and related terms
Video: Search by Themes (YouTube)
(2 min 40 sec) Recorded April 2014 Transcript
Most research articles will identify where more research is needed. To identify research trends, use the literature review matrix to track where further research is needed.
There is no consistent section in research articles where the authors identify where more research is needed. Pay attention to these sections:
Departments.
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If you are just starting your bachelor’s or master’s thesis, chances are you have heard about finding a “research gap.” In this blog, we will explain what a research gap is, the four most common types of research gaps, and how to identify a suitable research gap.
A research gap refers to an unanswered question or unresolved problem in a field of study, indicating a lack of existing research in that area. A research gap can also exist when a substantial amount of existing research has been conducted, but the findings of the studies point in different directions. For example, suppose your research focuses on identifying the cause (or causes) of a specific disease. Upon reviewing the literature, you find that certain studies conclude that cigarette smoking is a significant factor. However, you also come across numerous studies that find no association between smoking and the disease. In such a case, you may be dealing with a research gap.
The different types of research gaps We distinguish four most common types of research gaps:
1. the classical research gap.
This research gap occurs when there is a new concept or phenomenon that has not been extensively studied or not at all. For example, when a new social media platform is launched, there is an opportunity to explore its impact on users, how it can be used for marketing, its influence on society, and so on. The same applies to new technologies, new communication tools, new therapies, etc. Always try to delimit your research well. For a thesis, investigating an entirely new therapy, for example, is often too broad and extensive. Also, keep in mind that you will need to rely on adjacent literature to build your literature review. You won’t find many existing studies directly related to your topic.
As the name suggests, the disagreement research gap arises when there are conflicting or contradictory findings in the existing research regarding a specific research question. The example we described above about the causes of a disease is an example of this type of research gap. Importantly, for this type of research gap, there must be different conflicting findings. In other words, a situation where 95% of the articles find one result and 5% find the opposite result would not really constitute a disagreement in the literature.
The third type of research gap is the contextual gap. Simply put, a contextual research gap exists when you find a considerable amount of existing research on a specific topic, but there is a lack of research in specific contexts. This could include:
Many thesis students choose this type of research gap because it allows them to base their research on existing literature and possibly even use existing questionnaires. It is important to clearly justify in your thesis why you expect differences in the specific context you choose. Make sure you can explain clearly why your chosen context is “different” from existing studies and why it could reasonably lead to different findings.
As the name suggests, this type of research gap arises due to the research methodology or design of existing studies. You may conclude that the methodology of existing studies is somehow inadequate or that they lack a certain perspective. For example, you may describe that the majority of existing research has adopted a quantitative approach and that there is, therefore, a lack of insight that a qualitative study could provide. Alternatively, you could describe that existing studies have mainly provided a snapshot of the situation, while a longitudinal approach could help uncover how variables have changed over time.
Now that you have a clearer understanding of the different types of research gaps, the next question is, of course, “how do you find these research gaps?” Here, we describe a basic two-step strategy to help you find the research gap.
As a starting point, you need to gather as much recent literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis articles as possible that relate to your topic. It is also a good idea to look at recent dissertations. There are several databases that share dissertations (such as OATD – Open Access Theses and Dissertations). Make sure to review the most recent sources possible; otherwise, the research gaps you find may have already been filled by other researchers. Once you have collected a substantial number of articles, focus on reading the discussion section and pay attention to anything they mention about “future research.” In the discussion, researchers will explicitly indicate areas where further studies are needed – in other words, your potential research gap. You can also look for the “limitations” they describe, as this often provides ideas for the methodological research gap. By following this process, you familiarize yourself with the current state of research, which will lay the foundation for identifying the research gap.
Tip: Go on a “FRIN hunt.” FRIN stands for “further research is needed.” Once you have found several relevant articles, search for specific keywords:
These terms are often found in what we call the “FRIN” section. Some articles have a dedicated FRIN section or paragraph, or they are mentioned in the discussion.
We wish you success in finding the research gap! If you need any assistance or have other questions, feel free to ask.
