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The Research Gap (Literature Gap)

I f you’re just starting out in research, chances are you’ve heard about the elusive research gap (also called a literature gap). In this post, we’ll explore the tricky topic of research gaps. We’ll explain what a research gap is, look at the four most common types of research gaps, and unpack how you can go about finding a suitable research gap for your dissertation, thesis or research project.

Overview: Research Gap 101

• What is a research gap
• Four common types of research gaps
• Practical examples
• How to find research gaps
• Recap & key takeaways

What (exactly) is a research gap?

Well, at the simplest level, a research gap is essentially an unanswered question or unresolved problem in a field, which reflects a lack of existing research in that space. Alternatively, a research gap can also exist when there’s already a fair deal of existing research, but where the findings of the studies pull in different directions , making it difficult to draw firm conclusions.

For example, let’s say your research aims to identify the cause (or causes) of a particular disease. Upon reviewing the literature, you may find that there’s a body of research that points toward cigarette smoking as a key factor – but at the same time, a large body of research that finds no link between smoking and the disease. In that case, you may have something of a research gap that warrants further investigation.

Now that we’ve defined what a research gap is – an unanswered question or unresolved problem – let’s look at a few different types of research gaps.

Types of research gaps

While there are many different types of research gaps, the four most common ones we encounter when helping students at Grad Coach are as follows:

• The classic literature gap
• The disagreement gap
• The contextual gap, and
• The methodological gap

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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. The same applies for new technologies, new modes of communication, transportation, etc.

Classic literature gaps can present exciting research opportunities , but a drawback you need to be aware of is that with this type of research gap, you’ll be exploring completely new territory . This means you’ll have to draw on adjacent literature (that is, research in adjacent fields) to build your literature review, as there naturally won’t be very many existing studies that directly relate to the topic. While this is manageable, it can be challenging for first-time researchers, so be careful not to bite off more than you can chew.

2. The Disagreement Gap

As the name suggests, the disagreement gap emerges when there are contrasting or contradictory findings in the existing research regarding a specific research question (or set of questions). The hypothetical example we looked at earlier regarding the causes of a disease reflects a disagreement gap.

Importantly, for this type of research gap, there needs to be a relatively balanced set of opposing findings . In other words, a situation where 95% of studies find one result and 5% find the opposite result wouldn’t quite constitute a disagreement in the literature. Of course, it’s hard to quantify exactly how much weight to give to each study, but you’ll need to at least show that the opposing findings aren’t simply a corner-case anomaly .

3. The Contextual Gap

The third type of research gap is the contextual gap. Simply put, a contextual gap exists when there’s already a decent body of existing research on a particular topic, but an absence of research in specific contexts .

For example, there could be a lack of research on:

• A specific population – perhaps a certain age group, gender or ethnicity
• A geographic area – for example, a city, country or region
• A certain time period – perhaps the bulk of the studies took place many years or even decades ago and the landscape has changed.

The contextual gap is a popular option for dissertations and theses, especially for first-time researchers, as it allows you to develop your research on a solid foundation of existing literature and potentially even use existing survey measures.

Importantly, if you’re gonna go this route, you need to ensure that there’s a plausible reason why you’d expect potential differences in the specific context you choose. If there’s no reason to expect different results between existing and new contexts, the research gap wouldn’t be well justified. So, make sure that you can clearly articulate why your chosen context is “different” from existing studies and why that might reasonably result in different findings.

4. The Methodological Gap

Last but not least, we have the methodological gap. As the name suggests, this type of research gap emerges as a result of the research methodology or design of existing studies. With this approach, you’d argue that the methodology of existing studies is lacking in some way , or that they’re missing a certain perspective.

For example, you might argue that the bulk of the existing research has taken a quantitative approach, and therefore there is a lack of rich insight and texture that a qualitative study could provide. Similarly, you might argue that existing studies have primarily taken a cross-sectional approach , and as a result, have only provided a snapshot view of the situation – whereas a longitudinal approach could help uncover how constructs or variables have evolved over time.

Practical Examples

Let’s take a look at some practical examples so that you can see how research gaps are typically expressed in written form. Keep in mind that these are just examples – not actual current gaps (we’ll show you how to find these a little later!).

Context: Healthcare

Despite extensive research on diabetes management, there’s a research gap in terms of understanding the effectiveness of digital health interventions in rural populations (compared to urban ones) within Eastern Europe.

Context: Environmental Science

While a wealth of research exists regarding plastic pollution in oceans, there is significantly less understanding of microplastic accumulation in freshwater ecosystems like rivers and lakes, particularly within Southern Africa.

