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Research Gap – Types, Examples and How to Identify

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Research Gap

Definition:

Research gap refers to an area or topic within a field of study that has not yet been extensively researched or is yet to be explored. It is a question, problem or issue that has not been addressed or resolved by previous research.

How to Identify Research Gap

Identifying a research gap is an essential step in conducting research that adds value and contributes to the existing body of knowledge. Research gap requires critical thinking, creativity, and a thorough understanding of the existing literature . It is an iterative process that may require revisiting and refining your research questions and ideas multiple times.

Here are some steps that can help you identify a research gap:

• Review existing literature: Conduct a thorough review of the existing literature in your research area. This will help you identify what has already been studied and what gaps still exist.
• Identify a research problem: Identify a specific research problem or question that you want to address.
• Analyze existing research: Analyze the existing research related to your research problem. This will help you identify areas that have not been studied, inconsistencies in the findings, or limitations of the previous research.
• Brainstorm potential research ideas : Based on your analysis, brainstorm potential research ideas that address the identified gaps.
• Consult with experts: Consult with experts in your research area to get their opinions on potential research ideas and to identify any additional gaps that you may have missed.
• Refine research questions: Refine your research questions and hypotheses based on the identified gaps and potential research ideas.
• Develop a research proposal: Develop a research proposal that outlines your research questions, objectives, and methods to address the identified research gap.

Types of Research Gap

There are different types of research gaps that can be identified, and each type is associated with a specific situation or problem. Here are the main types of research gaps and their explanations:

Theoretical Gap

This type of research gap refers to a lack of theoretical understanding or knowledge in a particular area. It can occur when there is a discrepancy between existing theories and empirical evidence or when there is no theory that can explain a particular phenomenon. Identifying theoretical gaps can lead to the development of new theories or the refinement of existing ones.

Empirical Gap

An empirical gap occurs when there is a lack of empirical evidence or data in a particular area. It can happen when there is a lack of research on a specific topic or when existing research is inadequate or inconclusive. Identifying empirical gaps can lead to the development of new research studies to collect data or the refinement of existing research methods to improve the quality of data collected.

Methodological Gap

This type of research gap refers to a lack of appropriate research methods or techniques to answer a research question. It can occur when existing methods are inadequate, outdated, or inappropriate for the research question. Identifying methodological gaps can lead to the development of new research methods or the modification of existing ones to better address the research question.

Practical Gap

A practical gap occurs when there is a lack of practical applications or implementation of research findings. It can occur when research findings are not implemented due to financial, political, or social constraints. Identifying practical gaps can lead to the development of strategies for the effective implementation of research findings in practice.

Knowledge Gap

This type of research gap occurs when there is a lack of knowledge or information on a particular topic. It can happen when a new area of research is emerging, or when research is conducted in a different context or population. Identifying knowledge gaps can lead to the development of new research studies or the extension of existing research to fill the gap.

Examples of Research Gap

Here are some examples of research gaps that researchers might identify:

• Theoretical Gap Example : In the field of psychology, there might be a theoretical gap related to the lack of understanding of the relationship between social media use and mental health. Although there is existing research on the topic, there might be a lack of consensus on the mechanisms that link social media use to mental health outcomes.
• Empirical Gap Example : In the field of environmental science, there might be an empirical gap related to the lack of data on the long-term effects of climate change on biodiversity in specific regions. Although there might be some studies on the topic, there might be a lack of data on the long-term effects of climate change on specific species or ecosystems.
• Methodological Gap Example : In the field of education, there might be a methodological gap related to the lack of appropriate research methods to assess the impact of online learning on student outcomes. Although there might be some studies on the topic, existing research methods might not be appropriate to assess the complex relationships between online learning and student outcomes.
• Practical Gap Example: In the field of healthcare, there might be a practical gap related to the lack of effective strategies to implement evidence-based practices in clinical settings. Although there might be existing research on the effectiveness of certain practices, they might not be implemented in practice due to various barriers, such as financial constraints or lack of resources.
• Knowledge Gap Example: In the field of anthropology, there might be a knowledge gap related to the lack of understanding of the cultural practices of indigenous communities in certain regions. Although there might be some research on the topic, there might be a lack of knowledge about specific cultural practices or beliefs that are unique to those communities.

Examples of Research Gap In Literature Review, Thesis, and Research Paper might be:

• Literature review : A literature review on the topic of machine learning and healthcare might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the use of machine learning for early detection of rare diseases.
• Thesis : A thesis on the topic of cybersecurity might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in detecting and preventing cyber attacks.
• Research paper : A research paper on the topic of natural language processing might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the use of natural language processing techniques for sentiment analysis in non-English languages.

How to Write Research Gap

By following these steps, you can effectively write about research gaps in your paper and clearly articulate the contribution that your study will make to the existing body of knowledge.

Here are some steps to follow when writing about research gaps in your paper:

• Identify the research question : Before writing about research gaps, you need to identify your research question or problem. This will help you to understand the scope of your research and identify areas where additional research is needed.
• Review the literature: Conduct a thorough review of the literature related to your research question. This will help you to identify the current state of knowledge in the field and the gaps that exist.
• Identify the research gap: Based on your review of the literature, identify the specific research gap that your study will address. This could be a theoretical, empirical, methodological, practical, or knowledge gap.
• Provide evidence: Provide evidence to support your claim that the research gap exists. This could include a summary of the existing literature, a discussion of the limitations of previous studies, or an analysis of the current state of knowledge in the field.
• Explain the importance: Explain why it is important to fill the research gap. This could include a discussion of the potential implications of filling the gap, the significance of the research for the field, or the potential benefits to society.
• State your research objectives: State your research objectives, which should be aligned with the research gap you have identified. This will help you to clearly articulate the purpose of your study and how it will address the research gap.

