Do you know what the first step to conducting great research is? Yes, it is identifying an area in your field of study which is still unexplored. In simple words, it is finding a research gap in your subject area. When you select a topic for your research project which is untapped, you improve your chances of success in it and get it published in a top journal. However, the big question is how to identify a research gap for your research project. From your presence in this article, it is not difficult to guess that you do not know about this. So, in today’s post, we will unpack the ways using which you can find a gap. Before that, let’s define the term gap.
What does it mean by a research gap?
The research gap, or simply a gap, is an unexplored research topic or subject area in a particular field. There needs to be further work done on that topic. Thus, it is a key problem that no researcher has answered before. A research gap exists in a field when there is a new development in that field, or there has been an inclusion of a new idea. Hence, this is what it means by a gap in a research field.
How to identify a research gap?
After reading the information above, you now have a good idea of what this gap is. Now, let’s turn to the main topic of our today’s discussion, i.e., the identification of gaps for your research project. Numerous researchers have their own pieces of advice on this topic. Here, we will discuss the top 6 ways you can use to identify a research gap. Hence, a brief description of those 6 ways is as follows:
1. Read the published literature
The first and most widely used method for the identification of research gaps is going through the published literature in your field. Doing this exposes you to the research work already done in your field of study. This will allow you to go deep into your field and ask questions, which ultimately leads to the identification of a research gap. Hence, collect the relevant literature and go through it.
2. Check the influential journals
The top international journals sometimes have a section called “key concepts.” It is a section where the experts in a field mention the top ideas that have been explored. Going through this section and having an idea of the top ideas can help you a lot in gaining a lot of insights into the research area. Moreover, you can aslo look through the references section of a selected paper to get more insights into the field.
3. Use digital tools
Digital tools can be of great help when you are looking for a research gap in a research field. How? Digital tools help you in finding the most cited research articles and papers in your field. There are some tools online that also tell you about emerging research topics in your research field. An example of such a digital tool is the Essential Science Indicator. Hence, make use of the tools as much as possible.
4. Discuss with your supervisor
A research supervisor serves the role of a guide. He helps the students when they are in desperate need. So, if you are also a student, who needs help in finding a research gap, contact your supervisor and discuss the situation with him. Such a discussion will generate healthy ideas and let you know the research gaps. However, if your supervisor is not willing to discuss this, visit a research proposal help online and discuss it with the professional writers.
5. Read review articles in your field
The next way to find a gap in your field of study is by reading the review articles. Review articles are articles that different researchers write to highlight the key findings and ideas in a research field. The researchers discuss the ideas and theories that have been developed until now in such articles. Going through such articles leaves you with plenty of ideas and gaps to think about and research.
6. Read the “Recommendation for future research.”
Many research studies that could not be completed due to certain studies have a section named “recommendations for future research.” This section basically tells about the research gap and the research area that can be explored further. Hence, as the writer and researcher, you must go through this section and note down the ideas that come to your mind.
Conclusion
Finding a research gap is crucial to conduct a successful research study. The journals and audience both do not appreciate research studies that are done on topics that do not add value to the literature. Therefore, utilise all the 6 ways discussed above and find the gap. Do not forget to ask for your supervisor’s help.
