Limitations and Delimitations

LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS

by Anton Antonio

May 11, 2015

“The study of the environment and natural resources management transcends most disciplines or branches of science.  Everything being studied on earth has something to do with the environment.  It is for this reason why environmental science is disciplinary, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary.”  (Antonio, 2015)  Having said this, other issues that should have clarity whenever an environmental and natural resources management research is conducted are limitations and delimitations.

Limitation identifies potential weaknesses of a research while delimitation addresses how a study will be narrowed in scope or how it is bounded.  An environment and natural resources management research is often vague when it comes to limitations and delimitations.  These are segments in the research proposal that describe situations and circumstances that affect and restrict the method, methodology and analysis of research data and information.

Limitations are circumstances, conditions and influences that a researcher cannot control nor clearly establish.  These circumstances, conditions and influences are place pressure and restrictions that may influence the methodology being used and eventually the conclusion.  The ideal statement to make in the limitations of a study is thoroughly discussing the possible sources of weakness such as the following: (a) the analysis; (b) the conditions and nature of data and information being gathered; (c) the reporting system or survey being applied; (d) the sample and population; size, demography, etc.; and, (e) the time constraints.

Delimitations, on the other hand, are the choices a researcher has that should be mentioned.  Delimitations define and clarify the parameters of the research study… (a) population/sample; (b) treatment and utilization of data and information gathered; (c) time and place of study; and, (d) instrumentation and process of data gathering.  These are the boundaries that should be set for the study; simply said, the scope of the study.

Delimitation also emphasizes on: (1) the activities that will not be done; (2) the literature that will not be reviewed; (3) the segment of the population that will be excluded; and, (4) the methodological procedure that will not be followed.  Delimitations, like limitations, should also be identified and explained thoroughly.

The vagueness that normally results from inefficiently explained scope of a research or study can be clarified with well-identified and well-explained limitations and delimitations.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCE:

Antonio, A. C. (2015).  “Disciplinary, Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary and Transdisciplinary”.  Retrieved May 11, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/05/disciplinary-interdisciplinary.html.