WHAT IS THE DELIMITATION OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM? - SCIENCE - 2025

The delimitation of the research problem consists of specifically raising all the aspects that are necessary to answer the research question.

When carrying out a research project, the researcher must give more information about what he will research, in addition to the title. The topic should be specific enough to facilitate the research process.

In addition to raising a topic, the researcher must outline a problem with a solution, a question, a justification, a general objective, the specific objectives and limitations of the investigation. This whole process must be framed by a delimitation.

The purpose of the delimitation of the research problem is to establish the specific population to be studied, the time necessary to study the population and the space that will be used to carry out the research.

The three elements mentioned above must be pointed out in the research question. However, it is important to mention that there are problems that do not need the three aspects of the delimitation, which will not affect the investigation.

It should be noted that delimitation of the problem and limitations of the research do not refer to the same aspect. Many people are often confused about it.

How to delimit the research problem?

After establishing the topic to be investigated, other elements must be considered, as mentioned above.

However, this section will focus on the three elements relevant to the delineation of the research problem.

There is no rule that indicates how to write the delimitations of the research problem, such as the title and objectives, which follow established laws. The only thing that is expected from this aspect of the research is to make the object of study a specific topic.

It is important to keep in mind that the researcher must explain why he decided to study the boundaries he chose and why he did not choose different ones. The delimitations that a researcher must consider are those mentioned below.

Geographic delimitation

The geographic or spatial delimitation consists of limiting the investigation of the topic to an exact place, be it a country, a state, a city or a specific parish. This will lead to deducing the population to be studied.

Population delimitation

After indicating the space, you must select the population that will serve as the object of study. In this part, you can detail the gender and age of the population, the number of people who will participate, or you can indicate the name of an institution or company that will perform the population function.

However, if you want to study the population of an institution or company, it can be further delimited, indicating the exact part of the population that will be studied.

For example, if it is an educational institution, in addition to mentioning the name of the institution, you can select a specific grade and section. In this way, the geographic delimitation would be explicitly detailed at the same time.

Time delimitation

Depending on the topic, the period necessary to carry out the investigation will be established. It is important to point out the period of the object of study because it can be about events or phenomena that have already happened or are happening.

Continuing with the example of the delimitation of the population, if the population chosen by the researcher is an educational institution, he or she must indicate if the research will be based on an entire elective year and which year or only in a certain period.

What is it done for?

An investigation, whatever the topic, can cover large points and societies as an object of study. Establishing a boundary will help maintain a focus on the investigation.

The boundaries are created to form a type of guide that will be used by the researcher in order to focus on the essential aspects of the investigation.

Similarly, the boundaries serve as a guide to locate readers on the type of research they will read.

Why do it?

It can be thought that the questions for what and why will have the same answer, which is not correct.

The "why is the delimitation of the research problem carried out?" it is intrinsically related to what for. However, they are not similar.

The "for what?" It responds to the specific focus that the investigation will have, as already mentioned. On the other hand, delineation is done because it is necessary to establish a focus point. That is, create invisible walls from which the researcher cannot get out.

These walls are intended to limit the object of investigation, in a sense. Without these walls, the data collection would be so extensive that the final analysis could not be written.

Difference between the limitations and delimitations of the research problem

In order to differentiate between the boundaries and limitations of the research problem, you must start with a definition of each.

As explained before, the delimitations serve to establish the limits that the object of study will have. This is done in order to establish a beginning and an end for data collection and thus obtain a more specific topic to be developed.

However, the limitations can be considered as the weaknesses of the research. These refer to everything that the investigator has no control over or that which is impossible to predict will happen during the investigation.

However, those limitations that are evident can be used in favor of the researcher. By knowing them, the researcher can draw up a plan to work on them.

But if these limitations do not allow the development of the research, the researcher has time to change the focus of the research. These must be considered before carrying out the investigation process.

Therefore, it can be said that the most relevant difference between delimitations and limitations is that the former is controlled by the researcher, while the latter is outside the researcher's control.

References

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