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After I read about 40 papers in my research topic, I summarized 25 of them in my thesis, explaining methods used and solutions provided in the literature survey and literature-review sections. I found out a gap in the previous researches and would like to point it out in my thesis, in order to explain where my work would fit.
Should I call this section research gap , or there are a better scientific terms usually used?
"Literature review" would be a good term. It refers to the section in a paper where you review the existing literature and show where your new piece of research fits in.
Don't confuse this with a "review article", which summarizes and integrates a large number of previous publications, typically far more publications than you'd review for an original article. A review article typically only does the synthesis, and does not add any original research of its own, although it may well point out gaps in existing research for subsequent investigations.
In you want to draw specific attention to the fact that the question you will investigate has not been covered in previous research, you could call it "open questions".
The standard phrase is "a gap in the literature."
Open problem, unsolved problem, need for research, unexploted potentials, areas not covered by previuos research, questions not asked in previous reseach,
I found out a gap in the previous researches and would like to point it out in my thesis, in order to explain where my work would fit. Should I call this section research gap, or there are a better scientific terms usually used?
There are two parts to this.
First is the literature review, or summary of existing literature. These are short summaries of the 40 papers you have researched and descriptions of their key points.
Second, you might want to have a section called research questions or research issues . This can take the form of statements like, "existing literature does not appropriately address X, Y, or Z" or "existing literature presents weaknesses for addressing A, B, C" types of things. Basically building the case for why your thesis exists. What problems with existing literature are you trying to solve?
"Knowledge gap" is another way to express that there is something missing from the literature.
Contribution
This would also work as a (sub-) section heading. I prefer it to "research gap/lacuna/desideratum" etc., because it focuses on what your research does to close the "gap".
The meaning of differentiation in [dictionary.cambridge.org][1]is given as :
"the act of showing or finding the difference between things that are compared".
So I suggest you may use the phrase " The research differentiation ". [1]: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
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These examples below illustrate how researchers from different disciplines identified gaps in existing literature. For additional examples, try a NavigatorSearch using this search string: ("Literature review") AND (gap*)
The gap, also considered the missing piece or pieces in the research literature, is the area that has not yet been explored or is under-explored. This could be a population or sample (size, type, location, etc.), research method, data collection and/or analysis, or other research variables or conditions.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that just because you identify a gap in the research, it doesn't necessarily mean that your research question is worthy of exploration. You will want to make sure that your research will have valuable practical and/or theoretical implications. In other words, answering the research question could either improve existing practice and/or inform professional decision-making (Applied Degree), or it could revise, build upon, or create theoretical frameworks informing research design and practice (Ph.D Degree). See the Dissertation Center for additional information about dissertation criteria at NU.
For a additional information on gap statements, see the following:
Conducting an exhaustive literature review is your first step. As you search for journal articles, you will need to read critically across the breadth of the literature to identify these gaps. You goal should be to find a ‘space’ or opening for contributing new research. The first step is gathering a broad range of research articles on your topic. You may want to look for research that approaches the topic from a variety of methods – qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.
See the videos below for further instruction on identifying a gap in the literature.
Identifying a Gap in the Literature - Dr. Laurie Bedford
How Do You Identify Gaps in Literature? - SAGE Research Methods
Literature Gap & Future Research - Library Workshop
This workshop presents effective search techniques for identifying a gap in the literature and recommendations for future research.
As you begin to gather the literature, you will want to critically read for what has, and has not, been learned from the research. Use the Discussion and Future Research sections of the articles to understand what the researchers have found and where they point out future or additional research areas. This is similar to identifying a gap in the literature, however, future research statements come from a single study rather than an exhaustive search. You will want to check the literature to see if those research questions have already been answered.
Identifying the gap in the research relies on an exhaustive review of the literature. Remember, researchers may not explicitly state that a gap in the literature exists; you may need to thoroughly review and assess the research to make that determination yourself.
However, there are techniques that you can use when searching in NavigatorSearch to help identify gaps in the literature. You may use search terms such as "literature gap " or "future research" "along with your subject keywords to pinpoint articles that include these types of statements.
