A clearly defined research gap plays a critical role in the paper review process. Without it, the likelihood of your paper being rejected increases significantly.
Hereās why clearly presenting a research gap is so essential:
Reviewers place great value on the novelty of a paper. Clearly identifying the research gap helps authors emphasize the originality of their work.
Even if researchers are passionate about their topic and confident in the significance of their study, they must explicitly present this novelty in the introduction of the paper.
If the research gap is not clearly presented, the risk of rejection increases.
In one real-life example, a presenter submitted a paper to one of the top journals in their field. While the paper wasnāt outright rejected, both reviewers pointed out that the author failed to demonstrate the novelty of the topic, which became a major issue. This highlights a common mistake: failing to properly define the research gap can undermine an otherwise promising paper.
Clearly presenting a research gap is also crucial for increasing the chances of publication. Especially before stating your research aim, you must first define the gap your research will fill.
If done correctly, the likelihood of being published in top-tier journals increases significantly.
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A research gap is like a passionate argument that convinces reviewers your study fills a new and necessary space in existing literature.
If this argument (the research gap) is not clearly presented, no matter how excellent the study may be, reviewers may fail to see a valid reason (novelty) for why the research deserves to be published.
How can you identify and present a research gap effectively?
Letās explore four major types with practical examples.
This type is used when there is a lack of sufficient research on a specific topic.
Description: This refers to the overall lack of studies on a specific aspect, region, location, population, group, or substance. It emphasizes that the topic has not been adequately studied.
Example (Field): A paper in the field of functional foods.
Example (Gap): The study shows that research on specific aspectsāsuch as processing intensityāhas not yet been conducted. The researcher also explains what has been studied instead and why processing intensity, in particular, should be explored.
Useful Phrases: You can use phrases like āhas not yet been included.ā
This type of gap is used when a topic has been widely studied, yet remains unclear or poorly understood.
Description: Even with many studies, it may still be unclear how something actually works, the results may be inconsistent, or the findings may not clarify the situation. This type of research gap focuses on highlighting this lack of understanding.
Example (Field): A study related to weight management.
Example (Gap): Many previous researchers have conducted related studies, but the situation remains unclear. In such cases, papers often include phrases like:
āLittle is known about...ā
āIt is not clear whether...ā
āIt was generally not possible to...ā
These phrases are used to indicate uncertainty or lack of consensus.
Useful Phrases:
āLittle is knownā
āIt is not clearā
These can be used to present this type of research gap effectively.
This type of gap identifies inherent limitations in existing studies, thereby justifying the need for current research.
Description: Even well-designed studies have certain limitations. For example, some studies may use a very small sample size, which can limit how generalizable the findings are. Pointing out these limitations helps justify the necessity of your own study.
Example (Gap): Only four studies have been conducted on a specific topic, all of which were limited in scopeāfor instance, conducted only in specific regions (e.g., the U.S. or U.K.), were over 10 years old, or used a very small sample size. Highlighting such limitations supports the rationale for your research.
This type of research gap focuses on how the research can help solve a real-world issue, often addressing practical problems.
Description: This highlights that a current method or mechanism has issues or does not function as intended. Your study proposes a solution to that specific problem. This approach is highly suitable for applied or practical research topics.
Example (Field): Physics ā methods for beam production.
Example (Gap): The first method currently used is impractical, and the reason for this is explained. Another method yields low production, which poses difficulties. Since physicists need to produce beams effectively, this paper proposes a solution to that problem.
We hope this article has been a practical guide in helping you effectively identify and present research gaps.
We look forward to seeing more researchers strategically structure their papers and receive positive evaluations during the review process.
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