Can Describing Study Limitations Improve the Quality of Your Paper?

Every study has its limitations, whether inherent to the sample chosen or the methods employed. However, researchers frequently encounter challenges in effectively articulating the limitations of their studies¹. While the practice may seem counterproductive, communicating the limitations of a study can help inform the audience of the robustness of the findings and conclusions. Presenting the limitations effectively is a great way to communicate the study’s credibility to readers.

In this article, we will discuss why it is advisable to clearly articulate the limitations of a study and how one can go about this task.

Why You Must Describe Study Limitations Comprehensively

• Prevent criticism

Thoroughly stating the limitations of your study reduces the risk of future external discoveries, safeguarding your credibility as a researcher².

• Show understanding

When you comprehensively list study limitations, you demonstrate a clear understanding of the study’s goals, leaving a positive impression on reviewers and readers and highlighting your expertise in the subject area².

• Suggest improvements

Describing limitations invites suggestions for improvement, enhancing study design for more robust findings and further advancing your field of research².

Things to Keep in Mind While Writing Limitations

• Identify the type(s) of limitation clearly

Clearly state where in your study the limitations exist and identify the source of these limitations³. They may arise from study design, sampling, data collection, data analysis, or interpretation.

Limitation in study design:

“This study assessed psychological wellbeing post-hospitalization via online interviews, acknowledging potential downsides compared to in-person interviews.”

Limitation in sampling:

“Our sampling focused on urban areas, possibly overlooking valuable insights from rural populations, which could offer differing perspectives on the studied phenomenon.”

Limitation in data collection:

“A significantly higher number of insects were collected from quadrant four of the nature reserve, which may have introduced geographical biases in the data.”

Limitation in data analysis:

“Our multi factor analysis did not explore the relationship between education level of parents and individual net worth, although the factors might be related.”

Limitation in study results:

“Since our study looked at deterioration of steel implants cross-sectionally, longitudinal studies are required to confirm our findings.”

• Explain their impact on study findings

Addressing limitations explains their impact on the findings, showcasing scientific rigor, and revealing broader implications.

Example:

“We used vehicle count and passenger capacity as proxies for commuters on Beijing’s national highway, which could have resulted in an overestimate of nearly 20–40%. This implies that more people could have stayed at home during holidays than our results suggest.”

• Detail steps to minimize impact

Explain any action taken to lessen the impact of limitations³.

Example:

“Protein analysis of plant metabolites was performed in the field at suboptimal conditions. However, we used triplicates across samples to reduce any error.”

• Suggest future avoidance strategies

Suggest ways to prevent the limitations in future studies³. As mentioned earlier, this can be a valuable contribution to your field of research and accelerate its growth.

Example:

“Our analysis reveals inaccuracies with mid-range LIDAR at 1000 m altitude. We recommend that future aerial surveys use mid-range LIDARs at 800 m or lower for improved accuracy.”

Conclusion

Researchers may hesitate to discuss the limitations of their study when writing a manuscript, thinking it may hinder journal acceptance chances or assuming that the reviewers and editors will handle this aspect. However, this cannot be farther from the truth. Clearly stating limitations improves your manuscript’s publication odds and establishes professional credibility in the long run.

The editors at Elsevier Language Services help researchers overcome this challenge and present their research in a transparent and effective manner. When you work with ELS, our editors ensure that your writing reflects authenticity and credibility and that your manuscript stands the best chance of publication in the journal of your choice!

References

1. Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2007). Limitations are not properly acknowledged in the scientific literature. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 60(4), 324–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.09.011
2. Research guides: Organizing Academic research Papers: Limitations of the study. (n.d.). https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185934
3. Ross, P. T., & Zaidi, N. L. B. (2019). Limited by our limitations. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8(4), 261–264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-00530-x