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A Guide to Scientific Communication
A gap is something that remains to be done or learned in an area of research; it’s a gap in the knowledge of the scientists in the field of research of your study. Every research project must, in some way, address a gap–that is, attempt to fill in some piece of information missing in the scientific literature. Otherwise, it is not novel research and is therefore not contributing to the overall goals of science.
A gap statement is found in the Introduction section of a journal article or poster or in the Goals and Importance section of a research proposal and succinctly identifies for your audience the gap that you will attempt to address in your project.
A gap might be a lack of understanding about how well a particular instrument works in a certain situation. It could be introducing a new method that needs to be tested. Or it could be that you are studying a whole new organism, system, or part of a process. Your project may also address multiple gaps, in which case you should be sure to identify each of them clearly!
In a class, you might not always be studying something brand “new.” But, in most cases, you should still try to come up with something unique about your project, however small. Talk to your professor about what they expect for your gap statement if nothing seems to work.
: “… The relationship between the four damping factors, i.e. internal friction, support loss, airflow force in free space, and squeeze force, has not yet been clarified, so it is not obvious which one is dominant in actual microsystems.” |
Here, the authors signal to us that this is a gap because they use the words “has not yet been clarified.” Other phrases that might help you identify (or form!) a gap statement are:
Once you identify the gap in the literature, you must tell your audience how you attempt to at least somewhat address in your project this lack of knowledge or understanding . In a journal article or poster, this is often done in a new paragraph and should be accomplished in one summary statement, such as:
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of lead on the hepatobiliary system, especially on the liver and on the gallbladder (adapted from Sipos et al. 2003 ).
You’ll often find that the first sentence of the last paragraph in a paper’s introduction will start somewhat like this, indicating the gap fill.
Some phrases you can use to indicate your gap “fill:” |
Remember–always keep your voice professional! Colloquial phrases such as “we looked into” or “we checked if” should be avoided when introducing your gap fill.
So let’s look at this idea in context by looking at some examples from a couple of types of papers. The gap statements are underlined; the fills are italicized.
Adapted from : Though ideally expected to be chemically very stable due to the poor reactivity of the basal aromatic plane from which SWNTs are built, the question of whether all the chemicals which are now currently proposed in the literature as purifying, suspending, or grafting agents for SWNTs actually have a limited effect on the SWNT integrity has to be addressed. Adapted from : Milly’s work recognized the importance of storage capacity of the root zone in controlling evapotranspiration and has the postential for assessing the catchment-scale response of vegetation changes. However, the practical application of this model is limited because of the complex numerical solutions required. Adapted from : A risk assessment of the potential impacts on health and environment that the production, use, and disposal of nanomaterials may engender requires information concerning both the potential for exposure to a given material and its (once exposed) potential impacts such as toxicity or mutagenicity. |
In the second and third examples, the gap may be a little less obvious–it doesn’t use any phrases to signal to you that there’s something missing, such as “has not been clarified” or “have not been reported.” But because of the way the paragraph is laid out–following the conventions of our move structures–we can see that the underlined section of text is indeed the missing information in the literature that the group sought to address in their project.
