Video Tips for Post Graduate Writing: Scope
and Limitations of Your Study
Hello and welcome back!
My name is Dr. Cheryl Lentz, owner of The
Refractive Thinker® Press.
Today our focus for Tips for Post Graduate
Writing is on the scope and limitations as
offered in Chapter 1 and reviewed again in
Chapter 5 in the Graduate Thesis format and
for most Doctoral Dissertations.
The scope and limitations are very important
to the nature of your study.
As your study begins with your problem statement
and purpose statement—outlining the reason
and direction for your study, your study must
also indicate its limitations.
In addition to what your study intends to
accomplish, a discussion of what your study
intends not to accomplish is of importance
and value as well.
What are the boundaries that perhaps the design
of your study may not allow?
These could include
(1) Sampling.
Is your sampling a non-probability or purposeful
sampling for example?
Why?
a.
Perhaps it was not cost effective to survey
all members of the organization?
b.
Perhaps it was not time efficient to survey
all members of the organization?
(2) Perhaps there is a limitation in the scope
and validity of your survey instrument?
(3) Perhaps there are limitations to your
choice of methodology?
a.
Example: For the Delphi Technique, the literature
review as offered by my dissertation found
four primary limitations to the use of the
standard Delphi Technique as offered by authors
Nekolaichuk, Fainsinger, and Lawlor (2005).
b.
As a result of these limitations, great care
was taken with the ability to generalize the
resultant findings when discussed in Chapter
5
Remember, there is often confusion by what
is meant by delimitations (those characteristics
and details about your study that may limit
the scope or define your specific boundaries)
of your particular study and limitations (those
elements that may limit what you can say about
the results).
Just by defining your problem statement in
any particular way, you are potentially limiting
the scope, boundaries, or parameters for your
study.
There are many approaches you could consider.
By taking your particular approach, you are
committing to a particular scope of action
and path that you will be traveling.
You will need to clearly define what you intend
to study as well as what you do not.
Be very specific in both areas for your reader
to clearly understand your intents on both
levels.
Limitations by contrast are what elements
will affect the ability for your study to
generalize the results.
What conclusions will you be able to draw
from your study within your specific boundaries?
Let’s consider your sample population for
example.
Is your sample large enough?
Remember that Creswell (2002) indicated that
“approximately 30 participants for a correlational
study that relates variables (p. 168) would
be acceptable as an appropriate sample size.
Anything less and this could potentially limit
the validity of your study to expand much
beyond its initial population sample.
Remember our goal is what our study can add
to the general body of knowledge at its conclusion.
What will we be able to offer about our study
as a result of our various choices with regard
to the consideration of your study’s problem
statement, purpose statement, methodology,
sample size, and population?
Please be sure to spend some time in thought
with regard to these areas.
References
Creswell, J. (2002).
Educational research: Planning, conducting,
and evaluation quantitative and qualitative
research.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Nekolaichuk, C., Fainsinger, R., & Lawlor,
P. (2005, October).
A validation study of a pain classification
system for advanced cancer patients using
content experts: The Edmonton Classification
System for cancer pain.
Palliative Medicine, 19(6), 466-476.
Let me once again invite you to find at least
three sample studies from your respective
university that mirrors your study for you
to closely follow its logic, format, and overall
organization, presentation, subheading titles,
and perhaps design.
The sample studies will offer delimitations
and limitations for your study to consider
further.
For more tips on effective post graduate writing,
to include both videos and transcripts, please
visit my blog at http://refractivethinker.com/wordpress.
Thank you for joining me.
Again my name is Dr. Cheryl Lentz.
I have enjoyed our time together and I hope
you find these suggestions for crafting an
effective doctoral dissertation or graduate
thesis within this video helpful.
Much continued success and luck to you as
your academic and professional journeys continue.
With respect,
Cheryl
Dr. Cheryl Lentz
Chief Refractive Thinker®
The Refractive Thinker® Press, where discriminating
scholars publish.
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