2.1 Scope of the study

The scope of a study states how far the research will go: the topic it covers, the people it includes, the place where it takes place and the period it deals with. Setting the scope early keeps the study manageable and tells readers what the findings can and cannot be applied to. A study that tries to cover everything about child welfare in the whole country, for instance, cannot be finished by one student in one term. A study of reasons for school dropout among foster children in one sub-county can be completed and will give useful results.

Dimensions of scope

• Content scope: The variables or issues the study will examine, such as access to services, family support and school attendance, and those it will leave out.
• Geographical scope: The area covered, for example one ward, one children's home or one sub-county.
• Population scope: The group of people studied, defined by age, sex, status or role, such as caregivers of children with disabilities.
• Time scope: The period the data refer to or the period over which data are collected, such as records for the last two years.
• Methodological scope: The kind of design and tools used, for instance a survey with a questionnaire or interviews with key informants.

Scope, delimitations and limitations

• Scope: What the study covers.
• Delimitations: The deliberate choices that narrow the study, such as choosing only female-headed households, so that it stays feasible.
• Limitations: Weaknesses beyond the researcher's control, such as a low response rate or participants who may not answer honestly. They are stated openly so readers can judge the results fairly.

Steps in setting the scope

1. Return to the research problem and the objectives: each objective must fit inside the scope.
2. Decide the content: list the variables and issues that will be studied and those that will not.
3. Define the population: state who is included and who is excluded, with clear criteria.
4. Choose the location: select the area, taking into account distance, cost and access.
5. Fix the period: decide the dates of data collection or the years of records reviewed.
6. Check feasibility: compare the scope with the time, money and skills available, and reduce it where needed.
7. Write the scope clearly in the proposal and state the delimitations and expected limitations.

Example

A researcher at a rehabilitation centre wants to study the experiences of young people after treatment. The scope is written as: young people aged 18 to 25 who completed the residential programme in the last 12 months; one centre; content limited to housing, employment and family relationships; data collected over three months. Medical outcomes and young people who left before completing treatment are excluded and stated as delimitations.