How do we find gaps in our knowledge?

Although this module is designed as a guideline for independent study, it also contains instruction for teachers on how to use this module in a classroom. It aims to:

  • Make students aware of what research field and a research gaps are;
  • Equip students with skills necessary for choosing a research gap adequately.

By definition, a research gap is part of research that is 'missing': it has not been discovered or studied yet. Every researcher has to find a research gap. In fact, the entire research project depends on the research gap, and whether it has been identified correctly and adequately. This module will guide you on how to find a proper research gap. By ‘proper’ we mean: (a) a gap that can be researched within the existing state of research, (b) a gap that fits best your research interests and abilities, (c) a gap that corresponds with your major or the course of studies. Depending on your research abilities, a research gap can be a gap in knowledge or a new methodology, but if you are a high school student, it can be also an intriguing question that merits inquiry.

Determining a research field and finding a research gap are the first steps in research design. These steps include:

  1. Identifying the field of research (where do we search for the gap?)
  2. Determining the research gap (what is the new topic that we will study?)
  3. Designing research questions (what will we check within the research gap?) 
  4. Choosing the research method (how shall we learn it?) 

In theory, a research gap is a question that no one has ever answered. From this perspective finding your own research gap seems to be quite a challenge. In practice, however, a research gap can be conundrums or puzzles that should be investigated further. For instance, studying something that has been already studied but from a new perspective (in a new timeframe, or on a new group of people). At the same time, if something has already been extensively studied or is well known, looking for a research gap might be pointless. A research gap is thus between the two poles: the things known and already studied, and what is unknown and not studied yet. The table below illustrates such a research gap.

Known and already studied

Examples of research gaps

Unknown and not studied yet

Personality types

(Many typologies have been already developed – e.g. PEN, MBTI, the Big 5 etc.)

Personality types in attitudes towards vaccination against Sars-Cov-2

(People differ in terms of their attitudes to vaccination. Maybe these differences can be attributed to personality types)

 

Personality types of waiters

(Waiters have to engage in personal contact with their clients. Maybe people who work as waiters have certain personality traits)

Non-existent personality type

(Such type does not exist, so you cannot study it)

Reasons for structural unemployment

(It is already a well-described phenomenon)

Reasons for structural unemployment in Braunschweig

(The city can be a case study for research on structural unemployment)

 

Reasons of structural unemployment among graduates of arts and humanities

(One could analyse whether and why are the graduates of such studies more prone to structural unemployment)

Causes of structural unemployment of children

(children do not work – at least they should not – so there is no structural unemployment)

Impact on social media on alienation of youth

(Many studies have already been conducted on this issue)

Impact of social media on building relationships by students in my class

(The class can become a case study)

 

Role of age in social media use

(It seems that older people use social media in a different way than young people – one could study these differences)

Impact of social media on the wellbeing of my aunt

(While no one has studied this topic, the research results would not bring anything significant to science)

From the above examples, one can learn the following:

  • A research gap should offer new insights into the existing knowledge while building on what has already been discovered and studied.
  • There is more than one research gap within a selected research field (as you can see, there are two examples in every case presented above). In fact, research gaps are infinite. They are also not static: new dimensions and topics can be added to the existing body of knowledge and advance it further.
  • The research gap can be explorative (how is it?) or explanatory (why is it this way?).
  • Filling in the research gap should contribute to the advance of science – broadly speaking – but it can also contribute to your understanding of the surrounding world.

The above examples referred to research fields that are already defined (personality types, unemployment, social media). However, one should start the search for a research gap by an investigation of an appropriate research field as the picture below illustrates.

We will start with setting the research field and then we will move on to the research gap.

Information for the teacher

The module is designed as a self-study for students looking for a research gap. It provides guidelines on how to find an optimal research gap. The examples used in the module are relatively simple, in part aiming to highlight challenges related to finding a research gap, while also providing a roadmap to help students find individual research gaps that can be researched and are interesting.