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2 Answers to this question Answer: The limitations of a study are its flaws or shortcomings which could be the result of unavailability of resources, small sample size, flawed methodology, etc. No study is completely flawless or inclusive of all possible aspects. Therefore, listing the limitations of your study reflects honesty and transparency and also shows that you have a complete understanding of the topic. Generally speaking, the limitations are added in the Discussion section, just before the concluding paragraph. While you should definitely point out the limitations, do not get into an elaborate discussion about them. Keep this section short and crisp. The limitations of a study basically discusses any unanswered questions that your study did not address. Could you have used another means or method of data collection? Could the research design have been better? Was the sample not representative of the target population? Being self-critical and acknowledging the study’s limitations will give the impression that you are aware of what the study was not able to cover. Moreover, it would prevent the peer reviewer from pointing them out. To learn in depth how to write an effective results section, check out this course designed exclusively for researchers: How to write the most effective results and discussion sections. Related reading:
Answered by on 22 May, 2019 Resources for authors and journals
Answer: The limitations in a study are the challenges in design or methodology that affected the interpretation of your findings. All research studies have limitations. However, you must not shift the focus of your research paper to the limitations. Rather, you should briefly describe the limitations. If you do not capture the limitations in the methodology, you can include them in the conclusion. You can learn more about how to write a research paper conclusion on; How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper - Quest Writers .
This content belongs to the Conducting Research Stage Conducting research is the first and most exciting step in a researcher's journey. If you are currently in this stage of your publishing journey, subscribe & learn about best practices to sail through this stage and set yourself up for successful publication. Do you know someone who thinks they are simply perfect and has no faults? (Well, I know a few and some even become presidents of extremely important countries). Well, as shocking and disappointing as it may seem to some people: no one is perfect! Some are too tall, some too short, some enjoy country music (nothing personal), some add water to their fine whiskey (honestly, why?) and some do not drink coffee. The conclusion is: we all have some negative sides! And research is no different! And what is considered a limitation of a study? A limitation is any aspect that hinders a study and its findings. Does it mean that if my study has limitations it is useless? NO!!!!!!!!!!! Very often researchers (students or well established researchers) have concerns about clearly describing the limitations of their studies. Why? Because there is sometimes a misconception that if your research limitations are too clear, readers will undermine the relevance of your work. For example, you might be afraid others will think: “Why are these findings relevant if there are so many limitations to the study?” All right, first let us make some things clear here:
In other words, clearly describing the limitations of your study should only strengthen your work! ALSO CHECK: Read our “STEP BY STEP Thesis Guide” with Many More Tips! Video Content: Research LimitationsIn case you are enjoying the article, do not forget to watch the video with further support on how to deal with your research limitations. Examples of Research LimitationsOk, you got it so far that no one is perfect, that some weird people become presidents and that research limitations should be included in your work. I guess the next question would be: which limitations should I mention? Look, it is extremely difficult to describe all possible types of research limitations. It will vary greatly depending on the type and nature of the study. However, here are some examples:
Where Should Research Limitations be Included in the Thesis?Once you are done thinking and considering the limitations of your work, a simple question may arise: Where in my thesis should I include such limitations? Please note: there is no specific format to this and it may vary from supervisor to supervisor, and sometimes certain universities may have their own guidelines. But USUALLY, the limitations are the VERY LAST section of your thesis, and they appear after the MANAGERIAL RECOMMENDATIONS. And why? Because as mentioned above, the limitations may be due to any section of your work. For example:
For this reason, it doesn’t really make much sense to have it in any other section of your work but the very END. Got it? Great! Now go ahead and be honest with the limitations of your work! Reviewers will be positively impressed! Download the ArticleDid you like the article and would like to have it with you? Simple! DOWNLOAD: LiveInnovation.org - Writing Research Limitations.pdf Final ThoughtsPlease note: All the suggestions here are personal, according to my own supervision style. Feel absolutely free to discuss them with your supervisor or other academics. Each one tends to have their own style and expectations. Hope these tips have been useful for you and wish you all the best! Why is it important to refer to the limitations of the study in the conclusion the limitations of the study?Keep in mind that acknowledgment of a study's limitations is an opportunity to make suggestions for further research. If you do connect your study's limitations to suggestions for further research, be sure to explain the ways in which these unanswered questions may become more focused because of your study.
Why is it important to mention limitations in research?Limitations are important to understand for placing research findings in context, interpreting the validity of the scientific work, and ascribing a credibility level to the conclusions of published research. This goes beyond listing the magnitude and direction of random and systematic errors and validity problems.
Is limitation of the study part of conclusion?Generally speaking, the limitations are added in the Discussion section, just before the concluding paragraph. While you should definitely point out the limitations, do not get into an elaborate discussion about them.
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