A research gap refers to a research question or area that has not been sufficiently addressed or answered in previous studies. It is an area where further research is needed to advance the current knowledge and understanding of a particular topic.
Identifying research gaps in the literature review is important as it helps establish a study’s relevance and significance and can lead to the development of new research questions and hypotheses.
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1. WHAT IS A RESEARCH GAP? IS THERE A GOOD
OR POOR RESEARCH GAP?
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations, Phdassistance
Group www.phdassistance.com
Email: info@phdassistance.com
2. Introduction
• A research gap refers to a research question or area that has not been sufficiently addressed or
answered in previous studies.
• It is an area where further research is needed to advance the current knowledge and understanding of a
particular topic.
• Identifying research gaps in the literature review is important as it helps establish a study's relevance and
significance and can lead to the development of new research questions and hypotheses.
3. • A good research gap is a specific area of knowledge or a problem that has not been adequately
addressed or explored in the existing literature. Here are 10 points that are typically considered
mandatory in a good research gap:
Good research gap
• Relevance: The quantitative research gap example should be relevant to the field of study and have
practical significance.
• Novelty: It should identify a new, unexplored area of research or a new angle for examining an
existing research topic.
• Significance: The gap should be significant enough to warrant further investigation and have the
potential to contribute to the existing body of knowledge.
4.
5. • Feasibility: The research question should be feasible and realistic, taking into account factors
such as time, resources, and available data.
• Clarity: The gap should be clearly defined, not too broad or too narrow.
• Specificity: The gap should be specific enough to allow for targeted research.
• Timeliness: The research question should be relevant to current issues or concerns in the field.
6. • Originality: The gap should be original and not simply a replication of previous research.
• Researchable: The gap should be researchable, meaning that data can be collected and
analyzed to answer the research question.
• Importance: The research gap should be important enough to justify the time and resources
required to conduct the research.
7. • "Poor research gap" refers to a situation where
there is either no research gap identified in the
existing literature or the identified research gap is
not significant enough to contribute to the field of
study.
• It means that the proposed research would not
add any value to the existing knowledge base or
research in the field.
Poor research gap
8.
9. • Here are some examples of poor research gaps:
• "There is a lack of research on the effects of social media."
This research gap is too broad and does not identify a specific research question or problem. It does not
provide any direction for the research.
• "No one has looked at this specific topic before."
This research gap is not valid as it is unlikely that no one has ever looked at the topic before. It is also too
broad and does not provide any direction for the research.
• "The literature review is inconclusive."
This research gap does not identify a specific problem or research question. It also does not provide any
direction for the research.
10. • "There is no research on this topic in my country."
This research gap is too narrow and does not consider research conducted in other countries. It also does
not provide any direction for the research.
• "The existing research is outdated."
This research gap does not identify a specific problem or research question. It also does not provide any
direction for the research.
Check out our sample PhD Gap identification examplesto see how PhD Gap identification is obtained.
11. • Tools to Assist with Your Research Gap
• Staying updated on the latest literature can be overwhelming due to the thousands of new articles
published daily. Utilizing technology like PubCrawler, Feedly, Google Scholar, and PubMed updates can
help keep you updated.
• Social media platforms like Twitter and reference managers like Mendeley can also help organize your
references. Identifying the research gap in the dissertationrequires a thorough literature review, but it's
important to set boundaries and not read every paper on a topic.
• Finding a paper you had intended to write is possible, but don't give up. Keep reading, and you'll find
what you're looking for.
• Identifying research gaps requires an extensive literature review, but don't give up and keep reading to
find what you're looking for.
• Check out our study guide to learn more about Identifying Research Gaps to Pursue Innovative
Research.
12. PhD Assistance
• At PhD Assistance, we discover research gaps not only by a broad
examination of current published literature but also through a detailed study
of the material by categorizing it into geographical origin settings and multi-
component-based research.
• This segregation identifies the disparity not only in the idea but also in the
demographic components of the study. This well-rounded strategy results in
a more defined and concentrated research field, which adds much-needed
innovation to an academic research study.