Context: Education

While empirical research surrounding online learning has grown over the past five years, there remains a lack of comprehensive studies regarding the effectiveness of online learning for students with special educational needs.

As you can see in each of these examples, the author begins by clearly acknowledging the existing research and then proceeds to explain where the current area of lack (i.e., the research gap) exists.

How To Find A Research Gap

Now that you’ve got a clearer picture of the different types of research gaps, the next question is of course, “how do you find these research gaps?” .

Well, we cover the process of how to find original, high-value research gaps in a separate post . But, for now, I’ll share a basic two-step strategy here to help you find potential research gaps.

As a starting point, you should find as many literature reviews, systematic reviews and meta-analyses as you can, covering your area of interest. Additionally, you should dig into the most recent journal articles to wrap your head around the current state of knowledge. It’s also a good idea to look at recent dissertations and theses (especially doctoral-level ones). Dissertation databases such as ProQuest, EBSCO and Open Access are a goldmine for this sort of thing. Importantly, make sure that you’re looking at recent resources (ideally those published in the last year or two), or the gaps you find might have already been plugged by other researchers.

Once you’ve gathered a meaty collection of resources, the section that you really want to focus on is the one titled “ further research opportunities ” or “further research is needed”. In this section, the researchers will explicitly state where more studies are required – in other words, where potential research gaps may exist. You can also look at the “ limitations ” section of the studies, as this will often spur ideas for methodology-based research gaps.

By following this process, you’ll orient yourself with the current state of research , which will lay the foundation for you to identify potential research gaps. You can then start drawing up a shortlist of ideas and evaluating them as candidate topics . But remember, make sure you’re looking at recent articles – there’s no use going down a rabbit hole only to find that someone’s already filled the gap 🙂

Let’s Recap

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this post. Here are the key takeaways:

• A research gap is an unanswered question or unresolved problem in a field, which reflects a lack of existing research in that space.
• The four most common types of research gaps are the classic literature gap, the disagreement gap, the contextual gap and the methodological gap.
• To find potential research gaps, start by reviewing recent journal articles in your area of interest, paying particular attention to the FRIN section .

If you’re keen to learn more about research gaps and research topic ideation in general, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog . Alternatively, if you’re looking for 1-on-1 support with your dissertation, thesis or research project, be sure to check out our private coaching service .

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43 Comments

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it very good but what need to be clear with the concept is when di we use research gap before we conduct aresearch or after we finished it ,or are we propose it to be solved or studied or to show that we are unable to cover so that we let it to be studied by other researchers ?

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Doing research in PhD accounting, my research topic is: Business Environment and Small Business Performance: The Moderating Effect of Financial Literacy in Eastern Uganda. I am failing to focus the idea in the accounting areas. my supervisor tells me my research is more of in the business field. the literature i have surveyed has used financial literacy as an independent variable and not as a moderator. Kindly give me some guidance here. the core problem is that despite the various studies, small businesses continue to collapse in the region. my vision is that financial literacy is still one of the major challenges hence the need for this topic.

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Home » Research Gap – Types, Examples and How to Identify

Research Gap – Types, Examples and How to Identify

Table of Contents

A research gap is an essential concept in academic and scientific research, representing areas where existing knowledge is limited, contradictory, or absent. Identifying and addressing research gaps is critical for advancing knowledge, contributing new insights, and ensuring the relevance of research studies. This article provides an in-depth exploration of research gaps, their types, real-world examples, and methods for identifying them effectively.

Research Gap

A research gap refers to unexplored or underexplored areas within a research field, where questions remain unanswered, inconsistencies exist, or insufficient evidence is available. It signifies an opportunity for researchers to investigate and contribute new insights that address these deficiencies.

For instance, while there might be substantial research on the effects of exercise on physical health, a gap may exist regarding its impact on mental health among specific demographics, such as elderly populations.

Types of Research Gaps

Research gaps can be categorized based on the nature of the knowledge deficit. Below are the primary types:

1. Knowledge Gap

A knowledge gap occurs when there is insufficient or outdated information on a topic. This may arise in rapidly evolving fields or subjects that have not been extensively studied.

• Example : Limited research on the long-term environmental impact of biodegradable plastics.

2. Evidence Gap

This gap exists when research findings are inconclusive, contradictory, or lack sufficient empirical evidence to support claims.

• Example : Conflicting studies on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in reducing anxiety.

3. Methodological Gap

Methodological gaps occur when existing research uses inadequate or outdated methods, leaving room for new approaches to yield more reliable or comprehensive results.

• Example : Most studies on workplace productivity rely on self-reported surveys, but few use objective performance metrics.

