scope and limitation of the study qualitative research

Scope and Delimitations in Research

Delimitations are the boundaries that the researcher sets in a research study, deciding what to include and what to exclude. They help to narrow down the study and make it more manageable and relevant to the research goal.

Updated on October 19, 2022

All scientific research has boundaries, whether or not the authors clearly explain them. Your study's scope and delimitations are the sections where you define the broader parameters and boundaries of your research.

The scope details what your study will explore, such as the target population, extent, or study duration. Delimitations are factors and variables not included in the study.

Scope and delimitations are not methodological shortcomings; they're always under your control. Discussing these is essential because doing so shows that your project is manageable and scientifically sound.

This article covers:

• What's meant by “scope” and “delimitations”
• Why these are integral components of every study
• How and where to actually write about scope and delimitations in your manuscript
• Examples of scope and delimitations from published studies

What is the scope in a research paper?

Simply put, the scope is the domain of your research. It describes the extent to which the research question will be explored in your study.

Articulating your study's scope early on helps you make your research question focused and realistic.

It also helps decide what data you need to collect (and, therefore, what data collection tools you need to design). Getting this right is vital for both academic articles and funding applications.

What are delimitations in a research paper?

Delimitations are those factors or aspects of the research area that you'll exclude from your research. The scope and delimitations of the study are intimately linked.

Essentially, delimitations form a more detailed and narrowed-down formulation of the scope in terms of exclusion. The delimitations explain what was (intentionally) not considered within the given piece of research.

Scope and delimitations examples

Use the following examples provided by our expert PhD editors as a reference when coming up with your own scope and delimitations.

Scope example

Your research question is, “What is the impact of bullying on the mental health of adolescents?” This topic, on its own, doesn't say much about what's being investigated.

The scope, for example, could encompass:

• Variables: “bullying” (dependent variable), “mental health” (independent variable), and ways of defining or measuring them
• Bullying type: Both face-to-face and cyberbullying
• Target population: Adolescents aged 12–17
• Geographical coverage: France or only one specific town in France

Delimitations example

Look back at the previous example.

Exploring the adverse effects of bullying on adolescents' mental health is a preliminary delimitation. This one was chosen from among many possible research questions (e.g., the impact of bullying on suicide rates, or children or adults).

Delimiting factors could include:

• Research design : Mixed-methods research, including thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and statistical analysis of a survey
• Timeframe : Data collection to run for 3 months
• Population size : 100 survey participants; 15 interviewees
• Recruitment of participants : Quota sampling (aiming for specific portions of men, women, ethnic minority students etc.)

We can see that every choice you make in planning and conducting your research inevitably excludes other possible options.

What's the difference between limitations and delimitations?

Delimitations and limitations are entirely different, although they often get mixed up. These are the main differences:

This chart explains the difference between delimitations and limitations. Delimitations are the boundaries of the study while the limitations are the characteristics of the research design or methodology.

Delimitations encompass the elements outside of the boundaries you've set and depends on your decision of what yo include and exclude. On the flip side, limitations are the elements outside of your control, such as:

• limited financial resources
• unplanned work or expenses
• unexpected events (for example, the COVID-19 pandemic)
• time constraints
• lack of technology/instruments
• unavailable evidence or previous research on the topic

Delimitations involve narrowing your study to make it more manageable and relevant to what you're trying to prove. Limitations influence the validity and reliability of your research findings. Limitations are seen as potential weaknesses in your research.

Example of the differences

To clarify these differences, go back to the limitations of the earlier example.

Limitations could comprise:

• Sample size : Not large enough to provide generalizable conclusions.
• Sampling approach : Non-probability sampling has increased bias risk. For instance, the researchers might not manage to capture the experiences of ethnic minority students.
• Methodological pitfalls : Research participants from an urban area (Paris) are likely to be more advantaged than students in rural areas. A study exploring the latter's experiences will probably yield very different findings.

Where do you write the scope and delimitations, and why?

It can be surprisingly empowering to realize you're restricted when conducting scholarly research. But this realization also makes writing up your research easier to grasp and makes it easier to see its limits and the expectations placed on it. Properly revealing this information serves your field and the greater scientific community.

Openly (but briefly) acknowledge the scope and delimitations of your study early on. The Abstract and Introduction sections are good places to set the parameters of your paper.

Next, discuss the scope and delimitations in greater detail in the Methods section. You'll need to do this to justify your methodological approach and data collection instruments, as well as analyses

At this point, spell out why these delimitations were set. What alternative options did you consider? Why did you reject alternatives? What could your study not address?

Let's say you're gathering data that can be derived from different but related experiments. You must convince the reader that the one you selected best suits your research question.

Finally, a solid paper will return to the scope and delimitations in the Findings or Discussion section. Doing so helps readers contextualize and interpret findings because the study's scope and methods influence the results.

For instance, agricultural field experiments carried out under irrigated conditions yield different results from experiments carried out without irrigation.

Being transparent about the scope and any outstanding issues increases your research's credibility and objectivity. It helps other researchers replicate your study and advance scientific understanding of the same topic (e.g., by adopting a different approach).

How do you write the scope and delimitations?

Define the scope and delimitations of your study before collecting data. This is critical. This step should be part of your research project planning.

Answering the following questions will help you address your scope and delimitations clearly and convincingly.

• What are your study's aims and objectives?
• Why did you carry out the study?
• What was the exact topic under investigation?
• Which factors and variables were included? And state why specific variables were omitted from the research scope.
• Who or what did the study explore? What was the target population?
• What was the study's location (geographical area) or setting (e.g., laboratory)?
• What was the timeframe within which you collected your data ?
• Consider a study exploring the differences between identical twins who were raised together versus identical twins who weren't. The data collection might span 5, 10, or more years.
• A study exploring a new immigration policy will cover the period since the policy came into effect and the present moment.
• How was the research conducted (research design)?
• Experimental research, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research, literature review, etc.
• What data collection tools and analysis techniques were used? e.g., If you chose quantitative methods, which statistical analysis techniques and software did you use?
• What did you find?
• What did you conclude?

Useful vocabulary for scope and delimitations

When explaining both the scope and delimitations, it's important to use the proper language to clearly state each.

For the scope , use the following language:

• This study focuses on/considers/investigates/covers the following:
• This study aims to . . . / Here, we aim to show . . . / In this study, we . . .
• The overall objective of the research is . . . / Our objective is to . . .

When stating the delimitations, use the following language:

• This [ . . . ] will not be the focus, for it has been frequently and exhaustively discusses in earlier studies.
• To review the [ . . . ] is a task that lies outside the scope of this study.
• The following [ . . . ] has been excluded from this study . . .
• This study does not provide a complete literature review of [ . . . ]. Instead, it draws on selected pertinent studies [ . . . ]

Analysis of a published scope

In one example, Simione and Gnagnarella (2020) compared the psychological and behavioral impact of COVID-19 on Italy's health workers and general population.

Here's a breakdown of the study's scope into smaller chunks and discussion of what works and why.

Also notable is that this study's delimitations include references to:

• Recruitment of participants: Convenience sampling
• Demographic characteristics of study participants: Age, sex, etc.
• Measurements methods: E.g., the death anxiety scale of the Existential Concerns Questionnaire (ECQ; van Bruggen et al., 2017) etc.
• Data analysis tool: The statistical software R

Analysis of published scope and delimitations

Scope of the study : Johnsson et al. (2019) explored the effect of in-hospital physiotherapy on postoperative physical capacity, physical activity, and lung function in patients who underwent lung cancer surgery.

The delimitations narrowed down the scope as follows:

Refine your scope, delimitations, and scientific English

English ability shouldn't limit how clear and impactful your research can be. Expert AJE editors are available to assess your science and polish your academic writing. See AJE services here .

The AJE Team

See our "Privacy Policy"

• Social Science
• Social Psychology

Assumptions, Limitations, Delimitations, and Scope of the Study By

Related documents.

Add this document to collection(s)

You can add this document to your study collection(s)

Add this document to saved

You can add this document to your saved list

Suggest us how to improve StudyLib

(For complaints, use another form )

Input it if you want to receive answer

How To Write Scope and Delimitation of a Research Paper (With Examples)

An effective research paper or thesis has a well-written Scope and Delimitation.  This portion specifies your study’s coverage and boundaries.

Not yet sure about how to write your research’s Scope and Delimitation? Fret not, as we’ll guide you through the entire writing process through this article.

Related: How To Write Significance of the Study (With Examples)

Table of Contents

What is the scope and delimitation of a research paper.

The “Scope and Delimitation” section states the concepts and variables your study covered. It tells readers which things you have included and excluded in your analysis.

This portion tells two things: 1

• The study’s “Scope” – concepts and variables you have explored in your research and;
• The study’s “Delimitation” – the “boundaries” of your study’s scope. It sets apart the things included in your analysis from those excluded.

For example, your scope might be the effectiveness of plant leaves in lowering blood sugar levels. You can “delimit” your study only to the effect of gabi leaves on the blood glucose of Swiss mice.

Where Should I Put the Scope and Delimitation?

This portion is in Chapter 1, usually after the “Background of the Study.”

Why Should I Write the Scope and Delimitation of My Research Paper?

There’s a lot to discover in a research paper or thesis. However, your resources and time dedicated to it are scarce. Thus, given these constraints, you have to narrow down your study. You do this in the Scope and Delimitation.

Suppose you’re studying the correlation between the quantity of organic fertilizer and plant growth . Experimenting with several types of plants is impossible because of several limitations. So, you’ve decided to use one plant type only. 

Informing your readers about this decision is a must. So, you have to state it in your Scope and Delimitation. It also acts as a “disclaimer” that your results are inapplicable to the entire plant kingdom.

What Is the Difference Between Delimitation and Limitation?

People often use the terms “Delimitation” and “Limitation” interchangeably. However, these words differ 2 .

Delimitation refers to factors you set to limit your analysis. It delineates those that are included in your research and those that are excluded. Remember, delimitations are within your control. 

Meanwhile, limitations are factors beyond your control that may affect your research’s results.  You can think of limitations as the “weaknesses” of your study. 

Let’s go back to our previous example. Due to some constraints, you’ve only decided to examine one plant type: dandelions. This is an example of a delimitation since it limits your analysis to dandelions only and not other plant types. Note that the number of plant types used is within your control. 

Meanwhile, your study cannot state that a higher quantity of organic fertilizer is the sole reason for plant growth. That’s because your research’s focus is only on correlation. Since this is already beyond your control, then this is a limitation. 

How To Write Scope and Delimitation: Step-by-Step Guide

To write your research’s Scope and Delimitation section, follow these steps:

1. Review Your Study’s Objectives and Problem Statement

Your study’s coverage relies on its objectives. Thus, you can only write this section if you know what you’re researching. Furthermore, ensure that you understand the problems you ought to answer. 

Once you understand the abovementioned things, you may start writing your study’s Scope and Delimitation.

2. State the Key Information To Explain Your Study’s Coverage and Boundaries

a. The Main Objective of the Research

This refers to the concept that you’re focusing on in your research. Some examples are the following:

• level of awareness or satisfaction of a particular group of people
• correlation between two variables
• effectiveness of a new product
• comparison between two methods/approaches
• lived experiences of several individuals

It’s helpful to consult your study’s Objectives or Statement of the Problem section to determine your research’s primary goal.

b. Independent and Dependent Variables Included

Your study’s independent variable is the variable that you manipulate. Meanwhile, the dependent variable is the variable whose result depends upon the independent variable. Both of these variables must be clear and specific when indicated. 

Suppose you study the relationship between social media usage and students’ language skills. These are the possible variables for the study:

• Independent Variable: Number of hours per day spent on using Facebook
• Dependent Variable: Grade 10 students’ scores in Quarterly Examination in English. 

Note how specific the variables stated above are. For the independent variable, we narrow it down to Facebook only. Since there are many ways to assess “language skills,” we zero in on the students’ English exam scores as our dependent variable. 

c. Subject of the Study

This refers to your study’s respondents or participants. 

In our previous example, the research participants are Grade 10 students. However, there are a lot of Grade 10 students in the Philippines. Thus, we have to select from a specific school only—for instance, Grade 10 students from a national high school in Manila. 

d. Timeframe and Location of the Study

Specify the month(s), quarter(s), or year(s) as the duration of your study. Also, indicate where you will gather the data required for your research. 

e. Brief Description of the Study’s Research Design and Methodology

You may also include whether your research is quantitative or qualitative, the sampling method (cluster, stratified, purposive) applied, and how you conducted the experiment.

Using our previous example, the Grade 10 students can be selected using stratified sampling. Afterward, the researchers may obtain their English quarterly exam scores from their respective teachers. You can add these things to your study’s Scope and Delimitation. 

3. Indicate Which Variables or Factors Are Not Covered by Your Research

Although you’ve already set your study’s coverage and boundaries in Step 2, you may also explicitly mention things you’ve excluded from your research. 

Returning to our previous example, you can state that your assessment will not include the vocabulary and oral aspects of the English proficiency skill. 

Examples of Scope and Delimitation of a Research Paper

1. scope and delimitation examples for quantitative research.

a. Example 1

Research Title

    A Study on the Relationship of the Extent of Facebook Usage on the English Proficiency Level of Grade 10 Students of Matagumpay High School

Scope and Delimitation

(Main Objective)

This study assessed the correlation between the respondents’ duration of Facebook usage and their English proficiency level. 

(Variables used)

The researchers used the number of hours per day of using Facebook and the activities usually performed on the platform to assess the respondents’ extent of Facebook usage. Meanwhile, the respondents’ English proficiency level is limited to their quarterly English exam scores. 

(Subject of the study)

A sample of fifty (50) Grade 10 students of Matagumpay High School served as the study’s respondents. 

(Timeframe and location)

This study was conducted during the Second Semester of the School Year 2018 – 2019 on the premises of Matagumpay High School in Metro Manila. 

(Methodology)

The respondents are selected by performing stratified random sampling to ensure that there will be ten respondents from five Grade 10 classes of the school mentioned above. The researchers administered a 20-item questionnaire to assess the extent of Facebook usage of the selected respondents. Meanwhile, the data for the respondents’ quarterly exam scores were acquired from their English teachers. The collected data are handled with the utmost confidentiality. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation was applied to quantitatively assess the correlation between the variables.

(Exclusions)

This study didn’t assess other aspects of the respondents’ English proficiency, such as English vocabulary and oral skills. 

Note: The words inside the parentheses in the example above are guides only. They are not included in the actual text.

b. Example 2

  Level of Satisfaction of Grade 11 Students on the Implementation of the Online Learning Setup of Matagumpay High School for SY 2020 – 2021

This study aims to identify students’ satisfaction levels with implementing online learning setups during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students’ satisfaction was assessed according to teachers’ pedagogy, school policies, and learning materials used in the online learning setup. The respondents included sixty (60) Grade 11 students of Matagumpay High School who were randomly picked. The researchers conducted the study from October 2020 to February 2021. 

Online platforms such as email and social media applications were used to reach the respondents. The researchers administered a 15-item online questionnaire to measure the respondents’ satisfaction levels. Each response was assessed using a Likert Scale to provide a descriptive interpretation of their answers. A weighted mean was applied to determine the respondents’ general satisfaction. 

This study did not cover other factors related to the online learning setup, such as the learning platform used, the schedule of synchronous learning, and channels for information dissemination.

2. Scope and Delimitation Examples for Qualitative Research

  Lived Experiences of Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Drivers of Antipolo City Amidst the Continuous June 2022 Oil Price Hikes

This research focused on the presentation and discussion of the lived experiences of PUV drivers during the constant oil price hike in June 2022.

The respondents involved are five (5) jeepney drivers from Antipolo City who agreed to be interviewed. The researchers assessed their experiences in terms of the following: (1) daily net income; (2) duration and extent of working; (3) alternative employment opportunity considerations; and (4) mental and emotional status. The respondents were interviewed daily at their stations on June 6 – 10, 2022. 

In-depth one-on-one interviews were used for data collection.  Afterward, the respondents’ first-hand experiences were drafted and annotated with the researchers’ insights. 

The researchers excluded some factors in determining the respondents’ experiences, such as physical and health conditions and current family relationship status. 

 A Study on the Perception of the Residents of Mayamot, Antipolo City on the Political and Socioeconomic Conditions During the Post-EDSA Period (1986 – 1996)

This research aims to discuss the perception of Filipinos regarding the political and socioeconomic economic conditions during the post-EDSA period, specifically during the years 1986 – 1996. 

Ten (10) residents of Mayamot, Antipolo City, who belonged to Generation X (currently 40 – 62 years old), were purposively selected as the study’s respondents. The researchers asked them about their perception of the following aspects during the period mentioned above (1) performance of national and local government; (2) bureaucracy and government services; (3) personal economic and financial status; and (4) wage purchasing power. 

The researchers conducted face-to-face interviews in the respondents’ residences during the second semester of AY 2018 – 2019. The responses were written and corroborated with the literature on the post-EDSA period. 

The following factors were not included in the research analysis: political conflicts and turmoils, the status of the legislative and judicial departments, and other macroeconomic indicators. 

Tips and Warnings

1. use the “5ws and 1h” as your guide in understanding your study’s coverage.

• Why did you write your study?  
• What variables are included?
• Who are your study’s subject
• Where did you conduct the study?
• When did your study start and end?
• How did you conduct the study?

2. Use key phrases when writing your research’s scope

• This study aims to … 
• This study primarily focuses on …
• This study deals with … 
• This study will cover …
• This study will be confined…

3. Use key phrases when writing factors beyond your research’s delimitations

• The researcher(s) decided to exclude …
• This study did not cover….
• This study excluded … 
• These variables/factors were excluded from the study…

4. Don’t forget to ask for help

Your research adviser can assist you in selecting specific concepts and variables suitable to your study. Make sure to consult him/her regularly. 

5. Make it brief

No need to make this section wordy. You’re good to go if you meet the “5Ws and 1Hs”. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what are scope and delimitation in tagalog.

In a Filipino research ( pananaliksik ), Scope and Delimitation is called “ Saklaw at Delimitasyon”. 

Here’s an example of Scope and Delimitation in Filipino:

Pamagat ng Pananaliksik

Epekto Ng Paggamit Ng Mga Digital Learning Tools Sa Pag-Aaral Ng Mga Mag-Aaral Ng Mataas Na Paaralan Ng Matagumpay Sa General Mathematics

Sakop at Delimitasyon ng Pag-aaral

Nakatuon ang pananaliksik na ito sa epekto ng paggamit ng mga digital learning aids sa pag-aaral ng mga mag-aaral.

Ang mga digital learning tools na kinonsidera sa pag-aaral na ito ay Google Classroom, Edmodo, Kahoot, at mga piling bidyo mula YouTube. Samantala, ang epekto sa pag-aaral ng mga mag-aaral ng mga nabanggit na digital learning tools ay natukoy sa pamamagitan ng kanilang (1) mga pananaw hinggil sa benepisyo nito sa kanilang pag-aaral sa General Mathematics at (2) kanilang average grade sa asignaturang ito.

Dalawampu’t-limang (25) mag-aaral mula sa Senior High School ng Mataas na Paaralan ng Matagumpay ang pinili para sa pananaliksik na ito. Sila ay na-interbyu at binigyan ng questionnaire noong Enero 2022 sa nasabing paaralan. Sinuri ang resulta ng pananaliksik sa pamamagitan ng mga instrumentong estadistikal na weighted mean at Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Hindi saklaw ng pananaliksik na ito ang ibang mga aspeto hinggil sa epekto ng online learning aids sa pag-aaral gaya ng lebel ng pag-unawa sa aralin at kakayahang iugnay ito sa araw-araw na buhay. 

2. The Scope and Delimitation should consist of how many paragraphs?

Three or more paragraphs will suffice for your study’s Scope and Delimitation. Here’s our suggestion on what you should write for each paragraph:

Paragraph 1: Introduction (state research objective) Paragraph 2: Coverage and boundaries of the research (you may divide this section into 2-3 paragraphs) Paragraph 3 : Factors excluded from the study

• University of St. La Salle. Unit 3: Lesson 3 Setting the Scope and Limitation of a Qualitative Research [Ebook] (p. 12). Retrieved from https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-st-la-salle/senior-high-school/final-sg-pr1-11-12-unit-3-lesson-3-setting-the-scope-and-limitation-of-a-qualitative-research/24341582
• Theofanidis, D., & Fountouki, A. (2018). Limitations and Delimitations in the Research Process. Perioperative Nursing (GORNA), 7(3), 155–162. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.2552022

Written by Jewel Kyle Fabula

in Career and Education , Juander How

Jewel Kyle Fabula

Jewel Kyle Fabula is a Bachelor of Science in Economics student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. His passion for learning mathematics developed as he competed in some mathematics competitions during his Junior High School years. He loves cats, playing video games, and listening to music.

Browse all articles written by Jewel Kyle Fabula

Copyright Notice

All materials contained on this site are protected by the Republic of the Philippines copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, or broadcast without the prior written permission of filipiknow.net or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of the content. Be warned that we have already reported and helped terminate several websites and YouTube channels for blatantly stealing our content. If you wish to use filipiknow.net content for commercial purposes, such as for content syndication, etc., please contact us at legal(at)filipiknow(dot)net

Community Blog

Keep up-to-date on postgraduate related issues with our quick reads written by students, postdocs, professors and industry leaders.

Scope and Delimitations – Explained & Example

• By DiscoverPhDs
• October 2, 2020

What Is Scope and Delimitation in Research?

The scope and delimitations of a thesis, dissertation or research paper define the topic and boundaries of the research problem to be investigated.

The scope details how in-depth your study is to explore the research question and the parameters in which it will operate in relation to the population and timeframe.

The delimitations of a study are the factors and variables not to be included in the investigation. In other words, they are the boundaries the researcher sets in terms of study duration, population size and type of participants, etc.

Difference Between Delimitations and Limitations

Delimitations refer to the boundaries of the research study, based on the researcher’s decision of what to include and what to exclude. They narrow your study to make it more manageable and relevant to what you are trying to prove.

Limitations relate to the validity and reliability of the study. They are characteristics of the research design or methodology that are out of your control but influence your research findings. Because of this, they determine the internal and external validity of your study and are considered potential weaknesses.

In other words, limitations are what the researcher cannot do (elements outside of their control) and delimitations are what the researcher will not do (elements outside of the boundaries they have set). Both are important because they help to put the research findings into context, and although they explain how the study is limited, they increase the credibility and validity of a research project.

Guidelines on How to Write a Scope

A good scope statement will answer the following six questions:

• Why – the general aims and objectives (purpose) of the research.
• What – the subject to be investigated, and the included variables.
• Where – the location or setting of the study, i.e. where the data will be gathered and to which entity the data will belong.
• When – the timeframe within which the data is to be collected.
• Who – the subject matter of the study and the population from which they will be selected. This population needs to be large enough to be able to make generalisations.
• How – how the research is to be conducted, including a description of the research design (e.g. whether it is experimental research, qualitative research or a case study), methodology, research tools and analysis techniques.

To make things as clear as possible, you should also state why specific variables were omitted from the research scope, and whether this was because it was a delimitation or a limitation. You should also explain why they could not be overcome with standard research methods backed up by scientific evidence.

How to Start Writing Your Study Scope

Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your scope:

• This study is to focus on…
• This study covers the…
• This study aims to…

Guidelines on How to Write Delimitations

Since the delimitation parameters are within the researcher’s control, readers need to know why they were set, what alternative options were available, and why these alternatives were rejected. For example, if you are collecting data that can be derived from three different but similar experiments, the reader needs to understand how and why you decided to select the one you have.

Your reasons should always be linked back to your research question, as all delimitations should result from trying to make your study more relevant to your scope. Therefore, the scope and delimitations are usually considered together when writing a paper.

How to Start Writing Your Study Delimitations

Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your study delimitations:

• This study does not cover…
• This study is limited to…
• The following has been excluded from this study…

Examples of Delimitation in Research

Examples of delimitations include:

• research objectives,
• research questions,
• research variables,
• target populations,
• statistical analysis techniques .

Examples of Limitations in Research

Examples of limitations include:

• Issues with sample and selection,
• Insufficient sample size, population traits or specific participants for statistical significance,
• Lack of previous research studies on the topic which has allowed for further analysis,
• Limitations in the technology/instruments used to collect your data,
• Limited financial resources and/or funding constraints.

