Defining the area and limits of the research

Setting boundaries in both breadth and depth of the chosen topic will maintain the research within the defined topic. The researcher should be clear about the area(s) that is/are included, and equally about what will not be included. This can be achieved by setting limits. Doing this will:

•  Enable decisions on where to stop gathering information
•  Help to ascertain whether or not information is pertinent
•  Keep the research focused therefore avoiding creeping growth resulting in an unmanageably large project
For example, a researcher concerned with voter apathy in elections may wish to decide:

•  Which country/ies to investigate (and therefore which to exclude)
•  The types of election (political - general, local; other types of election such as trades union)
•  Whether the research concerns certain age groups or other category of voter (and therefore which will be ignored)
•  Whether attitudes towards political parties will include all parties, a selected number, or be treated as a more general issue
•  What to include regarding related factors such as trades unions, career politicians, and the influence of the media. Decisions should be made about  which factors will be investigated and which not
•  The time factor, that is, setting a range of dates which the research willcover. For example, any elections regardless of date; all elections held during the twentieth century; the 1997 UK General Election
This is a general example, but illustrates the point that if limits are not set, the research can quickly expand into additional vast areas, resulting in loss of focus and a badly defined research topic. In essence, the researcher is defining what can be considered relevant material.