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Academic English & Research vocabulary · Thesis and Article Structure

Limitation

Meaning in academic english & research, with examples

/ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃn/nounCore term

In academic english & research, limitation means: A weakness or restriction in a study's design, sample or methods that affects how far its findings can be generalized or trusted.

In Turkish: sınırlılık, kısıt, eksiklik

How it is used

Usually plural: a limitations section or paragraph near the end of the discussion. Writers acknowledge, discuss or address limitations, and reviewers expect them to be stated honestly and followed by suggestions for future research.

Example sentences

  1. One limitation of this study is its reliance on self-reported data.

  2. The authors should discuss the limitations of the small sample more openly.

Common collocations

  • limitations of the study
  • acknowledge limitations
  • a major limitation
  • despite these limitations
  • discussionThe section of a research article or thesis that interprets the results, compares them with earlier studies and explains their meaning and limitations.
  • validityThe extent to which a study or instrument really measures what it claims to measure and supports the conclusions drawn from it.
  • sampleThe smaller group of people, items or texts selected from a larger population for a study, so that conclusions can be drawn about that population.
  • conclusionThe final section of a thesis or article that sums up the main findings, their meaning and limitations; also a judgment reached after considering evidence.

More terms: Thesis and Article Structure

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