In the UK, a dissertation, usually around 20,000 words is written by undergraduate and Master’s students, whilst a thesis, around 80,000 words, is written as part of a PhD.

Starting your PhD can feel like a daunting, exciting and special time. They’ll be so much to think about – here are a few tips to help you get started.

A science investigatory project is a science-based research project or study that is performed by school children in a classroom, exhibition or science fair.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Browse PhDs Now

Is it really possible to do a PhD while working? The answer is ‘yes’, but it comes with several ‘buts’. Read our post to find out if it’s for you.

Considering whether to do an MBA or a PhD? If so, find out what their differences are, and more importantly, which one is better suited for you.

Annabel is a third-year PhD student at the University of Glasgow, looking at the effects of online self-diagnosis and health information seeking on the patient-healthcare professional relationship.

Dr Clarence gained her PhD in Higher Education Studies from Rhodes University, South Africa in 2013. She is now an honorary research associate at the University and also runs her own blog about working as a researcher/parent in academia.

Join Thousands of Students

Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

Decoding the Scope and Delimitations of the Study in Research

Scope and delimitations of the study are two essential elements of a research paper or thesis that help to contextualize and convey the focus and boundaries of a research study. This allows readers to understand the research focus and the kind of information to expect. For researchers, especially students and early career researchers, understanding the meaning and purpose of the scope and delimitation of a study is crucial to craft a well-defined and impactful research project. In this article, we delve into the core concepts of scope and delimitation in a study, providing insightful examples, and practical tips on how to effectively incorporate them into your research endeavors.

Table of Contents

What is scope and delimitation in research

The scope of a research paper explains the context and framework for the study, outlines the extent, variables, or dimensions that will be investigated, and provides details of the parameters within which the study is conducted. Delimitations in research , on the other hand, refer to the limitations imposed on the study. It identifies aspects of the topic that will not be covered in the research, conveys why these choices were made, and how this will affect the outcome of the research. By narrowing down the scope and defining delimitations, researchers can ensure focused research and avoid pitfalls, which ensures the study remains feasible and attainable.

Example of scope and delimitation of a study

A researcher might want to study the effects of regular physical exercise on the health of senior citizens. This would be the broad scope of the study, after which the researcher would refine the scope by excluding specific groups of senior citizens, perhaps based on their age, gender, geographical location, cultural influences, and sample sizes. These then, would form the delimitations of the study; in other words, elements that describe the boundaries of the research.

The purpose of scope and delimitation in a study

The purpose of scope and delimitation in a study is to establish clear boundaries and focus for the research. This allows researchers to avoid ambiguity, set achievable objectives, and manage their project efficiently, ultimately leading to more credible and meaningful findings in their study. The scope and delimitation of a study serve several important purposes, including:

• Establishing clarity: Clearly defining the scope and delimitation of a study helps researchers and readers alike understand the boundaries of the investigation and what to expect from it.
• Focus and relevance: By setting the scope, researchers can concentrate on specific research questions, preventing the study from becoming too broad or irrelevant.
• Feasibility: Delimitations of the study prevent researchers from taking on too unrealistic or unmanageable tasks, making the research more achievable.
• Avoiding ambiguity: A well-defined scope and delimitation of the study minimizes any confusion or misinterpretation regarding the research objectives and methods.

Given the importance of both the scope and delimitations of a study, it is imperative to ensure that they are mentioned early on in the research manuscript. Most experts agree that the scope of research should be mentioned as part of the introduction and the delimitations must be mentioned as part of the methods section. Now that we’ve covered the scope and delimitation meaning and purpose, we look at how to write each of these sections.

How to write the scope of the study in research

When writing the scope of the study, remain focused on what you hope to achieve. Broadening the scope too much might make it too generic while narrowing it down too much may affect the way it would be interpreted. Ensure the scope of the study is clear, concise and accurate. Conduct a thorough literature review to understand existing literature, which will help identify gaps and refine the scope of your study.

It is helpful if you structure the scope in a way that answers the Six Ws – questions whose answers are considered basic in information-gathering.

Why: State the purpose of the research by articulating the research objectives and questions you aim to address in your study.

What: Outline the specific topic to be studied, while mentioning the variables, concepts, or aspects central to your research; these will define the extent of your study.

Where: Provide the setting or geographical location where the research study will be conducted.

When : Mention the specific timeframe within which the research data will be collected.

Who : Specify the sample size for the study and the profile of the population they will be drawn from.

How : Explain the research methodology, research design, and tools and analysis techniques.

How to write the delimitations of a study in research

When writing the delimitations of the study, researchers must provide all the details clearly and precisely. Writing the delimitations of the study requires a systematic approach to narrow down the research’s focus and establish boundaries. Follow these steps to craft delimitations effectively:

• Clearly understand the research objectives and questions you intend to address in your study.
• Conduct a comprehensive literature review to identify gaps and areas that have already been extensively covered. This helps to avoid redundancies and home in on a unique issue.
• Clearly state what aspects, variables, or factors you will be excluding in your research; mention available alternatives, if any, and why these alternatives were rejected.
• Explain how you the delimitations were set, and they contribute to the feasibility and relevance of your study, and how they align with the research objectives.
• Be sure to acknowledge limitations in your research, such as constraints related to time, resources, or data availability.

Being transparent ensures credibility, while explaining why the delimitations of your study could not be overcome with standard research methods backed up by scientific evidence can help readers understand the context better.

Differentiating between delimitations and limitations

Most early career researchers get confused and often use these two terms interchangeably which is wrong. Delimitations of a study refer to the set boundaries and specific parameters within which the research is carried out. They help narrow down your focus and makes it more relevant to what you are trying to prove.

Meanwhile, limitations in a study refer to the validity and reliability of the research being conducted. They are those elements of your study that are usually out of your immediate control but are still able to affect your findings in some way. In other words, limitation are potential weaknesses of your research.

In conclusion, scope and delimitation of a study are vital elements that shape the trajectory of your research study. The above explanations will have hopefully helped you better understand the scope and delimitations meaning, purpose, and importance in crafting focused, feasible, and impactful research studies. Be sure to follow the simple techniques to write the scope and delimitations of the study to embark on your research journey with clarity and confidence. Happy researching!

Editage All Access is a subscription-based platform that unifies the best AI tools and services designed to speed up, simplify, and streamline every step of a researcher’s journey. The Editage All Access Pack is a one-of-a-kind subscription that unlocks full access to an AI writing assistant, literature recommender, journal finder, scientific illustration tool, and exclusive discounts on professional publication services from Editage.  

Based on 22+ years of experience in academia, Editage All Access empowers researchers to put their best research forward and move closer to success. Explore our top AI Tools pack, AI Tools + Publication Services pack, or Build Your Own Plan. Find everything a researcher needs to succeed, all in one place –  Get All Access now starting at just $14 a month !    

Related Posts

Top 7 Tried and Tested Paraphrasing Techniques

Annex vs Appendix: What is the difference?

Research Limitations & Delimitations

What they are and how they’re different (with examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | September 2022

If you’re new to the world of research, you’ve probably heard the terms “ research limitations ” and “ research delimitations ” being thrown around, often quite loosely. In this post, we’ll unpack what both of these mean, how they’re similar and how they’re different – so that you can write up these sections the right way.

Overview: Limitations vs Delimitations

• Are they the same?
• What are research limitations
• What are research delimitations
• Limitations vs delimitations

First things first…

Let’s start with the most important takeaway point of this post – research limitations and research delimitations are not the same – but they are related to each other (we’ll unpack that a little later). So, if you hear someone using these two words interchangeably, be sure to share this post with them!

Research Limitations

Research limitations are, at the simplest level, the weaknesses of the study , based on factors that are often outside of your control as the researcher. These factors could include things like time , access to funding, equipment , data or participants . For example, if you weren’t able to access a random sample of participants for your study and had to adopt a convenience sampling strategy instead, that would impact the generalizability of your findings and therefore reflect a limitation of your study.

Research limitations can also emerge from the research design itself . For example, if you were undertaking a correlational study, you wouldn’t be able to infer causality (since correlation doesn’t mean certain causation). Similarly, if you utilised online surveys to collect data from your participants, you naturally wouldn’t be able to get the same degree of rich data that you would from in-person interviews .

Simply put, research limitations reflect the shortcomings of a study , based on practical (or theoretical) constraints that the researcher faced. These shortcomings limit what you can conclude from a study, but at the same time, present a foundation for future research . Importantly, all research has limitations , so there’s no need to hide anything here – as long as you discuss how the limitations might affect your findings, it’s all good.

Research Delimitations

Alright, now that we’ve unpacked the limitations, let’s move on to the delimitations .

Research delimitations are similar to limitations in that they also “ limit ” the study, but their focus is entirely different. Specifically, the delimitations of a study refer to the scope of the research aims and research questions . In other words, delimitations reflect the choices you, as the researcher, intentionally make in terms of what you will and won’t try to achieve with your study. In other words, what your research aims and research questions will and won’t include.

As we’ve spoken about many times before, it’s important to have a tight, narrow focus for your research, so that you can dive deeply into your topic, apply your energy to one specific area and develop meaningful insights. If you have an overly broad scope or unfocused topic, your research will often pull in multiple, even opposing directions, and you’ll just land up with a muddy mess of findings .

So, the delimitations section is where you’ll clearly state what your research aims and research questions will focus on – and just as importantly, what they will exclude . For example, you might investigate a widespread phenomenon, but choose to focus your study on a specific age group, ethnicity or gender. Similarly, your study may focus exclusively on one country, city or even organization. As long as the scope is well justified (in other words, it represents a novel, valuable research topic), this is perfectly acceptable – in fact, it’s essential. Remember, focus is your friend.

Need a helping hand?

Conclusion: Limitations vs Delimitations

Ok, so let’s recap.

Research limitations and research delimitations are related in that they both refer to “limits” within a study. But, they are distinctly different. Limitations reflect the shortcomings of your study, based on practical or theoretical constraints that you faced.

Contrasted to that, delimitations reflect the choices that you made in terms of the focus and scope of your research aims and research questions. If you want to learn more about research aims and questions, you can check out this video post , where we unpack those concepts in detail.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

18 Comments

Good clarification of ideas on how a researcher ought to do during Process of choice

Thank you so much for this very simple but explicit explanation on limitation and delimitation. It has so helped me to develop my masters proposal. hope to recieve more from your site as time progresses

Thank you for this explanation – very clear.

Thanks for the explanation, really got it well.

This website is really helpful for my masters proposal

Thank you very much for helping to explain these two terms

I spent almost the whole day trying to figure out the differences

when I came across your notes everything became very clear

thanks for the clearly outlined explanation on the two terms, limitation and delimitation.

Very helpful Many thanks 🙏

Excellent it resolved my conflict .

I would like you to assist me please. If in my Research, I interviewed some participants and I submitted Questionnaires to other participants to answered to the questions, in the same organization, Is this a Qualitative methodology , a Quantitative Methodology or is it a Mixture Methodology I have used in my research? Please help me

How do I cite this article in APA format

Really so great ,finally have understood it’s difference now

Getting more clear regarding Limitations and Delimitation and concepts

I really appreciate your apt and precise explanation of the two concepts namely ; Limitations and Delimitations.

This is a good sources of research information for learners.

thank you for this, very helpful to researchers

Very good explained

Great and clear explanation, after a long confusion period on the two words, i can now explain to someone with ease.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

• USC Libraries
• Research Guides

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

• Limitations of the Study
• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Reading Research Effectively
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Applying Critical Thinking
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Research Process Video Series
• Executive Summary
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tiertiary Sources
• Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Insiderness
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Generative AI and Writing
• USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
• Bibliography

The limitations of the study are those characteristics of design or methodology that impacted or influenced the interpretation of the findings from your research. Study limitations are the constraints placed on the ability to generalize from the results, to further describe applications to practice, and/or related to the utility of findings that are the result of the ways in which you initially chose to design the study or the method used to establish internal and external validity or the result of unanticipated challenges that emerged during the study.

Price, James H. and Judy Murnan. “Research Limitations and the Necessity of Reporting Them.” American Journal of Health Education 35 (2004): 66-67; Theofanidis, Dimitrios and Antigoni Fountouki. "Limitations and Delimitations in the Research Process." Perioperative Nursing 7 (September-December 2018): 155-163. .

Importance of...

Always acknowledge a study's limitations. It is far better that you identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor and have your grade lowered because you appeared to have ignored them or didn't realize they existed.

Keep in mind that acknowledgment of a study's limitations is an opportunity to make suggestions for further research. If you do connect your study's limitations to suggestions for further research, be sure to explain the ways in which these unanswered questions may become more focused because of your study.

Acknowledgment of a study's limitations also provides you with opportunities to demonstrate that you have thought critically about the research problem, understood the relevant literature published about it, and correctly assessed the methods chosen for studying the problem. A key objective of the research process is not only discovering new knowledge but also to confront assumptions and explore what we don't know.

Claiming limitations is a subjective process because you must evaluate the impact of those limitations . Don't just list key weaknesses and the magnitude of a study's limitations. To do so diminishes the validity of your research because it leaves the reader wondering whether, or in what ways, limitation(s) in your study may have impacted the results and conclusions. Limitations require a critical, overall appraisal and interpretation of their impact. You should answer the question: do these problems with errors, methods, validity, etc. eventually matter and, if so, to what extent?

Price, James H. and Judy Murnan. “Research Limitations and the Necessity of Reporting Them.” American Journal of Health Education 35 (2004): 66-67; Structure: How to Structure the Research Limitations Section of Your Dissertation. Dissertations and Theses: An Online Textbook. Laerd.com.

Descriptions of Possible Limitations

All studies have limitations . However, it is important that you restrict your discussion to limitations related to the research problem under investigation. For example, if a meta-analysis of existing literature is not a stated purpose of your research, it should not be discussed as a limitation. Do not apologize for not addressing issues that you did not promise to investigate in the introduction of your paper.

Here are examples of limitations related to methodology and the research process you may need to describe and discuss how they possibly impacted your results. Note that descriptions of limitations should be stated in the past tense because they were discovered after you completed your research.

Possible Methodological Limitations

• Sample size -- the number of the units of analysis you use in your study is dictated by the type of research problem you are investigating. Note that, if your sample size is too small, it will be difficult to find significant relationships from the data, as statistical tests normally require a larger sample size to ensure a representative distribution of the population and to be considered representative of groups of people to whom results will be generalized or transferred. Note that sample size is generally less relevant in qualitative research if explained in the context of the research problem.
• Lack of available and/or reliable data -- a lack of data or of reliable data will likely require you to limit the scope of your analysis, the size of your sample, or it can be a significant obstacle in finding a trend and a meaningful relationship. You need to not only describe these limitations but provide cogent reasons why you believe data is missing or is unreliable. However, don’t just throw up your hands in frustration; use this as an opportunity to describe a need for future research based on designing a different method for gathering data.
• Lack of prior research studies on the topic -- citing prior research studies forms the basis of your literature review and helps lay a foundation for understanding the research problem you are investigating. Depending on the currency or scope of your research topic, there may be little, if any, prior research on your topic. Before assuming this to be true, though, consult with a librarian! In cases when a librarian has confirmed that there is little or no prior research, you may be required to develop an entirely new research typology [for example, using an exploratory rather than an explanatory research design ]. Note again that discovering a limitation can serve as an important opportunity to identify new gaps in the literature and to describe the need for further research.
• Measure used to collect the data -- sometimes it is the case that, after completing your interpretation of the findings, you discover that the way in which you gathered data inhibited your ability to conduct a thorough analysis of the results. For example, you regret not including a specific question in a survey that, in retrospect, could have helped address a particular issue that emerged later in the study. Acknowledge the deficiency by stating a need for future researchers to revise the specific method for gathering data.
• Self-reported data -- whether you are relying on pre-existing data or you are conducting a qualitative research study and gathering the data yourself, self-reported data is limited by the fact that it rarely can be independently verified. In other words, you have to the accuracy of what people say, whether in interviews, focus groups, or on questionnaires, at face value. However, self-reported data can contain several potential sources of bias that you should be alert to and note as limitations. These biases become apparent if they are incongruent with data from other sources. These are: (1) selective memory [remembering or not remembering experiences or events that occurred at some point in the past]; (2) telescoping [recalling events that occurred at one time as if they occurred at another time]; (3) attribution [the act of attributing positive events and outcomes to one's own agency, but attributing negative events and outcomes to external forces]; and, (4) exaggeration [the act of representing outcomes or embellishing events as more significant than is actually suggested from other data].

Possible Limitations of the Researcher

• Access -- if your study depends on having access to people, organizations, data, or documents and, for whatever reason, access is denied or limited in some way, the reasons for this needs to be described. Also, include an explanation why being denied or limited access did not prevent you from following through on your study.
• Longitudinal effects -- unlike your professor, who can literally devote years [even a lifetime] to studying a single topic, the time available to investigate a research problem and to measure change or stability over time is constrained by the due date of your assignment. Be sure to choose a research problem that does not require an excessive amount of time to complete the literature review, apply the methodology, and gather and interpret the results. If you're unsure whether you can complete your research within the confines of the assignment's due date, talk to your professor.
• Cultural and other type of bias -- we all have biases, whether we are conscience of them or not. Bias is when a person, place, event, or thing is viewed or shown in a consistently inaccurate way. Bias is usually negative, though one can have a positive bias as well, especially if that bias reflects your reliance on research that only support your hypothesis. When proof-reading your paper, be especially critical in reviewing how you have stated a problem, selected the data to be studied, what may have been omitted, the manner in which you have ordered events, people, or places, how you have chosen to represent a person, place, or thing, to name a phenomenon, or to use possible words with a positive or negative connotation. NOTE :   If you detect bias in prior research, it must be acknowledged and you should explain what measures were taken to avoid perpetuating that bias. For example, if a previous study only used boys to examine how music education supports effective math skills, describe how your research expands the study to include girls.
• Fluency in a language -- if your research focuses , for example, on measuring the perceived value of after-school tutoring among Mexican-American ESL [English as a Second Language] students and you are not fluent in Spanish, you are limited in being able to read and interpret Spanish language research studies on the topic or to speak with these students in their primary language. This deficiency should be acknowledged.

Aguinis, Hermam and Jeffrey R. Edwards. “Methodological Wishes for the Next Decade and How to Make Wishes Come True.” Journal of Management Studies 51 (January 2014): 143-174; Brutus, Stéphane et al. "Self-Reported Limitations and Future Directions in Scholarly Reports: Analysis and Recommendations." Journal of Management 39 (January 2013): 48-75; Senunyeme, Emmanuel K. Business Research Methods. Powerpoint Presentation. Regent University of Science and Technology; ter Riet, Gerben et al. “All That Glitters Isn't Gold: A Survey on Acknowledgment of Limitations in Biomedical Studies.” PLOS One 8 (November 2013): 1-6.

Structure and Writing Style

Information about the limitations of your study are generally placed either at the beginning of the discussion section of your paper so the reader knows and understands the limitations before reading the rest of your analysis of the findings, or, the limitations are outlined at the conclusion of the discussion section as an acknowledgement of the need for further study. Statements about a study's limitations should not be buried in the body [middle] of the discussion section unless a limitation is specific to something covered in that part of the paper. If this is the case, though, the limitation should be reiterated at the conclusion of the section.

If you determine that your study is seriously flawed due to important limitations , such as, an inability to acquire critical data, consider reframing it as an exploratory study intended to lay the groundwork for a more complete research study in the future. Be sure, though, to specifically explain the ways that these flaws can be successfully overcome in a new study.

But, do not use this as an excuse for not developing a thorough research paper! Review the tab in this guide for developing a research topic . If serious limitations exist, it generally indicates a likelihood that your research problem is too narrowly defined or that the issue or event under study is too recent and, thus, very little research has been written about it. If serious limitations do emerge, consult with your professor about possible ways to overcome them or how to revise your study.

When discussing the limitations of your research, be sure to:

• Describe each limitation in detailed but concise terms;
• Explain why each limitation exists;
• Provide the reasons why each limitation could not be overcome using the method(s) chosen to acquire or gather the data [cite to other studies that had similar problems when possible];
• Assess the impact of each limitation in relation to the overall findings and conclusions of your study; and,
• If appropriate, describe how these limitations could point to the need for further research.

Remember that the method you chose may be the source of a significant limitation that has emerged during your interpretation of the results [for example, you didn't interview a group of people that you later wish you had]. If this is the case, don't panic. Acknowledge it, and explain how applying a different or more robust methodology might address the research problem more effectively in a future study. A underlying goal of scholarly research is not only to show what works, but to demonstrate what doesn't work or what needs further clarification.

Aguinis, Hermam and Jeffrey R. Edwards. “Methodological Wishes for the Next Decade and How to Make Wishes Come True.” Journal of Management Studies 51 (January 2014): 143-174; Brutus, Stéphane et al. "Self-Reported Limitations and Future Directions in Scholarly Reports: Analysis and Recommendations." Journal of Management 39 (January 2013): 48-75; Ioannidis, John P.A. "Limitations are not Properly Acknowledged in the Scientific Literature." Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 60 (2007): 324-329; Pasek, Josh. Writing the Empirical Social Science Research Paper: A Guide for the Perplexed. January 24, 2012. Academia.edu; Structure: How to Structure the Research Limitations Section of Your Dissertation. Dissertations and Theses: An Online Textbook. Laerd.com; What Is an Academic Paper? Institute for Writing Rhetoric. Dartmouth College; Writing the Experimental Report: Methods, Results, and Discussion. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University.

Writing Tip

Don't Inflate the Importance of Your Findings!

After all the hard work and long hours devoted to writing your research paper, it is easy to get carried away with attributing unwarranted importance to what you’ve done. We all want our academic work to be viewed as excellent and worthy of a good grade, but it is important that you understand and openly acknowledge the limitations of your study. Inflating the importance of your study's findings could be perceived by your readers as an attempt hide its flaws or encourage a biased interpretation of the results. A small measure of humility goes a long way!

Another Writing Tip

Negative Results are Not a Limitation!

Negative evidence refers to findings that unexpectedly challenge rather than support your hypothesis. If you didn't get the results you anticipated, it may mean your hypothesis was incorrect and needs to be reformulated. Or, perhaps you have stumbled onto something unexpected that warrants further study. Moreover, the absence of an effect may be very telling in many situations, particularly in experimental research designs. In any case, your results may very well be of importance to others even though they did not support your hypothesis. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that results contrary to what you expected is a limitation to your study. If you carried out the research well, they are simply your results and only require additional interpretation.

Lewis, George H. and Jonathan F. Lewis. “The Dog in the Night-Time: Negative Evidence in Social Research.” The British Journal of Sociology 31 (December 1980): 544-558.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Sample Size Limitations in Qualitative Research

Sample sizes are typically smaller in qualitative research because, as the study goes on, acquiring more data does not necessarily lead to more information. This is because one occurrence of a piece of data, or a code, is all that is necessary to ensure that it becomes part of the analysis framework. However, it remains true that sample sizes that are too small cannot adequately support claims of having achieved valid conclusions and sample sizes that are too large do not permit the deep, naturalistic, and inductive analysis that defines qualitative inquiry. Determining adequate sample size in qualitative research is ultimately a matter of judgment and experience in evaluating the quality of the information collected against the uses to which it will be applied and the particular research method and purposeful sampling strategy employed. If the sample size is found to be a limitation, it may reflect your judgment about the methodological technique chosen [e.g., single life history study versus focus group interviews] rather than the number of respondents used.

Boddy, Clive Roland. "Sample Size for Qualitative Research." Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal 19 (2016): 426-432; Huberman, A. Michael and Matthew B. Miles. "Data Management and Analysis Methods." In Handbook of Qualitative Research . Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln, eds. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994), pp. 428-444; Blaikie, Norman. "Confounding Issues Related to Determining Sample Size in Qualitative Research." International Journal of Social Research Methodology 21 (2018): 635-641; Oppong, Steward Harrison. "The Problem of Sampling in qualitative Research." Asian Journal of Management Sciences and Education 2 (2013): 202-210.

• << Previous: 8. The Discussion
• Next: 9. The Conclusion >>
• Last Updated: Jul 3, 2024 10:07 AM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide

Diving Deeper into Limitations and Delimitations

If you are working on a thesis, dissertation, or other formal research project, chances are your advisor or committee will ask you to address the delimitations of your study. When faced with this request, many students respond with a puzzled look and then go on to address what are actually the study’s limitations.

