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It converts a challenging research degree into realistic steps, helps maintain momentum to complete a master’s or doctorate on time, and reduces risks from unexpected changes. The planner also supports discussions with supervisors using the student-supervisor MoU and the Council for Higher Education Qualification Standard for Doctoral Degrees, including guidance for deadlines, thesis/dissertation steps, required skills, and relevant support workshops and services.",{"@graph":63,"@context":110},[64,80,101],{"@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":11,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/the-planit-map-your-research-from-start-to-finish/243202/",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/the-planit-map-your-research-from-start-to-finish/243202.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Ophelia","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-19","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"What does the planner cover in terms of research support?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"It highlights support options such as the Research Degree Toolkit, free postgraduate workshops and online training, library and information services, and writing support resources to develop required skills.","Answer","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":112,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":114,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":116,"site_id":56},243202,1791480557,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":119},{"doc_id":116,"user_id":120,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":121,"doc_module":9,"category_id":8,"category_name":11,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":122,"file_id":123,"file_url":124,"file_type":125,"file_size":126,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":127,"language":128,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":129,"faqs":130,"seo_title":131,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":132,"read_time":76},7971461741311,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/74000253aff267980c6?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779345379180704826","plan  \nMap your research from start to finish  \nit  \nPostgraduate Office  \nIntroduction  \n[The](The plan.it)[ plan.it](The plan.it), brought to you by the Postgraduate Office (PGO), has been designed to help you create a customised research project plan.  \nA project plan will turn a seemingly daunting task into a series of attainable steps. Since one can easily drift aimlessly, planning will give you the drive and momentum to complete your research degree on time. While it is inevitable that you will encounter some surprises along the way, planning reduces the chances of things going wrong and minimises the damage when they do.  \nA project plan, used in conjunction with a student-supervisor Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Council for Higher Education’s Qualification Standard for Doctoral Degrees (2018), provides a useful basis for discussions between you and your supervisor.  \nThe goal of a master’s, but especially a doctorate, is to become an independent scholar, able to design and manage your own research project. Whether you work in a highly structured research team or mostly on your own, you remain responsible for finishing your thesis or dissertation on time.  \nWe hope this planner will assist you to reach this goal.  \nThe Postgraduate Skills Development Team  \n[www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills](www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills)  \n@SUpostgraduateoffice  \n[pgskills@sun.ac.za](pgskills@sun.ac.za)  \n@stellenboschunipgo  \nHow to use this planner  \n[The](The plan.it)[ plan.it](The plan.it) lists all that needs to happen for you to complete your research degree. In the sample calendar provided, the steps, actions and deadlines have been squeezed into one year to illustrate milestones, but this is not realistic and is just an example of how to [use the](use the plan.it. Follow the steps)[ plan.it](use the plan.it. Follow the steps)[. Follow the steps](use the plan.it. Follow the steps) below to draw up your own customised plan, spreading the steps over as many years required. Discuss your draft plan with your supervisor, there might be steps unique to your field, or faculty that you need to consider.  \nThe first row provides examples of typical deadlines in a research degree. Speak to your supervisor to ascertain which ones are relevant to your project. Record these dates in the top row of your empty planner. This forms the backbone of your plan.  \nThe second row lists the typical steps it takes to create a thesis or dissertation. Tick the steps you have done. Arrange the remaining steps in the second row, working backwards from your deadlines in Step 1. The times and order given here are only examples—many steps will overlap. Ask your supervisor for input and adapt to fit your time frame.  \nThe third row indicates the minimum skills required to complete a research degree. You probably already have some of these skills—tick them off! Insert the ones you want to develop and by when, in the third row.  \nThe fourth row records your support plan to develop the skills you need for Step 3. Consult the Research Support section in this planner to find relevant workshops and expertise. Contact the respective service providers to ascertain due dates, and add these to your planner.  \nStep 4  \nResearch support  \nWhen plotting your activities on your planner, it is important to see what is available and then to incorporate the support relevant to your project plan, like:  \nThe  \nResearch  \nDegree Toolkit  \nA toolkit available on our Postgraduate Skills Development website, guiding you from the beginning stages of considering a research degree, through to preparing foryour examination. Use this toolkit with this planner.  \nThe Postgraduate Office hosts a range of free workshops (online and faceto-face) for SU postgraduates! Sign up [via www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills. In](via www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills. In)[ ](via www.sun.ac.za/pgo/pgskills. In)addition, find self-paced online coursesand training videos for postgraduates on SUNLearn ( [learn.sun.ac","cbCaicmSQPqKbaet","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicmSQPqKbaet","pdf",993224,9,"English","# Introduction\n## How to use this planner\n## Research support","[{\"question\":\"What does the planner cover in terms of research support?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights support options such as the Research Degree Toolkit, free postgraduate workshops and online training, library and information services, and writing support resources to develop required skills.\"}]","The plan.it - Map your research from start to finish | PDF",1789201314]