Limitations & Assumptions Prompt: What the Paper Admits
Every study has boundaries. This prompt helps you find the limitations authors acknowledge — and the ones they don’t — so you know exactly how far to trust the findings.
The Two Types of Weaknesses in Any Paper
Every research paper has boundaries. The question is whether the authors acknowledge them — and whether you can spot the ones they don’t.
Stated limitations are boundaries the researchers acknowledge directly. Look in the discussion section for phrases like “one limitation of this study…” or “future research should address…” These show intellectual honesty.
Unstated assumptions are things the researchers take for granted without proving. These are often more important because they suggest blind spots. Did the authors assume their sample represents the population? That participants answered honestly? That the measurement tool is valid?
How to Use the Prompt for Limitations Analysis
Start with PR040 to map the paper’s structure. Then add a targeted follow-up: “Now focus on limitations and assumptions. What does this paper explicitly acknowledge as limitations? What assumptions does it make without proving them?”
AI will separate stated from unstated weaknesses, giving you a clearer picture of how much to trust the findings.
After identifying limitations, ask: “For each limitation, does it weaken the main finding, narrow its applicability, or invalidate it entirely?” Not all limitations are equal.
Common Categories of Limitations
Sample limitations: Too small, not representative, convenience sampling, attrition bias
Measurement limitations: Self-report bias, instrument validity, operationalization choices
Design limitations: No control group, correlational (not causal), short timeframe
Scope limitations: Single context, narrow population, artificial setting
Stated: “Our sample of university students may not generalize to the broader adult population.”
Unstated: The study assumes participants didn’t change their behavior because they knew they were being observed (Hawthorne effect). This assumption is never mentioned.
How to Evaluate Impact on Conclusions
Once you’ve identified limitations, assess their severity:
Fatal flaws invalidate the core finding. If the control group isn’t comparable to the treatment group, the comparison is meaningless.
Scope restrictions narrow the applicability. The finding might be true, but only for specific populations or contexts.
Minor caveats are worth noting but don’t threaten the main conclusion. Every study has these.
AI can identify potential weaknesses, but it can’t judge whether a limitation is fatal without domain expertise. Use AI’s output as a checklist for your own evaluation.
Build Your Critical Reading Stack
The Limitations & Assumptions Prompt works best with:
Methods Decoder — Understand what the study did before evaluating its weaknesses
Reproducibility Checklist — Assess transparency and documentation quality
Paper Map Prompt — Get the full picture before zooming in on limitations
Frequently Asked Questions
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