Importance of Research Gap

The importance of research gaps can be summarized as follows:

• Advancing knowledge: Identifying research gaps is crucial for advancing knowledge in a particular field. By identifying areas where additional research is needed, researchers can fill gaps in the existing body of knowledge and contribute to the development of new theories and practices.
• Guiding research: Research gaps can guide researchers in designing studies that fill those gaps. By identifying research gaps, researchers can develop research questions and objectives that are aligned with the needs of the field and contribute to the development of new knowledge.
• Enhancing research quality: By identifying research gaps, researchers can avoid duplicating previous research and instead focus on developing innovative research that fills gaps in the existing body of knowledge. This can lead to more impactful research and higher-quality research outputs.
• Informing policy and practice: Research gaps can inform policy and practice by highlighting areas where additional research is needed to inform decision-making. By filling research gaps, researchers can provide evidence-based recommendations that have the potential to improve policy and practice in a particular field.

Applications of Research Gap

Here are some potential applications of research gap:

• Informing research priorities: Research gaps can help guide research funding agencies and researchers to prioritize research areas that require more attention and resources.
• Identifying practical implications: Identifying gaps in knowledge can help identify practical applications of research that are still unexplored or underdeveloped.
• Stimulating innovation: Research gaps can encourage innovation and the development of new approaches or methodologies to address unexplored areas.
• Improving policy-making: Research gaps can inform policy-making decisions by highlighting areas where more research is needed to make informed policy decisions.
• Enhancing academic discourse: Research gaps can lead to new and constructive debates and discussions within academic communities, leading to more robust and comprehensive research.

Advantages of Research Gap

Here are some of the advantages of research gap:

• Identifies new research opportunities: Identifying research gaps can help researchers identify areas that require further exploration, which can lead to new research opportunities.
• Improves the quality of research: By identifying gaps in current research, researchers can focus their efforts on addressing unanswered questions, which can improve the overall quality of research.
• Enhances the relevance of research: Research that addresses existing gaps can have significant implications for the development of theories, policies, and practices, and can therefore increase the relevance and impact of research.
• Helps avoid duplication of effort: Identifying existing research can help researchers avoid duplicating efforts, saving time and resources.
• Helps to refine research questions: Research gaps can help researchers refine their research questions, making them more focused and relevant to the needs of the field.
• Promotes collaboration: By identifying areas of research that require further investigation, researchers can collaborate with others to conduct research that addresses these gaps, which can lead to more comprehensive and impactful research outcomes.

Disadvantages of Research Gap

While research gaps can be advantageous, there are also some potential disadvantages that should be considered:

• Difficulty in identifying gaps: Identifying gaps in existing research can be challenging, particularly in fields where there is a large volume of research or where research findings are scattered across different disciplines.
• Lack of funding: Addressing research gaps may require significant resources, and researchers may struggle to secure funding for their work if it is perceived as too risky or uncertain.
• Time-consuming: Conducting research to address gaps can be time-consuming, particularly if the research involves collecting new data or developing new methods.
• Risk of oversimplification: Addressing research gaps may require researchers to simplify complex problems, which can lead to oversimplification and a failure to capture the complexity of the issues.
• Bias : Identifying research gaps can be influenced by researchers’ personal biases or perspectives, which can lead to a skewed understanding of the field.
• Potential for disagreement: Identifying research gaps can be subjective, and different researchers may have different views on what constitutes a gap in the field, leading to disagreements and debate.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How To Find A Research Gap, Quickly

A step-by-step guide for new researchers

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | April 2023

If you’ve got a dissertation, thesis or research project coming up, one of the first (and most important) things you’ll need to do is find a suitable research gap . In this post, we’ll share a straightforward process to help you uncover high-quality, original research gaps in a very time-efficient manner.

Overview: Finding Research Gaps

• What exactly is a research gap?
• Research gap vs research topic
• How to find potential research gaps
• How to evaluate research gaps (and topics)
• Key takeaways

What is a research gap?

As a starting point, it’s useful to first define what we mean by research gap, to ensure we’re all on the same page. The term “research gap” gets thrown around quite loosely by students and academics alike, so let’s clear that up.

Simply put, a research gap is any space where there’s a lack of solid, agreed-upon research regarding a specific topic, issue or phenomenon. In other words, there’s a lack of established knowledge and, consequently, a need for further research.

Let’s look at a hypothetical example to illustrate a research gap.

Within the existing research regarding factors affect job satisfaction , there may be a wealth of established and agreed-upon empirical work within a US and UK context , but very little research within Eastern nations such as Japan or Korea . Given that these nations have distinctly different national cultures and workforce compositions compared to the West, it’s plausible that the factors that contribute toward job satisfaction may also be different. Therefore, a research gap emerges for studies that explore this matter.

This example is purely hypothetical (and there’s probably plenty of research covering this already), but it illustrates the core point that a research gap reflects a lack of firmly established knowledge regarding a specific matter . Given this lack, an opportunity exists for researchers (like you) to go on and fill the gap.

So, it’s the same as a research topic?

Not quite – but they are connected. A research gap refers to an area where there’s a lack of settled research , whereas a research topic outlines the focus of a specific study . Despite being different things, these two are related because research gaps are the birthplace of research topics. In other words, by identifying a clear research gap, you have a foundation from which you can build a research topic for your specific study. Your study is unlikely to resolve the entire research gap on it’s own, but it will contribute towards it .

If you’d like to learn more, we’ve got a comprehensive post that covers research gaps (including the different types of research gaps), as well as an explainer video below.