In a previous article , we covered what goes into the limitations, delimitations, and assumptions sections of your thesis or dissertation. Here, we will dive a bit deeper into the differences between limitations and delimitations and provide some helpful tips for addressing them in your research project—whether you are working on a quantitative or qualitative study.

Acknowledging Weaknesses vs. Defining Boundaries

These concepts are easy to get confused because both limitations and delimitations restrict (or limit) the questions you’ll be able to answer with your study, most notably in terms of generalizability.

However, the biggest difference between limitations and delimitations is the degree of control you have over them—that is, how much they are based in conscious, intentional choices you made in designing your study.

Limitations occur in all types of research and are, for the most part, outside the researcher’s control (given practical constraints, such as time, funding, and access to populations of interest). They are threats to the study’s internal or external validity.

Limitations may include things such as participant drop-out, a sample that isn’t entirely representative of the desired population, violations to the assumptions of parametric analysis (e.g., normality, homogeneity of variance), the limits of self-report, or the absence of reliability and validity data for some of your survey measures.

Limitations can get in the way of your being able to answer certain questions or draw certain types of inferences from your findings. Therefore, it’s important to acknowledge them upfront and make note of how they restrict the conclusions you’ll be able to draw from your study. Frequently, limitations can get in the way of our ability to generalize our findings to the larger populations or to draw causal conclusions, so be sure to consider these issues when you’re thinking about the potential limitations of your study.

Delimitations are also factors that can restrict the questions you can answer or the inferences you can draw from your findings. However, they are based on intentional choices you make a priori (i.e., as you’re designing the study) about where you’re going to draw the boundaries of your project. In other words, they define the project’s scope.

Like limitations, delimitations are a part of every research project, and this is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s very important! You can’t study everything at once. If you try to do so, your project is bound to get huge and unwieldy, and it will become a lot more difficult to interpret your results or come to meaningful conclusions with so many moving parts. You have to draw the line somewhere, and the delimitations are where you choose to draw these lines.

One of the clearest examples of a delimitation that applies to almost every research project is participant exclusion criteria. In conducting either a quantitative or a qualitative study, you will have to define your population of interest. Defining this population of interest means that you will need to articulate the boundaries of that population (i.e., who is not included). Those boundaries are delimitations.

For example, if you’re interested in understanding the experiences of elementary school teachers who have been implementing a new curriculum into their classrooms, you probably won’t be interviewing or sending a survey to any of the following people: non-teachers, high-school teachers, college professors, principals, parents of elementary school children, or the children themselves. Furthermore, you probably won’t be talking to elementary school teachers who have not yet had the experience of implementing the curriculum in question. You would probably only choose to gather data from elementary school teachers who have had this experience because that is who you’re interested in for the purposes of your study. Perhaps you’ll narrow your focus even more to elementary school teachers in a particular school district who have been teaching for a particular length of time. The possibilities can go on. These are choices you will need to make, both for practical reasons (i.e., the population you have access to) and for the questions you are trying to answer.

Of course, for this particular example, this does not mean that it wouldn’t be interesting to also know what principals think about the new curriculum. Or parents. Or elementary school children. It just means that, for the purposes of your project and your research questions, you’re interested in the experience of the teachers, so you’re excluding anyone who does not meet those criteria. Having delimitations to your population of interest also means that you won’t be able to answer any questions about the experiences of those other populations; this is ok because those populations are outside of the scope of your project . As interesting as their experiences might be, you can save these questions for another study. That is the part of the beauty of research: there will always be more studies to do, more questions to ask. You don’t have to (and can’t) do it all in one project.

Continuing with the previous example, for instance, let’s suppose that the problem you are most interested in addressing is the fact that we know relatively little about elementary school teachers’ experiences of implementing a new curriculum. Perhaps you believe that knowing more about teachers’ experiences could inform their training or help administrators know more about how to support their teachers. If the identified problem is our lack of knowledge about teachers’ experiences, and your research questions focus on better understanding these experiences, that means that you are choosing not to focus on other problems or questions, even those that may seem closely related. For instance, you are not asking how effective the new curriculum is in improving student test scores or graduation rates. You might think that would be a very interesting question, but it will have to wait for another study. In narrowing the focus of your research questions, you limit your ability to answer other questions, and again, that’s ok. These other questions may be interesting and important, but, again, they are beyond the scope of your project .

Common Examples of Limitations

While each study will have its own unique set of limitations, some limitations are more common in quantitative research, and others are more common in qualitative research.

In quantitative research, common limitations include the following:

– Participant dropout

– Small sample size, low power

– Non-representative sample

– Violations of statistical assumptions

– Non-experimental design, lack of manipulation of variables, lack of controls

– Potential confounding variables

– Measures with low (or unknown) reliability or validity

– Limits of an instrument to measure the construct of interest

– Data collection methods (e.g., self-report)

– Anything else that might limit the study’s internal or external validity

In qualitative research, common limitations include the following:

– Lack of generalizability of findings (not the goal of qualitative research, but still worth mentioning as a limitation)

– Inability to draw causal conclusions (again, not the goal of qualitative research, but still worth mentioning)

– Researcher bias/subjectivity (especially if there is only one coder)

– Limitations in participants’ ability/willingness to share or describe their experiences

– Any factors that might limit the rigor of data collection or analysis procedures

Common Examples of Delimitations

As noted above, the two most common sources of delimitations in both quantitative and qualitative research include the following:

– Inclusion/exclusion criteria (or how you define your population of interest)

– Research questions or problems you’ve chosen to examine

Several other common sources of delimitations include the following:

– Theoretical framework or perspective adopted

– Methodological framework or paradigm chosen (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods)

– In quantitative research, the variables you’ve chosen to measure or manipulate (as opposed to others)

Whether you’re conducting a quantitative or qualitative study, you will (hopefully!) have chosen your research design because it is well suited to the questions you’re hoping to answer. Because these questions define the boundaries or scope of your project and thus point to its delimitations, your research design itself will also be related to these delimitations.

Questions to Ask Yourself

As you are considering the limitations and delimitations of your project, it can be helpful to ask yourself a few different questions.

Questions to help point out your study’s limitations :

1. If I had an unlimited budget, unlimited amounts of time, access to all possible populations, and the ability to manipulate as many variables as I wanted, how would I design my study differently to be better able to answer the questions I want to answer? (The ways in which your study falls short of this will point to its limitations.)

2. Are there design issues that get in the way of my being able to draw causal conclusions?

3. Are there sampling issues that get in the way of my being able to generalize my findings?

4. Are there issues related to the measures I’m using or the methods I’m using to collect data? Do I have concerns about participants telling the truth or being able to provide accurate responses to my questions?

5. Are there any other factors that might limit my study’s internal or external validity?

Questions that help point out your study’s delimitations :

1. What are my exclusion criteria? Who did I not include in my study, and why did I make this choice?

2. What questions did I choose not to address in my study? (Of course, the possibilities are endless here, but consider related questions that you chose not to address.)

3. In what ways did I narrow the scope of my study in order to hone in on a particular issue or question?

4. What other methodologies did I not use that might have allowed me to answer slightly different questions about the same topic?

How to Write About Limitations and Delimitations

Remember, having limitations and delimitations is not a bad thing. They’re present in even the most rigorous research. The important thing is to be aware of them and to acknowledge how they may impact your findings or the conclusions you can draw.

In fact, writing about them and acknowledging them gives you an opportunity to demonstrate that you can think critically about these aspects of your study and how they impact your findings, even if they were out of your control.

Keep in mind that your study’s limitations will likely point to important directions for future research. Therefore, when you’re getting ready to write about your recommendations for future research in your discussion, remember to refer back to your limitations section!

As you write about your delimitations in particular, remember that they are not weaknesses, and you don’t have to apologize for them. Good, strong research projects have clear boundaries. Also, keep in mind that you are the researcher and you can choose whatever delimitations you want for your study. You’re in control of the delimitations. You just have to be prepared—both in your discussion section and in your dissertation defense itself—to justify the choices you make and acknowledge how these choices impact your findings.

Browse More on PhDStudent

Everything You Need to Know About References and Citations: Part 1

When you conduct your research, it is important to record the details of all the information you find to provide accurate references, …

How to Write a Proposal: For a Master’s Thesis or Dissertation

Note: Many thanks to fellow PhDStudent blogger Ryan Krone for his contributions and insight to this post. Your thesis/dissertation proposal provides an …

How to Find Free Money for Graduate School Part 2

Getting into graduate school is already a challenge on its own, and funding the program once admitted is even harder. Graduate studies …

How to Find Free Money for Graduate School

You’ve finally earned your Bachelor’s degree and have made it into graduate school. Whether you already have massive student loans from undergrad …

Part 3 of How to Pick Your Defense Committee

  What strategies can a doctoral student employ to maneuver the trials and tribulations of a dissertation committee? In Part 2, we …

Best Dissertation Proofreading and Editing Tips to Make Your Work Spotless

You’ve heard this statement many times before: “the dissertation is the most important project you’ve ever worked on.” That may sound like …

Part 2 of How to Pick Your Defense Committee

Choosing a committee can be a daunting task for a doctoral student.  We’ve already covered two strategies that can help you through this …

Part 1 of How to Pick Your Defense Committee

So you’re ready to pick your committee members; there are a few things to keep in mind first—after all, it is a …

Intro To Series on How to Pick Your Defense Committee

Choosing the right defense committee can potentially be the difference between a smooth transition of receiving your doctoral degree or dodging bullets …

On Babies and Dissertations: Part 3

I recently had the experience of expecting my first baby a month before I graduated. Throughout the process, I accidentally learned several …

On Babies and Dissertations: Part 2

On Babies and Dissertations: Part 1

I recently had the experience of expecting my first baby a month before I graduated and accidentally learned tips on graduating on time with a …

Click here to cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Copyright © 2024 PhDStudent.com. All rights reserved. Designed by Divergent Web Solutions, LLC .

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

SCOPE, LIMITATIONS, and DELIMITATIONS

Related Papers

Division of Palawan

Leo Andrew B . Diego

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the Scope and Delimitation and Benefits and Beneficiaries of Research. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using. The module is divided into Two (2) lessons, namely: Lesson 1- Scope and Delimitation of research Lesson 2- Benefits and Beneficiaries of research After going through this module, you are expected to: a. define scope and delimitation of research; b. appreciate the scope, limitation and delimitation; and, c. write the benefits and beneficiaries of research.

International Journal of Religion

José Mario Ochoa-Pachas , Luis Pajuelo , JOSE MARIO OCHOA PACHAS

It is common to use Bloom's taxonomy to write research objectives; however, it is often forgotten that this Bloomian classification corresponds to the teaching-learning process. Likewise, is not usual to include the levels or scope of research since so many classifications have been proposed, suggesting that science can be fragmented and that qualitative studies have nothing to do with quantitative studies and vice versa. Regardless of the coincidences and discrepancies that may exist, researchers require a guideline that is based on the principles of science to be able to organize and structure their studies and that allows for growth and development, removing biases and partialities from analysis. It is necessary to remember that a taxonomy is valid if it adheres to the criteria that scientific knowledge itself indicates. This research is an exploratory and observational study whose purpose is to identify its objectives according to its levels with their respective study variables.

Asfarasin Maricar

Tourism studies

Journal of Museum Education

Journal of Public Health

Belinda Burford

Satish Saluja

Saeed Anwar

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

mark vince agacite

Dialysis & Transplantation

Dori Schatell

Symeou, L. & Lamprianou, J.

Loizos Symeou , Iasonas Lamprianou

Academia Letters

José Mario Ochoa-Pachas

Bakhtawer Zain

hotweiner 520

International Journal of Nursing Education

Rahul Pilani

Gerardo Munck

Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine

Renato Vilella

mohamed O mohamed taha

caroline tobing

Evidence-Based Spine-Care Journal

Andrea Skelly

Journal of Interdisciplinary Medicine

Diana Opincariu

Pablo Puescas Sánchez

Alexis Hernandez

Willard Chizu

Indian Journal of Medical Specialities

Jugal Kishore

ACM Inroads

The Cambridge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition

Melinda Whong

Said Sibouih

F1000Research

Sandra Mathison

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Warning: The NCBI web site requires JavaScript to function. more...

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings
• Browse Titles

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Stein RC, Dunn JA, Bartlett JMS, et al.; on behalf of the OPTIMA Trial Management Group. OPTIMA prelim: a randomised feasibility study of personalised care in the treatment of women with early breast cancer. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2016 Feb. (Health Technology Assessment, No. 20.10.)

OPTIMA prelim: a randomised feasibility study of personalised care in the treatment of women with early breast cancer.

Appendix 10 limitations of the qualitative research study methods.

In addition to the limitations presented in Chapter 6 , the discussion below relates to the specific limitations of the QRS methodology.

Data saturation was achieved within the interview study, as sampling was under the control of the QRS researcher. Such claims cannot be made for collection of audio-recorded consultations. It should be kept in mind that listening to audio-recorded consultations primarily served a practical purpose, and to this end, successfully identified challenges that recruiters were able to engage with in feedback meetings. However, the study would have benefited from a larger sample of audio-recordings, from a wider range of centres. Despite encouragement from the QRS team and TMG, recording of consultations did not occur as a matter of routine and the full range of interactions with patients was not captured. This is particularly true for second oncology consultations (where patients sometimes gave their decisions about participation). Incomplete recordings of each patient’s ‘journey’ made it difficult to track events, and made deciphering patients’ reasons for declining the trial problematic. In addition, limited numbers of audio-recordings for each individual recruiter restricted opportunities to assess the impact of QRS interventions through ‘before-and-after’ comparisons. Reluctance to routinely record consultations may have been an indirect consequence of recruiters perceiving the QRS as an ‘optional’ additional task. Future studies of this nature will need to frame the QRS as an integrated component of the trial.

The practices reported in interviews might have been influenced by recollection bias and/or the temptation to offer socially desirable answers. This is particularly true given the potentially sensitive nature of subjects discussed in consultations and the possibility of clinicians perceiving that their actions were under scrutiny. Similar sources of bias may also have influenced behaviours in consultations that were audio-recorded. In some cases, interviews focused on recruiters’ perceptions of why patients declined participation in OPTIMA prelim. Recruiters’ responses will have been based on their subjective interpretation of events, which may not have reflected reality. This consideration is also applicable to the data reported in screening logs, where recruiters were required to state the reason(s) why patients declined the OPTIMA prelim. Interviewing patients directly could have provided source triangulation (or contradictions), but the OPTIMA prelim QRS prioritised addressing the challenges already identified through recruiter interviews and audio-recorded consultations. There was an intention to interview patients if necessary, but given the exploratory nature of the QRS, the nature and extent of challenges identified early on could not be anticipated when the QRS was designed. Consideration should be given to interviewing patients if the OPTIMA main study proceeds.

Included under terms of UK Non-commercial Government License .

• Cite this Page Stein RC, Dunn JA, Bartlett JMS, et al.; on behalf of the OPTIMA Trial Management Group. OPTIMA prelim: a randomised feasibility study of personalised care in the treatment of women with early breast cancer. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2016 Feb. (Health Technology Assessment, No. 20.10.) Appendix 10, Limitations of the qualitative research study methods.
• PDF version of this title (21M)

Other titles in this collection

• Health Technology Assessment

Recent Activity

• Limitations of the qualitative research study methods - OPTIMA prelim: a randomi... Limitations of the qualitative research study methods - OPTIMA prelim: a randomised feasibility study of personalised care in the treatment of women with early breast cancer

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

Connect with NLM

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894

Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure

Help Accessibility Careers

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Find top study documents

Delimitations in research: meaning, types, and examples

Published 19 Jul 2024

Working on academic papers can make it easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of available data and information. One of the most crucial considerations when initiating a project is finding the answer to the question, “What is the scope of a study, and what are its delimitations?”. Establishing clear boundaries and narrowing your study’s focus is essential to ensure the exploration remains relevant, manageable, and produces valuable results.

This guide sheds light on delimitations in research and the importance of identifying and outlining these boundaries. Discover their types and impact on the validity and generalizability of research findings. By understanding the delimitations definition, you’ll be better equipped to design well-thought-out papers, clearly communicate their scope, and critically evaluate the work of others.

Scope and delimitation of the study: definition and importance

These terms refer to the specific parameters and boundaries the researcher sets to define what the study will cover and what it will not. What is scope in research? It outlines the extent of the exploration, including the subject matter, geographic area, time frame, and population to be studied. The delimitation meaning includes the choices made by the researcher regarding the study’s design and methods, specifying what aspects are intentionally excluded from a chemistry lab report or any other academic work.

Scope and delimitation are established during the early stages of the research process, usually when designing the research proposal. These elements are included in the introduction of a thesis and are significant for setting reader expectations and providing context for the investigation.

Why is it needed?

We answered the question, “ What are delimitations in a research study ? ” and now, it’s time to understand why they are needed.

• Manageability:  By setting clear boundaries, the researcher ensures the exploration remains focused and manageable. This is crucial for preventing the academic work from becoming too broad or unwieldy, which can lead to a loss of depth and clarity.
• Relevance: Defining the scope of the study and delimitations helps focus the paper on relevant areas crucial to answering the research questions or testing the hypotheses. It ensures the exploration stays aligned with its objectives.
• Validity: Clear constraints help establish the validity of the survey paper by specifying the exact parameters within which the exploration operates. This makes it easier for others to understand the context and limitations of the findings.
• Transparency: Clearly explaining what the project covers helps readers understand the researcher's choices and the study's limitations. This enhances the credibility and reliability of the scholarly work.
• Resource allocation: Defining the research span helps in efficient resource allocation, ensuring that time, effort, budget, and resources are directed toward the project's most critical aspects.

In summary, these elements of the investigation plan provide clarity, focus, and structure to writing. They are established at the beginning of the research process and are crucial for ensuring the study’s manageability, relevance, validity, transparency, and efficient use of resources.

Types of scope of research

1. geographical..

Example: An investigation focused on the impact of climate change on coastal communities in Southeast Asia. Here, the geographical scope specifies the regions within Southeast Asia where data will be collected and analyzed.

2. Temporal.

Example: A scholarly work examining changes in consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic from March to December 2020. The temporal scope sets the time frame for data collection and analysis, focusing specifically on the pandemic period.

3. Disciplinary.

Example: An academic paper exploring the application of artificial intelligence in diagnosing medical conditions in the field of healthcare informatics. The disciplinary scope of study specifies the field (healthcare informatics) within which artificial intelligence applications are evaluated.

3. Population.

Example: A survey was conducted among university students in a specific city to understand their attitudes towards online learning platforms. The population scope identifies the specific group or demographic (university students in a particular city) the study targets.

4. Research objectives.

Example: Investigating the effectiveness of a new teaching method on enhancing student engagement in high school mathematics classes. The scope of research objectives defines the specific goals and aims of the scholarly work, focusing on how the teaching method impacts student engagement in a particular subject area.

Types of delimitations of a study

1. exclusion of variables..

Example: A study on employee productivity excludes factors such as personal health issues unrelated to work. This delimitation clarifies the specific variables that the study will not consider, focusing solely on work-related productivity factors.

2. Methodological delimitations.

Example: Research using only qualitative methods to explore patients' subjective experiences in a hospital setting. Methodological delimitations specify the research methods (qualitative) that will be employed to gather and analyze data, reflecting the study’s focus on subjective experiences.

3. Sample size restrictions.

Example: An assessment of customer satisfaction limits its sample size to 200 respondents due to resource constraints. This delimitation establishes the maximum number of participants (200 respondents) that will be included in the inquiry based on practical considerations such as time, budget, and data analysis capacity.

4. Time constraints.

Example: The evaluation of the historical impact of technological advancements in the automotive industry focuses on developments from 1990 to 2020. Time limitations define the specific period (1990 to 2020) during which historical data and events related to technological advancements in the automotive industry will be analyzed.

5. Delimitations of literature review.

Example: A response paper on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapies in treating anxiety limits the review to studies published within the last decade. In this case, the time frame is specified (last decade) within which relevant literature and studies on mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety treatment will be analyzed, ensuring the review's currency and relevance.

Delimitations vs limitations

These concepts are totally different, though students often confuse them. They are interconnected as they both refer to the boundaries within a study but represent different factors of those boundaries. What are limitations in research? They pertain to the shortcomings or constraints of your case study report , arising from practical or theoretical restrictions that were encountered during the research process. These could include the following factors: 

• a narrow sampling range;
• lack of access to certain data; 
• unforeseen challenges in data collection and analysis; 
• lack of previous research on the topic;
• lack of technology or instruments;
• financial and funding constraints. 

Limitations are often beyond the researcher's control and must be acknowledged, as they can affect the validity and reliability of the exploration findings.

On the other hand, delimitations in research are the boundaries the researcher sets based on intentional choices about the study's focus and scope. These choices define the specific aspects of the project, such as what will be examined, the population to be studied, and the methods used.

Delimitations help narrow the study to a manageable scope and ensure it remains aligned with its objectives and research questions. They reflect the researcher's strategic decisions to concentrate on specific areas of interest while excluding others.

To delve deeper into research aims and questions, which help explain delimitations, you can refer to our write my paper website. We clarify the differences between limitations and delimitations and give examples of formulating clear and focused research aims and questions that will guide your study effectively. With this knowledge, you can design a more robust and well-thought-out project, address its inherent constraints, and clearly define its intended scope.

Guidelines on writing scope and delimitation of the study

Discover some recommendations about correctly completing these sections of your academic papers.

How do you write the project’s scope?

When you learn how to start a research proposal , it’s crucial to understand how to define your project’s focus. A good scope statement addresses six key questions:

The purpose, objectives, and aims of the exploration. It establishes the study's reason and what the researcher hopes to achieve.

The subject and included variables. This defines what will be investigated, outlining the specific elements and factors that will be examined.

The setting of the study. This specifies where the data will be collected and defines to which entity the information will belong, ensuring clarity about the geographical or contextual limits.

The timeframe for data collection. This indicates the period during which the study will occur, providing a temporal context for the project.

The population and sampling size for generalizations. This identifies the group or demographic that will be studied, ensuring that the sampling size is sufficient for making generalizations.

The research design, methods, tools, and analysis techniques. This details how the research will be conducted, including whether it will be experimental, qualitative, or a case study and the specific methods and tools used.

In this paragraph, it’s essential to explain why certain variables were omitted from the research focus and whether these omissions were due to delimitations or a scope limitation. This helps provide a comprehensive understanding of the study’s boundaries and any constraints faced.

To begin writing your scope, you may use the following prompts:

• The study focuses on…
• The project covers…
• The work aims to…

How to write delimitations?

Now that you know the answer to “What is delimitation?”, you understand that this aspect is within the researcher's control and reflects the boundaries set intentionally. Readers need to know why specific parameters were established, what alternative options were considered, and why those alternatives were rejected. Linking these decisions back to your research question is essential, as all delimitations should result from efforts to make the project more relevant to its scope. Therefore, these elements are usually considered together when writing academic papers.

You may use the following prompts to begin completing this section:

• The project does not cover…
• The following has been excluded from this exploration…
• This work is limited to…

Understanding and setting the scope and research delimitations are fundamental to ensuring its success. These elements help maintain the focus and manageability of the project, providing clarity for the researcher and the readers. You can produce more robust, relevant, and credible studies by addressing these elements thoughtfully and thoroughly. But if you feel concerned about how to deal with this section, do not hesitate to pay to write research paper and get professional support from our writing specialists with extensive experience in this field.

Final thoughts

Delimitations are pivotal in shaping the research scope and focus, ensuring that studies remain manageable and aligned with their objectives. By clearly defining these boundaries, researchers can enhance their work's clarity, validity, and reliability. Understanding and effectively communicating study constraints is a critical skill for any student engaged in academic work, as it helps to set realistic expectations and provides a framework for evaluating the study’s findings.

Should you need assistance in writing any part of your project, EduBirdie is here to help. Our expert team is dedicated to providing the support and guidance you need to produce high-quality, well-defined writing. Whether you are struggling with formulating your research restrictions or need help refining your thesis scope, EduBirdie is ready to assist you every step of the way.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback.

Written by Stella Gary

Stella Gary is a talented writer specializing in creating comprehensive guides on various academic tasks, including literature reviews, lab reports, and thesis writing. With a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of academic standards, Stella offers invaluable advice and techniques to help students achieve their academic goals. Outside of her professional work, Stella is passionate about sustainable living and often explores innovative ways to promote eco-friendly practices.

