Written by Ari Julianto
Scope and Limitation is a part of CHAPTER I in a skripsi/thesis. This part describes the scope of the study and the limitation which it has. Scope and limitations outline the parameters of a skripsi/thesis.
Scope and limitations is generally a short chapter within a skripsi/thesis, which usually comes after introduction, and objective or hypothesis. It indicates the scale of the skripsi/thesis, and undercuts potential arguments against the strength of the paper.
The scope and limitations chapter is a traditional nod to humility in the piece and a recognition that though the work is comprehensive, it may not be complete. When writing a scope and limitations section of a skripsi/thesis, it's important to be honest and objective. Especially in a skripsi/thesis, which is scrutinized by a panel of experts, a well thought-out scope and limitations description can provide the missing element by recognizing the bounds and shorfalls of a skripsi/thesis.
I. Scope
The scope is going to tell a person exactly what is being discussed in the paper. Scope describes how much of a topic the skripsi/thesis covers. it may be further sub divided into the following parts for example:
- Regarding Respondents (Their age, caste, only to male or female etc.)
- Regarding Area
- Regarding brand/product etc.
The scope is also limited to what is being addressed and what is not, so there are limitations placed on the scope. It is imperative that one mention what could be discussed and what is being left out due to time, research or other issues,thus creating the limitations on the actual thesis statement.
II. Limitation
If we talk about the limitations then the limitations of the study may be due to the time availability and the cost etc.Limitations include some potential areas where the skripsi/thesis may fall short. Limitation will provide parameters for what will be talked about and what will not be talked about. This is where some of the limitations come in since one has to eliminate what is not part of the "scope" of the paper. It should be an elaborate section that fulfills every question one might have in what the paper will discuss. You may want to break it down to specific categories based on the topic of the paper. Limitation can be its own section and should be right after the scope.
The limitations are going to discuss the drawbacks to the scope and the method the paper uses to discuss the topic. The thesis statement will in part help determine what limitations there are. The method one chooses to elaborate on the thesis statement will also provide some of the limitations.
Example:
This investigation was conducted to determine the status of the teaching of science in the high schools of Province A as perceived by the teachers and students in science classes during the school year 1989-1990. the aspects looked into were the qualifications of teachers, their methods and strategies, facilities forms of supervisory assistance, problems and proposed solutions to problems.
General purpose: To determine the status of the teaching of science.
Subject matter: The teaching of science.
Topics (aspects) studied: Qualifications of teachers. Their methods and strategies, facilities, form of supervisory assistance, problems and proposed solutions to the problems.
Population or universe: teachers and students
Locale of the study: High schools of province A.
Period of the study: School year 1989-1990.
(taken from any sources)
Hope today's posting will be useful for all of us. Amin.