How to find a research gap

Now that we’ve defined what a research gap is, it’s time to get down to the process of finding potential research gaps that you can use as a basis for potential research topics. Importantly, it’s worth noting that this is just one way (of many) to find a research gap (and consequently a topic). We’re not proposing that it’s the only way or best way, but it’s certainly a relatively quick way to identify opportunities.

Step 1: Identify your broad area of interest

The very first step to finding a research gap is to decide on your general area of interest . For example, if you were undertaking a dissertation as part of an MBA degree, you may decide that you’re interested in corporate reputation, HR strategy, or leadership styles. As you can see, these are broad categories – there’s no need to get super specific just yet. Of course, if there is something very specific that you’re interested in, that’s great – but don’t feel pressured to narrow it down too much right now.

Equally important is to make sure that this area of interest is allowed by your university or whichever institution you’ll be proposing your research to. This might sound dead obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many times we’ve seen students run down a path with great excitement, only to later learn that their university wants a very specific area of focus in terms of topic (and their area of interest doesn’t qualify).

Step 2: Do an initial literature scan

Once you’ve pinned down your broad area (or areas) of interest, the next step is to head over to Google Scholar to undertake an initial literature scan . If you’re not familiar with this tool, Google Scholar is a great starting point for finding academic literature on pretty much any topic, as it uses Google’s powerful search capabilities to hunt down relevant academic literature. It’s certainly not the be-all and end-all of literature search tools, but it’s a useful starting point .

Within Google Scholar, you’ll want to do a few searches using keywords that are relevant to your area of interest. Sticking with our earlier example, we could use the key phrase “job satisfaction”, or we may want to get a little more specific – perhaps “job satisfaction for millennials” or “job satisfaction in Japan”.

It’s always a good idea to play around with as many keywords/phrases as you can think up.  Take an iterative approach here and see which keywords yield the most relevant results for you. Keep each search open in a new tab, as this will help keep things organised for the next steps.

Once you’ve searched for a few different keywords/phrases, you’ll need to do some refining for each of the searches you undertook. Specifically, you’ll need to filter the results down to the most recent papers . You can do this by selecting the time period in the top left corner (see the example below).

Filtering to the current year is typically a good choice (especially for fast-moving research areas), but in some cases, you may need to filter to the last two years . If you’re undertaking this task in January or February, for example, you’ll likely need to select a two-year period.

Need a helping hand?

Step 3: Review and shortlist articles that interest you

Once you’ve run a few searches using different keywords and phrases, you’ll need to scan through the results to see what looks most relevant and interesting to you. At this stage, you can just look at the titles and abstracts (the description provided by Google Scholar) – don’t worry about reading the actual article just yet.

Next, select 5 – 10 articles that interest you and open them up. Here, we’re making the assumption that your university has provided you with access to a decent range of academic databases. In some cases, Google Scholar will link you directly to a PDF of the article, but in most cases, you’ll need paid access. If you don’t have this (for example, if you’re still applying to a university), you can look at two options:

Open-access articles – these are free articles which you can access without any journal subscription. A quick Google search (the regular Google) will help you find open-access journals in your area of interest, but you can also have a look at DOAJ and Elsevier Open Access.

DeepDyve – this is a monthly subscription service that allows you to get access to a broad range of journals. At the time of shooting this video, their monthly subscription is around $50 and they do offer a free trial, which may be sufficient for your project.

Step 4: Skim-read your article shortlist

Now, it’s time to dig into your article shortlist and do some reading. But don’t worry, you don’t need to read the articles from start to finish – you just need to focus on a few key sections.

Specifically, you’ll need to pay attention to the following:

• The abstract (which you’ve probably already read a portion of in Google Scholar)
• The introduction – this will give you a bit more detail about the context and background of the study, as well as what the researchers were trying to achieve (their research aims)
• The discussion or conclusion – this will tell you what the researchers found

By skimming through these three sections for each journal article on your shortlist, you’ll gain a reasonable idea of what each study was about, without having to dig into the painful details. Generally, these sections are usually quite short, so it shouldn’t take you too long.

Step 5: Go “FRIN hunting”

This is where the magic happens. Within each of the articles on your shortlist, you’ll want to search for a few very specific phrases , namely:

• Future research
• Further research
• Research opportunities
• Research directions

All of these terms are commonly found in what we call the “FRIN” section . FRIN stands for “further research is needed”. The FRIN is where the researchers explain what other researchers could do to build on their study, or just on the research area in general. In other words, the FRIN section is where you can find fresh opportunities for novel research . Most empirical studies will either have a dedicated FRIN section or paragraph, or they’ll allude to the FRIN toward the very end of the article. You’ll need to do a little scanning, but it’s usually pretty easy to spot.

It’s worth mentioning that naturally, the FRIN doesn’t hand you a list of research gaps on a platter. It’s not a silver bullet for finding research gaps – but it’s the closest thing to it. Realistically, the FRIN section helps you shortcut the gap-hunting process  by highlighting novel research avenues that are worth exploring.

This probably sounds a little conceptual, so let’s have a look at a few examples:

The impact of overeducation on job outcomes: Evidence from Saudi Arabia (Alzubaidi, 2020)

If you scroll down to the bottom of this article, you’ll see there’s a dedicated section called “Limitations and directions for future research”. Here they talk about the limitations of the study and provide suggestions about how future researchers could improve upon their work and overcome the limitations.

Perceived organizational support and job satisfaction: a moderated mediation model of proactive personality and psychological empowerment (Maan et al, 2020)

In this article, within the limitations section, they provide a wonderfully systematic structure where they discuss each limitation, followed by a proposal as to how future studies can overcome the respective limitation. In doing so, they are providing very specific research opportunities for other researchers.