Related Blog Posts

Discover how to compose acknowledgements in research paper.

This post will help you learn about the use of acknowledgements in research paper and determine how they are composed and why they must be present ...

What is qualitative research? Approaches, methods, and examples

Students in social sciences frequently seek to understand how people feel, think, and behave in specific situations or relationships that evolve ov...

150 Fascinating Astronomy Research Topics: Explore the Wonders of the Universe

The Significance of Astronomy Research Topics Astronomy research topics hold a significant place in the academic curriculum due to their profoun...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

• Open access
• Published: 12 July 2024

Unlocking potential: a qualitative exploration guiding the implementation and evaluation of professional role substitution models in healthcare

• Rumbidzai N. Mutsekwa   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8200-3026 1 , 2 , 3 ,
• Katrina L. Campbell   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4479-1284 3 , 4 , 5 ,
• Russell Canavan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0155-3219 6 ,
• Rebecca L. Angus   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1839-9641 1 , 7 ,
• Liza-Jane McBride   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6336-5934 8 &
• Joshua M. Byrnes   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6562-711X 3 , 4  

Implementation Science Communications volume  5 , Article number:  73 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

175 Accesses

3 Altmetric

Metrics details

As role substitution models gain prominence in healthcare, understanding the factors shaping their effectiveness is paramount. This study aimed to investigate factors that impact the implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models in healthcare, with a focus on understanding the variables that determine their success or failure in adoption, execution, continuity, and outcomes.

The exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with key opinion leaders, decision makers, facilitators, recipients, and frontline implementers, who had influence and involvement in the implementation of professional role substitution models. Data analysis was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Between November 2022 and April 2023, 39 stakeholders were interviewed. Factors influencing implementation and evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models of care aligned with the five core CFIR domains (innovation, outer setting, inner setting, individuals, implementation process) and outcome domain incorporating implementation and innovation outcomes. The six themes identified within these CFIR domains were, respectively; i) Examining the dynamics of innovation catalysts, evidence, advantages, and disadvantages; ii) Navigating the complex landscape of external factors that influence implementation and evaluation; iii) Impact of internal structural, political, and cultural contexts; iv) The roles and contributions of individuals in the process; v) Essential phases and strategies for effective implementation; and vi) The assessment of outcomes derived from allied health professional role substitution models.

Conclusions

The study highlights the complex interplay of contextual and individual factors that influence the implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models. It emphasises the need for collaboration among diverse stakeholders to navigate the challenges and leverage the opportunities presented by expanded healthcare roles. Understanding these multifaceted factors can contribute to the development of an empowered workforce and a healthcare system that is more efficient, effective, safe, and sustainable, ultimately benefiting patients.

Peer Review reports

Contributions to literature

• There is limited understanding of the complex interplay of contextual and individual factors that influence implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models of care.

• This study provides comprehensive guidance on successful implementation and evaluation of new models of care which influences efficient use of resources in healthcare.

• This study contributes to recognised gaps in literature, seeking to demonstrate value proposition of professional role substitution models of care. This study has identified outcome measures that can determine the successful implementation and impact of these models of care

The healthcare sector plays a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of individuals and society, but it is facing challenges due to a growing and ageing population. The demand for high-quality healthcare has increased significantly, while the shortage of healthcare workers has become a pressing concern [ 1 , 2 ]. Workforce reforms are now being prioritised in healthcare to shape the future of healthcare delivery. These reforms include initiatives to increase the number of healthcare workers, enhance the quality and duration of healthcare education and training, and diversify the healthcare workforce.

One key strategy to address healthcare challenges is the expanded scope of practice for non-medical healthcare professionals [ 3 ]. This expansion entails a discrete knowledge and skill base beyond the recognised scope of practice within a specific jurisdiction's regulatory framework [ 4 ]. It empowers healthcare practitioners such as nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, and physician assistants to practice to the full extent of their training and education, or to extend their scope of practice beyond traditional boundaries [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Consequently, they can perform a broader range of tasks, including those previously reserved for medical doctors.

Professional role substitution models have improved patients' access to healthcare services [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that these alternative healthcare delivery models can provide safe and effective care that patients find acceptable. Nurse practitioners and advanced nurses in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia expand primary care roles, including diagnosis, prescribing, patient education, managing long-term conditions, and minor surgeries [ 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Physician assistants (PAs) in countries like the US, Canada, and the Netherlands work closely with physicians, conducting assessments, diagnosing, treating common illnesses, and providing patient education. PAs improve healthcare access, especially in underserved and rural areas with physician shortages [ 14 , 15 , 16 ].

In developing countries with limited healthcare resources, professional role substitution models are vital for addressing shortages of skilled healthcare providers and improving access to essential services. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, task shifting from physicians to nurses and community health workers addresses the scarcity of skilled providers [ 17 , 18 ]. Community health workers, trained to deliver basic healthcare services and education, play crucial roles in preventive and promotive interventions, particularly in rural and underserved areas [ 18 ]. Nurse-led clinics have also proven successful in delivering comprehensive primary care services, such as antenatal care and family planning, alleviating pressure on strained healthcare systems [ 19 , 20 , 21 ].

Allied health professionals, encompassing disciplines such as speech pathology, pharmacy, dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography, sonography, psychology, and social work, are increasingly vital in diverse healthcare settings. Supported by mounting evidence of their effectiveness, their role continues to expand [ 10 , 22 ]. Despite substantial growth, particularly notable in Australia where they rank as the second-largest healthcare group, [ 23 ] the implementation of professional role substitution within allied health is relatively new compared to fields like nursing and physician assistants [ 24 ].

The successful implementation of all professional role substitution models including allied health is complex and contingent on various factors which are not currently well understood or defined [ 10 , 22 , 25 ]. To ensure success, it is essential to consider the impact on patients, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare system [ 25 ]. This must be approached from a multi-stakeholder perspective, involving experts in the field, key opinion leaders, healthcare leaders, decision makers, policy makers, recipients, and frontline implementers.

Research into the expanded scope of practice within allied health disciplines, including implementation and performance evaluation, is crucial [ 6 , 23 , 25 , 26 ]. Previous studies have highlighted patients' perceptions and experiences of healthcare quality in role substitution models [ 27 , 28 ]. While clinicians express support for performance evaluation, there's a gap between support and effective implementation [ 29 ]. There's also a lack of agreed-upon approaches for measuring performance [ 25 , 29 ]. Collaborative efforts involving multiple stakeholders are essential for understanding robust evaluation methods and optimising alternative models of care for healthcare transformation and sustainability [ 25 ].

To address this gap in knowledge and practice, this study aimed to describe the individual and contextual factors that influence the implementation and performance evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models from a multi-stakeholder perspective. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify outcome measures that can demonstrate the successful implementation and impact of these models of care.

Study approach and design

An exploratory qualitative approach was used to explore expectations, perceptions, and experiences of stakeholders involved in the implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models of care. Semi-structured interviews were chosen as the primary method of data collection to allow for flexible exploration of specific topics and issues, maximising the richness of the data [ 30 ]. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines [ 31 ]. Please see Additional file 1

Study setting

This study was conducted within the public healthcare system of the State of Queensland, Australia. This comprises 16 hospital and health services and approximately 35,000 allied health professionals [ 32 ]. Queensland initiated an allied health strategy in 2014 to expand professionals' scope of practice, resulting in the establishment of 133 distinct models of care by 2019 [ 24 , 33 , 34 ]. Examining this system offers valuable insights into implementing and evaluating professional role substitution models, providing practical understanding within a specific healthcare context.

Study participants and recruitment

A purposeful sampling strategy was employed to recruit key stakeholders at various levels of the healthcare system who were involved in some way in the implementation and performance evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models of care. Participants included experts in the field, key opinion leaders, decision makers, recipients, and frontline implementers, implementation facilitators and support teams. A sampling matrix was used to consider factors such as location, affiliation, organisational role, tenure, and profession ensuring diversity and representation across the different dimension of the healthcare system. While a specific target number of participants was not predetermined, our aim was to achieve saturation in the sample, ensuring comprehensive coverage of perspectives and experiences relevant to our research objectives. Email invitations were sent to potential participants/participant groups, along with study information and consent forms. Those who agreed to participate contacted the principal investigator to arrange a suitable interview time.

Positionality of researchers

The research team comprised individuals with diverse backgrounds and roles, including experts in professional role substitution, health services research, economics, qualitative study methodology, and healthcare management.

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki with approval granted by Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (HREC/2020/QGC/62104) and Griffith University (GU Ref No: 2020/876). All participants provided written informed consent.

Data collection

An interview guide was developed by the research team to ensure coverage of the study aims and objectives (Additional file 2). The guide was pilot tested with three eligible participants, resulting in minor wording adjustments for clarity. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or via video conferencing with only interviewer and participant present. The semi-structured interviews were designed to elicit open-ended responses from participants, with the interviewer using prompts and probing techniques as needed. Data collection continued until data saturation was reached, indicating that no new themes were emerging [ 35 ]. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and supplemented with field notes for additional context and consistency. Each participant was allocated an anonymous identifier, comprising their participant number along with a descriptor of their role or professional background. (e.g., P34, Workforce and Education). Participants were offered the opportunity to check their transcript.

Data analysis and interpretation

Descriptive statistics were used to analyse demographic data, such as participants' time in their current role, age, gender, and education level. Exploration of contextual influences on implementation and performance evaluation was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) [ 36 ]. The CFIR is a comprehensive framework that focuses on understanding and improving the implementation and evaluation of health innovations. Its adaptability enables integration into various contexts, fostering analysis and facilitating cross-study comparisons. This versatility supports a systematic approach to evaluating implementation processes and outcomes, thereby enriching our understanding of innovation dynamics across diverse settings [ 36 ].

It consists of six domains: 1. Innovation domain (the model of care being implemented), 2. Outer setting (the healthcare system in which the inner setting exists) 3. Inner setting (the site in which the model of care is implemented e.g., hospital) 4. Individuals (the roles and characteristics of individuals involved in the implementation process), 5. Implementation process (the activities and strategies used to implement the model of care), 6. Implementation outcomes (perceptions and measures of implementation success or failure), and Innovation outcomes (outcomes that capture success or failure of model of care) [ 36 , 37 , 38 ].

A reflexive thematic approach was taken for qualitative analysis [ 39 ]. The analysis began deductively with codes derived from the CFIR, followed by inductive coding to identify additional categories. These codes were assigned using CFIR definitions, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and appropriate quote examples. NVivo V10 software (QSR International Ltd.) was used to facilitate data management.

Investigator triangulation was employed, with the principal researcher (R.N.M) coding all interviews and 20% of the interviews coded by a second researcher (R.L.A) to enhance reliability and provide different perspectives [ 40 ]. All authors participated in summarising codes prioritised for analysis and interpreting the results. A matrix was created to compare the ratings of each CFIR construct, focusing on any differences among stakeholders. Data extracts were selected to illustrate themes and subthemes, incorporating multiple perspectives for interpretation.

Study population

A total of 39 stakeholders from various hospital and health services across Queensland were interviewed. The stakeholders represented a broad spectrum of positions and roles within the healthcare system, categorised into eight groups: allied health clinicians, medical practitioners/general practitioners, nursing staff, allied health leadership, hospital and health services/statewide leadership, recipients, implementation support personnel, workforce and education. Table 1 provides demographic details of the participants.

Participants had been in their roles on average 11 years, (range 1-27 years). Interviews had an average duration of 32 minutes (range 15-59 minutes). Five interviews were conducted face to face with the remainder ( n =34) conducted through video conferencing.

Six themes were identified which aligned with the five CFIR domains and the outcomes domain. Twenty-seven underlying constructs and subconstructs of the CFIR were identified as factors influencing implementation of professional role substitution in our analysis. Ten constructs were identified in the implementation and innovation outcome categories. Main domains and constructs are illustrated in Fig. 1 .

Key implementation and evaluation constructs for professional role substitution models of care

Innovation domain

Examining the dynamics of innovation catalysts, evidence, advantages, and disadvantages in allied health professional role substitution models of care.

The following section delineates the three primary constructs aligning with CFIR domains and an additional domain, namely "relative disadvantage." These constructs were identified from the perspectives of participants regarding professional role substitution models of care as an innovative approach.

Innovation source

Participants recognised healthcare system strain due to workforce shortages, rising costs, and increased needs with policies now prioritising workforce reform as a key healthcare strategy. The 2006 Australian Productivity Commission review, focusing on optimising scope, competencies, and job redesign was frequently cited by interviewees as the catalyst for change. The Ministerial Taskforce on Health Practitioner Expanded Scope of Practice (Queensland), alongside similar taskforces nationwide, played a vital role in implementing allied-health professional role substitution models of care. “There were a broad range of stakeholders involved in the task force across Queensland Health and external to Queensland in 2014. There was a number of recommendations in the report with overall endorsement from the Minister.” (P34, Workforce and Education)

Furthermore, the Allied Health Professions' Office supported these efforts by funding care models, addressing legislative barriers, developing training, supporting research, monitoring progress, and sharing achievements. A participant explained, ‘The office was charged with implementing the recommendations and to test these models of care. Particularly things like requesting and interpreting forms for diagnostic imaging and requesting pathology.” ( P34, Workforce and Education)

Evidence base

Participants expressed varying perspectives on the evidence base for professional role substitution models of care. Some noted a reliance on grey literature or information from pilots, highlighting the limited evidence supporting certain models. Conversely, others believed the evidence base was robust and questioned the need for further piloting. “It should be business as usual and that’s something we’ve tried to promote where we’ve got evidence from other jurisdictions and internationally. There should then be efforts to implement and try and replicate those results and take it to scale.” (P34, Workforce and Education).

Established services in other countries and professions influenced the implementation in Australia. Clinician leads or facilitators with prior experience in allied health models were identified as key enablers of this process. One participant shared their experience stating, “I was involved with that over there in the UK and so I came with that mentality to Queensland. When I worked as a fellow, I was surprised that there wasn’t that model, and I advocated for it and was told we don’t do that here. So, we ended up running extra clinics as fellows to see the long-wait patients when I knew that back in the UK it would have been [allied health discipline ].” (P19, Medical Specialist)

Relative advantage

Participants, healthcare professional and patients alike identified several advantages of allied health professional role substitution models. These models improved access to care, particularly benefiting underserved areas, and boosted efficiency by “streamlining decision-making and minimising duplication” (P19, Medical specialist). A patient shared their positive experience, stating, “If anything, I thought I was really special. I got pushed ahead really. I didn’t have to wait so long, and I wasn’t made to feel silly for my symptoms and they were investigated. The whole experience was positive.” ( P39, Consumer/Recipient)

While considered cost-effective by those interviewed due to reduced reliance on specialists in resource-limited settings, many highlighted the need for further cost-effectiveness data. One participant mentioned,

“You can get comparable or sometimes a better service at a lower cost using alternate models of care.” (P17, Medical Specialist)

Participants indicated that these models enabled allied health professionals to provide comprehensive, patient-centred care, enhancing overall healthcare experiences and patient satisfaction. Another viewpoint shared was, “ It's about getting patients to clinicians with holistic skill sets rather than just the medical model. Traditionally, patients wait a long time to see a medical professional, only to be referred back to the same clinician “, ( P15, Implementation Support). Additionally, clinicians working in these roles noted , “So, they’re kind of getting that one stop assessment, where the speech pathologist looks at the functional component, as well as pathology or organic disease” (P13, Allied Health Clinician). Moreover, they promoted professional growth, job satisfaction, and workforce retention through expanded roles and skill development opportunities, fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals from various disciplines for improved patient outcomes. One individual expressed “That responsibility and that extra challenge for me is where I get the buzz. (P 12, Allied Health Clinician )

Relative disadvantage

In addition to the benefits of professional role substitution in healthcare, participants emphasised other key factors. Patient safety and care quality surfaced as paramount concerns. A participant with workforce and education background stated, “There was a lot of the discussion and particularly the negative media coverage around the model of care. I was quite driven to answer the questions, or the concerns raised by the health professionals around safety .” (P29, Workforce and Education)

The imperative of ensuring skill, competence, and appropriate clinical governance was strongly emphasised. In some settings, participants flagged the potential for resistance and conflicts with traditional providers and organisations, driven by apprehensions about expertise encroachment, de-skilling, and role ambiguity. A Medical Specialist (P19) highlighted this, “The risk is that if you promote therapists from being treating therapists to being screening and treating therapists, you’re on the risk of deskilling your (medical) workers.”

Building public and patient trust, especially in unfamiliar models, highlighted the importance of transparent communication and educational efforts, as noted by both consumers and healthcare professionals. A patient shared, “I really didn’t know what to expect because I hadn’t been to a clinic like that before and I didn’t know what they were going to do”. (P39, Consumer/recipient). A healthcare professional suggested, “ Another barrier is patient perception, especially if they are expecting to see a doctor” but went on to add , “In my experience this has often not been the case with patients often reassured once they have had a thorough assessment ” (P13, Allied Health Clinician) Initial challenges in interaction with General Practitioners (GPs), were also highlighted with one participant noting, “ See the problems at the beginning where the GPs would ring up and say, I wanted a specialist opinion, and I got a physiotherapist. But once they were educated, those complaints dropped off especially when the patient satisfaction scores were high” (P19, Medical Specialist).

The implementation of these models often demands additional investments in training and supervision, with a consideration of their economic and logistical impact on the healthcare system required. Lastly, “striking a delicate balance between expanded scopes and core responsibilities” (P 25, Allied Health Leadership) is essential. Another participant noted, “ It is also worth considering the amount of time it takes for this training and to set up these roles. It is also important to consider the cost. Once you have a model of care set up well, what’s my sustainability plan for this model in relation to, succession planning, leave management, etcetera ? “(P15, Implementation Support)

Outer setting

Navigating the complex landscape of external factors that influence implementation and evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models of care, partnerships and connections.

Collaborative care teams and strong referral networks emerged as crucial elements for successful role substitution practice. Participants emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, where professionals from various disciplines worked together to provide holistic patient care. Furthermore, partnerships with specialists, hospitals, community resources, and primary care facilities were highlighted as essential for ensuring seamless transitions and continuity of care. This was articulated by one GP, (P7) “I think for me and my style of medicine, it’s helpful. I really enjoyed that sort of team, that real MDT and holistic approach to patient care.”

Policies and laws

Implementing professional role substitution and scope extension may require legal and regulatory adjustments, including redefining boundaries and establishing standards which participants noted as a challenge. Variations across jurisdictions, were highlighted emphasising the need for a national approach to align state and federal policies. An occupational therapist identified legislative barriers stating, “Legislation prevents us from ordering imaging, but we all have local agreements with our departments that enable us to order basic radiology. But we want to be able to order that radiology in our general role as well and potentially expand that into other forms of the imaging down the road. This role has expanded even further in the UK to some of those therapists prescribing and referring people for MRIs and CT scans.” (P11, Allied Health Clinician)

Both allied health clinicians and medical doctors expressed concerns about legal accountability in the event of adverse events or complications in professional role substitution models. Stakeholders, including allied health clinicians, medical doctors, and healthcare leaders, emphasised the importance of assurance of indemnity through health services. “We’re protected by public indemnity in this system. And ultimately the directors are responsible for all the patients, even the ones we don’t directly treat. So that model protected our junior doctors and subsequently protects the therapists as well ” (P19, Medical Specialist). Participants also acknowledged the need for regular training and re-assessment of knowledge and skills for medical professionals but were uncertain about the lack of similar scrutiny and regulation mechanisms for allied health clinicians in professional role substitution roles.

Participants had differing perspectives on funding for new models of care. Implementing professional role substitution models of care often relied on short-term funding and grants to pilot services. A participant with an allied health clinician background highlighted complexities in healthcare funding and incentives, pointing out “General practice won’t make money unless the patient sees the GP. They would need to look at some sort of MBS (Medicare Benefits Schedule) item number so that the practice or hospital and health service can generate money from those expanded roles.” (P10, Allied Health Clinician)

Suggestions were made to review Medicare and activity-based funding structures to provide support for professional role substitution models ensuring their viability. A participant who has supported implementation of a professional role substitution model noted, “That’s also based on the fact that with Activity-Based Funding framework, we have to demonstrate that the model can generate enough activity to be viable and valuable.” (P15, Implementation Support).

Additionally, participants emphasised the importance of funding models that prioritise outcomes rather than specific care delivery mechanisms. A healthcare executive highlighted, “W e don’t purchase models of care. I would like to think that we purchase outcomes, and we are quite agnostic in how health services go about achieving those outcomes. We’ve wanted to make sure that the funding model is enabled and that it’s not a barrier to people trying alternative ways using new and different models to achieve those outcomes that we’re interested in.” (P32, Hospital and Health Services/ State-wide Leadership).

Performance management pressure

Participants acknowledged the challenge of meeting patient waiting time targets set by federal and state governments. This was an enabling factor, with professional role substitution models of care implemented as strategies to reduce specialist outpatient waitlists and improve access to services, aligning with performance targets. “There was a wait list issue for the specialty area. There was a big project to see who else could help see patients and try and reduce the waitlists. They highlighted that the [allied health specialist area clinician] might be something that could help with that.” (P8, Allied Health Clinician).

Inner setting

Impact of internal structural, political, and cultural contexts on the implementation and performance evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models in healthcare, work infrastructure.

Implementing role substitution models had workforce implications, including assessing skills availability and workload management. Sustainability relied on individual commitment, posing threats to the longevity of these models of care. An allied health leader, (P22) noted, “Often the first people you get in are personally passionate about it. It’s hard to find those people all the time, but a succession plan is important for sustainability of extended scope roles.“ These sentiments were echoed by a physician who mentioned, “Workforce and sourcing the right resources and clinicians is something that is a bit of a challenge for the health services moving forward.” (P17, Medical specialist)

Relational connections

Participants identified strong relationships and networks as vital for implementing and sustaining professional role substitution models. Trust between medical doctors and allied health clinicians was essential. As one participant noted: “Most of the time when these models fall down, it’s because the relationships between the allied health and the multidisciplinary team, including the doctors, have broken down. The doctor’s left or there’s been an issue that they couldn’t resolve and then everything falls to pieces.” (P23, Allied Health Leadership) Key roles of advocates and clinical leads were emphasised, but overreliance on individuals was a concern. Building resilience in these models across all levels of leadership was an important consideration as are clear governance structures which include supervision and escalation pathways.

Communications

Effective communication was necessary for high-quality care, patient safety, and collaborative relationships in both implementing and sustaining professional role substitution models. Iterative modifications and a willingness to learn were recognised as important. Collaboration involved shared decision-making, regular communication, and joint management of complex cases. Specialist doctors provided guidance and medical expertise, while allied health professionals contributed their specialised skills including ability to provide holistic care. “We still needed to iron out all of the kinks, so each side still needs to continue to learn from each other. So, I would say it probably took a good 12 to 18 months before we felt like we had a system that was working well for both sides and streamlining the process.” (P11, Allied Health Clinician). Additionally, some participants emphasised transitioning from “substitution-focused to team-based approaches” (P27, General Practitioner and Healthcare Executive), promoting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary care.

For some participants, professional role substitution raised concerns about autonomy with potential for conflicts among healthcare professionals. Cultivating a collaborative culture, renegotiating traditional hierarchies, and addressing professional dynamics were identified as strategies to enable interprofessional collaboration, promoting innovation and excellence in patient care. However, despite the progress made, some participants expressed reservations about barriers that still exist, even in allied health practitioners performing tasks that were within their scope of practice. One executive leader expressed frustration at the slow pace of change stating, “ It’s an imperative at the moment that we actively promote full scope of practice and give more support for our allied health staff to do extended scope of practice qualifications. So, we have a role to ensure that we have a culture that encourages the new models of care, because just to have the old models of care, it’s not simply sustainable, it’s not sustainable, at all. “ (P36, Hospital and Health Services/ State-wide Leadership)

Another participant, an allied health leader (P22), highlighted the positive impact of professional role substitution on organisational culture and the morale of younger professionals, stating, “It’s good for our culture and gives some sort of energy to the younger professionals. It also flows through to junior doctors particularly working alongside a consultant that already holds these clinicians and models of care in high standard.”

