Vocabulary List:
1. Scope of the Study- a section of a research paper that explains what
information or subject is being analyzed
2. Delimitation of the study - explains why certain aspects of a subject
were chosen and why others were excluded.
WRITING SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
After deciding on what research questions will be utilized in your study, you can now state its scope and delimitation. That is, set the premise of your study on what information is needed or not in the research. But how do we write scope and delimitation of the study?
Scope and delimitation of the study
The previous discussion tells us that a research question must be specific and focused but at the same time, complex. Its complexity must not hinder in identifying the scope of the study. Even though it addresses a wide range of knowledge, the premise of the study must still be identified. Scope must explain what information is being analyzed in the study. It must be discussed as brieflyas possible.
For instance, the scope of the study on “online learning” must include the area of focus of the study. If it pertains to the issues, challenges, and coping mechanism of learner, it must be clearly identified under this section. If it only includek-to-12 learners from the component cities of Region V, then it must be specified. Explanation why these subjects were chosen and why others were excluded allows us to delimit the study. With this, you are now on the process of
writing the delimitation of the study. The reason why scope and delimitation of the study is grouped as one is that the identification of the premise is done under scope section while the explanation on why that premise is considered is done under delimitation section. These will be your own choice; you will be the one to decide on the boundaries of the study. It includes things that you will do or not do, literature you will review or not, population you will study or not, methodology you will employ or not, and treatment you will use or not because delimitation defines the parameters of the investigation.
If you happen to encounter limitations instead of delimitations, don’t be confused they mean differently in research. While delimitation is the explanation of scope of the study, limitation pertains to the influences that the researcher cannot control, these are the potential weakness of the study, like shortcomings.
The diagram below illustrates how to write scope and delimitation of the study.
• Specify the coverage of the study .
• Explain what information is being analyzed in the study.
• explain the limitations of research like the sample size, time
frame, geeographic area, subjects, objectives
• State the delimitation of the study
Examples of Scope and Delimitation of the Study
Example 1:
The study deals with the analysis of the buying behavior of iGen consumers in Ligao City. This study covered the profile of the iGen in terms of age, sex, the goods and services that iGen avail, the buying behavior of iGen in purchasing goods/services, it can be motivational factor, psychological factor, or social factor and the concepts that may arise in this problem. The study was only limited on selected areas in Ligao City.
Example 2:
This study was conducted to determine the level of awareness and
compliance of meat vendors to Republic Act 9296. This only covers the meat
inspection, sanitation and prohibited acts as stated in RA 9296. This does not include other articles since these three are the only concerns of meat vendors. The respondents are the meat vendors of 3rd district of Albay.
