Please email [email protected] for any enquiries.

Who can apply?

The ISCS currently supports:

• Masters and doctoral students - assistance ONLY with the dissertation or thesis, NOT coursework assignments.
• Postdoctoral students.
• Research/Academic Staff.

 

Note: The ISCS currently does NOT assist Honours or Undergraduate students. 

Consulting Services:

The Internal Statistical Consultation Service (ISCS) in the Department of Statistics aims to provide comprehensive statistical research consultation to academic personnel and Master's/Doctoral students. We strive to enhance the research function of the University of Pretoria by raising the standard of implementation of statistical methodology and further promoting interdisciplinary research.

The ISCS service workflow is highlighted below:

 

 

 

 

Application Process:

1. ​Please read the terms and conditions below carefully before using the ISCS.
2. The letter of co-authorship agreement, all signed by the applicant, supervisor(s), and Head of the Department in which the research is conducted, should be attached to the application. The document can be found at the following link: Co-authorship Agreements.
3. It is mandatory that both the letter of co-authorship and a summary of your research protocol be attached to the application. A summary of your research protocol should be attached to the application.
4. Click here to apply

Please note: Incomplete applications will delay project review.

 

Terms and Conditions:

The terms and conditions for the ISCS are:

1. Application Process:

• Applicants must complete and submit the online application form following the application process.
• After submission, they will be contacted by a statistical consultant for a first consultation.
• Consultations are conducted by appointment only and are scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis.

2. Eligibility and Approval:

• ​​​Students must obtain approval from their supervisors before requesting consultancy services.
• Supervisors are expected to attend at least the first consultation. If this condition is not met, the right to refuse consulting is reserved.

3. Scope of Service:​

• The statistical team does not act as a student's supervisor and does not offer any supervisory contribution regarding their field of study or their dissertations/theses.
• The statistical team does not take responsibility for data cleaning but will assist with identifying variables that need to be investigated and cleaned. The analysis will only be allowed if data cleaning is fully completed and upholds the required standards.​

 

4. Data Collection and Standards:

• ​​​The team reserves the right only to capture or analyse data collected with their involvement at the onset of the research project if the data meets the required standards.
• It is vital that the selection of a journal that will require publishing fees be discussed with the consultant in advance. Failure to do so will result in no financial contribution from the statistical team.

5. Deadlines and Scheduling:

• The student/researcher is responsible for providing ample time for statistical consulting and informing the consultant of any deadlines. As a guideline, requests must be submitted at least 6 to 8 weeks before the deadline.
• New projects are NOT registered and undertaken from mid-September to end-January. 
• Any work/communication regarding projects submitted during this period will commence in February.

6. Consultation and Reporting:

• The researcher will receive a report summarising the statistical findings. The statistical team is not responsible for writing final reports/sections in dissertations/theses on research findings/results.
• The nature and extent of the research should be such that it is publishable as an article in an accredited journal. The contribution of the statistical consultant(s) is expected to result in co-authorship, which includes at least editing the statistical section of the article.
• For record-keeping purposes, an electronic copy of the final submitted article must be sent to the team after the project and notified once the article is published.

7. Responsibilities and Contact:

• ​​Clients are strongly recommended to contact the consultancy at the onset of their project.
• The team reserves the right to discontinue any assistance, analysis, or meetings of postgraduate student applicants without input, regular contact, and discussions with the supervisor(s).
• If you miss an appointment with the ISCS team, you will need to reschedule it with a lead time of at least 24 hours, depending on the consultant’s availability.

8. Capacity and Availability:

• ​​Applications for statistical support for Master’s students are subject to the workload of consultants and statisticians and other capacity constraints as directed by the Department of Statistics.
• Application for statistical support is not guaranteed and will depend on staff availability and overlap with existing research activities.

 

Initial Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]