Mission alignment and tension for change

In many organisations, clinical demand drove professional role substitution adoption, facilitated by change management teams and frameworks. Professional role substitution models aligned with healthcare organisational goals and objectives, promoting innovation, equity, and sustainable use of resources. As articulated by a Medical Specialist (P19) “We have a limited number of specialists, and training for medical students and junior doctors hasn't significantly increased to meet demand. With advanced technology and reduced working hours, we need to expand services. Having other clinicians who can treat patients without surgery is invaluable.”

Additionally, participants acknowledged their role in healthcare delivery to underserved communities and advancing health equity in First Nations, rural, and regional areas, “ improving access and preventing, fragmented care ,” (P33, Nursing Health Professional). Furthermore, participants discussed the impact of population growth on surgical waitlists, revealing the pressing need for effective solutions to address increasing demand. An allied health clinician (P11) highlighted the challenges posed by population growth, stating, “ There's been a significant increase in people moving to Queensland now for many years and our surgical wait lists were continuing to grow. So, when I started in this role… the waitlist was almost four years long.”

Participants stressed the strategic importance of expanded scope in advancing organisational objectives. An Allied health leadership participant (P25), emphasised the multifaceted benefits of expanded scope, highlighting its alignment with strategic goals and the need to reassess care delivery models: “Expanded scope hits all the strategic goals really. We need to disinvest in some of the low value care because we know that we’re not getting any outcomes. We also need to look at the impact of these models of care.”

Available resources

Funding for professional role substitution models varied, with some implemented without dedicated funding which posed challenges in attracting skilled clinicians. Stakeholders recognised the benefits of co-locating allied health clinicians and medical doctors for interdisciplinary case discussions but sometimes faced challenges due to high demand for limited space. An allied health clinician (P8) highlighted the impact of dedicated funding on the feasibility and efficiency of implementing such models “They had a certain amount of funding for this project to set it all up. And I think that really made it feasible. So, then we got the right equipment, the right time to set it up. It was a very set process with money attached to it that got it off the ground quicker.”

Access to knowledge and information

Clinicians in extended scope roles actively sought professional development opportunities to expand their skills. Local credentialing and on-the-job training were the norm. A workforce development officer highlighted the rigorous process of credentialing for clinicians in such roles. “Our credentialling package is fairly intense. It takes months and months and months to become credentialed in a first point of contact clinic like this and needs [Health Service] approval before a clinician can work in a space like this.” (P29, Workforce and Education). In contrast to nurse practitioner programs offered by universities and specialised training institutions, formal education programs for allied health professionals were scarce. Many participants recommended development of formalised training and credentialing programs to ensure high quality and safe care. “We’re now in the process of developing our own course here in Australia in collaboration with the university in New South Wales so that we can provide that level of education that we need in these advanced scope roles ” (P11, Allied Health Clinician).

Individuals domain

The roles and contributions of individuals in the implementation of allied health professional role substitution models of care.

The implementation of allied health professional role substitution models of care heavily relies on the engagement of various individuals who play pivotal roles in the process. Through our interviews, participants identified nine key roles integral to the implementation and evaluation of these alternative healthcare delivery models. These roles, aligned with those in the individuals’ domain of the CFIR, encompassed high-level leaders, mid-level leaders, opinion leaders, implementation facilitators, implementation leads, implementation team members, other implementation support, innovation deliverers, and innovation recipients. Our analysis revealed representation across these roles within our study population, demonstrating the diverse range of contributions.

Participants described the characteristics of these individuals, which we analysed based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) theoretical behaviour change model integrated into the CFIR framework. This system evaluates individuals' influence on the implementation process across four constructs: Need, Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation. These constructs assess individuals' deficits addressed by the models of care, their interpersonal competence, availability and power, and commitment and motivation in fulfilling their roles respectively.

Participants emphasised the critical role of medical and executive buy-in for the success of these models. Without their support and commitment, implementation efforts often faced significant hurdles. As one participant stated, " Medical and executive buy-in, if they are not supportive, it doesn’t happen " (P34, Workforce and Education). Furthermore, participants highlighted the importance of strong endorsement from medical professionals and the need for active engagement from allied health clinicians and managers to ensure the sustainability of these models. As articulated by another participant, " Allied health clinicians and even up into the level of our managers, there's certain spheres of influence that we have, but to make something like this come together and to be able to make it sustainable, you really need strong medical endorsement and that real commitment to push it " (P12, Allied Health Clinician).

Moreover, participants identified the Allied Health Office as having a crucial role in facilitating implementation. However, they also expressed the need for greater visibility and recognition of successful implementation efforts. As one participant suggested, " The Allied Health Office has a role to play in that. I think we should certainly see more things up in lights, you know, presentations, success stories et cetera and opportunities for these models to be shared and celebrated more widely across the state " (P15, Implementation Support).

A matrix analysis (Table 2 ) provides detailed insights into the roles and characteristics of individuals within different groups/roles. This elucidates their contributions to the successful implementation of professional role substitution models of care, as perceived by the study participants.

Implementation process

Essential phases and strategies for effective implementation of allied professional role substitution healthcare models.

Participants in our study provided insights into key stages necessary for implementing allied health professional role substitution models of care. We analysed their responses and mapped them to constructs in the implementation process domain of the CFIR, finding alignment with five out of the nine constructs. In the planning phase, participants emphasised the importance of conducting needs assessments and developing comprehensive implementation plans to identify gaps, set objectives, and consider resources and stakeholders' roles. One participant described, "At the start-up of our model of care, we had a series of meetings involving all stakeholders... to develop very clear guidance and pathways for how patients would move through these services " (P13, Allied Health Clinician).

Engaging was highlighted as crucial focused on involving diverse stakeholders, from healthcare providers to patients, forming multi-stakeholder teams to ensure a variety of perspectives and support for long-term sustainability. " There were a broad range of stakeholders involved in the task force across Queensland Health and external to Queensland ." (P34, Workforce and Education) In the doing phase models of care often started as pilot projects, with services developing iteratively.

Reflecting and evaluation Participants stressed the importance of building evaluation into the model of care to ensure sustainability and strategic outcomes. However, challenges such as limited time and funding were acknowledged, as one participant stated, "We don't get the time or the funding in my experienc e" (P1, Allied Health Clinician). Lastly , in adapting , participants recognised the need for continuous learning and tailored strategies to the local context, acknowledging the necessity for flexibility in response to evolving healthcare systems. Moreover, strategies to enhance evaluation included dedicated funding, external evaluation to reduce bias, development of performance frameworks, and tailored technology and digital systems allowing data collection and analysis at the point of care. Collaboration with universities and the use of research frameworks and grants were also seen by participants as facilitators to enhance performance measurement.

Implementation and innovation outcomes

The assessment of outcomes derived from allied health professional role substitution models.

In our study, participants highlighted the importance of evaluating healthcare models' success and failure, focusing on both implementation process and innovation outcomes. They identified eight key domains, including implementation aspects such as adoptability, implementability, and sustainability, as well as innovation delivery outcomes like effectiveness, safety, patient-centeredness, healthcare provider experience, access, activity, and economic evaluation. One participant stressed the need for thoughtful measurement, stating , “You do need to think about what you need to measure to prove the value of your service .” (P35, Allied Health Leader). Figure 2 summarises these outcomes and provides examples of measures discussed by participants.

Recommended outcomes and examples to measure the impact of professional role substitution models of care

Implementation outcomes

Participants shared diverse perspectives on implementation success for allied health professional role substitution models, with factors like regulatory environment, financing, medical acceptance, stakeholder engagement, and individual characteristics playing key roles. Sustainability was particularly highlighted, as expressed by a participant, “ You need to know that a service that has been implemented is still running after several years ” (Participant 1, Allied Health Clinician).

Innovation outcomes

Participants emphasised specific outcomes in evaluating the impact of allied health professional role substitution models of care. One participant stressed the importance of measuring performance and demonstrating improved access and cost saving, saying, " I think it is important to measure performance and to show that there is improved access and economic benefits. You know, to show that the service is doing what it was intended to do" (P5, Allied Health Clinician). They also highlighted the need to track activity data, with another participant mentioning, "We basically keep data on all of the occasions of service, how many patients are seen within the service, and how many patients are discharged." (Participant 8, Allied Health Clinician).

Healthcare provider experience, including clinician and patient satisfaction, emerged as essential, with one participant suggesting : "Surveying the general practitioners would be a good way of doing it as well, asking if they are happy with the service" (P36, Executive Leader). Continuity of care and patient centredness were also emphasised. "It's actually quite heartening hearing what our patients value and to see if our services line up with that " (P29, Allied Health Clinician). Participants in the study also stressed the importance of safety as a crucial outcome measure in evaluating allied health professional role substitution models of care. One general practitioner (P7) highlighted this by stating, "We need to know we are providing great healthcare to patients. You know that we are reducing harm, not causing harm, and hopefully not missing diagnoses”.

Finally, participants perceived effectiveness as paramount for assessing the success and impact of the model on patient care experiences and health outcomes. One executive leader (P36) expressed: "Forgetting about everything else, the patients' view of whether or not they've been treated adequately to me is the most important. If there are no outcomes with the model of care, the patients won't be satisfied, and they will say so."

This study investigated factors influencing the implementation and performance evaluation of allied health professional role substitution models of care using the CFIR framework. We identified six overarching themes aligned with CFIR domains and outcomes. These themes covered dynamics such as innovation catalysts, evidence, advantages, and disadvantages; external factors affecting implementation and evaluation; internal structural, political, and cultural contexts; roles and contributions of individuals; essential implementation phases and strategies; and assessment of model outcomes. Our analysis identified twenty-seven underlying constructs and subconstructs within the CFIR framework that influence professional role substitution implementation. Additionally, we identified ten key constructs across implementation and innovation outcome categories: adoptability, sustainability, implementability, effectiveness, safety, patient-centeredness, accessibility, healthcare provider experiences, service delivery metrics, and economic evaluations. These findings addressed critical questions regarding factors influencing implementation and methods for assessing the impact of care models. Overall, this study provides a robust framework for implementing and evaluating allied health professional role substitution models, effectively addressing gaps in literature and practice.

Priority areas of focus

While prior studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of these models in terms of providing safe, effective, and cost-efficient care, [ 10 , 11 ] the current research goes further by exploring stakeholders' perceptions and experiences in depth. Grounded in the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), [ 36 , 37 , 38 ] it explores the multifaceted factors influencing the adoption and integration of these models within healthcare systems.

Healthcare organisations play a significant role in either facilitating or impeding the implementation of professional role substitution models of care [ 41 ]. Along with previous research , this work underscores the significance of supportive organisational cultures, adequate resources, leadership commitment, and medical endorsement as critical factors for the successful adoption of such models [ 42 ]. Conversely, factors like resistance to change, resource limitations, and insufficient infrastructure can pose significant barriers that must be addressed to ensure successful implementation.

Traditional healthcare structures were once considered conducive to advancing medical sciences [ 43 ]. However, recent reviews have highlighted how entrenched organisational cultures and long-held traditions within healthcare settings may now act as barriers to alternative models of practice and hinder improvements in healthcare access for the community [ 41 ]. Consequently, healthcare organisations must proactively assess their readiness for new models and develop strategies to overcome these barriers. Leveraging the constructs and principles identified in the inner setting domain of this study is essential for cultivating a culture that fosters role substitution and innovation in healthcare delivery.

Stakeholders' perceptions and attitudes play a significant role in shaping the success of professional role substitution models of care, influenced by factors like medical buy-in, leadership support, and engagement strategies [ 41 , 44 , 45 ]. Effective stakeholder engagement strategies, alongside tailored training, communication programs and ongoing support mechanisms, emerge as crucial tools for addressing individual concerns and fostering buy-in from all involved parties. These findings align with similar studies in physiotherapy and nursing, emphasising the universal importance of considering individual perspectives in healthcare implementation efforts [ 41 , 44 , 45 , 46 ].

This research emphasises the importance of incorporating perspectives from patients and innovation recipients to enhance the success of healthcare interactions. Integrating these viewpoints strengthens the potential for sustainable adoption of evidence-based innovations, promoting patient-centred care [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Patient involvement in co-designing and evaluating alternative healthcare models improves trust and acceptance, highlighting the significance of collaboration and patient engagement strategies for optimising implementation and evaluation processes [ 27 , 28 , 47 ].

Performance evaluation plays a pivotal role in assessing the implementation of professional role substitution models of care [ 25 ]. Monitoring various factors, including outcomes, patient satisfaction, quality of care, safety, healthcare professionals’ performance, healthcare system efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, can provide valuable insights for ongoing improvement, optimisation, and sustainability of models of care [ 25 , 50 ]. We address gaps highlighted in previous research, particularly concerning the lack of comprehensive evaluations and guidance on outcome measures [ 10 , 22 , 25 ]. Many current frameworks lack specificity in identifying key metrics relevant to professional role substitution models [ 25 , 26 ]. However, this study delineating eight key outcome measures emphasises a data-driven approach to decision-making. This represents an advancement in the field, providing a structured framework for assessing the impact and value of these models.

Implications for policy, practice and future research

In combination with existing literature in various alternative healthcare delivery models, this study highlights the shared challenges and opportunities across healthcare professions and settings [ 41 , 45 , 46 ]. Our analysis of implementation considerations, stakeholder perspectives, and outcome measures, advances theoretical understanding and also provides practical guidance for real-world implementation and evaluation. These insights can be extended beyond Australia's healthcare system, with implications for policy development, collaboration, knowledge exchange, and healthcare delivery practices in other regions.

In practice, maximising the effectiveness and sustainability of professional role substitution models necessitates comprehensive training and education initiatives for health professionals. Collaborating with professional bodies and universities can standardise training, provide continuous professional development opportunities, and address individual factors that impact implementation readiness for alternative healthcare delivery models.

Adapting regulatory frameworks to the evolving healthcare landscape is paramount, necessitating clear guidelines and legal frameworks to delineate practice boundaries and facilitate the seamless implementation of expanded roles. Adequate funding is critical to support various aspects, including staffing, infrastructure development, establishment of incentivising reimbursement models, research, evaluation, and ensuring ongoing sustainability. Prioritising evidence-based policy development, informed by comprehensive evaluation of care models, is essential to ensure alignment with best practices and standards of care. Integrating standard outcome measures into evaluation frameworks is crucial for accurately assessing the impact and effectiveness of care models, thereby enabling informed decision-making based on evidence. The research we have conducted supports these assertions, emphasising the importance of these factors for the successful implementation and sustainability of alternative healthcare delivery models.

Our findings may therefore serve as a catalyst for discussion and debate on allied health professional role substitution and other alternative healthcare delivery models, guiding future research endeavours. Exploring longitudinal studies to gauge sustainability and long-term impact, conducting comparative analyses across diverse settings and patient populations, and conducting qualitative inquiries to identify implementation and evaluation facilitators and barriers are critical. Additionally, research in health economics, health information technology, policy analysis, and interprofessional collaboration can provide valuable insights to optimise implementation practices and enhance the applicability of these models across different healthcare systems and cultural contexts.

Strengths and limitations

The strengths of this study lie in the diverse range of stakeholders involved, including key opinion leaders, decision makers, allied health clinicians, medical professionals, policymakers, healthcare administrators, university partners, professional bodies, advocates, and patients. The inclusion of participants with varied experiences enhances the robustness of the findings. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation further improves the transferability of the results.

The use of the COREQ-checklist and independent co-coding and discussions among the research team enhance the credibility, trustworthiness, and transparency of the study [ 31 ]. Another notable strength is the use of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to guide the analysis, which helped identify and organise themes into multi-level intervention principles that influence implementation effectiveness. It should be noted that the CFIR was not used to guide data collection, as is often practiced, [ 38 ] as this may have limited the exploration of qualitative themes relevant to the research question but not explicitly aligned with CFIR domains and constructs.

As the study was conducted in Australia, the generalisability of the findings to other stakeholders or healthcare contexts in different countries and settings may be limited. Additionally, as with any research involving human subjects, the possibility of self-selection bias influencing the results cannot be excluded, and the findings should be interpreted with this in mind. Insights gained from this study may also have broader implications for other countries facing similar challenges in healthcare delivery. By examining similarities and differences in healthcare systems and regulatory environments, countries can however learn from Queensland’s experiences adopting strategies to support the implementation of role substitution models.

In conclusion, this study provides a systematic examination of the key elements and principles influencing the implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models of care. By understanding the multifaceted nature of these factors and addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with expanded healthcare roles, healthcare systems can navigate complexities and capitalise on opportunities. This holistic approach, involving collaboration among stakeholders and considering patient safety, quality of care, and optimal healthcare outcomes will contribute to the development of more efficient, equitable, sustainable, and patient-centred models of care and healthcare systems.

Availability of data and materials

Data is available from corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research

Physician Assistants

Duckett SJ. Health workforce design for the 21st century. Aust Health Rev. 2005;29(2):201–10.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Segal L, Bolton T. Issues facing the future health care workforce: the importance of demand modelling. Aust New Zealand Health Policy. 2009;6(1):12.

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Commission AGP. Productity Commision Research Report https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/health-workforce/report/healthworkforce.pdf2006 [Available from: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/health-workforce/report/healthworkforce.pdf .

Dower C, Moore J, Langelier M. It is time to restructure health professions scope-of-practice regulations to remove barriers to care. Health Affairs. 2013;32(11):1971–6.

Porter ME, Lee TH. The strategy that will fix health care. Harvard business review. 2013;91(10):1–19.

Google Scholar  

Baker A. Crossing the quality chasm: a new health system for the 21st century. Br Med J Publishing Group. 2001;323(7322):1192.

Owens DK, Qaseem A, Chou R, Shekelle P. High-value, cost-conscious health care: concepts for clinicians to evaluate the benefits, harms, and costs of medical interventions. Ann Intern Med. 2011;154(3):174–80.

Roberts N, Carrigan A, Clay-Williams R, Hibbert PD, Mahmoud Z, Pomare C, et al. Innovative models of healthcare delivery: an umbrella review of reviews. BMJ open. 2023;13(2):e066270.

Wang H, English M, Chakma S, Namedre M, Hill E, Nagraj S. The roles of physician associates and advanced nurse practitioners in the National Health Service in the UK: a scoping review and narrative synthesis. Human Resour Health. 2022;20(1):69.

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

McPherson K, Kersten P, George S, Lattimer V, Breton A, Ellis B, et al. A systematic review of evidence about extended roles for allied health professionals. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2006;11(4):240–7.

Martin-Misener R, Kilpatrick K, Donald F, Bryant-Lukosius D, Rayner J, Valaitis R, et al. Nurse practitioner caseload in primary health care: scoping review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2016;62:170–82.

Barnett M, Balkissoon C, Sandhu J. The level of quality care nurse practitioners provide compared with their physician colleagues in the primary care setting: A systematic review. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2022;34(3):457–64.

Middleton S, Gardner A, Della PR, Lam L, Allnutt N, Gardner G. How has the profile of Australian nurse practitioners changed over time? Collegian. 2016;23(1):69–77.

Freund T, Everett C, Griffiths P, Hudon C, Naccarella L, Laurant M. Skill mix, roles and remuneration in the primary care workforce: who are the healthcare professionals in the primary care teams across the world? Int J Nurs Stud. 2015;52(3):727–43.

Halter M, Drennan V, Chattopadhyay K, Carneiro W, Yiallouros J, de Lusignan S, et al. The contribution of physician assistants in primary care: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2013;13:1–13.

Article   Google Scholar  

Henry LR, Hooker RS, Yates KL. The role of physician assistants in rural health care: a systematic review of the literature. J Rural Health. 2011;27(2):220–9.

Terry B, Bisanzo M, McNamara M, Dreifuss B, Chamberlain S, Nelson SW, et al. Task shifting: meeting the human resources needs for acute and emergency care in Africa. Afr J Emerg Med. 2012;2(4):182–7.

Mijovic H, McKnight J, English M. What does the literature tell us about health workers’ experiences of task-shifting projects in sub-Saharan Africa? A systematic, qualitative review. J Clin Nurs. 2016;25(15–16):2083–100.

Michel JE, D Tediosi F, D Egger MB, T McIntyre DR. Lest we forget, primary health care in Sub-Saharan Africa is nurse led. Is this reflected in the current health systems strengthening undertakings and initiatives? J Global Health Rep. 2018;2:e2018009.

Kengne AP, Sobngwi E, Fezeu LL, Awah PK, Dongmo S, Mbanya JC, et al. Nurse-led care for asthma at primary level in rural sub-Saharan Africa: the experience of Bafut in Cameroon. J Asthma. 2008;45(6):437–43.

Eberly LA, Rusingiza E, Park PH, Ngoga G, Dusabeyezu S, Mutabazi F, et al. 10-year heart failure outcomes from nurse-driven clinics in rural sub-Saharan Africa. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(8):977–80.

Saxon RL, Gray MA, Oprescu FI. Extended roles for allied health professionals: an updated systematic review of the evidence. J Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 2014;7:479–88.

Welfare AIoHa. Australia's health performance framework 2017 [Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/indicators/australias-health-performance-framework .

Queensland Health Clinical Excellence Division. Allied Health Expanded Scope Strategy 2016–2021. 2016. Available from https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/449520/expanded-strategy.pdf . Accessed 09 July 2024.

Mutsekwa RN, Wright C, Byrnes JM, Canavan R, Angus RL, Spencer A, et al. Measuring performance of professional role substitution models of care against traditional medical care in healthcare—A systematic review. J Eval Clin Pract. 2022;28(2):208–17.

Levesque J-F, Sutherland K. Combining patient, clinical and system perspectives in assessing performance in healthcare: an integrated measurement framework. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020;20(1):1–14.

Mutsekwa RN, Byrnes JM, Larkins V, Canavan R, Angus RL, Campbell KL. Role substitution of specialist medical doctors with allied-health professionals: A qualitative exploration of patients’ experiences and perceptions of healthcare quality. J Eval Clin Pract. 2022;28(6):1096–105.

Mutsekwa RN, Campbell KL, Canavan R, Mulhern B, Angus RL, Byrnes JM. Patient preferences for attributes that characterise alternative models of care in gastroenterology: a discrete choice experiment. Patient. 2023;16(2):165–77.

Mutsekwa RN, Campbell KL, Canavan R, Angus RL, McBride L-J, Byrnes JM. Measuring performance in allied health professional role substitution models of care: a clinician survey. BMC Health Serv Res. 2024;24(1):79.

Galletta A. Mastering the semi-structured interview and beyond: From research design to analysis and publication, vol. 18. NYU press; 2013.

Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007;19(6):349–57.

Government Q. Fact Sheet: Allied Health and Oral Health 2019 [Available from: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/1067571/Allied-Health-and-Oral-Health-2019.pdf .

Queensland Health Allied Health Professions’ Office of Queensland. Ministerial Taskforce on health practitioner expanded scope of practice: final report. 2014. Available from: Ministerial taskforce final report ( health.qld.gov.au ). Accessed 09 July 2024.

Queensland Government. Hospital care, surgical procedures and waiting lists 2015 [Available from: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/services/hospital-care/waiting-lists .

Saunders B, Sim J, Kingstone T, Baker S, Waterfield J, Bartlam B, et al. Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. Qual Quant. 2018;52:1893–907.

Damschroder LJ, Reardon CM, Widerquist MAO, Lowery J. The updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research based on user feedback. Implement Sci. 2022;17(1):1–16.

Damschroder LJ, Aron DC, Keith RE, Kirsh SR, Alexander JA, Lowery JC. Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science. Implement Sci. 2009;4(1):1–15.

Damschroder LJ, Reardon CM, Opra Widerquist MA, Lowery J. Conceptualizing outcomes for use with the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR): the CFIR Outcomes Addendum. Implement Sci. 2022;17(1):1–10.

Braun V, Clarke V. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitat Res Sport Exerc Health. 2019;11(4):589–97.

Carter N. The use of triangulation in qualitative research. Number 5/September 2014. 1969;41(5):545–7.

Wiggins D, Downie A, Engel RM, Brown BT. Factors that influence scope of practice of the five largest health care professions in Australia: a scoping review. Human Resour Health. 2022;20(1):1–13.

Morris J, Grimmer K, Gilmore L, Perera C, Waddington G, Kyle G, et al. Principles to guide sustainable implementation of extended-scope-of-practice physiotherapy workforce redesign initiatives in Australia: stakeholder perspectives, barriers, supports, and incentives. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2014;7:249–58.

Fiorio CV, Gorli M, Verzillo S. Evaluating organizational change in health care: the patient-centered hospital model. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18:1–15.