[bg_faq_start] In the following examples, identify the gap statement. Then, identify the fill. Notice if there are any specific words or phrases used to signal either of these moves. 1. Adapted from : Paralytic shellfish poisoning occurs worldwide, and harmful algal blooms, including those responsible for PSP, appear to be increasing in frequency and intensity. PSP outbreaks in Portuguese waters have been associated with blooms of Gymnodinium caenatum in the late 1980s to early 1990s, then again after 2005. According to the national monitoring program in Portugal, G. catenatum were not reported along the Portuguese coast during the 10-year period from 1995 to 2005. The aims of this study were to fully characterize the toxin profile of G. catenatum strains isolated from the NW Portuguese coast before and after the 10-year absence of blooms to 2. Adapted from : The exchange process frequently observed in polypyrrane condensations is proposed to occur by the acid-catalyzed fragmentation of a polypyrrane into pyrrolic and azafulvene components.15 As illustrated in Scheme 2, recombination of and can form a new polypyrrane that cannot be formed by direct condensation of the dipyrromethane and aldehyde. Ultimately this process leads to the production of a scrambled mixture of porphyrins. The factors that promote the scrambling process in MacDonald-type 2 + 2 condensations are poorly understood, but suppression of scrambling is essential for preparing large quantities of pure trans-porphyrins. In this paper we describe a study of a wide range of reaction conditions for the 2 + 2 condensation that has led to refined synthetic procedures for the preparation of trans-porphyrins. 3. Adapted from : In the present paper, we focus on laser wake field acceleration in a new, highly non-linear regime. It occurs for laser pulses shorter than λ(p) but for relativistic intensities high enough to break the plasma wave after the first oscillation. In the present relativistic regime, one should notice that the plama wave fronts are curved and first break new the wave axis and for lower values than the plane-wave limit. This has been studied in 2D geometry in [14-17]. Here, we present 3D PIC simulations of two representative cases. The case (I) is just marginally above and the case (II) is far above the breaking threshold. [bg_faq_start] Good gap and fill signaling phrases are italicized.
1. “The factors that promote the scrambling process in MacDonald-type 2 + 2 condensations ….” “ a study of a wide range of reaction conditions for the 2 + 2 condensation that has led to refined synthetic procedures for the preparation of trans-porphyrins.”
2. This question is a little trickier! The authors use “In the present paper…,” then, “In the present regime…,” and finally, “Here…,” all of which sound like signaling words for filling the gap. But where is the gap? We have to look closely at what exactly is being said. It is true that the first statement appears to be somewhat of a gap fill, although they haven’t yet given us a gap statement. The authors go on to say “This has been studied in 2D geometry,” which brings us back to move 1(iii), identifying critical evidence from the literature. Thus, the is not explicit. It is a combination of stating that this concept has been studied in 2D, followed by announcement that the authors will study it in 3D. Although the first sentence (“… we focus on laser wake field acceleration…”) could also be considered part of the fill, because it comes before the gap statement and is also less descriptive, it functions more as an introduction to these moves.
3. According to the national monitoring program in Portugal, G. catenatum along the Portuguese coast during the 10-year period from 1995 to 2005.” to fully characterize the toxin profile of G. catenatum strains isolated from the NW Portuguese coast before and after the 10-year absence of blooms to
[bg_faq_end] |
[bg_faq_start] Find 3-4 primary research articles (not reviews) from reputable journals in your field. Underline the gap statement and circle the gap fill. Remember that not all papers follow this exact move structure, so if you can’t seem to find either of these moves, you might have to look carefully at different parts of the introduction and ask yourself: [bg_faq_end] |
What is a research gap.
A research gap is a question or a problem that has not been answered by any of the existing studies or research within your field. Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn't been studied at all. Sometimes you'll find a research gap if all the existing research is outdated and in need of new/updated research (studies on Internet use in 2001, for example). Or, perhaps a specific population has not been well studied (perhaps there are plenty of studies on teenagers and video games, but not enough studies on toddlers and video games, for example). These are just a few examples, but any research gap you find is an area where more studies and more research need to be conducted. Please view this video clip from our Sage Research Methods database for more helpful information: How Do You Identify Gaps in Literature?
It will take a lot of research and reading. You'll need to be very familiar with all the studies that have already been done, and what those studies contributed to the overall body of knowledge about that topic. Make a list of any questions you have about your topic and then do some research to see if those questions have already been answered satisfactorily. If they haven't, perhaps you've discovered a gap! Here are some strategies you can use to make the most of your time:
Please give these suggestions a try and contact a librarian for additional assistance.
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Do you want to contribute original research and make an impact in your field? If so, it's important to look for research gaps, or areas of study that are either under-researched or currently unexplored. In this article, we'll explain in detail the best way to identify a research gap—by performing a comprehensive literature review—so you can dive deep into your research topic and analyze articles critically and effectively. For more tips and tricks on identifying potential research gaps and how to proceed when you find one, read on.
Tip: Look for both quantitative and qualitative research, if applicable to your field. This will give you a broader overview of the current research.