4. Contextual Gap

This type of gap arises when research focuses on a general context but neglects specific settings, populations, or regions.

• Example : Extensive studies on e-learning effectiveness in urban areas but limited research on rural schools.

5. Theoretical Gap

A theoretical gap occurs when existing frameworks or theories fail to explain certain phenomena, or when no theory has been developed for a particular topic.

• Example : Lack of a unified theory explaining the psychological impact of social media use across different age groups.

6. Practical Gap

Practical gaps exist when research does not address real-world applications or fails to provide actionable recommendations.

• Example : Studies on renewable energy technologies often lack insights into cost-effective implementation strategies for small businesses.

7. Population Gap

This gap occurs when certain groups, such as minorities, children, or elderly populations, are underrepresented in research.

• Example : Limited studies on the effectiveness of digital health interventions for individuals with disabilities.

Examples of Research Gaps

Example 1: climate change.

• Knowledge Gap : Insufficient understanding of microplastic accumulation in polar ecosystems.
• Evidence Gap : Contradictory findings on the role of cloud seeding in mitigating global warming.

Example 2: Health Sciences

• Methodological Gap : Most studies on diabetes management rely on short-term data, with few examining long-term adherence to lifestyle changes.
• Contextual Gap : A lack of research on healthcare disparities in low-income countries.

Example 3: Education

• Practical Gap : Studies highlight the benefits of technology-enhanced learning but rarely address challenges such as accessibility and cost.
• Population Gap : Limited research on the impact of remote learning on neurodiverse students.

How to Identify Research Gaps

Identifying research gaps requires a systematic approach to reviewing existing literature, analyzing trends, and understanding the needs of the field. Below are the key steps:

Step 1: Conduct a Comprehensive Literature Review

Review existing research, focusing on:

• Published journal articles.
• Books and book chapters.
• Conference proceedings.
• Theses and dissertations.

Tools to Use :

• Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science.
• University library databases.

What to Look For :

• Areas with limited studies.
• Contradictory findings.
• Repeated conclusions suggesting opportunities for further research.

Step 2: Analyze Recent Systematic Reviews

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses often highlight research gaps by summarizing current knowledge and identifying areas needing further investigation.

Example : A meta-analysis on exercise and cognitive health may conclude that additional research is needed on specific age groups, such as children or elderly populations.

Step 3: Consult Field Experts

Engage with academics, practitioners, or professionals to identify pressing questions or challenges in the field. Experts often provide insights into practical or theoretical gaps not yet addressed in the literature.

Tip : Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to stay updated on ongoing discussions in your area of research.

Step 4: Evaluate Methodological Limitations

Examine the methodologies used in existing studies to identify weaknesses or opportunities for improvement.

Example : Many behavioral studies rely on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. A gap exists for research using objective measures or triangulated methods.

Step 5: Identify Trends and Emerging Topics

Stay informed about trends and emerging issues in your field through news articles, blogs, and industry reports. Emerging technologies, policies, or global challenges often create new research opportunities.

Example : The rise of AI in healthcare creates gaps related to ethical considerations, patient privacy, and long-term impact.

Step 6: Examine Underrepresented Populations or Contexts

Focus on populations, regions, or contexts that have received less attention in the literature.

Example : Most studies on remote work focus on developed countries, leaving a contextual gap in understanding its impact in developing economies.

Step 7: Use Citation Analysis

Examine highly cited papers to identify areas where researchers frequently call for further studies. The “limitations” or “future research” sections in articles often highlight research gaps.

Example : A study on social media marketing may conclude with recommendations for further exploration of its impact on small businesses versus large corporations.

Best Practices for Addressing Research Gaps

• Be Specific : Clearly define the gap you intend to address and explain its significance.
• Use Robust Methods : Select methodologies that improve upon previous studies and produce reliable results.
• Collaborate : Engage with multidisciplinary teams to explore gaps from different perspectives.
• Propose Practical Solutions : Where possible, offer actionable recommendations or applications for your findings.

Research gaps represent opportunities for innovation and advancement in any field. By identifying and addressing these gaps, researchers contribute new knowledge, solve pressing problems, and influence practice or policy. Whether through comprehensive literature reviews, expert consultations, or analyzing emerging trends, a systematic approach to finding research gaps ensures the relevance and impact of scholarly work.

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . Sage Publications.
• Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, B. T. (2021). The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success (4th ed.). Corwin Press.
• Booth, A., Sutton, A., & Papaioannou, D. (2016). Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review (2nd ed.). Sage.
• Cooper, H. (2016). Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis: A Step-by-Step Approach (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
• Ridley, D. (2012). The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . Sage Publications.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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