Wiles L, Milanese S. Stakeholder perspectives of the Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner (ESPP) role in Australia–a qualitative study. Physical Therapy Rev. 2016;21(3–6):228–35.

Parker RM, Desborough JL, Forrest LE. Stakeholder perceptions of a nurse led walk-in centre. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012;12:1–7.

Bryant-Lukosius D, DiCenso A. A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. J Adv Nurs. 2004;48(5):530–40.

Harding P, Prescott J, Block L, O’Flynn AM, Burge AT. Patient experience of expanded-scope-of-practice musculoskeletal physiotherapy in the emergency department: a qualitative study. Australian Health Rev. 2015;39(3):283–9.

Browne K, Roseman D, Shaller D, Edgman-Levitan S. Measuring patient experience as a strategy for improving primary care. Health Affairs. 2010;29(5):921–5.

Reeve S, May S. Exploration of patients’ perspectives of quality within an extended scope physiotherapists’ spinal screening service. Physiother Theory Pract. 2009;25(8):533–43.

Moretto N, Stute M, Sam S, Bhagwat M, Raymer M, Buttrum P, et al. A uniform data set for determining outcomes in allied health primary contact services in Australia. Aus J Prim Health. 2020;26(1):58–69.

Download references

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to the participants who gave up their time to share their experiences and perceptions on implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models of care.

This work was supported by the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service Collaborative Research Grant [grant number RGS20190041].

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Nutrition and Food Services, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia

Rumbidzai N. Mutsekwa & Rebecca L. Angus

Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Allied Health Research Team, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia

Rumbidzai N. Mutsekwa

Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Sir Samuel Griffith Centre, 1 Parklands Drive, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia

Rumbidzai N. Mutsekwa, Katrina L. Campbell & Joshua M. Byrnes

Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia

Katrina L. Campbell & Joshua M. Byrnes

Healthcare Excellence and Innovation, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, 153 Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, Queensland, 4029, Australia

Katrina L. Campbell

Gastroenterology Department, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia

Russell Canavan

School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia

Rebecca L. Angus

Department of Health, Clinical Excellence, 15 Butterfield Street, Herston, Queensland, 4006, Australia

Liza-Jane McBride

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

RNM, RC, KC, RLA, LJM, JB contributed to conception and design of the study. RM led the data collection and analysis and wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. RNM, KC, RC, RLA, LJM and JB interpreted results, critically revised the manuscript, and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rumbidzai N. Mutsekwa .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (HREC/2020/QGC/62104) and Griffith University (GU Ref No: 2020/876) Human Research Ethics Committees

Participants provided informant consent and completed participant consent and information statements.

Consent for publication

All authors consented for the manuscript to be submitted for publication.

Competing interests

None declared. Participants provided informant consent and completed participant consent and information statements.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Supplementary material 1., supplementary material 2., rights and permissions.

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Mutsekwa, R.N., Campbell, K.L., Canavan, R. et al. Unlocking potential: a qualitative exploration guiding the implementation and evaluation of professional role substitution models in healthcare. Implement Sci Commun 5 , 73 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00611-x

Download citation

Received : 22 December 2023

Accepted : 28 June 2024

Published : 12 July 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00611-x

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Professional role substitution
• Scope of practice
• Implementation
• Measuring performance

Implementation Science Communications

ISSN: 2662-2211

• Submission enquiries: Access here and click Contact Us
• General enquiries: [email protected]

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• Open access
• Published: 20 July 2024

The influence of mentorship and working environments on foreign language teachers’ research motivation in China

• Yanping Li   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6741-7132 1 ,
• Lawrence Jun Zhang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1025-1746 2 &
• Naashia Mohamed 2  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  942 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

58 Accesses

Metrics details

• Language and linguistics

Teachers at Higher Education (HE) institutions are expected to do research. However, the level of motivation to engage in research varies with various institutional factors affecting teachers’ research motivation. Previous research has shown the need to better understand these factors to facilitate teachers’ research motivation. This mixed methods study with 536 English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher participants from Chinese universities investigates the relationship between mentorship, working environment and teachers’ research motivation. Our analysis of the questionnaire data using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) shows the significant influence of working environments on teachers’ research motivation. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and diaries were thematically analysed to reveal that the examined factors have different impacts on teachers’ research motivation on the basis of different university types. Both mentorship and working environments had an influence on teachers’ research motivation. Teachers from “Project 985” and “Project 211” universities had a more supportive working environment than those teachers at ordinary/regular universities who appeared to have insufficient mentorship, poor working environments, inadequate time support, and deficient opportunities to attend academic conferences that affected these teachers’ research motivation negatively. The implications of our study are that university administrators and policymakers could develop practical mentorship programmes with effective assessment measurements of the mentoring process and stipulate relevant policies to provide conducive working environments, especially for teachers from ordinary/regular universities, to enhance teachers’ research motivation and improve their research productivity.

Similar content being viewed by others

Exploring the employment motivation, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction of university English instructors in public institutions: a Chinese case study analysis

‘Making it possible’: the complex dynamics of university foreign language teacher agency for research in funding applications

A quantitative study on the impact of working environment on the well-being of teachers in China’s private colleges

Introduction.

Research is, and has long been, a central activity of universities (Brew and Lucas 2009 ). The research productivity of universities is an important or key performance index when it comes to their ranking either at home or abroad, and it is also well recognised as an indication of their influence and competitiveness (Morze et al. 2022 ). Higher education (HE) institutions are engaged in a toxic race to reach the prestigious rankings that bring in revenue and status. Amidst this competitive climate, HE teachers are under pressure to perform while institutions struggle to attain the status of world-class research universities (Sondari et al. 2016 ). Faculty members at universities are expected to publish not only nationally but also internationally (Anderson and Shannon 1988 ; Lucas and Murry 2016 ) with the aphorism “publish or perish” used to indicate the reality of the pressures that academics endure (Zhang 2021 ; Nygaard 2017 ). Teachers’ research performance also determines their promotion and job security; therefore, teachers struggled to publish their work in peer-review journals, and most often in highly-ranked journals, those covered in indexes such as the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), or the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) (Zhou et al. 2022 ).

Given that academic publications are predominantly in English, maintaining the level of high-quality publications is a particular challenge for universities in non-English dominant countries. For example, according to the Google Scholar metrics, the top 100 journals publish research in 11 languages, including Japanese, Korean, Polish, etc., but not in Chinese. When comparing with other countries, such as Spain, India, Swiss and so on, in Google Scholar metrics, we can see that public access to Chinese academics’ publications is the lowest (51%) from 2019 to 2021. It seems that Chinese academics’ research is not as widely disseminated as that of scholars from other countries. This is mainly because Chinese EFL academics have been reported to have fewer records in research compared to teachers of other disciplines in the social sciences (Borg 2009 ; Peng and Gao 2019 ). The existing literature has revealed various factors influencing teachers’ research productivity from individual and institutional perspectives (Heng Hamid and Khan 2020 ). These factors include research competency (Prado 2019 ), research self-efficacy (Randazzo et al. 2021 ), research motivation (Borg 2015 ; Borg and Liu 2013 ; Stupnisky et al. 2022 ), socialisation of teachers (Hedjazi and Behravan 2011 ; Nguyen 2022 ), demographics (age, gender, qualification, rank), and teachers’ working experiences (Farooqi et al. 2019 ; Hedjazi and Behravan 2011 ); institutional factors involving working environments (Li and Zhang, 2022 ); time allocation (Barber et al. 2021 ); extra administrative duties and institutional support (Randazzo et al. 2021 ; Sakarkaya 2022 ; Uwizeye et al. 2022 ); financial support (Randazzo et al. 2021 ); institutional culture and inadequate mentoring (Okon et al. 2022 ); research skills training (Kyaw 2021 ) and collaboration among teachers (Owan et al. 2023 ). Although many scholars studied individual-level research productivity and factors that contributed to its increase (Duc et al. 2020 ; Gironzetti and Muṅoz-Basols 2022 ; Nygaard 2017 ), few have been reported that are relevant to an EFL context in developing countries (Noorollahi 2021 ; Owan et al. 2023 ).

As it is known, China is a developing country with many changes in its educational sector. There are 3472 higher education institutions (HEIs), including 2688 regular HEIs and 784 non-government (private) HEIs (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2020). Traditionally, these HEIs are categorised into the following types: “Project 985” universities (39 universities), “Project 211” universities (116 universities), ordinary/regular universities and colleges. “Projects 985/211” universities are considered top-tier institutions in China, with “Project 985” universities being established as elite institutions derived from the “Project 211” universities. The government allocates varying financial budgets to different types of universities, with higher-level institutions receiving larger budgets (MoE 2007 ). The MoE proposed the “Double First-class” university initiative in 2017, with the objective of establishing first-class universities and disciplines of the world (MoE 2017). This initiative encompasses all universities under the “Projects 985/211” umbrella. Notably, it diverges from the “Projects 985/211” framework by employing a dynamic university list subject to reassessment every five years (MoE 2017). Universities failing to meet the specified criteria are subject to removal from the “Double First-class” designation. In our current study, conventional categorisation was employed to ensure the reliability and consistency of the results.

Among those factors, motivation has been reported to be one of the most influential factors for teachers’ research productivity (Borg 2015; Borg and Liu 2013 ), teachers with a stronger research motivation show better research performance (Duc et al. 2020 ; Nguyen et al. 2021 ). Nevertheless, most available studies merely focused on teachers’ general research behaviours, few of them specialising in their research motivation in China (Liu 2016 ; Zhou et al. 2022 ). Zhang ( 2014 ) proposed that the contextual factors need to be considered when studying human dynamics because they are not isolated but associated with the culture of their organisations. Employees accomplish their work within the created context of organisational culture (Nguyen et al. 2021 ). When individuals show motivation naturally, it indicates that the organisation has created a conducive work environment and ambiance to promote their motivation (Duc et al. 2020 ). However, the level of teachers’ research motivation is various with diverse factors affecting their research motivation. These include demographic factors, gender (Tran et al. 2021 ), age (Henry et al. 2020 ; Sadeghi and Abutorabi 2017 ), rank (Heng et al. 2020 ), qualification (Nguyen et al. 2021 ), years of employment (Horodnic and Zait 2015 ), intrinsic factors including research interests (Horodnic and Zait 2015 ), research capability and expectation (Nguyen et al. 2021 ), satisfaction and acquiring new knowledge (Zhou et al. 2022 ), enjoyment and collaboration (Yuan et al. 2016 ), sense of creativity-curiosity (Chen and Zhao, 2013 ) and extrinsic factors involving tenure (Miller et al. 2011 ), solving teaching problems (Yuan et al. 2016 ), promotion (Heng et al. 2020 ), organisational support (Nguyen et al. 2021 ), salary increase (Horodnic and Zait 2015 ), rewards and punishments (Zhou et al. 2022 ), teachers’ education or experience (Sun and Zhang 2022 ), administrative post (Tran et al. 2021 ), and job security (Tian and Lu 2017 ). Although diverse factors have been studied affecting teachers’ motivation for conducting research, institutional support can be prioritised (Randazzo et al. 2021 ). Sakarkaya ( 2022 ) found that institutional support is one of the most prevalent barriers to teachers’ research in Turkey, which is supported by Borg and Alshumaimeri’s ( 2012 ) and Kyaw’s ( 2021 ) studies. However, Randazzo et al. ( 2021 ) found teachers’ research motivation is positively related to institutional support in the United States. It corresponds to Randazzo et al.’s ( 2021 ) study that proper institutional support significantly drives teachers’ research. With inconsistent findings from different countries, further studies are needed to explore the impact of institutional support on teachers’ research motivation in different contexts. Additionally, as existing studies mostly showed pure quantitative or qualitative conclusions (Sadeghi and Abutorabi 2017 ; Yuan et al. 2016 ), there is a need for a mixed-methods study to explore both the general situation of institutional support for Chinese EFL teachers and how it affects their research motivation (Liu 2016 ). Accordingly, our study investigates the influence of institutional support on motivation among academics in China, a typical EFL context in which English is seldom used as a working language or informally for daily communication. It also aims to explore the significant measures to promote Chinese EFL teachers’ research motivation.

Literature review

Teachers’ research motivation.

Motivation refers to “the dynamically changing cumulative arousal in a person that initiates, directs, coordinates, amplifies, terminates, and evaluates the cognitive and motor processes whereby initial wishes and desires are selected, prioritised, operationalised, and (successfully or unsuccessfully) acted out” (Dörnyei and Ottó 1998 , p.65). In other words, it initiates people’s behaviour and directs, energises, sustains, and eventually terminates the action (Graham and Weiner 2012 ). Motivation research in general education and applied linguistics has a history of more than 60 years (Al-Hoorie 2017 ). However, the study on teachers’ motivation only has a relatively short history of over 20 years (Han and Yin 2016 ), and these primarily focus on aspects of motivation related to teaching (Liu 2016 ). Teachers’ research motivation was proposed for the first time just over a decade ago by Borg ( 2007 ). To date, few studies have examined teachers’ research motivation (Liu 2016 ). Existing studies pay more attention to how research motivation affects teachers’ research; however, the exploration of what factors affect teachers’ research motivation becomes an urgent task (Zhou et al. 2022 ).

In the current study, we follow scholars’ definition of motivation, which is traditionally divided into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation (Dornyei and Ushioda 2011 ). Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal fascination and gratification of the activity itself as the main reasons to attract people to engage in an activity, while extrinsic motivation means incentives or external pressures that attract people to pursue an activity (Reeve 1995 ). Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are essential to teachers’ research engagement but have significant differences in different contexts (Borg 2007 , 2009 ; Borg and Alshumaimeri 2012 ; Borg and Liu 2013 ). For example, Borg ( 2007 ) found that intrinsic motivation was more significant than extrinsic motivation in Turkey. In contrast, in the replicative survey, extrinsic motivation occupied a greater position than intrinsic motivation in China (Borg and Liu 2013 ). However, the reasons why intrinsic or extrinsic motivation is more significant are not clear because of the lack of follow-up in-depth studies. According to Han and Yin ( 2016 ), teachers’ research motivation varies in different contexts, and the investigation into motivation in the Chinese context is a scarcity. Drawing on the previous literature, this study uses mixed methods and concentrates on the current states of Chinese EFL teachers’ research motivation and institutional factors that positively or negatively impact it.

Institutional support for research

Research support can be defined as any provided resource that can boost the ability of a faculty member’s engagement in scholarship (McGill and Settle 2012 ). The provided support for teachers’ research affects their research motivation. For example, the disconnect between the institutions’ rhetoric and their actual actions affected teachers’ engagement and motivation for research (Randazzo et al. 2021 ). In China, Luo and Hyland ( 2016 ) found that a lack of institutional support was one of the main reasons why university teachers’ manuscripts cannot be published and/or are cited less often, even if they are published. A proper organisational work environment of the department, such as effective policies, reasonable structure, and supportive resources for the job (including incentives, practical goals, skills, and staffing), is necessary for any significant research (Bland et al. 2005 ). Given these justifications, the current study investigates how institutional support in Chinese universities concerning time-related support, funding-related support, training-related support, and working environment support affect teachers’ research motivation and engagement.

Time-related and funding-related support

Time constraint has been regarded as one of the constraints of being research-engaged for teachers (Borg and Alshumaimeri 2012 ; Kyaw 2021 ), which is a common phenomenon in many contexts (Borg 2006 ). For example, although teachers in Chile were willing to access and utilise research, they collectively stated that they lacked time to search for materials, read articles, and attend conferences (Sato and Loewen 2019 ). In accordance with Davey’s ( 2013 ) findings, teachers complained that their formal working hours were occupied by attending school activities, which hindered teachers from indulging in research-related activities. In such a situation, teachers understandably struggled to devote their time to research. Because of that, some researchers emphasised the necessity of separating research from teaching hours in faculty time allocation (Creswell 1985 ). As Kyaw ( 2021 ) found, the research activities were impeded by unbalanced workloads rather than heavy teaching loads in Myanmar. As a consequence, it was imperative that universities arrange schedules that allowed teachers to have sufficient time to gather resources and conduct research (Graves et al. 1982 ).

In addition, the allocation of funding for research was output-driven (Nundulall and Dorasamy, 2010 ). According to Sadeghi and Abutorabi ( 2017 ), in Iran, lack of funds was the second main reason teachers scarcely conducted research. McGill and Settle ( 2012 ) discovered that American and Canadian teachers who received more institutional funding were more likely to engage in research. At the same time, Randazzo et al. ( 2021 ) found that the research endeavours of American researchers were limited because not many people were keen to submit grant applications. The shortage of financial support led to a lack of opportunities to attend conferences and/or seminars at home and abroad (Kızıltepe 2008 ), resulting in weaker research motivation. Therefore, Wang et al. ( 2020 ) appealed for more research funding to be distributed to EFL teachers to encourage them to do research. However, different countries have different ways of allocating funds. To benefit Chinese EFL teachers’ funding distribution, the exploration of the current status of Chinese EFL teachers’ funding allocation is needed to boost their research motivation.

Training-related and working environment support

Mentoring is a form of institutional support in which a more experienced member provides information, support, and guidance to a less experienced, usually new member of an institution to enhance the latter’s chances of success within or beyond the institution (Campbell and Campbell 1997 ). Mentors are expected to serve as role models (Wanberg et al. 2007 ), who would transfer skills and support continuous learning, especially when skills are scarce (Nundulall and Dorasamy 2010 ). With mentors’ support, inexperienced researchers build confidence in their research (Griffiths et al. 2010 ). As Eby and Robertson ( 2020 ) proposed, mentoring positively affects the mentee, the mentor, and the organisation. As a capacity-building initiative, mentorship programmes can increase research outputs (Nundulall and Reddy 2011 ). Specifically, a practitioner-oriented research support programme was highly effective in promoting teacher research (Al-Maamari et al. 2017 ). Teachers who never received initial and continued support from the mentor hardly engage in or sustain research activities (Borg 2006 ). Nevertheless, mentoring has been perceived as a grey area in universities, theoretically established but executed ineffectively due to a lack of knowledge and interest, negative perceptions of mentorship, and the absence of university networks and role models (Owan et al. 2023 ). According to the available literature, the extent of its promotion and application in China is still unclear. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of mentoring among Chinese EFL teachers. Additionally, factors such as enhanced faculty research networks and collaborations are crucial for teachers because research collaboration is a growing trend among scholars (Paul and Mukhopadhyay 2022 ). In their systematic review, Uwizeye et al. ( 2022 ) found that teachers in African HE institutions had limited participation in research collaboration, which hindered their research motivation and research productivity. It appears that research collaboration significantly enhances scholars’ and institutions’ publications and rankings (Paul and Mukhopadhyay 2022 ). Therefore, research collaboration among faculty within and across institutions is highly expected to promote teachers’ research motivation and productivity (Yuan et al. 2016 ). However, effective collaborative methods between/among teachers still need to be further explored.

In addition, general guidance and skill development training from the relevant technical expertise also enhance university teachers’ research involvement (Wilkins 2011 ). It is necessary for teachers to possess related research knowledge and skills that help them to conduct enquiries soundly and share the findings effectively (Borg 2006 ). Among the available studies, researchers seldom noticed the enhancement of the actual research competence and skills from the training programmes (Gelso and Lent 2000 ). Insufficient research skills, such as language skills, information and communications technology skills, deter Burmese teachers’ research engagement (Kyaw 2021 ). In their study, Kozhakhmet et al. ( 2020 ) proposed that extra training and re-learning of research skills were needed for scholars in non-Anglophone and developing countries to fully become a member of the global scientific community. However, Loewen ( 2019 ) reported that language teachers were neither paid nor trained to conduct research, as was the case with teachers in Iran (Sadeghi and Abutorabi 2017 ). It is necessary for HE institutions that emphasise research to cultivate expert and knowledgeable faculty members by organising in-service training (Shariatmadari and Mahdi 2012 ). However, it is unclear whether Chinese EFL teachers receive sufficient research training as teachers and researchers.

Finally, teachers’ working environment is vital for their research involvement. In the current study, “research environment” refers to the behaviours that include, at a minimum, shared values, assumptions, beliefs, rituals and the valued, worthwhile and pre-eminent activity with a central focus on the acceptance and recognition of research practices and outcomes (Evans 2008 ). It was found that faculty members’ work environments drove their productivity and prominence (Heng et al. 2023 ; Way et al. 2019 ). Limited workspace, including sharing offices with other colleagues, affected Turkish teachers’ research negatively (Kızıltepe 2008 ). Sadeghi and Abutorabi ( 2017 ) claimed teachers in Iran are suffering from a shortage of access to essential books and journals for conducting research. Borg ( 2009 ) found that the lack of knowledge and access to research sources was the reason why teachers do not engage in and with research. The more and better resources were provided for teachers, the higher the level of research productivity was achieved (Dundar and Lewis 1998 ). Therefore, it is necessary for HE institutions to provide a conducive research environment for academics to stimulate their engagement with research (Tadesse and Khalid 2022 ). Thus, the Chinese EFL teachers’ working environment should be studied to help institutions to provide conducive environments for motivating teachers in research. Overall, it is necessary to study the current situation of Chinese institutional support and how it motivates or de-motivates teachers’ research.

Given the above justifications, there were two research questions for the current study:

What is the relationship between the institutional support and Chinese university EFL teachers’ research motivation?

What is the influential institutional support for motivating Chinese university EFL teachers to do research?

Methodology

An explanatory mixed methods design was adopted to maximise the benefits of utilising quantitative analyses of large samples to provide broad trends in the population, and delving deep into the experiences of a selected group of teachers to qualitatively understand the issues they face (Bryman 2006 ). Using a mixed-methods approach made it possible for researchers to explore the relationship among the selected variables in-depth (Frankel et al. 2019 ).

Data collection methods

Anonymous user-friendly online questionnaires (Bowen et al. 2017 ) for EFL teachers were the data collection instruments in the quantitative phase. These questionnaires were administered online, including on social media platforms (e.g., WeChat, a popular social media platform in China). The Questionnaire on Teacher Research Motivation (QTRM) and the Questionnaire on Institutional Support for Teacher Research (QISTR) were developed by drawing on Amabile et al.’s (1994) Work Preference Inventory Scale (WPI) and Angaiz’s ( 2015 ) Institutional Support Scale. QTRM examined EFL teachers’ research motivation involving both intrinsic factors (interest in research, responsibility for conducting research, mastery of research skills, sense of achievement, and flexibility of research) and extrinsic factors (respect from others (e.g., colleagues, students) and research compensation (e.g., promotion, salary raise) with 19 items. QISTR measures mentorship support and the teachers’ working environment with 10 items. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were examined through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

The qualitative approach to data collection involved two methods: semi-structured interviews and teacher diaries. Semi-structured interviews entail a formal questionnaire in verbal form, consisting of questions designed to elicit concrete answers from respondents to gain their ideas, opinions, and experiences in-depth (Fraenkel et al. 2012 ). This method enables researchers to explore the participants’ biographies and what they value, through which participants’ attitudes, opinions, and beliefs can be probed (Cohen et al. 2011 ). In this study, teachers were interviewed individually to encourage them to give deeper and more personal expressions to their thoughts and opinions (Sparkes and Smith 2014 ). Additionally, personal diary writing was a key data source for the qualitative data as a valuable supplementary method in a mixed-method study (Bartlett and Milligan 2015 ). By using teacher diaries, we were able to obtain rich data about teaching events, motivations, and emotions of the participants as they regularly recorded their experiences in an unhampered way and over a period of time (Bartlett and Milligan 2015 ). For teachers, a record of their research enables them to shape their thinking, explore ideas and “make an important discovery” (Borg 2002 , p.163). This research was conducted following the guiding ethical principles of the authors’ university.

Procedures and participants

The survey was conducted first. The snowball method to recruit the participants was employed at this stage. The authors initially contacted one volunteer through their social networks. The invitation to join the study was sent to the first participant by email. After completing the questionnaire, the first participant recommended the next participant who met the criteria. In this manner, finally, 536 teachers completed the questionnaires. The questionnaire was distributed at the beginning of the first semester of the 2020–2021 academic year and it was open for four weeks. The first 12 teachers who agreed to participate in the interviews were chosen as the interviewees, and each participant was interviewed once, and each interview lasted for approximately 60 min, at a time and venue convenient for them. Two teachers were willing to record their research experiences in diaries for the past three months voluntarily.

