Dissertation Limitations

A final type of limitation is that of statistical or data limitations.Sometimes you may not be able to collect as much or as good data as you intended, or perhaps enrollment was more difficult than expected, underpowering your results.I guess the next question would be: which limitations should I mention?

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. Because as mentioned above, the limitations may be due to any section of your work. Now go ahead and be honest with the limitations of your work! Please note: All the suggestions here are personal, according to my own supervision style.

Statistical limitations can also stem from study design, producing more serious limitations in terms of interpreting the findings.

Although these three types of limitations are often connected, it helps to consider these three categories separately to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Well, as shocking and disappointing as it may seem to some people: no one is perfect! Does it mean that if my study has limitations it is useless? Very often researchers (students or well established researchers) have concerns about clearly describing the limitations of their studies. Because there is sometimes a misconception that if your research limitations are too clear, readers will undermine the relevance of your work.

Some are too tall, some too short, some enjoy country music (nothing personal), some add water to their fine whiskey (honestly, why? The conclusion is: we all have some negative sides! For example, you might be afraid others will think: Ok, 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.

Generally, the limitations are placed near the end of the discussion.

Most authors include the limitations as a separate paragraph, usually starting with a lead sentence such as “However, our study had several limitations”.

, and does not just go off at a tangent to discuss something that is unrelated to the thesis.

Some people believe (mistakenly) that a conclusion is the place for you to relax and 'say whatever you want'. If you do this, you will be likely to be marked down.