Tip: Conducting a literature review is often a very time-consuming task. However, it’s also an essential part of identifying a research gap. Additionally, you can use the notes you take during your literature review when it comes time to write your article, thesis, or dissertation.
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If you have an upcoming dissertation, thesis, or research project, it is crucial to find an appropriate research gap as one of your initial and significant steps. This article will provide you with a simple technique for discovering high-quality and unique research gaps in a time-effective manner. Because finding a relevant research gap first is one of the best thesis writing tips to give in the beginning!
To begin, let’s establish what we mean by the term “research gap” so that we are all on the same page. The expression is often used loosely by both students and academics. Essentially, a research gap is a space where there is a deficiency of reliable and widely accepted research on a particular topic, issue, or occurrence. This implies that there is an absence of established knowledge and, as a result, further investigation is required.
The fundamental idea is that a research gap indicates an absence of well-established understanding concerning a particular subject. With this absence, there is a chance for researchers like yourself to step in and bridge the gap.
Is it the same as a research topic ? Not entirely, they are related though. A research gap pertains to an area where there is still no conclusive research whereas a research topic identifies the focus of a particular study. Though separate in concept, they are connected because research gaps are the starting point of research topics. Hence, by determining a clear research gap, one can establish the foundation from which a research topic for a particular study can be formed. While a single study may not completely resolve the entire research gap, it can contribute to it.
In order to discover potential research topics , it is essential to understand what a research gap is and how to find it. It is important to note that there are various ways to find a research gap, and this is just one of them. Although it may not be the best method, it is a relatively quick way to identify opportunities.
The first step is to choose a general area of interest. It is unnecessary to be very specific at this stage, but it is vital to ensure that the university approves of the chosen area. Many students make the mistake of exploring a topic without checking if it meets the required criteria.
In order to begin your research on a particular area of interest, the second step is to conduct a preliminary search of academic literature using Google Scholar. This tool enables you to search for academic materials on a wide range of topics by utilizing Google’s advanced search capabilities. Although it’s not the definitive search tool, it is a good starting point. When you enter Google Scholar, you should use relevant keywords that are specific to your area of interest. Try experimenting with different keywords to see which ones yield the most relevant results. Once you conduct initial searches, you will need to refine the results by choosing the most recent papers from the filtering options in the top left of the screen.
It is generally a good idea to limit your search results to the last few years, particularly if you are researching a rapidly-evolving topic. However, there may be instances where your search needs to be more inclusive.
After conducting multiple searches with varying keywords and phrases, you should skim through the results to determine which articles are most relevant and interesting to you. At this point, you may solely observe the titles and abstracts without delving into the actual content. From there, choose around 5 to 10 articles that pique your interest and access them.
In Step 4, you should begin reading your selected articles. You do not need to read them in their entirety, but instead focus on certain sections such as the abstract, introduction, and discussion or conclusion. These sections will provide you with a general understanding of the study’s context, research aims, and findings. Skimming through these sections for each article on your list should not take long and will save you from going into excessive detail.
Step 5 involves searching for specific phrases known as FRIN (further research is needed) in the articles on your shortlist. The FRIN section is where researchers explain what other researchers can do to build on their study or research area. It provides fresh opportunities for novel research and is usually found towards the end of the article. While it doesn’t provide a complete list of research gaps, it highlights avenues worth exploring and helps shortcut the gap-hunting process. Examples of FRIN phrases include future research, research opportunities, and research directions.
To find interesting research gaps, use the FRIN-seeking process on your shortlisted articles. Be prepared to read through a large number of articles and allow your area of interest to shift naturally. Once you have shortlisted potential research gaps, double-check Google Scholar to ensure that no fresh studies have recently addressed the gap. However, even if someone has already addressed the gap, there could still be a unique angle that you could explore. It is important to determine your university’s specific requirements for originality, which may differ based on the level of study. You can get a clear understanding of your university’s expectations by reviewing past dissertations and theses for your specific programme, which are available in the university library or by asking the faculty.