The demographic information of the 536 teachers who took part in the quantitative phase is displayed in Table 1 . Almost half of these teachers (49.2%) were from ordinary/regular universities. The number of teachers from “Project 985” and “Project 211” universities was close to each other, and the proportion was nearly one-fifth of teachers separately. College teachers had the lowest proportion (8.9%) of the teachers. As expected, female teachers nearly tripled male teachers, with 380 female and 128 male participants. Almost 40% (199 teachers) teachers were from the age range of 41–50, which was close to the percentage of teachers from the 31- to 40-year-old age group. There were 67 (13.2%) teachers under 30 years old, who participated in this study. A total of 45 teachers (8.9%) who were over 51 answered the questionnaire. Lecturers (226, 44.5%) and associate professors (195, 38.4%) accounted for over four fifths (82.9%), with only 59 (11.6%) assistant lecturers and 28 (5.5%) full professors in this study. Over half of the participants (309, 60.8%) were from the College English department (teachers who teach non-English majors) and the rest (199, 39.2%) were from the English department (teachers who teach English majors).

Table 2 shows the demographic information of the participants in the qualitative phase. T represents the teachers who attended interviews, and D is identified as a diary writer. The number after T and D represents the sequence of their attendance in the current study. Seven teachers were from ordinary/regular universities. A quarter of the teachers came from “Projects 985/211” universities, and one of them agreed to write a diary. Nine teachers were from ordinary/regular colleges and one of them recorded her research monthly.

Data analysis

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used in analysing quantitative data. AMOS was used to analyse the quantitative data at this phase. CFA was utilised to specify the relationships of the observed variables to the latent variables within the measurement model. The purpose of the measurement test was to evaluate whether the observed variables accurately reflect the desired factors and to determine to what extent the measurement model fitted the empirical data. Each measurement construct was examined separately with the sample of 508 Chinese EFL teachers who participated in the online survey. The model fit evaluation was conducted in line with multiple model fit indices. The final well-fitting models for the measurement constructs were specified by the model fit and chosen as the final model. The results of evaluating the model can be found in Li and Zhang ( 2022 ).

SEM, a multivariate statistical framework to model complex relationships between directly and indirectly observed variables (Stein et al. 2012 ), describes the relationship among various measurement model components. It can also address research questions associated with complex casual relationships among latent constructs (Nusair and Hua 2010 ). SEM was selected as the most appropriate analytical approach for establishing the relationship between independent and dependent variables in this study, primarily due to the following reasons: (i) the presence of multiple observed variables, as SEM is adept at examining and modelling relationships among numerous variables; (ii) consideration of measurement error, as SEM incorporates the assessment of measurement error, thereby acknowledging the validity and reliability of observed scores; and (iii) the analysis of multiple-level data, as SEM enables the examination of sophisticated theoretical models pertaining to intricate phenomena (Schumacker and Lomax 2016 ). The current investigation encompassed a total of 29 items, aligning with the first criterion of involving multiple observed variables.

Thematic analysis was employed for analysing and interpreting the qualitative data, with reference to the six phases of thematic analysis suggested by Braun and Clarke ( 2006 ). These phases were as follows: familiarisation with the data, generating codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report. Initially, the transcriptions were coded on the basis of the conceptual framework and research questions of this phase using the qualitative data software NVivo 12. The first author, who conducted the research, identified segments of the data and added a code to label the identified segments. The segments referred to a data extract with a unit of meaning related to the phenomenon under investigation, and a code meant a label that described the characters and meanings of the attached segment precisely (Braun and Clarke 2006 ). After coding the whole data, the researcher compared and contrasted those codes, and the similar and related codes were merged to form themes. Therefore, the redundant codes were reduced in quantity, and the themes were developed. The researcher repeatedly inspected the existing codes and original data to ensure there were no new codes. When all the themes were confirmed, the researcher reviewed the “determined” themes to guarantee their accuracy. The judgment of the themes was based on Patton’s (1990) criteria: internal homogeneity (codes within a theme should cohere meaningfully together) and external heterogeneity (different themes should be clearly and identifiably distinguished).

To ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, several steps were taken. The primary analysis was conducted by the first author and then shared and agreed upon with the other authors. Additionally, a portion of the data was coded by another independent researcher except for the authors, and an 85% rater agreement was achieved.

Predictive effects of institutional support on teachers’ research motivation

To examine the effect of institutional support on teachers’ research motivation, we built a SEM. The measurement model of institutional support was used as the predictor to test its effect on teachers’ research motivation. Table 3 presents the results of the model index of SEM on research motivation, which were all in the acceptable range ( χ2  = 1188.924; χ2/ df  = 3.240; CFI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.066; SRMR = 0.0666; gamma hat = 0.90, TLI = 0.93). Figure 1 shows a simplified graphic representation of the SEM model with only significant paths.

Mentorship = Mentorship Support; Working Environment = Working Environment of Teachers; Interest = Research Interest; Responsibility = Teacher Responsibility of Being Research-engaged; Achievement = Sense of Achievement; Flexibility = Flexibility of Doing Research; Respect = Respect from Others; Compensation = Compensation from Research.

The two-factor model showed that the working environment ( β  = 0.344, p  < 0.05) significantly influenced teachers’ research motivation. It suggests that if the working environment improves, teachers’ research motivation increases. The research motivation was explained 18.1% ( R²  = 0.181, f²  = 0.22, p  < 0.001) in total by this model. Table 4 reports the regression weights.

Factors affecting teachers’ research motivation

Our qualitative analysis revealed both positive and negative findings relating to teachers’ research motivation. Teachers from “Projects 985/211” universities claimed that they had sufficient online databases support and support of building research teams as motivators to enhance their research motivation. While teachers from ordinary/regular universities reported that they were short of guidance for research, had poor working conditions, lacked time support, and experienced deficiency in academic conference funding, which waned their research motivation. We present further details on each of these themes.

Working environments of teachers

Universities are supposed to provide various support for motivating teachers to do research. Different universities set up various tasks for EFL teachers to accomplish based on their occupied resources. Top universities, such as “Projects 985/211” universities with better platforms, had higher research requirements than those ordinary/regular universities. T1, who was from a top “Project 985” university in the northeast part of China reported that her university would support them to publish in top journals, such as those covered indexes including the SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index) and/or the CSSCI (Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index). She said that her university would invite experts from different fields to hold workshops and share their research experience with teachers. In addition, the online databases in support of T1’s university were sufficient. The library of her university provided literature-search services and supplemented to the databases when teachers required new online resources. The support of constructing research teams was also provided when it was needed. To organise a research team, the team leader was selected first, and the other members were recruited based on their research interests. Therefore, the collaboration among teachers was strengthened. While T6 from a “Project 211” university indicated that their university would give them more time but less funding support to accomplish the task of publishing a paper as compared with top “Project 985” university teachers. The research assessment of them was not as strict as with teachers in top “Project 985” universities. While their research support was sufficient for their current research requirement, the online databases were also sufficient for them to read. Teachers could choose to do more research or teaching based on their strengths. It means that teachers have the flexibility of choosing to be a researcher or a teacher.

However, as mentioned above, there are a number of different findings between teachers from “Projects 985/211” universities and ordinary/regular universities. In the ensuing section, findings from ordinary/regular university teachers are reported and as will be evident soon, these findings often show the negative side about research support.

Shortage of mentorship for teachers

The lack of mentors was an obstacle for teachers to get involved in research. Teachers usually did research alone. As T10 presented, she did not know how and who she could turn to for help when she encountered problems while doing research. She had to struggle with these problems herself, which would decline her positivity in doing research.

“How I wished that someone could help me with my research instead of working alone. However, even now, with high research pressure for teachers, there was no mentor for us. I suffered enough from doing research and wanted to stop now.” (Excerpt from the interview of T10)

Teachers urgently needed to engage in more research with the research pressure of “publish or perish.” To help them achieve the research engaged goal, the arrangement of mentors was pressing for universities. The research team was supposed to be a kind of impetus for teachers to engage in research. Different universities provided diverse support for organising a research team. Some universities explicitly encouraged teachers to set up research teams to establish better cooperation without a need for help. As displayed in T12’s interview, teachers had to explore the process of building up the research team themselves.

“Doing research alone was a little bit lonely. With the encouragement of the university, I applied for a research team at our university. What I did was to organize those teachers who had the same hobbies (planting) as me together. The university did nothing during this process.” (Excerpt from the interview of T12)

Other universities had no clear policy and support for establishing a research team, and teachers tried to organise a research group through their social networks. T3 reported the university hardly issued any policies to encourage them to discuss research. Teachers could only ask other teachers for help proactively.

“Because my rank was associate professor, I could apply projects as an organizer. Teachers who were willing to join me would be invited to join my team. The department provided no support for building a research team, and I used my social network merely to find research cooperators.” (Excerpt from the interview of T11)

It can be seen from the interviews of T11 and T3 that teachers were eager to have research teams that would benefit their research. The help from other teachers in the research team was valuable, especially for novice teachers. For teachers, the provided office from the university guaranteed their work efficiency. They could concentrate on their work in a proper space they could call their own. However, not all of the teachers were provided with the office, as reflected in T5’s interview:

“Our university provided no office for teachers. I had to go back home after teaching every time. It was hard for me to engage in research at home because I had no energy to do research after teaching and the long trip home. We did not have a place to prepare for our teaching, let alone do research. Our department was ignored by our university because we a liberal arts major in a polytechnic university.” (Excerpt from the interview of T5)

As one of the basic conditions of guaranteeing teachers’ research work, the provided offices for teachers needed to be awesome auxiliary support. It was found that teachers’ research motivation was influenced by database support. Some universities never provided database support for teachers. For example, T5 said that her university scarcely provided any databases for teachers, even the CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). She could not read the latest literature except by borrowing her friends’ accounts from other universities to download. It was very inconvenient. Therefore, she seldom did research.

Other universities supplied certain databases which were insufficient for teachers. The lack of sufficient online database support has been a common obstacle for teachers to engage in research. We can see from T4’s interviews that it was so hard for them to read the latest research in their areas of interest. If they wanted to read the latest literature, they needed to download it themselves and pay for it. It might be a financial burden to some teachers due to their low salaries, and they were unwilling to do it in this way.

“The basic Chinese databases were supplemented, such as CNKI and some other top Chinese journals. However, it was tough to search for the English databases. When I needed some foreign materials, I had to pay for them myself.” (Excerpt from the interview of T4)

Lack of time support for teachers’ research engagement

Five interviewees reported the heavy workload hindered their research engagement. According to these teachers, the teaching load was too heavy for them to do research. Teachers could only do research during vacations or weekends. For example, T12 said the daily reading habit was cultivated unsuccessfully because of the workload during each semester. A vacation was the time when she would read and write because she did not need to teach and attend various activities at the university.

Similarly, T7 reported that she had over 20 classes a week. There was no energy in her to discuss research after teaching. Besides, she needed to organise and take students to various competitions. Most of her work time was occupied by diverse workloads making her have no time to consider research. She said it was common for Chinese university teachers to struggle to be teachers and researchers at the same time.

Administrative meetings would influence teachers’ research engagement in different aspects, as shown in T7’s interview. On the one hand, the meeting was time-consuming for teachers. Their task was to sit quietly and listen to leaders’ speeches or briefings. If they were absent from the meeting, their salary would be deducted. It took up a lot of time; therefore, teachers had to allocate less time to research. On the other hand, these meetings seldom provided teachers with substantial, meaningful content for study. Teachers could not learn anything that benefited their research. Administrative meetings were necessary because of the need to manage a university. However, too many meetings became a burden for teachers, resulting in their research time deduction.

Deficiency in academic conference funding or opportunities

Generally, academic conferences made teachers engage in research more. However, it was found that T4’s university held few conferences, and she had fewer opportunities to communicate with other scholars and/or share her research with others. Although communication with other scholars would help teachers involve in research more often, the support for teachers to attend academic conferences was not enough. Teachers had few opportunities to attend conferences with little support from their university. Compared with other teachers who had enough support for participating in academic conferences, it was a disadvantage for those teachers with less support to be research-engaged.

The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the influence of institutional support on their research motivation, as described in the preceding section, indicated opposite findings. An explanation for this discrepancy may be that participants responded to the questionnaires within a short time, which might have led to an inaccurate recall of their experiences. Brewer et al. ( 2004 ) claimed that participants may provide purposefully, or accidentally, imprecise recall and responses because of a lack of time to fully recall information. This section discusses the explanation of the consistency and inconsistency of the findings in relation to the literature.

Both the quantitative and qualitative results showed that working environments provided for teachers significantly affect teachers’ research motivation. According to Way et al. ( 2019 ), the drive for early-career faculty members to be research-engaged was where they worked rather than where they were trained. This emphasises the importance of teachers’ working environment as a facilitator for motivating them to be research-engaged, which aligns with Heng et al.’s ( 2023 ) findings. Nguyen et al. ( 2021 ) found that lecturers’ research motivation in Vietnam was positively affected by organisational support directly and indirectly. If teachers can access whatever they want for their studies, they then might be motivated to do research because they do not have to worry about lacking anything, such as materials and basic equipment. In the present study, the teachers from “Projects 985/211” universities claimed that an appropriate working environment guaranteed the auxiliary support for research, making them more willing to be research-engaged. Teachers from “Projects 985/211” universities seemed to have a supportive working environment with high research motivation, except for T5, who was from a polytechnic “Project 211” university. The unequal resource distribution within her university demotivated her from conducting research. Besides, the government unequally distributed its financial budget based on the university types in China, reflecting the reality that liberal arts majors are not valued in polytechnic universities and are even ignored. One possible explanation is that these universities are pressurised by the government to innovate and have research productivity in their strong disciplines (e.g., science, engineering, architecture). Therefore, more resources, such as independent offices, funding, online databases, among other things, are distributed to the science and engineering majors. Without sufficient institutional support, teachers of the liberal arts majors may gradually lose passion for conducting research due to a lack of funding, time, and latest databases support etc.

One unanticipated qualitative finding was that most teachers from ordinary/regular universities and colleges reported insufficient institutional support in their institutions. Teachers’ research motivation varied based on the university type, which is a new finding compared to previous related studies (e.g., Kızıltepe, 2008 ; Way et al. 2019 ). This inconsistency may be due to the unequal distribution of resources from the central government, including funding, research training, etc., in Chinese universities. The allocation of the financial budget of the government depends on the university type. The “Projects 985/211” universities usually received more funding support than those ordinary/regular universities and colleges. As McGill and Settle ( 2012 ) found, increased research funding could promote teachers’ research motivation. Funding support is a common method to stimulate teachers to be research-engaged in universities (e.g., Faribi, 2019 ). Therefore, EFL teachers who work in “Projects 985/211” universities may show higher research motivation than others. However, the number of EFL teachers who work in “Projects 985/211” universities is quite limited, and most Chinese EFL teachers are from ordinary/regular universities. The relatively low research motivation among ordinary/regular university/college teachers could result in their lower research productivity. This might be the main reason for the fewer research records of Chinese EFL teachers.

On the other hand, without ample financial support, ordinary/regular universities might have fewer opportunities to either host or attend academic conferences. Thus, teachers have limited opportunities to stay updated with the latest development of their field, which may decrease their research motivation and research productivity. Another possible explanation for this is that research training is deficient for EFL teachers in ordinary/regular universities/colleges with inadequate financial support. Although there are many free online research training classes, they might not be sufficient or necessary for those teachers to conduct research. The needed research training might require substantial financial investment. It is also possible that the research training programmes may not be helpful for teachers’ development of research skills, and, in certain universities, there may be a lack of research training altogether. To some extent, teachers have to learn to conduct research themselves, which is challenging because it is hard to find systemic knowledge about research in their field (Yuan et al. 2016 ). The acquired resources might be unsystematic, and teachers may lack the patience to seek the resources they need for their studies. The complex learning process means teachers had no robust drive to engage in and with research. Therefore, teachers’ research motivation is negatively affected due to the lack of necessary research training. According to the qualitative data from ordinary/regular university/college EFL teachers, their universities/colleges seldom provided teachers with time support. Teachers in ordinary/regular universities/colleges have multiple roles: teachers, researchers and administrators. Many of them have a heavy teaching load and administrative responsibilities, which leaves little time for them to do research. With limited time, teachers’ motivation to conduct research gradually declines.

The quantitative data analysis corroborated findings that mentorship had no impact on teachers’ research motivation. It could be deduced that most universities/colleges in China might not offer adequate mentorship support for teachers’ research engagement. The follow-up qualitative findings also revealed that teachers were not allocated enough mentors in their universities, which demotivated teachers to do research when initial and continuing support was removed from mentors (Borg 2006 ). This corroborated Owan et al.’s ( 2023 ) study, which suggested that mentorship is a grey area in universities. The probable explanation is that the research policies about mentorship in Chinese universities were not practical. Mentorship programmes may have been unreasonably designed and implemented to support teachers’ research. Current university research policies mostly focused on assessing the research outputs, with few clear rules for allocating mentors to teachers and helping them transition smoothly to becoming researchers, and it is especially true for novice teachers. In such a situation, teachers had to rely on their own networks to seek guidance and collaboration, which gradually led to a reluctance to engage in research due to limited networks. Although some universities provided mentorship for teachers, the mentorship offered to these teachers was a general guidance rather than customised guidance when teachers encountered difficulties during their research. Such practices highly likely would negatively affect research motivation (Owan et al. 2023 ). It is clear that there is a need for teachers to have pertinent research mentors. Despite mentor allocation being achieved in a few universities, there was a lack of regulatory systems for the mentoring process between experienced mentors and novice teachers (Nundulall and Dorasamy 2010 ). The validity of mentorship was difficult to measure and test. Furthermore, teachers did not know how to connect the mentors’ experiences to their own research. The shared experiences of those mentors might not be suitable for the practices of the teacher under instruction, which would lead to a gradual decline in teachers’ research motivation due to failures in their own research experiences.

Conclusions, implications and limitations

This study was designed to investigate the influence of mentorship and working environments on EFL teachers’ research motivation in Chinese universities. The first research question is about the relationship between institutional support and Chinese university EFL teachers’ research motivation. The results reflected the positive influence of the working environment on teachers’ research motivation, especially in “Projects 985/211” universities, and mentorship has no influence on their research motivation. The second research question is about how institutional support affects teachers’ research motivation. We found that the working environment of “Projects 985/211” universities is far better than ordinary/regular universities and colleges with timely academic workshops, sufficient online databases, supportive research communities, etc. The third research question explores the influence of institutional support on motivating Chinese university EFL teachers to do research. In the current study, the working environment is more influential than mentorship in motivating teachers to do research.

Theoretically, we explored the influence of institutional support on teachers’ research motivation in the Chinese context. We investigated the mentorship and working environments in different types of higher education institutions, providing researchers and teachers with a new perspective to understand teachers’ research motivation more directly at granular levels. Methodologically, we employed a mixed-methods approach to examine the influence of mentorship and working environments on Chinese university EFL teachers’ research motivation. This approach offered a new perspective on understanding the extent to which institutional factors would affect teachers’ research motivation. It also shed light on Chinese EFL teachers’ professional development related to research.

Practically, administrators of these universities can establish research guidelines based on the current research findings. On the one hand, administrators are expected to fulfil the necessary needs of faculty members for their research. More research support, such as funding, time, and technical guidance for teachers to do research projects, could be provided (e.g., Faribi 2019 ). On the other hand, the performance appraisal could be adjusted to examine not only the final number of the research productivity annually but also the time that teachers spend being research-engaged. Universities could develop time-counting systems to record teachers’ research time. Teachers could also self-report their concrete time of reading the literature, analysing data, writing papers or project applications etc. through Excel, Word files, etc. Then these universities could give teachers rewards based on their research time. Thus, teachers’ research motivation could be boosted, especially those teachers who are motivated by external rewards. Additionally, administrators could formulate the achievement assessment system based on their university type and faculty members’ diversity of personality. Some teachers might be motivated by the incentives, and others probably care more about the promotion. Hence, the administrators could develop different forms of assessment for teachers of different characteristics. Besides, as the front-line teachers expect more opportunities to communicate with experienced scholars, the administrators could provide more opportunities for teachers to attend international and domestic conferences, research training programmes, and their targeted seminars. With these opportunities, teachers could accumulate more knowledge about research and may solve many research problems in their studies. In this way, their confidence in conducting research may be enhanced, which will strengthen their research motivation. Finally, as Sadeghi and Abutorabi ( 2017 ) proposed, raising teachers’ awareness of the benefits of research was the first step in motivating teachers to be research-active. This could be achieved through institutional management and constructing a rich research culture inside the education system. The supplement of substantial resources by the institutions might encourage teachers to research actively by guaranteeing their basic research needs.

From a national policy-making perspective, the distribution of research resources is unbalanced, including the allocation of the research funding. Policymakers could seek ways to balance the resource distribution among various types of universities. Even though the government may not be able to supply enough resources to every university in China, the policy of encouraging cooperation between the “Projects 985/211” and ordinary/regular universities could be proposed to help those universities with poor research atmospheres promote teachers’ research endeavours. It might be useful, especially for teachers at ordinary/regular universities, to be given opportunities and resources to learn how to do research from “Projects 985/211” teachers. Mentorship programmes between different types of universities could be established. “Projects 985/211” universities could provide research training programmes for teachers from different ordinary/regular universities. These programmes could be non-profit training, funded by the government. After training, teachers might acquire the research skills they need and build their research networks. Thus, research collaboration among different teachers from different universities could be promoted. After teachers establish stable research networks, their research productivity could be increased continuously, and teachers’ research motivation could be promoted. As teachers establish stable research networks, their research productivity could continuously increase, thereby promoting their research motivation. To enhance teachers’ motivation, future research could explore the cooperation methods and practical research training modes between “Projects 985/211” and ordinary/regular universities. Other influential environmental factors on teachers’ research motivation, such as research culture and university research policy for different disciplines, could be investigated to enhance Chinese EFL teachers’ research motivation.

We acknowledge the limitations of the study. Using the snowball sampling method, we recruited enough participants for the current study. Although this method is not a random selection method and may involve unrepresentative participants (Heckathorn 1997 ), the authors utilised it because it was the most economical way of collecting sufficient data during the pandemic. The generalisability of the study was compromised by its reliance on referrals within participants’ personal networks. Snowball sampling, thus employed, may result in a sample that inadequately reflected the broader population, potentially limiting the study’s applicability to other populations. Future studies could adopt random sampling to collect data for its representativeness. Also, the current study collected data for one semester without observing these teachers’ daily research activities. Therefore, the dynamic change in teachers’ research motivation cannot be obtained. To compensate for this shortcoming, in future studies researchers could adopt the observation method to collect data to clarify any dynamic changes in teachers’ research motivation.

Data availability

Data in this study are not publicly available to protect participants’ privacy. Data can be made available upon written request to the corresponding author Yanping Li.