Medical professionals’ job satisfaction and telemedicine readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic: solutions to improve medical practice in Egypt (El-Mazahy et al, 2023)

In this article, they don’t have a dedicated section discussing the FRIN, but we can deduct it based on the limitations section. For example, they state that an evaluation of the knowledge about telemedicine and technology-related skills would have enabled studying their independent effect on the perception of telemedicine.

Follow this FRIN-seeking process for the articles you shortlisted and map out any potentially interesting research gaps . You may find that you need to look at a larger number of articles to find something interesting, or you might find that your area of interest shifts as you engage in the reading – this is perfectly natural. Take as much time as you need to develop a shortlist of potential research gaps that interest you.

Importantly, once you’ve developed a shortlist of potential research gaps, you need to return to Google Scholar to double-check that there aren’t fresh studies that have already addressed the gap. Remember, if you’re looking at papers from two years ago in a fast-moving field, someone else may have jumped on it . Nevertheless, there could still very well be a unique angle you could take – perhaps a contextual gap (e.g. a specific country, industry, etc.).

Ultimately, the need for originality will depend on your specific university’s requirements and the level of study. For example, if you’re doing an undergraduate research project, the originality requirements likely won’t be as gruelling as say a Masters or PhD project. So, make sure you have a clear understanding of what your university’s expectations are. A good way to do this is to look at past dissertations and theses for your specific programme. You can usually find these in the university library or by asking the faculty.

How to evaluate potential research gaps

Once you’ve developed a shortlist of potential research gaps (and resultant potential research topics) that interest you, you’ll need to systematically evaluate  them  to choose a winner. There are many factors to consider here, but some important ones include the following:

• Originality and value – is the topic sufficiently novel and will addressing it create value?
• Data access – will you be able to get access to the sample of interest?
• Costs – will there be additional costs involved for data collection and/or analysis?
• Timeframes – will you be able to collect and analyse the data within the timeframe required by your university?
• Supervisor support – is there a suitable supervisor available to support your project from start to finish?

To help you evaluate your options systematically, we’ve got a topic evaluation worksheet that allows you to score each potential topic against a comprehensive set of criteria. You can access the worksheet completely free of charge here .

Recap: Key Takeaways

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

• A research gap is any space where there’s a lack of solid, agreed-upon research regarding a specific topic/issue/phenomenon.
• Unique research topics emerge from research gaps , so it’s essential to first identify high-quality research gaps before you attempt to define a topic.
• To find potential research gaps, start by seeking out recent journal articles on Google Scholar and pay particular attention to the FRIN section to identify novel opportunities.
• Once you have a shortlist of prospective research gaps and resultant topic ideas, evaluate them systematically using a comprehensive set of criteria.

If you’d like to get hands-on help finding a research gap and research topic, be sure to check out our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the research journey, step by step.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

Very useful for me, but i am still confusing review of literature review, how to find out topic related previous research.

Powerful notes! Thanks a lot.

This is helpful. Thanks a lot.

Thank you very much for this. It is really a great opportunity for me to learn the research journey.

Very Useful

It nice job

You have sharpened my articulations of these components to the core. Thanks so much.

It’s educative and an inspiring way of impacting research knowledge…

Thanks to the writer

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Identifying Research Gaps to Pursue Innovative Research

This article is an excerpt from a lecture given by my Ph.D. guide, a researcher in public health. She advised us on how to identify research gaps to pursue innovative research in our fields.

What is a Research Gap?

Today we are talking about the research gap: what is it, how to identify it, and how to make use of it so that you can pursue innovative research. Now, how many of you have ever felt you had discovered a new and exciting research question , only to find that it had already been written about? I have experienced this more times than I can count. Graduate studies come with pressure to add new knowledge to the field. We can contribute to the progress and knowledge of humanity. To do this, we need to first learn to identify research gaps in the existing literature.

A research gap is, simply, a topic or area for which missing or insufficient information limits the ability to reach a conclusion for a question. It should not be confused with a research question, however. For example, if we ask the research question of what the healthiest diet for humans is, we would find many studies and possible answers to this question. On the other hand, if we were to ask the research question of what are the effects of antidepressants on pregnant women, we would not find much-existing data. This is a research gap. When we identify a research gap, we identify a direction for potentially new and exciting research.

How to Identify Research Gap?

Considering the volume of existing research, identifying research gaps can seem overwhelming or even impossible. I don’t have time to read every paper published on public health. Similarly, you guys don’t have time to read every paper. So how can you identify a research gap?

There are different techniques in various disciplines, but we can reduce most of them down to a few steps, which are:

• Identify your key motivating issue/question
• Identify key terms associated with this issue
• Review the literature, searching for these key terms and identifying relevant publications
• Review the literature cited by the key publications which you located in the above step
• Identify issues not addressed by  the literature relating to your critical  motivating issue

It is the last step which we all find the most challenging. It can be difficult to figure out what an article is  not  saying. I like to keep a list of notes of biased or inconsistent information. You could also track what authors write as “directions for future research,” which often can point us towards the existing gaps.

Different Types of Research Gaps

Identifying research gaps is an essential step in conducting research, as it helps researchers to refine their research questions and to focus their research efforts on areas where there is a need for more knowledge or understanding.

1. Knowledge gaps

These are gaps in knowledge or understanding of a subject, where more research is needed to fill the gaps. For example, there may be a lack of understanding of the mechanisms behind a particular disease or how a specific technology works.

2. Conceptual gaps

These are gaps in the conceptual framework or theoretical understanding of a subject. For example, there may be a need for more research to understand the relationship between two concepts or to refine a theoretical framework.

3. Methodological gaps

These are gaps in the methods used to study a particular subject. For example, there may be a need for more research to develop new research methods or to refine existing methods to address specific research questions.

