Research gap

How it is used

Identifying a research gap is a standard step at the end of a literature review and in the introduction of an article. Writers identify, address or fill a gap, and reviewers often ask what the gap is and why it matters.

Example sentences

1. Few studies have examined adult learners, and our project addresses this research gap.

2. The reviewer was not convinced that there is a real research gap here.

Common collocations

• identify a research gap
• address a research gap
• fill a gap
• a gap in the literature

Related terms

• literature reviewA critical summary of what has already been published on a topic, showing the main ideas, debates and gaps that a new study responds to.
• literatureThe body of published research and writing on a particular subject; in academic use it does not mean novels and poetry.
• research questionA clear, focused question that a study is designed to answer; it guides the choice of methods, data and analysis.
• research proposalA document that describes a planned study, including its aims, research questions, background, methods, timeline and expected contribution.

More terms: Literature Review

• theoretical framework
• seminal
• synthesize
• draw on
• build on
• primary source
• secondary source
• systematic review
• database
• meta-analysis
• body of literature
• consensus