This lesson covers key components that frame and clarify a research study: scope and delimitations, significance of the study, and definition of terms. Understanding these elements helps to set boundaries, highlight the study's importance, and ensure clarity in language and purpose.
Lesson objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
The study’s “Scope” are the concepts and variables you have explored in your research. It tells which aspect of a subject the writer has chosen to analyse. Most in research is limited in scope by sample size, time and geographic area.
The study’s “Delimitation” – the “boundaries” of your study’s scope. It sets apart the things included in your analysis from those excluded. It is the part where the writer also explains the chosen research method and why certain theories were applied to the data.
The scope and delimitations describe the parameters to which the study is set and sets the boundaries of the research in terms of certain aspects.
For example, your scope might be the effectiveness of plant leaves in lowering blood sugar levels. You can “delimit” your study only to the effect of Gabi leaves on the blood glucose of Swiss mice.
To write a good scope and delimitations of your research paper, consider the following questions:
Useful phrases you can use in writing this section:
Example
| Why (general purpose) | To determine the effectiveness of music as part of bridge program for pupils who failed in mathematics subject |
|---|---|
| What (topic) | The utilization of music in the Mathematics Bridge program |
| Where (the location or setting of the study) | Pateros Catholic School, Pateros, Metro Manila |
| When (timeframe) | During summer of school year 2019-2020 |
| Who (subject/Population) | 50 identified pupils who failed in Mathematics subjects, where half of them were distributed to experimental and control groups. |
| How (methodology) | Experimental study |
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of music in the Mathematics Bridge Program for Grade Five pupils of Pateros Catholic Schools.
The participants shall be the 50 pupils who shall fail in Mathematics subject. Half of them shall be distributed to experimental and control groups. The experimental group shall utilize music in their Mathematics Bridge program while the control group shall utilize the traditional classroom method.
This study shall be conducted at Pateros Catholic School, Pateros Metro Manila during the summer of the school year 2019-2020 and whatever changes in the mathematics skills after this date shall not be included in the framework of the research. The performance of the students shall be measured using the teacher-made pre-test and post-test. Observation shall be used to determine the extent of improvement of the respondents with and without music therapy.
Other pupils shall enroll from other grade levels as well the other subjects taken by the pupils shall not be included in the study due time constraints.
In writing the significance of the study, the researcher ought to consider the following:
Here are useful phrases you can use:
Example 1: Business and Management-Related Research
Research Topic: A Comparative Analysis of Traditional and Social Media Marketing of Small Clothing Enterprises.
Significance of the Study:
By comparing the two marketing strategies presented by this research, there will be an expansion on the current understanding of the firms on these marketing strategies in terms of cost, acceptability, and sustainability. This study presents these marketing strategies for small clothing enterprises, giving them insights into which method is more appropriate and valuable for them.
Specifically, this research will benefit start-up clothing enterprises in deciding which marketing strategy they should employ. Long-time clothing enterprises may also consider the result of this research to review their current marketing strategy.
Furthermore, a detailed presentation on the comparison of the marketing strategies involved in this research may serve as a tool for further studies to innovate the current method employed in the clothing Industry.
Example 2: Humanities-Related Research
Research Topic: Effectiveness of Meditation on Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students.
Significance of the Study:
This research will provide new perspectives in approaching anxiety issues of college students through meditation.
Specifically, this research will benefit the following:
Community – this study spreads awareness on recognizing anxiety as a mental health concern and how meditation can be a valuable approach to alleviating it.
Academic Institutions and Administrators – through this research, educational institutions and administrators may promote programs and advocacies regarding meditation to help students deal with their anxiety issues.
Mental health advocates – the result of this research will provide valuable information for the advocates to further their campaign on spreading awareness on dealing with various mental health issues, including anxiety, and how to stop stigmatizing those with mental health disorders.
Parents – this research may convince parents to consider programs involving meditation that may help the students deal with their anxiety issues.
Students will benefit directly from this research as its findings may encourage them to consider meditation to lower anxiety levels.
Future researchers – this study covers information involving meditation as an approach to reducing anxiety levels. Thus, the result of this study can be used for future discussions on the capabilities of meditation in alleviating other mental health concerns.
In research, terms need to be clearly defined to ensure that readers and other researchers understand what you mean. However, there are different ways to define terms depending on the context and purpose. There are two key types of definitions used in research: conceptual definitions and operational definitions.
Conceptual Definition
We base definition from dictionary or any reliable sources that provide meaning of the words e.g. encyclopedia, Investopedia, Cambridge, Collins, Oxford etc.
Example:
If we use the term “intelligence,” a conceptual definition might refer to “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.”
Operational Definition
An operational definition explains how a term is measured or identified in a study. It specifies what actions or operations will be taken to gather data or measure the concept.
Example:
To operationalize “intelligence,” a researcher might define it as “the score obtained on a standardized IQ test.”
Key Differences
| Conceptual Definition | Operational Definition |
|---|---|
| General meaning of the term | Specifies measurement or observation |
| Based on theory or common understanding | Based on study requirements |
| Example: Motivation is the enthusiasm of doing something. [Cambridge Dictionary] | Example: Motivation measured by hours spent studying |