4. Data gaps

These are gaps in the data available on a particular subject. For example, there may be a need for more research to collect data on a specific population or to develop new measures to collect data on a particular construct.

5. Practical gaps

These are gaps in the application of research findings to practical situations. For example, there may be a need for more research to understand how to implement evidence-based practices in real-world settings or to identify barriers to implementing such practices.

Examples of Research Gap

Limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of a disease:.

Despite significant research on a particular disease, there may be a lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the disease. For example, although much research has been done on Alzheimer’s disease, the exact mechanisms that lead to the disease are not yet fully understood.

Inconsistencies in the findings of previous research:

When previous research on a particular topic has inconsistent findings, there may be a need for further research to clarify or resolve these inconsistencies. For example, previous research on the effectiveness of a particular treatment for a medical condition may have produced inconsistent findings, indicating a need for further research to determine the true effectiveness of the treatment.

Limited research on emerging technologies:

As new technologies emerge, there may be limited research on their applications, benefits, and potential drawbacks. For example, with the increasing use of artificial intelligence in various industries, there is a need for further research on the ethical, legal, and social implications of AI.

How to Deal with Literature Gap?

Once you have identified the literature gaps, it is critical to prioritize. You may find many questions which remain to be answered in the literature. Often one question must be answered before the next can be addressed. In prioritizing the gaps, you have identified, you should consider your funding agency or stakeholders, the needs of the field, and the relevance of your questions to what is currently being studied. Also, consider your own resources and ability to conduct the research you’re considering. Once you have done this, you can narrow your search down to an appropriate question.

Tools to Help Your Search

There are thousands of new articles published every day, and staying up to date on the literature can be overwhelming. You should take advantage of the technology that is available. Some services include  PubCrawler ,  Feedly ,  Google Scholar , and PubMed updates. Stay up to date on social media forums where scholars share new discoveries, such as Twitter. Reference managers such as  Mendeley  can help you keep your references well-organized. I personally have had success using Google Scholar and PubMed to stay current on new developments and track which gaps remain in my personal areas of interest.

The most important thing I want to impress upon you today is that you will struggle to  choose a research topic  that is innovative and exciting if you don’t know the existing literature well. This is why identifying research gaps starts with an extensive and thorough  literature review . But give yourself some boundaries.  You don’t need to read every paper that has ever been written on a topic. You may find yourself thinking you’re on the right track and then suddenly coming across a paper that you had intended to write! It happens to everyone- it happens to me quite often. Don’t give up- keep reading and you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Class dismissed!

How do you identify research gaps? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

A research gap can be identified by looking for a topic or area with missing or insufficient information that limits the ability to reach a conclusion for a question.

Identifying a research gap is important as it provides a direction for potentially new research or helps bridge the gap in existing literature.

Gap in research is a topic or area with missing or insufficient information. A research gap limits the ability to reach a conclusion for a question.

Thank u for your suggestion.

Very useful tips specially for a beginner

Thank you. This is helpful. I find that I’m overwhelmed with literatures. As I read on a particular topic, and in a particular direction I find that other conflicting issues, topic a and ideas keep popping up, making me more confused.

I am very grateful for your advice. It’s just on point.

The clearest, exhaustive, and brief explanation I have ever read.

Thanks for sharing

Thank you very much.The work is brief and understandable

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Thanks for sharing this educative article

Thank you for such informative explanation.

Great job smart guy! Really outdid yourself!

Nice one! I thank you for this as it is just what I was looking for!😃🤟

Thank you so much for this. Much appreciated

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Thankyou for ur briefing…its so helpful

Thank you so much .I’ved learn a lot from this.❤️

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How to Identify a Research Gap

5-minute read

• 10th January 2024

If you’ve been tasked with producing a thesis or dissertation, one of your first steps will be identifying a research gap. Although finding a research gap may sound daunting, don’t fret! In this post, we will define a research gap, discuss its importance, and offer a step-by-step guide that will provide you with the essential know-how to complete this critical step and move on to the rest of your research project.

What Is a Research Gap?

Simply put, a research gap is an area that hasn’t been explored in the existing literature. This could be an unexplored population, an untested method, or a condition that hasn’t been investigated yet. 

Why Is Identifying a Research Gap Important?

Identifying a research gap is a foundational step in the research process. It ensures that your research is significant and has the ability to advance knowledge within a specific area. It also helps you align your work with the current needs and challenges of your field. Identifying a research gap has many potential benefits.

1. Avoid Redundancy in Your Research

Understanding the existing literature helps researchers avoid duplication. This means you can steer clear of topics that have already been extensively studied. This ensures your work is novel and contributes something new to the field.

2. Guide the Research Design

Identifying a research gap helps shape your research design and questions. You can tailor your studies to specifically address the identified gap. This ensures that your work directly contributes to filling the void in knowledge.

3. Practical Applications

Research that addresses a gap is more likely to have practical applications and contributions. Whether in academia, industry, or policymaking, research that fills a gap in knowledge is often more applicable and can inform decision-making and practices in real-world contexts.

4. Field Advancements

Addressing a research gap can lead to advancements in the field . It may result in the development of new theories, methodologies, or technologies that push the boundaries of current understanding.

5. Strategic Research Planning

Identifying a research gap is crucial for strategic planning . It helps researchers and institutions prioritize areas that need attention so they can allocate resources effectively. This ensures that efforts are directed toward the most critical gaps in knowledge.

6. Academic and Professional Recognition

Researchers who successfully address significant research gaps often receive peer recognition within their academic and professional communities. This recognition can lead to opportunities for collaboration, funding, and career advancement.

How Do I Identify a Research Gap?

1. clearly define your research topic .

