Limitations in a thesis

 As a researcher, you identify research problems/questions,

If you have a lot of resources, and very few constraints, then you may consider a lot of different ways to solve/answer the problems/questions.

However, the reality is not as accommodative as the ideals. Hence, you decide on a set of suitable methods to solve/answer the problems/questions.

In this light, 'limitations of study' are significant obstacles/boundaries/access in answering your research problems/questions.

For example, you want to do a study involving burnout as a measured variable. Ideally, you should use the best available questionnaire to measure burnout. However, the 'best' questionnaire

1) may be too expensive to buy

2) may not be available in the desired language

3) may be too long for your target respondents

Compromises have to be made to select the next best available questionnaire. Thus, statements about the limitations of the study can refer to the reasons listed above.

'Small sample size' seems to be an overused limitation. Hopefully, this small writing can help to explore other possible limitations for a study.