Once you have identified several possible research gaps and topics that interest you, it is necessary to carefully assess them to determine the best option. This evaluation process requires consideration of various factors such as the originality and potential value of the topic, the accessibility of necessary data, potential costs associated with data collection and analysis, time constraints, and the availability of a supportive supervisor.
The post covers a lot of information. Here are the main points:
Boosting your early scientific impact metrics.
Confused about this ‘gap’ in the literature that you are meant to find? This post is by Associate Professor Martin Davies ; Principal Fellow in Higher Education in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education and a Senior Learning Advisor working with HDRs and staff at Federation University. He has written six books, including Study Skills for International Postgraduate Students(2011) and (with Ronald Barnett) Palgrave Handbook of Critical Thinking in Higher Education(2015). He completed double doctorates in Philosophy in 2002 and 1996. You can find out more about Martin on his website . You can read a review of one of Martin’s books here or read a previous post on doing a second PhD
What distinguishes a PhD from an airport novel, a corporate annual report, a parliamentary submission, a comic, or a racy Mills and Boon romance novel? They are all writing genres, but they are all very different. The defining requirement of a PhD is finding, articulating, and filling a research gap (hereafter, The Gap). Without this, the purported thesis is a mere collection of words discussing a topic. And this is never enough for a PhD.
But how does The Gap fit into your overall thesis? What is its job? How does it relate to the thesis outline, the introduction, body and other key thesis components? Importantly, how do you find one? These questions are seldom answered to the satisfaction of newbie PhD students.
Finding, articulating and filling “The Gap” is critical to thesis writing and marks it as a distinct writing genre. You can get to The Gap by thinking of the process as a series of narrowing “conversations”:
All this can be viewed as an increasingly narrowing triangle moving from the general topic to the specific issue, thence to The Gap, as illustrated in the diagram below:
A common question might be how “The Gap” relates to the Literature Review of the thesis. Your literature review has to be effectively in two parts:
Here’s a good example of the “Gap” in context. The gap is highlighted in bold and is followed by the thesis outline sentence and the thesis statement sentence (these appear in reverse order):
Prior research draws on the diffusion of innovation framework to explain organizations’ innovation and innovation-related behaviour (see for instance, Rogers, 1983; 1995). This framework has received widespread validation using different types of innovations, and is referred to as the traditional framework of innovation diffusion (Gallivan, 2001). Attewell (1992) and Gallivan (2001) criticize the diffusion of innovation theory, arguing that it does not explain the pattern of the actual use of complex technology. This is because the main focus of this traditional framework is on factors which lead to the adoption of IT. Moreover, Attewell (1992) emphasizes the role of organizational learning and knowledge discovery to successfully implement and use complex technology. A few studies have recently begun to incorporate Attewell’s suggestion to investigate IT assimilation as an organizational learning process (see, for instance, Fichman and Kemerer 1997; Boynton et al. 1994; Armstrong and Sambamurthy 1999). These studies draw mainly on Absorptive Capacity Theory.However, there are three main problems with these studies(1)They fail to meet oneof the main conditions of the absorptive capacity theory, that is the intensity of effort(2)They use a static perspective on organizational knowledge. Such an approach is criticized in the knowledge management literature (Nonaka 1994; Cook and Brown 1999). (3)They provide inconclusive evidence about the role of the top management team on IT assimilation. (OUTLINE) These three problems will be discussed in detail in the next section.This study will overcome these problems by explicitly considering knowledge creation mechanisms. It will be argued that knowledge creation mechanisms will allow for a real test of the absorptive capacity theory. These mechanisms will enable the dynamic process of organizational knowledge to be captured, and to clarify the role of the top management team in the organizational IT assimilation journey. (THESIS STATEMENT) The remainder of this thesis is organized as follows. Section two discusses the motivation for the study. Section three discusses the theory development and research model. Section four develops the hypotheses. Section five describes the research method, sample, operationalisation of the constructs and measurement of the variables, and data analysis strategy.
Naturally, the hardest part of thesis writing is finding The Gap. It can take years! Fortunately, some tricks and techniques can help.