Al-Hoorie AH (2017) Sixty years of language motivation research: Looking back and forward. SAGE Open 7(1):1–11

Article   Google Scholar  

Al-Maamari F, Al-Aamri K, Khammash S, Al-Wahaibi M (2017) Promoting EFL teacher research engagement through a research support programme. RELC J. 48(3):389–404. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688216684282

Amabile TM, Hill KG, Hennessey BA, Tighe EM (1994) The Work Preference Inventory: Assessing intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 66(5):950

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Anderson EM, Shannon AL (1988) Toward a conceptualization of mentoring. J. Teach. Educ. 39(1):38–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/002248718803900109

Angaiz D (2015) An investigation of determinants of teacher education faculty research productivity in public sector universities of Pakistan. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Dowling College

Barber BM, Jiang W, Morse A, Puri M, Tookes H, Werner IM (2021) What explains diferences in fnance research productivity during the pandemic? J. Financ. 76(4):1655–1697. https://doi.org/10.1111/jof.13028

Bartlett R, Milligan C (2015) What is diary method? Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472572578

Bland CJ, Center BA, Finstad DA, Risbey KR, Staples JG (2005) A theoretical, practical, predictive model of faculty and department research productivity. Acad Med. 80(3):225–237. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200503000-00006

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Borg S (2002) Research in the lives of TESOL professionals. TESOL Matters 13(1):1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.03.012

Borg S (2006) Conditions for teacher research. Engl. Teach. Forum 44(4):22–27

Google Scholar  

Borg S (2007) Research engagement in English language teaching. Teach. Teach. Educ. 23(5):731–747

Borg S (2009) English language teachers’ conceptions of research. Appl. Linguist. 30(3):358–388. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp007

Borg S (2010) Language teacher research engagement. In Language Teaching (Vol. 43, Issue 4). The University of Auckland Library. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444810000170

Borg S, Alshumaimeri Y (2012) University teacher educators’ research engagement: Perspectives from Saudi Arabia. Teach. Teach. Educ. 28(3):347–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.10.011

Borg S, Liu YD (2013) Chinese college English teachers’ research engagement. TESOL Q. 47(2):270–299. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.56

Borg S (2015). Professional development for English language teachers: Perspectives from higher education in Turkey. British Council

Bowen PW, Rose R, Pilkington A (2017) Mixed methods-theory and practice: Sequential, explanatory approach Int. J. Quan. Qual. Res. Methods 5(2):10–27

Braun V, Clarke V (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3(2):77–101

Brew A, Lucas L (2009). Introduction: Academic research and researchers. In A. Brew, & Lucas, L. (Eds.), Academic research and researchers (pp. 1-12). Society for Research into Higher Education; Open University Press

Brewer NT, William KH, Nancy F, Howard MK (2004) Why Do People Report Better Health by Phone Than by Mail? Med. Care 42(9):875–883

Bryman A (2006) Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: How is it done? Qual. Res. 6(1):97–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794106058877

Campbell TA, Campbell DE (1997) Faculty/student mentor program: Effects on academic performance and retention. Res. High. Educ. 38(6):727–742

Chen Y, Zhao Q (2013) Gender differences in business faculty’s research motivation. J. Educ. Bus. 88(6):314–324. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2012.717121

Cohen L, Manion L, Morrison K (2011) Research methods in education, 7th ed. New York: Routledge

Creswell JW (1985) Faculty research performance: Lessons from the science and the social science. Washington: Association for the Study of Higher Education

Creswell JW, Creswell JD (2018) Research design: Qualitative, quantatitive, and mixed methods approaches, 5th ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE

Davey R (2013) The professional identity of teacher educators: Career on the cusp? New York: Routledge

Dörnyei Z, Ottó I (1998) Motivation in action: A process model of L2 motivation. Working Pap. Appl. Linguist. 4:43–69

Dornyei Z, Ushioda E (2011) Teaching and researching motivation, 2nd ed. New York: Longman

Duc A, Pham NT, Bui HP, Vu DT, Nguyen TH (2020) Impact of motivational factors on the work results of lecturers at Vietnam National University, Hanoi. J. Asian Financ. Econ. Bus. 7(8):425–433. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no8.425

Dundar H, Lewis DR (1998) Determinants of research productivity in higher education. Res. High. Educ. 39(6):607–631. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018705823763

Eby LT, Robertson MM (2020) The psychology of workplace mentoring relationships. Annu. Rev. Organ. Psychol. Organ. Behav. 7(1):75–100. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012119-044924

Evans P (2008) Is an alternative globalization possible? Politics Soc. 36(2):271–305

Faribi D (2019) Iranian journal of educational sociology Iranian English language teachers’ conceptions. Iran. J. Educ. Sociol. 2(2):1–11

Farooqi SM, Shahzad S, Tahira SS (2019) Who are more successful researchers? An analysis of university teachers’ research productivity. Glob. Soc. Sci. Rev. 4(1):354–364. https://doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-I).46

Fraenkel JR, Wallen NE, Hyun HH (2012) How to design and evaluate research in education. New York: McGraw Hill

Frankel JR, Wallen NE, Hyun HH. (2019) How to design and evaluate research in education (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill

Gelso CJ, Lent RW (2000) Scientific training and scholarly productivity: The person, the training environment, and their interaction. In: Brown SD, Lent RW (eds), Handbook of counseling psychology (pp. 109–139). John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Gironzetti E, Muñoz-Basols J (2022) Research engagement and research culture in Spanish Language Teaching (SLT): Empowering the profession. Applied Linguistics, 1–28

Graham S, Weiner B (2012) Motivation: Past, present, and future. In Harris KR, Urdan T (eds), APA educational psychology handbook. Washington: American Psychological Association, pp. 367–397

Graves P, Marchand J, Thompson R (1982) Economics departmental rankings: Research incentives, constraints, and efficiency. Am. Econ Rev. 72(5):1131–1141

Griffiths V, Thompson S, Hryniewicz L (2010) Developing a research profile: Mentoring and support for teacher educators. Professional Dev. Educ. 36(1–2):245–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415250903457166

Han J, Yin H (2016) Teacher motivation: Definition, research development and implications for teachers. Cogent Educ. 3(1):1–18

Heckathorn DD (1997) Respondent-driven sampling: A new approach to the study of hidden populations. Soc. Probl. 44(2):174–199

Hedjazi Y, Behravan J (2011) Study of factors influencing research productivity of agriculture faculty members in Iran. High. Educ. 62:635–647. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-011-9410-6

Heng K, Hamid MO, Khan A (2020) Factors influencing academics’ research engagement and productivity: A developing countries perspective. Issues Educ. Res. 30(3):965–987. http://www.iier.org.au/iier30/heng.pdf

Heng K, Hamid MO, Khan A (2023) Research engagement of academics in the Global South: The case of Cambodian academics. Globalisation Societies Educ. 21(3):322–337

Henry C, Md Ghani NA, Hamid UMA, Bakar AN (2020) Factors contributing towards research productivity in higher education. Int. J. Eval Res. Educ. 9(1):203–211. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v9i1.20420

Horodnic IA, Zaiţ A (2015) Motivation and research productivity in a university system undergoing transition. Res. Eval 24(3):282–292

Kozhakhmet S, Moldashev K, Yenikeyeva A, Nurgabdeshov A (2020) How training and development practices contribute to research productivity: A moderated mediation model. Stud Higher Educ, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1754782

Kyaw MT (2021) Factors influencing teacher educators’ research engagement in the reform process of teacher education institutions in Myanmar. SAGE Open 11(4):215824402110613. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211061349

Kızıltepe Z (2008) Motivation and demotivation of university teachers. Teach. Teach. 14(5–6):515–530

Li Y, Zhang LJ (2022) Influence of mentorship and the working environment on English as a foreign language teachers’ research productivity: The mediation role of research motivation and self-efficacy. Front. Psychol. 13:1–17

ADS   Google Scholar  

Liu H (2016) Teacher motivation. In: Xu H (eds), Major issues in foreign language teacher education. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, pp. 56–81

Loewen S (2019) The role of research in the second language classroom. Lang. Teach. Res. Q. 9(10):31–38. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2019.10.03

Lucas CJ, Murry JW (2016) New faculty: A practical guide for academic beginners (3rd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan New York

Luo N, Hyland K (2016) Chinese academics writing for publication: English teachers as text mediators. J. Second Lang. Writ. 33:43–55

McGill MM, Settle A (2012) Identifying effects of institutional resources and support on computing faculty research productivity, tenure, and promotion. Int. J. Doctoral Stud. 7:167–198

Miller AN, Taylor SG, Bedeian AG (2011) Publish or perish: Academic life as management faculty live it. Career Dev. Int. 16(5):422–445

Ministry of Education, China (2007) Management reform of foreign universities and its enlightenment, http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A14/A14_other/200703/t20070309_75776.html

Ministry of Education, China (2017) Implementation Measures for Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of World-class Universities and First-class Disciplines (Interim), http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A22/moe_843/201701/t20170125_295701.html

Ministry of Education, China (2020) Number of Higher Education Institutions, http://en.moe.gov.cn/documents/statistics/2019/national/202006/t20200611_464789.html

Morze NV, Buinytska OP, Smirnova VA (2022) Designing a rating system based on competencies for the analysis of the university teachers’ research activities. CEUR Workshop Proc. 3085:139–153

Nguyen PV (2022) Infuence of institutional characteristics on academic staff’s research productivity: The case of a Vietnamese research-oriented higher education institution. Vietnam J. Educ. 6(3):196–208. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2022.202

Nguyen TD, Bui THV, Nguyen TLT, Tran MD, Tran TKN (2021) Perception of organizational support to lecturers’ research motivation: The case of Vietnam. J. Asian Financ., Econ. Bus. 8(2):657–666. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no2.0657

Noorollahi N (2021) On the relationship between Iranian English language teaching students-self-efficacy, self-esteem, and their academic achievement. Lang. Teach. Res. Q. 21:84–96. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2021.21.06

Nundulall R, Dorasamy N (2010) Mentorship and sustainable research output: A case study of the University of Johannesburg. Ind. High. Educ. 26(2):127–137

Nundulall R, Reddy K (2011) Mentorship as a strategy to improve research output at tertiary institutions: A case study of University of Johannesburg. SAJHE 25(6):1155–1177

Nusair K, Hua N (2010) Comparative assessment of structural equation modelling and multiple regression research methodologies: E-commerce context. Tour. Manag. 31(3):314–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.03.010

Nygaard PL (2017) Publishing and perishing: An academic literacies framework for investigating research productivity Stud. High. Educ. 42(3):519–532. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1058351

Okon AE, Owan VJ, Owan MV (2022) Mentorship practices and research productivity among early-career educational psychologists in universities. Educ. Process Int. J. 11(1):105–126. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2022.111.7

Owan VJ, Ameh E, Anam E (2023) Collaboration and institutional culture as mediators linking mentorship and institutional support to academics’ research productivity. Educ Res Policy Pract, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-023-09354-3

Paul P, Mukhopadhyay K (2022) Measuring research productivity of marketing scholars and marketing departments. Marketing Educ Rev, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2021.2024077

Peng JE, Gao X (2019) Understanding TEFL academics’ research motivation and its relations with research productivity. Sage Open 9(3):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019866295

Prado NI (2019) Predictors of research productivity among administrators, faculty, and students. Liceo J. High. Educ. Res. 15(2):1–16. https://doi.org/10.7828/ljher.v15i2.1319

Punch KF (2005) Introduction to social research–quantitative & qualitative approaches. London: Sage

Randazzo M, Priefer R, Pasupathy R (2021) Research self-efficacy and productivity in communication sciences and disorders faculty. J. Commun. Disord. 92:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106107

Reeve JM (1995) Motivating others: Nurturing inner motivational resources. Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon

Sadeghi K, Abutorabi P (2017) Iranian English language teachers’ views of research: Implications for policy and practice. Res. Post Compuls. Educ. 22(4):513–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2017.1381295

Sakarkaya V (2022) What triggers teacher research engagement and sustainability in a higher education context in Turkey? Participatory Educ. Res. 9(2):325–342. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.43.9.2

Sato M, Loewen S (2019) Do teachers care about research? The research-pedagogy dialogue. ELT J. 73(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccy048

Schumacker RE, Lomax RG (2016) A beginner’s guide to structural equation modeling, 4th ed. New York: Routledge

Shariatmadari M, Mahdi S (2012) Barriers to research productivity in Islamic Azad University: Exploring faculty members perception. Indian J. Sci. Technol. 5(5):2765–2769. https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2012/v5i5.12

Sondari MC, Tjakraatmadja JH, Bangun YR (2016) What motivate faculty member to do research? A literature review. Soc. Sci 11(21):5265–5269. https://doi.org/10.3923/sscience.2016.5265.5269

Sparkes AC, Smith B (2014) Qualitative research methods in sport, exercise and health: From process to product. London: Routledge

Stein CM, Morris NJ, Nock NL (2012) Structural equation modeling. In R. C. Elston (Ed.). Statistical human genetics: Vol. 850. Methods and protocols (pp. 495–512). Springer

Stupnisky RH, Larivière V, Hall NC, Omojiba O (2022) Predicting research productivity in STEM faculty: The role of self-determined motivation. Res Higher Educ, 64, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-022-09718-3

Sun Q, Zhang LJ (2022) Understanding novice and experienced teachers’ cognitions and practices for sustainable teacher development: The case of form-focused instruction in English language teaching. Sustainability 14:1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084711

Tadesse EF, Khalid S (2022) Are teachers and HE are on the same page? Calling for a research–teaching nexus among Ethiopian and Pakistani academics. J Appl Res Higher Educ, https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-09-2021-0348

Tian M, Lu G (2017) What price the building of world-class universities? Academic pressure faced by young lecturers at a research-centered university in China. Teach. High. Educ. 22(8):957–974

Tran TKN, Do Nguyen T, Van Pham T, Nguyen TLH, Glang MD, Ha NT (2021) Impact of administrative post and gender on lecturers’ research motivation in Vietnam. J. Asian Financ., Econ. Bus. 8(3):705–715

Uwizeye D, Karimi F, Thiong’o C, Syonguvi J, Ochieng V, Kiroro F, Gateri A, Khisa AM, Wao H (2022) Factors associated with research productivity in higher education institutions in Africa: A systematic review. AAS Open Res. 4:26. https://doi.org/10.12688/aasopenres.13211.2

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Wanberg CR, Welsh ET, Kammeyer-Mueller K (2007) Protégé and mentor self-disclosure: Levels and outcomes within formal mentoring dyads in a corporate context. J. Vocational Behav. 70(2):398–412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.01.002

Wang BR, Zhang YZ, Zhang L (2020) On the status quo of college English teachers’ scientific research and influencing factors. Test. Eval 3:102–109

Way SF, Morgan AC, Larremore DB, Clauset A (2019) Productivity, prominence, and the effects of academic environment. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 116(22):10729–10733

Article   ADS   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Wilkins P (2011) Research engagement for school development. Institute of Education, University of London

Yu K, Stith AL, Liu L, Chen HZ (2012) Tertiary education at a glance: China. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/auckland/detail.action?docID=3034689

Yuan R, Sun P, Teng L (2016) Understanding language teachers’ motivations towards research. TESOL Q. 50(1):220–234. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.279

Zhang LJ (2021) Curriculum innovation in language teacher education: Reflections on 31 years of the PGDELT program for teacher continuing professional development. Chin. J. Appl. Linguist. 44:435–450

Zhang X (2014) Factors that motivate academic staff to conduct research and influence research productivity in Chinese project 211 universities. PhD Thesis, University of Canberra

Zhou T, Law R, Lee PC (2022) “What motivates me?” Motivation to conduct research of academics in teaching-oriented universities in China. J. Hospitality Leis. Sport Tour. Educ. 31:1–16

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

College of Humanities, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, China

Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Lawrence Jun Zhang & Naashia Mohamed

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

Y. Li, L. J. Zhang and N. Mohamed conceived and designed the study. Y. Li, as the first author, collected and analysed the data and drafted the manuscript, and all the authors revised and approved the manuscript. Y. Li finalised it for submissions as the corresponding author.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yanping Li .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

This research was conducted following the guiding ethical principles of the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee (Protocol Number: UOA2792).

Informed consent

To seek the participants’ informed consent, the adequate information about the purpose of the research, methods of participant involvement, intended use of the results, rights as a participant, and any potential risks were provided to the participants. This ensured that they comprehended the information thoroughly and were willing to participating the current study.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Li, Y., Zhang, L.J. & Mohamed, N. The influence of mentorship and working environments on foreign language teachers’ research motivation in China. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 942 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03448-w

Download citation

Received : 27 June 2023

Accepted : 02 July 2024

Published : 20 July 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03448-w

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

• Platte Valley
• River Country
• What's My Region?
• Coronavirus
• Ag & Outdoor
• Entertainment
• Weather Right Now
• Closings/Delays
• Submit Closings or Delays
• Road Conditions
• Weather Team
• Full Sports Schedule
• NCN Player of the Game
• NCN Top Plays
• Coach Interviews
• Husker Sports
• National Sports
• Team Alerts
• Sports Staff
• Support St. Jude
• KUTT Contest Rules
• 100 Dollar Minute
• The Dog House
• On-Air Team
• Ol’ Red Radio Programming
• KUTT Coverage Area
• Beatrice Today
• KWBE Coverage Area
• KWBE Radio Programming
• KWBE History
• Watch NCN Live
• Quarantine Tonight
• Small Towns Matter
• Do You Know Nebraska
• TV Program Guide
• Future of Nebraska Videos
• Community Hero
• Stretch Across Nebraska
• Help Wanted
• Channel Finder
• Flood Communications

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market |2024-2032| Growth Insights| Trend and Scope with SWOT analysis

The “ Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market ” 2024report conducts a comprehensive analysis of the diverse array of factors that impact market drivers, industry development, and future prospects. Furthermore, it delves deeply into crucial insights concerning key manufacturers, market overview, as well as predictions and regional examinations. This report also assesses global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market distributors, sales channels, challenges, opportunities, driving forces, emerging trends, growth rate, market share, competitive landscape, and current status. Moreover, it investigates recent developments in the market, strategic approaches, financial overviews, and prevailing trends. The Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market report also provides a concise overview of revenue, sales, product demand, knowledge dissemination, costs, and growth analysis for the forecast year 2032.

Get a Sample PDF of report at- https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/request-sample/24879789

Meticulous research and analysis were conducted during the preparation process of the report. The qualitative and quantitative data were gained and verified through primary and secondary sources, which include but not limited to Magazines, Press Releases, Paid Databases, Maia Data Center, National Customs, Annual Reports, Public Databases, Expert interviews, etc. Besides, primary sources include extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts such as experienced front-line staff, directors, CEOs, and marketing executives, downstream distributors, as well as end-clients.

TOP COMPANIES/MANUFACTURERS Dominating the Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market are listed below:

Lindy Electronics

• S2Ceb-Groupe Cae
• Cinch Connectors
• CAE Multimedia Connect
• Phoenix Contact
• Telegartner
• HellermannTyton

Get a Sample Copy of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Report 2024

Description about Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market:

The Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market has witnessed growth from USD million to USD million from 2017 to 2022. With the CAGR this market is estimated to reach USD million in 2029.

The report begins with an overview of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market, including its definition, classification, and scope. It outlines the objectives of the study and the methodology used to gather and analyze data. Key industry terms and concepts are also defined to facilitate a better understanding of the report.

Technological innovation and advancement will further optimize the performance of the product, making it more widely used in downstream applications. Moreover, Consumer behavior analysis and market dynamics (drivers, restraints, opportunities) provides crucial information for knowing the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market. Ask for a Sample Report

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Dynamics:

This section delves into the factors driving the growth of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market. It includes a detailed analysis of market drivers such as the growing demand for energy-efficient and eco-friendly furnaces, increasing industrialization, and the expansion of the manufacturing sector. Additionally, the report examines the impact of economic, technological, and environmental factors on market dynamics.

Why Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market Report 2024 is Important?

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market Report 2024 helps to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry landscape, spot growth prospects such as targeted strategies, services, and customer segments, mitigate risks by monitoring economic factors, market trends, and minimizing business impacts. It also allows businesses to stay ahead of the latest trends, developments, consumer preferences, emerging technologies, dynamics, and top competitors, enabling them to make informed decisions and achieve sustainable growth in a fiercely competitive business environment. In addition, data-driven insights facilitate strategic decision-making, including pricing strategies, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantages, and ensure the long-term success of the business by validating business plans.

The reports will be useful in answering the following questions:

• What’s the current scope of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market request in various regions?
• How is the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market demand divided into different product type?
• How is the demand predicted to develop in the future?
• What’s the demand possibility compared to other countries?

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Segmentation:

The Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market is segmented based on furnace type, application, and region. Each segment is analyzed comprehensively, providing insights into the current market share, growth potential, and future outlook. The report also highlights the fastest-growing segments and key factors contributing to their growth.

Based on TYPE, the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market from 2024 to 2030 is primarily split into:

Based on applications, the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market from 2024 to 2030 covers:

• Communication

COVID-19 AND RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR INFLUENCE ANALYSIS:

The perusers in the segment will comprehend how the Catchphrase market situation changed across the globe during the pandemic, post-pandemic and Russia-Ukraine War. The changes in demand, consumption, transportation, consumer behavior, supply chain management, export and import, and production are taken into consideration when conducting the study. The key factors that will contribute to the creation of opportunities for players and the stabilization of the industry as a whole in the years to come have also been highlighted by industry experts.

This report examined the impact of COVID-19 on the global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market from both a global and a regional perspective. The Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market’s revenue was million dollars in 2016, rose to million dollars in 2024, and will reach million dollars in 2030, with a CAGR of between 2024 and 2030. The report emphasized market analysis for COVID-19 and the appropriate response policy in various regions, from production to consumption, in North America, Europe, China, and Japan.

TO KNOW HOW COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR WILL IMPACT THIS MARKET – REQUEST SAMPLE

Highlights of The Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Report:

Key offerings from the Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Report:

Market Size Estimates: Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market size estimation in terms of value and sales volume from 2018-2028

Market Trends and Dynamics: Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market drivers, opportunities, challenges, and risks

Macro-economy and Regional Conflict: Influence of global inflation and Russia & Ukraine War on the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market

Segment Market Analysis: Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market value and sales volume by type and by application from 2018-2028

Regional Market Analysis: Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market situations and prospects in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa

Country-level Studies on the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market : Revenue and sales volume of major countries in each region

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Competitive Landscape and Major Players: Analysis of 10-15 leading market players, sales, price, revenue, gross, gross margin, product profile and application, etc.

Trade Flow: Import and export volume of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market in major regions.

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Industry Value Chain: Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market raw materials & suppliers, manufacturing process, distributors, downstream customers

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Industry News, Policies & Regulations

Reasons to Buy this Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Research Report –

Comprehensive Coverage –

Our report provides a descriptive overview of Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable), including their applications, advantages, and limitations. It also covers historical and forecasted market size, providing an edge for developing effective business strategies.

In-depth Analysis –

The report offers an extensive account of the currently available Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable), assessing key opportunities and outlining the factors driving the growth of the industry. It also provides a detailed analysis of the global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market by value and region, including regional analysis for various regions such as the US, Europe, Japan, China, and India.

Timely Insights –

The report takes into consideration the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) industry, providing a timely understanding of the latest market trends and future growth potential.

Marketing Advantage –

By leveraging our report’s insights, you can gain a marketing advantage by understanding the trends shaping and driving the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market. This knowledge can help you position your business strategy to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) industry.

Trusted Source –

Our report is based on extensive research and analysis, and our team of experts has a proven track record of delivering reliable and accurate market insights. By purchasing our report, you can be confident that you are getting the most up-to-date and trustworthy information available.

Enquire before Purchasing this report at – https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/24879789

Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Market Outlook and Future Trends:

The report concludes with a comprehensive outlook on the future of the Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) market. It predicts market trends, opportunities, and challenges that are likely to shape the industry’s landscape in the coming years. Recommendations and actionable insights are provided to help market players stay ahead in a dynamic business environment.

Regional Insights:

Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate, historical data and forecast (2017-2030) of the following regions are covered in this report:

United States

Southeast Asia

Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Buy this report (Price 3370 USD for single user license) at- https://www.marketreportsworld.com/purchase/24879789

Some Major Points from the Table of Contents:

1 Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Overview

2 Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Landscape by Player

3 Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Upstream and Downstream Analysis

4 Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Manufacturing Cost Analysis

5 Market Dynamics

6 Players Profiles

7 Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Sales and Revenue Region Wise (2017-2024)

8 Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Sales, Revenue (Revenue), Price Trend by Type

9 Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Analysis by Application

10 Global Category 6 Cable (Cat 6 Cable) Market Forecast (2024-2030)

11 Research Findings and Conclusion

Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in the technology has provided today’s businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of the market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies with a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Market Reports World is the credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs.

Contact Us:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: US +(1) 424 253 0946 /UK +(44) 203 239 8187

Web: https://www.marketreportsworld.com

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. XPRMedia and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact [email protected]

Multi orthogonal review of modern demand forecasting lines and computational limitations in Green Urban mobility

• ShivajiRao, G.
• Kumar, A. Vincent Antony
• Jaiganesh, M.

Urban mobility attempts to combine payment systems asa service with mobility, which has been divided into several transportation segments, and offer door-to-door services to consumers. Demand forecasting in the transportation sector is usually done in pairs, based on origins and destinations. To be more precise, forecasts are made for the volume of container traffic, vehicle traffic, and passenger departure and arrival. The purpose of this work is to examine the literature on demand prediction forecasting in several transportation domains, including vehicle sharing, leased cars, bicycles, and public transportation. The novel assessment preferred research papers to applied machine learning, deep learning, neural networks and Quantum learning methods. The study justifies the difference between Quantitative and Qualitative demand prediction. This review examined in different levels such as forecasting methods, hybrid models and quantum machine learning methods. Each existing research works classified into algorithms, prediction and observed results in numerical. Finally, the survey effort to find the strengths and limitation of the prevailing past research approaches.