY INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT/RESEARCH SUPERVISOR
INDUSTRY MANAGER/SUPERVISOR’S
TITLE, NAME AND SURNAME
Tel No (W):
Cell No:
e-Mail:
Signature:
Date:
2.
APPROVAL BY ACADEMIC RESEARCH SUPERVISOR
ACADEMIC RESEARCH SUPERVISOR’S
TITLE, NAME AND SURNAME
Tel No (W):
Cell No:
e-Mail:
Signature:
Date:
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Addendum C
INSERT THE TITLE OF THE RESEARCH REPORT (Capital letters, Centre, Bold)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
by (centre, all small letters)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
INSERT YOUR FULL NAMES AND SURNAME (Capital letters, Centre, Bold)
ID NUMBER: Insert your ID Number (Centre, Bold)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the
B.Com Honours Degree in Operations and Quality Management
(Leave 3 blank lines)
at the (centre, all small letters)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Production Management Institute of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd (PMI)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
Academic Supervisor: Insert the name of your research supervisor at PMI (centre, Capital
and small letters)
(Leave 1 blank line)
Industry supervisor: Insert the name of the person assisting you at your workplace (centre,
Capital and small letters)
(if applicable)
(Leave 3 blank lines)
?? Month 20?? (centre, bold, full date as indicated)
Centre align the text vertically and horizontally on the front page
There may not be a page number on the front cover
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Addendum D
RESEARCH REPORT (DISSERTATION)
RECORD OF DRAFT SUBMISSIONS AND SUPPORT SESSIONS
STUDENT NAME AND SURNAME
ID NUMBER
NAME OF SUPERVISOR
DATE OF
SUBMISSION
PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS AND SUPPORT SESSIONS
SUPERVISOR
NOTES
INITIAL
DATE OF
SUBMISSION
REPORT DRAFT SUBMISSIONS AND SUPPORT SESSIONS
SUPERVISOR
NOTES (CHAPTER SUBMITTED and other notes)
INITIAL
STUDENT
ASSESSOR:
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
MODERATOR:
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
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Addendum E
MARKING RUBRIC:
RESEARCH REPORT (DISSERTATION)
STUDENT NAME AND SURNAME:
RESEARCH REPORT
(DISSERTATION) TITLE:
Assessment Criteria
Clarity of focus:
 Is the context and problem clearly articulated?
 Are the research questions explicit, focused, coherent and do-able in the context
of the problem statement?
 Does the candidate convey a clear sense of what is to be studied?
 In the case of statistical or experimental research: Are hypotheses and variables
clearly identified?
Literature review and Theoretical framework
 Is the relevant information or findings from literature integrated in relation to the
key research questions?
 Is the quality of the sampled literature adequate (number used, recent, relevant
and research-based)?
 Were two (2) accredited journal articles used (COMPULSORY)
 Were theoretical frameworks or conceptual frameworks used that are relevant,
appropriate and illuminative of the problem being studied?
 Do the indicated theories deepen understanding of the problem being
researched?
Max Assessor Moderator
Marks Marks
Marks
15
15
Research methods and strategies
 Were research strategies and methods used that are appropriate for the kind of
questions being investigated?
 Are the research procedures clearly outlined and logically connected to other
components (e.g. the theoretical framework) of the research?
15
Data Analysis, Interpretation and Representation
 Is the representation, analysis and interpretation of the research findings
consistent with the data?
 Are all graphics, charts, and tables clearly explained in the text?
15
Conclusions, Problem-solving and Recommendations
 Does the research add further insights on the subject under study?
 Is there an attempt to solve an investigated problem or to enrich the readers’
understanding of a particular problem or phenomenon?
 Does the recommendations fit the conclusions drawn?
 Were the specific research objectives and/or questions adequately addressed?
20
Learner Guide
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Research Report (Dissertation)
Addendum E
Value added by the project
 Is there an indication of the Return on Invest (ROI) (quantitative and/or
qualitative)
 Does the Research Report (Dissertation) suggest possible pathways for future
research?
10
Technical qualities
 Is the language usage (including grammar) of a high standard suitable for an
academic text?
 Have the Harvard referencing conventions correctly and consistently been
followed?
 Have the layout, printing and other technical requirements been met?
10
TOTAL MARKS
100
Assessor Comments:
Assessor:
Signature:
Date:
Signature:
Date:
Moderator Comments:
Moderator:
Learner Guide
Page 52 of 52
Research Report (Dissertation)