One is the Tracing a Path technique . On a piece of A3 paper draw a series of boxes. Each box contains name(s) from the scholarly literature, e.g., Jones and Harris (2013); Jamerson (2012); Fredrickson (1999), and so on. Once you are done draw a considered red line through the boxes, as in the image below:
If your considered red line goes through the middle of one of the boxes, you are heavily drawing on that literature for your thesis. If it scrapes the edge of a box you are marginally focussing on it. If it bypasses a box entirely it is not central to your interests. Then group the literature. Discard the literature that is not relevant to what you are doing. Now work backwards to find what The Gaps are in the literature you have assembled. Choose one that is academically interesting. Repeat as often as required, and as your reading becomes more focussed.
Another approach is the Venn Diagram technique . Plot your interests as a series of concentric intersecting circles as show below. The circles ideally represent narrowly-focussed areas of study (not broad fields like “Education”). Keep doing this until you know where you project intersects with the literature on the various areas indicated by each circle. Use as many circles as you need. (I owe these examples to Natalie Bowker from Massey University.) You should be able to put a cross where you are working, and this will form the major literature for your thesis, and the focus for your Gap-finding activities. See the diagram below:
Another technique is the Page 98 Paper technique (so described as it is on this page of Rowena Murray’s 2002 book: How to Write a Thesis ). The idea here to write a cryptic one-pager encompassing all of the following elements
The Gap is [8] of course, but this can’t be understood independently of surrounding context. The strategy of the Page 98 Paper is that colleagues, supervisors and significant others are more likely to read a thesis in miniature than a weighty chuck of a chapter. But it is also useful for Gap-finding as it forces you to find one.
The Table of Contents Technique requires a bit of positive imagery. (It’s best tried with a glass of your favourite tipple.)
Imagine a few years from now when your thesis is done and dusted. (You can be early in the first year of your candidature for this technique to work as long as you have done a bit of reading.) Now imagine your thesis has been through the examination process. You did well. The reports are outstanding. Now, imagine how the Table of Contents looks on this fine piece of work. Write it down just as you imagine it complete with major parts, sections and sub-sections (include sub-sub-sections if you like—within reason).
Now work backwards and establish where The Gap is amongst all the assembled headings and sub-headings in this highly structured masterpiece of scholarship. There must be one or it would not hang together! Do this as often as required, and at minimum every six months or so while you are writing your thesis. (I established my final Table of Contents on the island of Crete whilst on a doctoral travelling junket. I took a dip in the Med just to celebrate.)
Variation : Write down all your headings and sub-headings on small cards. Shuffle the cards. Now, put the cards in a natural order as though you were explaining their arrangement to an uninformed friend. What’s The Gap you are filling? Again, there must be one for this order to make sense.
Thanks for your hard won insights Martin (there’s not many people with two PhDs – for good reason!). How about you – was the process of finding the Gap confusing? Does it still elude you? Interested to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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How to become a literature searching Ninja
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The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.
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1. The Classic Literature Gap. First up is the classic literature gap. This type of research gap emerges when there's a new concept or phenomenon that hasn't been studied much, or at all. For example, when a social media platform is launched, there's an opportunity to explore its impacts on users, how it could be leveraged for marketing, its impact on society, and so on.
Here are some examples of research gaps that researchers might identify: Theoretical Gap Example: In the field of psychology, there might be a theoretical gap related to the lack of understanding of the relationship between social media use and mental health. Although there is existing research on the topic, there might be a lack of consensus ...
Step 1: Identify your broad area of interest. The very first step to finding a research gap is to decide on your general area of interest. For example, if you were undertaking a dissertation as part of an MBA degree, you may decide that you're interested in corporate reputation, HR strategy, or leadership styles.
Often research gaps in a thesis are confused with research questions and problem statements. However, there are fundamental differences in these concepts. The sole purpose of a research gap is to summarise problems with outdated or primitive studies. It is a part of the thesis introduction chapter and can range from 200 to 1000 words in length.
Learn what a research gap is, the different types of research gaps (including examples), and how to find a research gap for your dissertation, thesis or rese...