Begin by clearly defining your research topic. A well-scoped topic serves as the foundation for your studies. Make sure it’s not too broad or too narrow; striking the right balance will make it easier to identify gaps in existing literature.

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2. Conduct a Thorough Literature Review

A comprehensive literature review is a vital step in any research. Dive deep into the existing research related to your topic. Look for patterns, recurring themes, and consensus among scholars. Pay attention to areas where conflicting opinions or gaps in understanding emerge.

3. Evaluate Existing Studies

Critically evaluate the studies you encounter during your literature review. Assess the paradigms , methodologies, findings, and limitations of each. Note any discrepancies, unanswered questions, or areas where further investigation is warranted. These are potential indicators of research gaps.

4. Identify Unexplored Perspectives

Consider the perspectives presented in the existing literature. Are there alternative viewpoints or marginalized voices that haven’t been adequately explored? Identifying and incorporating diverse perspectives can often lead to uncharted territory and help you pinpoint a unique research gap.

Additional Tips

Stay up to date with emerging trends.

The field of research is dynamic, with new developments and emerging trends constantly shaping the landscape. Stay up to date with the latest publications, conferences, and discussions in your field and make sure to regularly check relevant academic search engines . Often, identifying a research gap involves being at the forefront of current debates and discussions.

Seek Guidance From Experts

Don’t hesitate to reach out to experts in your field for guidance. Attend conferences, workshops, or seminars where you can interact with seasoned researchers. Their insights and experience can provide valuable perspectives on potential research gaps that you may have overlooked. You can also seek advice from your academic advisor .

Use Research Tools and Analytics

Leverage tech tools to analyze patterns and trends in the existing literature. Tools like citation analysis, keyword mapping, and data visualization can help you identify gaps and areas with limited exploration.

Identifying a research gap is a skill that evolves with experience and dedication. By defining your research topic, meticulously navigating the existing literature, critically evaluating studies, and recognizing unexplored perspectives, you’ll be on your way to identifying a research gap that will serve as the foundation for your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

If you need any help with proofreading your research paper , we can help with our research paper editing services . You can even try a sample of our services for free . Good luck with all your research!

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

How to Identify Gaps in Research: Tips to Speed Up the Process

If you have ever wondered how to identify research gaps, well, you’re not alone. All researchers looking to make a solid contribution to their field need to start by identifying a topic or issue that hasn’t been tackled before and coming up with possible solutions for it. This is where learning what is a research gap, knowing about some research gap examples, and knowing how to identify research gaps becomes important. Through this article, we will try answering these questions for you.

Table of Contents

What is a research gap ?  

Research gaps are areas requiring more studies or research. 1  They can be:   

• an unsolved question or problem within your field.   
• a case where inconclusive or contradictive results exist.   
• a new concept or idea that hasn’t been studied.   
• a new/updated research to replace the outdated existing research.   
• a specific demographic or location that has not been well studied.   

Why is it important to identify research gaps ?  

Identifying and prioritizing research gaps  is an essential part of any research for the following reasons. 2  This can help you:  

• ensure the rapid generation of subsequent research that is informed by input from previous research studies.    
• understand areas of uncertainty within the research problem.   
• establish the research problem and scope of the study.   
• determine the scope of funding opportunities.   

Identifying research gaps : A challenge for early researchers  

Coming up with original, innovative ideas in your chosen area of research can be tricky, especially if you are an early career researcher, for the following reasons: 3,4

• Enormous information available : The introduction, discussion, and future research sections in published research articles provide information about gaps in the research field. It is easy to get overwhelmed and feel confused about which one to address. Using digital tools can help you seek out popular topics or the most cited research papers.   
• Difficulty in organizing the data : One can quickly lose ideas if not appropriately noted. Mapping the question to the resource and maintaining a record can help narrow research gap s.  
• Fear of challenging the existing knowledge : Beginner researchers may not feel confident to question established norms in their field. A good plan of action would be discussing such ideas with your advisor and proceeding according to their feedback or suggestions.   
• Lack of direction and motivation : Early researchers have reported negative emotions regarding academic research, including feeling directionless or frustrated with the effort required in identifying research topics. Again a good advisor can help you stay focused. Mentors can help novice researchers avoid cases with a high risk of failure, from misunderstanding the literature, weak design, or too many unknowns. Talking with other fellow researchers can also help overcome some of the anxiety.

How to identify research gaps  in the literature  

More than 7 million papers get published annually. 5  Considering the volume of existing research, identifying research gaps  from existing literature may seem a daunting task. While there are no hard rules for identifying research gaps, the literature has provided some guidelines for identifying problems worth investigating.   

1. Observe : Personal interests and experiences can provide insight into possible research problems. For example, a researcher interested in teaching may start with a simple observation of students’ classroom behavior and observe the link with learning theories. Developing the habit of reading literature using smart apps like  R Discovery   can keep you updated with the latest trends and developments in the field.   

2. Search : Exploring existing literature will help to identify if the observed problem is documented. One approach is identifying the independent variables used to solve the researcher’s topic of interest (i.e., the dependent variable). Databases such as Emerald, ProQuest, EbscoHost, PubMed, and ScienceDirect can help potential researchers explore existing research gaps. The following steps can help with optimizing the search process once you decide on the key research question based on your interests.

-Identify key terms.

-Identify relevant articles based on the keywords.

-Review selected articles to identify gaps in the literature.  

3. Map : This involves mapping key issues or aspects across the literature. The map should be updated whenever a researcher comes across an article of interest.   

4. Synthesize : Synthesis involves integrating the insights of multiple but related studies. A research gap is identified by combining results and findings across several interrelated studies. 6

5. Consult:  Seeking expert feedback will help you understand if the  research gaps identified are adequate and feasible or if improvements are required.  

