Scope and Delimitation of the Study

Learning Objectives:
1. Define Scope of the Study as well as its importance.
2. Discuss the guidelines on how to write the scope of the study.
3. Differentiate Limitation and Delimitation
4. Discuss the method on how to write the delimitation of the study.
5. Indicate the scope and delimitation of the study from a certain research topic.

Scope of the study

Scope of the study refers to the boundaries or parameter of the research problem

to be investigated. As stated by Simon, M. Goes, J. (2013), the scope is considered as

the domain of the research, thus the researcher must indicate, as clear as possible, what

will be studying and what factors are within the accepted range of the study. In this

section, it should be stated all the different aspects included in the research project such

as objectives, services, location, timeline, and the areas of focus.

Importance of the Scope of the Study

A well-defined scope of the study allows the researcher to provide clarification to

the findings of the study that need to be examined. It makes clear that specific data points

have been obtained while others have been omitted. Without this, it is impossible to

determine the end point for a research project since there are no limitations to the work

that may take place.

Guidelines on How to Write a Scope

In order to have a good scope of the study, these six questions should be answered:
• Why – do we need to study the research topic?
• What – are the subject and variables to be investigated?
• Where – the data will be gathered?
• When – will be the data collected?
• Who – are the subject matter of the study and the population from which they will
be selected?
• How – the research is to be conducted?
Difference between Limitation and Delimitation

Limitation in any specific study applies possible weaknesses that are typically

outside the researcher's control such as the statistical model and funding constraints,

limited access to certain documents and people in an organization and etc. In this sense,

the constraint is a 'imposed' restriction, and is therefore ultimately beyond the influence

of the researcher. However, it may have an effect on findings and, eventually, conclusions

and should therefore be clearly acknowledge in the study.

Delimitation is the boundaries consciously set by the researcher in order to achieve

the objectives and goals of the research project. In this regard, delimitation is under the

control of the researcher. Among of these are the choice of research question, variables

of interest, paradigm, methodology, theoretical perspective and framework and the choice

of participants.

Guidelines on writing Delimitation of the Study

Since Delimitation is within the researcher’s control readers need to know why

they have been set, what alternative options are available, and why these

alternatives have been rejected.

Questions that help point out your study’s delimitations:

1. What are my exclusion criteria? Who did I not include in my study, and why did I make
this choice?
2. What questions did I choose not to address in my study?
3. In what ways did I narrow the scope of my study in order to come up on a particular
issue or question?
4. What other methodologies did I not use that might have allowed me to answer slightly
different questions about the same topic?
All delimitations that are considered makes the study more relevant to the scope.

Thus, when writing a paper, scope and delimitations are linked together.
Indicating Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The Use of Fuzzy Logic for Online Monitoring

of Manufacturing Machine: An Intelligent System
(Novilla, A., Balute, A., Gonzales, D.)
December 2017
https://doi.org/10.22632/ccs-2017-252-61

1.6 Scope and Delimitation

This study aims for the development of a monitoring device incorporated in the manufacturing
machines that will gather required data for predictive and adaptive maintenance. The monitoring system
consists of current sensor, temperature sensor, smoke sensor, Ethernet module and an embedded
system. Sensors will measure the manufacturing machines status. Information about the system will be
sent from the sensors to the microcontroller, which will be the one to send the data to the Internet, to be
able to perform data analysis for predictive and adaptive maintenance.

In order to fulfil the deliverable, this research project is done guided by the following scope:
1. The Calculation of sensor input data and estimation of required physiological signals and the decision-
making module will be using fuzzy logic to indicate stress levels.

2. The system decision making module will be using fuzzy logic to indicate status of the manufacturing
machines levels.

3. Design a readable output to show the category level in regard to the status of the
manufacturing machine.

In order to fulfil the aim of the project, this research project is done guided by the
following limitations:

1. This system will not ensure the complete safety and preservation of the manufacturing
machines. The system will not be concerned about the decision made by the maintenance
personnel.
2. The system will not be concerned about the status of the surrounding environment where the
manufacturing machine will be installed, but rather in the status of the manufacturing machine,
as the data produced by the monitoring system will be dependent on the stimulus sensed by the
sensors which are in installed within the manufacturing machine.

3. Manufacturing machines of ill health, are not of concern for the design of this monitoring
system. Also, this monitoring system is expected to function effectively on normal manufacturing
testing run.
REFERENCES

Phdstudent.com. (n.d). Diving Deeper into Limitations and Delimitations. Retrieved from
https://www.phdstudent.com/thesis-and-dissertation-survival/research-design/diving-deeper-into-
limitations-and-delimitations/

DiscoverPhDs. (2020). Scope and Delimitations - Explained and Example. Retrieved from
https://www.discoverphds.com/blog/scope-and-delimitations

Simon, M. (2011). Assumptions, limitations and delimitations. Retrieved from

https://scholar.google.com/scholarhl=en&as_sdt=0,5&qsp=1&q=scope+and+delimitation+sample&qst=i
b#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3D7RrOsUnzMyMJ

Simon, M. Goes, J. (2013). Scope, limitations, and delimitations. Retrieved from

https://scholar.google.com/scholarhl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=scope+of+study&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%2
3p%3D3oZ1uFUBZ_AJ

Novilla, A., Balute, A., & Gonzales, D. (2017). The Use of Fuzzy Logic for Online Monitoring of
Manufacturing Machine: An Intelligent System Retrieved fromhttps://doi.org/10.22632/ccs-2017-252-61