How to Identify a Research Gap. If you've been tasked with producing a thesis or dissertation, one of your first steps will be identifying a research gap. Although finding a research gap may sound daunting, don't fret! In this post, we will define a research gap, discuss its importance, and offer a step-by-step guide that will provide you with the essential know-how to complete this ...
It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic. There are five key steps to writing a literature review: Search for relevant literature; Evaluate sources; Identify themes, debates, and gaps
These are gaps in the conceptual framework or theoretical understanding of a subject. For example, there may be a need for more research to understand the relationship between two concepts or to refine a theoretical framework. 3. Methodological gaps. These are gaps in the methods used to study a particular subject.
Though there is no well-defined process to find a gap in existing knowledge, your curiosity, creativity, imagination, and judgment can help you identify it. Here are 6 tips to identify research gaps: 1. Look for inspiration in published literature. Read books and articles on the topics that you like the most.
Framework for literature reviewing (vom Brocke et al. 2009, p. 8) Thus, identifying research gaps forms part of the last step (phase V) of von Brocke et al.'s framework. It is important to note that the process of identifying research gaps is different from the process of literature analysis and synthesis (phase IV).
Your Master's thesis should make a significant, novel contribution to the field. Your thesis hypothesis should address a research gap which you identify in the literature, a research question or problem that has not been answered in your research area of interest.This shows that you have developed expertise in the body of knowledge and theoretical issues in your chosen research area.
Of the 139 studies, 91 (65%) aimed to identify gaps, 22 (16%) determine research priorities and 26 (19%) on both identifying gaps and determining research priorities. A total of 13 different ...
Finding a research gap is not an easy process and there is no one linear path. These tips and suggestions are just examples of possible ways to begin. In Ph.D. dissertations, students identify a gap in research. In other programs, students identify a gap in practice. The literature review for a gap in practice will show the context of the ...
The disagreement research gap; The contextual research gap (most popular among thesis writers!) The methodological research gap 1. The classical research gap. This research gap occurs when there is a new concept or phenomenon that has not been extensively studied or not at all.
First is the literature review, or summary of existing literature. These are short summaries of the 40 papers you have researched and descriptions of their key points. Second, you might want to have a section called research questions or research issues. This can take the form of statements like, "existing literature does not appropriately ...
What is a 'gap in the literature'? The gap, also considered the missing piece or pieces in the research literature, is the area that has not yet been explored or is under-explored. This could be a population or sample (size, type, location, etc.), research method, data collection and/or analysis, or other research variables or conditions.
Some phrases you can use to indicate your gap "fill:". "We therefore analyzed…". "In this study, we investigated…". "Therefore, the goals of this study are…". "In this paper, we report…". Remember-always keep your voice professional! Colloquial phrases such as "we looked into" or "we checked if" should be ...
A research gap is a question or a problem that has not been answered by any of the existing studies or research within your field. Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn't been studied at all. Sometimes you'll find a research gap if all the existing research is outdated and in need of new/updated research ...
For instance, you might make a research gap table in a spreadsheet. Create 3 columns and label them "Author," "Year," and "Summary." For each article, list the authors, year of publication, and a bullet point summary of the article contents. Similarly, you may make a Venn diagram to compare 1 or more articles.
Answer: Before writing about gaps in research, you first need to identify them. Identifying research gaps is often the starting point of research. You identify potential research gaps by going through existing literature in the area you are studying. From the various gaps you identify, you decide to explore one in greater detail in your research.
If you have an upcoming dissertation, thesis, or research project, it is crucial to find an appropriate research gap as one of your initial and significant steps. This article will provide you with a simple technique for discovering high-quality and unique research gaps in a time-effective manner.
The research question/hypothesis/aim asks something to address The Gap in the conversation; The thesis statement is your proposed answer to this question posed to address The Gap in the conversation (or tentativeanswer if you are at Research Proposal stage). To this we can add a ThesisOutline: a courtesy statement or statements to the reader of ...
Research Gap: is the An Issue, a problem that needs to be discuss, examine or investigate to find the solution or a . ... proposed research project, thesis, or dissertation.