6. Prioritize : It is possible that you have identified multiple questions requiring answers. Prioritize the question that can be addressed first, considering their relevance, resource availability, and your research strengths.  

7. Enroll : Research Skills Development Programs, including workshops and discussion groups within or outside the research institution, can help develop research skills, such as framing the research problem. Networking and corroborating in such events with colleagues and experts might help you know more about current issues and problems in your research domain.   

While there is no well-defined process to identify gaps in knowledge, curiosity, judgment, and creativity can help you in identifying these research gaps . Regardless of whether the  research gaps identified are large or small, the study design must be sufficient to contribute toward advancing your field of research.    

References  

• Dissanayake, D. M. N. S. W. (2013). Research, research gap and the research problem.  
• Nyanchoka, L., Tudur-Smith, C., Porcher, R., & Hren, D. Key stakeholders’ perspectives and experiences with defining, identifying and displaying gaps in health research: a qualitative study.  BMJ open ,  10 (11), e039932 (2020).  
• Müller-Bloch, C., & Kranz, J. (2015). A framework for rigorously identifying research gaps in qualitative literature reviews.  
• Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2017).  Designing and conducting mixed methods research . Sage publications.  
• Fire, M., & Guestrin, C. Over-optimization of academic publishing metrics: observing Goodhart’s Law in action.  GigaScience ,  8 (6), giz053 (2019).  
• Ellis, T. J., & Levy, Y. Framework of problem-based research: A guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem.  Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline Volume 11, 2008 ). 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: How can research gaps be addressed?

Research gaps can be addressed by conducting further studies, experiments, or investigations that specifically target the areas where knowledge is lacking or incomplete. This involves conducting a thorough literature review to identify existing gaps, designing research methodologies to address these gaps, and collecting new data or analyzing existing data to fill the void. Collaboration among researchers, interdisciplinary approaches, and innovative research designs can also help bridge research gaps and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in a particular field.

Question: Can research gaps change over time?

Yes, research gaps can change over time. As new studies are conducted, technologies advance, and societal needs evolve, gaps in knowledge may be identified or existing gaps may become more pronounced. Research gaps are dynamic and subject to shifts as new discoveries are made, new questions arise, and priorities change. It is crucial for researchers to continuously assess and update their understanding of the field to identify emerging research gaps and adapt their research efforts accordingly.

Question: Are research gaps specific to a particular discipline or field?

Research gaps can exist within any discipline or field. Each discipline has its own unique body of knowledge and areas where understanding may be limited. Research gaps can arise from unanswered questions, unexplored phenomena, conflicting findings, practical challenges, or new frontiers of knowledge. They are not limited to a specific discipline or field, as gaps can exist in natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering, or any other area of study.

Question: How can research gaps contribute to the research proposal?

Research gaps play a significant role in the development of research proposals. They help researchers identify a clear rationale and justification for their study. By addressing identified gaps in knowledge, researchers can demonstrate the significance and relevance of their proposed research. Research proposals often include a literature review section that highlights existing gaps and positions the proposed study as a contribution to the field. By explicitly addressing research gaps, researchers can strengthen the credibility and importance of their research proposal, as well as its potential impact on advancing knowledge and addressing critical questions or challenges.

R Discovery is a literature search and research reading platform that accelerates your research discovery journey by keeping you updated on the latest, most relevant scholarly content. With 250M+ research articles sourced from trusted aggregators like CrossRef, Unpaywall, PubMed, PubMed Central, Open Alex and top publishing houses like Springer Nature, JAMA, IOP, Taylor & Francis, NEJM, BMJ, Karger, SAGE, Emerald Publishing and more, R Discovery puts a world of research at your fingertips.  

Try R Discovery Prime FREE for 1 week or upgrade at just US$72 a year to access premium features that let you listen to research on the go, read in your language, collaborate with peers, auto sync with reference managers, and much more. Choose a simpler, smarter way to find and read research – Download the app and start your free 7-day trial today !  

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How to identify research gaps

Anthony Newman

About this video

Researching is an ongoing task, as it requires you to think of something nobody else has thought of before. This is where the research gap comes into play.

We will explain what a research gap is, provide you with steps on how to identify these research gaps, as well as provide you several tools that can help you identify them.

About the presenter

Senior Publisher, Life Sciences, Elsevier

Anthony Newman is a Senior Publisher with Elsevier and is based in Amsterdam. Each year he presents numerous Author Workshops and other similar trainings worldwide. He is currently responsible for fifteen biochemistry and laboratory medicine journals, he joined Elsevier over thirty years ago and has been Publisher for more than twenty of those years. Before then he was the marketing communications manager for the biochemistry journals of Elsevier.  By training he is a polymer chemist and was active in the surface coating industry before leaving London and moving to Amsterdam in 1987 to join Elsevier.

Researcher Academy on Twitter

The Best Method In Identifying Research Gap: An In-depth Analysis

What is research gap.

A research gap refers to an area or topic that has not been sufficiently explored or studied, leaving unanswered questions or unresolved issues. This article will provide an overview of the research gaps concept and their significance in the research process. It will also discuss the importance of identifying research gaps and how they can be used to formulate research objectives and problem statements. Additionally, this section will explore various techniques and strategies for conducting research gap analysis and bridging the gap between existing knowledge and future research endeavors.

Background of Research Gap

In the world of research, identifying and addressing research gaps is a crucial step towards advancing knowledge and understanding in a particular field. A research gap refers to an area in the existing body of knowledge where there is a lack of research or unanswered questions. In other words, it is a gap in the literature that needs to be addressed through further research.

