The delimitation of the research problem is to specifically address all the aspects that are necessary to answer the research question.
At the time of conducting a research project, the researcher should give more information about what to investigate, besides the title. The topic should be specific enough to facilitate the research process.
In addition to raising a topic, the researcher must outline a problem with a solution, a question mark, a justification, a general objective, the specific objectives and limitations of the research. All this process must be framed by a delimitation.
The delimitation of the research problem aims to establish the specific population to be studied, the time necessary to be able to study the population and the space that will be used to carry out the research.
The three elements mentioned above should be pointed out in the research question. However, it is important to mention that there are problems that do not need the three aspects of the delimitation, which will not affect the investigation.
It should be noted that delimitation of the problem and limitations of the investigation do not refer to the same aspect. Many people are often confused about it.
How to delimit the research problem?
After setting the topic you want to investigate, other elements should be considered, as mentioned above.
However, this section will focus on the three elements relevant to the delimitation of the research problem.
There is no rule that indicates how to write the delimitations of the research problem, as is the case of the title and the objectives, which follow established laws. The only thing that is expected of this aspect of the research is to make the study object a specific topic.
It is important to keep in mind that the researcher must explain why he decided to study the delimitations he chose and why he did not choose different ones. The delimitations that a researcher must consider are those that are mentioned below.
Geographical delimitation
The geographical or spatial delimitation consists in limiting the investigation of the subject to an exact place, be it a specific country, state, city or parish. This will lead to deduction of the population to be studied.
Delimitation of population
After indicating the space, it is necessary to select the population that will serve as object of study. In this part, you can specify the gender and age of the population, the number of people involved, or you can name the name of an institution or company that will perform the population function.
However, if you want to study the population of an institution or company, it can be delimited further, indicating the exact part of the population to be studied.
For example, if you are an educational institution, in addition to mentioning the name of the institution, you can select a specific degree and section. In this way, it would be detailing at the same time and explicitly the geographical delimitation.
Delimitation of time
Depending on the subject, the period necessary to conduct the research will be established. It is important to note the scope of the object of study because this may be about events or phenomena that have already happened or are happening.
Continuing with the example of population delimitation, if the population chosen by the researcher is an educational institution, the researcher must indicate whether the research will be based on an entire elective year and which year or only in a given period.
What is it for?
An investigation, whatever the subject may be, can encompass great points and societies as object of study. Establishing a delimitation will help maintain a focus on research.
The delimitations are created to form a type of guide that will be used by the researcher in order to focus on the primary aspects of research.
Likewise, delimitations serve as a guide to locate readers on the type of research they will read.
Why do it?
It may be thought that the questions for what and why will have the same answer, which is not correct.
The"why is the delimitation of the research problem made?"Is intrinsically related to the why. However, they are not similar.
The"what for?"Responds to the determined focus that will have the research, as already mentioned. On the other hand, the delimitation is made why you need to set a focus point. That is to say, to create invisible walls of which the investigator can not leave.
These walls are intended to limit the object of research, in a sense. Without such walls, data collection would be so extensive that the final analysis could not be written.
Difference between the limitations and delimitations of the research problem
In order to establish the difference between the delimitations and the limitations of the research problem, we must start with a definition of each.
As explained above, the delimitations serve to establish the limits that will have the object of study. This is done in order to guide a beginning and an end for the collection of data and thus obtain a more concrete subject to be developed.
However, the limitations can be considered as the weaknesses of the research. These refer to everything about which the researcher has no control or that which is impossible to predict to happen during the investigation.
Nevertheless, those limitations that are obvious, can be used in favor of the investigator. By knowing them, the researcher can draw up a plan to work on them.
But if these limitations do not allow the development of research, the researcher is in time to change the focus of research. These should be considered before conducting the research process.
Therefore, it can be said that the most relevant difference between delimitations and limitations is that the former is controlled by the researcher, while the latter is beyond the control of the researcher.
References
- Stating the obvious. Writing assumptions, limitations, and delimitations. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from phdstudent.com.
- Diving deeper into limitations and delimitations. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from phdstudent.com.
- How to prepare a research proposal. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from sats.edu.za.
- Planning the methodology - Limitations and delimitations. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from bcps.org
- Scope and delimitation eaxmple. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from ukessays.com
- Adu, P. Difference between delimitations, limitations, and assumptions. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from es.slideshare.net.
- Thesis writing guide. Retrieved on September 15, 2017, from wku.edu.