[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-200591-105":53,"doc-detail-200591-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","guidelines-for-prospective-masters-and-doctoral-students-prepare-a-research-outline","Guidelines for Prospective Master’s and Doctoral Students - Prepare a Research Outline","","Guidelines support prospective Master’s and Doctoral students in preparing a clear research outline aligned with UNISA research focus areas. The document defines the outline’s purpose, typical length, and formatting requirements such as Arial 12pt, 1.5 line spacing, justified text, page numbers, and normal margins. It specifies required content, including a sub-40-word proposed title, selected catalytic niche area, identification details, and academic components like problem statement, significance, aims, measurable objectives, research questions, literature review, design and methodology, references, and a proposed budget with funding plan.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/guidelines-for-prospective-masters-and-doctoral-students-prepare-a-research-outline/200591/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/guidelines-for-prospective-masters-and-doctoral-students-prepare-a-research-outline/200591.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Stanley","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document","2026-10-23","2026-09-04",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What is a research outline and how long should it be?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"A research outline is a brief outline of the research project in mind. It is usually between 5 and 12 pages in length.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"What formatting and technical requirements must be followed?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"Use Arial font size 12, 1.5 line spacing, justified lines, page numbers, and normal margins.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What should the research outline include besides the proposed title?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"It should include catalytic niche area alignment, full names and student number, proposed qualification and related details, a problem statement, significance, a general aim and specific measurable objectives, research questions, literature review, research design/methodology/theoretical framework, procedures and study area, timeframe, references using one prescribed style, and a proposed budget with funding plan.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},200591,1788509410,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":126,"read_time":9},2336477405376,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","Guidelines to prospective Master’s & Doctoral students to\nprepare a Research Outline\nA research outline is a brief outline of the research project that you have in mind. These guidelines must be read in conjunction with the \u0013 HYPERLINK \"https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply-for-admission/Master%27s-&-doctoral-degrees/Research-focus-areas\" \u0014research focus areas documents\u0015 where colleges may specify additional information to be added to the research outline. It is usually between 5 and 12 pages in length.\nTechnical requirements for the research outlines:\nArial font size 12\n1.5 line spacing\nJustified lines\nPage numbers\nNormal margins\nItems\nProposed title\nShould have less than 40 words\nShould be a clear, concise and straightforward articulation of the focus of the proposed study.\nProvide the title in sentence case and avoid the use of abbreviations and/or acronyms.\nUnisa has identified 10 catalytic Niche areas.  Students should strive to incorporate at least one of the 10 niche areas into their studies.\nDoes your topic relate to any of the 10 catalytic niche area(s)?\nMarine studies\nAviation and aeronautical studies\nAutomotive\nEnergy\nSpace Study and Square Kilometer Area\nFourth Industrial Revolution and Digitalisation\nNatural Sciences (Biotechnological Studies)\nHealth Studies/Medicine\nFeminist, Womanist, Bosadi Theorizations\nStudent Support and Co-Curricular Activities\n3.\tFull Names and Surname\n4.\tStudent number\n5.\tProposed qualification\n6.    Qualification code\n7.    Specialisation/Stream\n8.\tCollege\n9.\tDepartment\n10.\tResearch focus area\n11.\tEmail address\nProblem statement\nThe problem statement should describe the issue that you will address in your research. It should explain why this topic matters and it should note what the research project hopes to achieve. For a PhD project outline, the problem statement should indicate how the proposed project will make an original contribution to knowledge.\nSignificance of the study\nWhy it is important to conduct this research?\nAim and objectives\nThere should be one general aim starting with the word “To”\nAn aim should clearly explain what you will focus on in the research project.\nObjectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound\nThe objectives should b e b as e d on and clearly relate to the research problem or t i t l e\nResearch questions\nWhat are the main questions that flow from your problem statement?\nLiterature review (this depends on the discipline)\nDescribe any scholarly sources that informed your decision to select your topic.\nWhat other sources do you intend to consult and why?\nExplain how you think your project will fit in with and contribute to existing bodies of scholarship in the field.\nResearch design, Research methodology, Theoretical\nFramework, Materials and methods, Procedures and the study\narea\nWhat conceptual and theoretical frameworks will you be using?\nMethodologies are discipline specific – ensure you use a relevant methodology\nDescribe the methods that will be used to achieve the research objectives\nHow will the study be conducted?\nHow will the data be analysed?\nInclude the timeframe of all research planned activities\nReferences or Bibliography\nResearch is built on existing knowledge. It implies that all research must have references.\nUse only one of the prescribed referencing styles (for example APA, Harvard, Mendeley Oxford, IEEE, MLA)\nUse original sources from accredited publications (peer reviewed journals and books by reputable publishers)\n19. Proposed Budget for the project and how the study will be funded\nEPS/13-08-2025","cbCaieWnevlU3zVq","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieWnevlU3zVq","docx",57626,"English","# Proposed title\n## Title requirements and catalytic niche areas\n# Content to include in the research outline\n## Identification details and research focus area\n## Problem statement and study significance\n## Aim, objectives, and research questions\n## Literature review and contribution to scholarship\n## Research design, methodology, theoretical framework, and analysis\n## Timeframe and references/bibliography\n## Budget and funding","[{\"question\":\"What is a research outline and how long should it be?\",\"answer\":\"A research outline is a brief outline of the research project in mind. It is usually between 5 and 12 pages in length.\"},{\"question\":\"What formatting and technical requirements must be followed?\",\"answer\":\"Use Arial font size 12, 1.5 line spacing, justified lines, page numbers, and normal margins.\"},{\"question\":\"What should the research outline include besides the proposed title?\",\"answer\":\"It should include catalytic niche area alignment, full names and student number, proposed qualification and related details, a problem statement, significance, a general aim and specific measurable objectives, research questions, literature review, research design/methodology/theoretical framework, procedures and study area, timeframe, references using one prescribed style, and a proposed budget with funding plan.\"}]","Guidelines for Prospective Master’s and Doctoral Students - Prepare a Research Outline | DOCX"]