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The 7 Major Steps in Writing Scope of the Study

Remember that in the field where you have developed your research topic, there are other hundreds or thousands of researchers all over the world who have ever carried out the research that is somehow similar to you. But what will make your unique? Rather than the research gap, this is where the role of the scope comes in. The scope tells your readers exactly what your research will cover and what it won’t. Think of it as drawing the boundaries around your research project. But first, let us understand what a scope of the study means. The scope of the study defines the limits of your research. It tells readers what aspects of the topic you will focus on and what you will leave out. This helps to make your research manageable and clear. In this article, we shall take you step by step through how to formulate the scope of the study.

Let us take an example: If your research is about school gardening programs, your scope might focus specifically on elementary schools in urban areas, rather than all schools or schools in rural areas.

Geographical Boundaries: After defining your study area scope of “elementary schools in urban areas” Specify the geographical area where your research will take place. This helps in narrowing down your study and focusing on a specific location.

Example: “This study will be conducted in public elementary schools within the city of kampala.” This tells your supervisor where the research is happening, which helps in understanding the context and relevance of your findings.

Population or Sample: After specifying your location boundaries, define the population or sample you will study. This includes specifying who or what you will include in your research. It helps in focusing your data collection efforts.

Example: “The research will involve 200 students from five selected schools in Springfield.” Here, you specify the number of participants and their source, making it clear who will be part of your study.

Time Frame: Specify the time period during which the research will be conducted. This could include the duration of the study and any specific time points for data collection.

Example: “The study will take place over a six-month period, starting from January 2024 to June 2024.” This helps readers understand the timeframe of your research and when the data will be collected.

Subject Matter: Describe the specific aspects of the topic that you will study. This includes detailing the particular variables or elements that your research will focus on.

Example: “The research will examine the impact of gardening activities on students’ knowledge of nutrition and their dietary choices.” This tells your supervisor what parts of the school gardening program you will be studying.

Limitations and Exclusions: Clarify what will not be covered in your study. This helps to set realistic expectations and avoid scope creep (when the scope of your research becomes too broad).

Example: “The study will not address the impact of gardening programs on academic performance or extracurricular activities.” By stating what is excluded, you make it clear what your research will not cover.

Research Methods: Briefly outline the research methods you will use. This includes the techniques for data collection and analysis.

Example: “Data will be collected through surveys and interviews with students, teachers, and parents.” This helps your supervisor to understand how you will gather and analyze information within the defined scope.

So, let us sum up all the examples we have designed above and generate a full scope of the study below:

Scope of the Study: This study focuses on the impact of school gardening programs on students’ nutrition knowledge and dietary habits in public elementary schools within Springfield. The research will involve 200 students from five selected schools and will be conducted over a six-month period, from January 2024 to June 2024. The study will specifically examine how gardening activities influence students’ understanding of nutrition and their food choices. It will not address the effects on academic performance or other extracurricular activities. Data will be collected through surveys and interviews with students, teachers, and parents.