Research gaps can occur for various reasons, such as a lack of studies on a specific topic, contradictory findings in existing research, or the emergence of new ideas or concepts that have not been explored. Identifying research gaps is crucial for the advancement of knowledge and the development of new research questions. By filling these gaps, researchers can contribute to the existing body of knowledge and address unanswered questions.

Furthermore, research gaps provide opportunities for researchers to make significant contributions to their field by conducting innovative and impactful studies. Understanding the background of research gaps is essential for researchers to identify areas where their research can make a meaningful impact.

Significance of Research Gap

The research gap plays a crucial role in the field of academia and scientific research. It holds significant importance for researchers, scholars, and the overall advancement of knowledge.

Contributing to Knowledge and Developing New Theories

One of the primary reasons why the research gap is significant is that it identifies areas where there is a lack of knowledge or understanding. It highlights the gaps in existing research, indicating the need for further investigation and exploration. By identifying research gaps, researchers can contribute to the existing body of knowledge by filling in the missing pieces. This leads to the development of new theories, concepts, and insights that can enhance our understanding of a particular subject or field.

Fostering Innovation and Progress through Unexplored Areas

Furthermore, the significance of research gaps lies in their potential to drive innovation and progress. When researchers identify areas that have not been extensively studied, they have the opportunity to explore new ideas, methodologies, and approaches. This can lead to groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in various disciplines.

Efficient Utilization of Resources to Avoid Duplication

Moreover, research gaps also help in avoiding duplication of efforts. By identifying what has already been studied and what areas are yet to be explored, researchers can focus their efforts on addressing the gaps rather than repeating existing research. This ensures that resources are utilized effectively and efficiently.

Impacting Practical Applications and Real-World Solutions

Additionally, the significance of research gaps extends to the practical application of research findings. By addressing the gaps in existing knowledge, researchers can provide valuable insights and solutions to real-world problems. This can have a direct impact on industries, policy-making, and decision-making processes. In conclusion, the significance of research gaps cannot be overstated. They serve as catalysts for knowledge advancement, innovation, and practical application. By identifying and addressing these gaps, researchers contribute to the growth and development of their respective fields, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.

Research Gap Examples

Identifying research gaps is crucial for pursuing innovative research. There are various types of research gaps that can be found in existing literature.

Knowledge gaps

Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn’t been studied at all. For example, in the field of psychology, there might be a lack of research on the effects of social media on mental health in adolescents.

Conceptual gaps

Conceptual gaps occur when there is a lack of understanding or clarity about a particular concept or theory. For instance, in the field of economics, there might be a research gap in understanding the relationship between income inequality and economic growth.

Methodological gaps

Methodological gaps refer to the absence of appropriate research methods or techniques to study a specific phenomenon. For example, in the field of biology, there might be a research gap in developing a reliable method to detect a certain type of genetic mutation.

Data gaps occur when there is a lack of available data or insufficient data to address a research question. For instance, in the field of climate science, there might be a research gap in obtaining long-term temperature data for a specific region.

Practical gaps

Practical gaps exist when there is a discrepancy between theoretical knowledge and practical application. For example, in the field of education, there might be a research gap in implementing effective teaching strategies for students with learning disabilities.

Research Gap Analysis Techniques

Carry out a comprehensive literature review.

There are several techniques that can be used to identify research gaps. One common technique is conducting a comprehensive literature review, where researchers examine existing research papers, articles, books, and other relevant sources. By analyzing these materials, researchers can pinpoint what has already been explored and identify areas that require further investigation.

Examining Limitations and Contradictions in Existing Studies

During the literature review, researchers should pay attention to the limitations and gaps in the existing studies. These limitations can include unanswered research questions, contradictory findings, methodological issues, or areas that have not been explored in depth. Researchers can also gain insights by comparing and contrasting the findings, methodologies, and conclusions of different studies within their field, which helps in building a more complete understanding of the topic.

Exploring Interdisciplinary Insights to Identify Gaps

Additionally, researchers can seek inspiration from interdisciplinary fields or related disciplines to identify research gaps. Sometimes, a research gap in one field may have been addressed in another field, and researchers can draw upon these insights to identify areas that have not been explored within their own field. It is important to note that identifying research gaps is not a one-time process. As new studies are published and the field evolves, new gaps may emerge. Therefore, researchers should continuously update their knowledge and review the literature to stay informed about the latest developments and identify new research gaps.

Utilizing Surveys and Interviews for Direct Insights

Another technique is conducting surveys or interviews . This allows researchers to gather information directly from individuals who are knowledgeable in the field. Surveys can be distributed to a large number of participants, while interviews provide more in-depth insights from a smaller group of experts. By collecting data through surveys or interviews, researchers can identify gaps in knowledge or areas where more research is needed. Focus groups are another effective technique for conducting a research gap analysis. In a focus group, a small group of individuals with relevant expertise or experience is brought together to discuss a specific topic. Through group discussions and interactions, researchers can gain valuable insights and identify gaps in knowledge or areas that require further investigation.

Employing Quantitative Analysis to Discover Data Gaps

Quantitative analysis techniques, such as statistical analysis, can also be used to identify research gaps. By analyzing existing data sets, researchers can identify patterns, trends, or gaps in the data that may indicate areas where further research is needed. This type of analysis can provide valuable insights into the gaps in existing knowledge and guide future research directions.

Applying Gap Analysis Frameworks for Structured Assessment

In addition to these techniques, researchers can also use gap analysis frameworks or models to systematically identify and analyze research gaps. These frameworks provide a structured approach to assess the current state of knowledge, determine the desired future state, and identify the gaps that need to be addressed. By using a framework, researchers can ensure a comprehensive analysis of research gaps and develop strategies to bridge those gaps.

Research Gap and Problem Statement

A research problem is a specific issue or question that a researcher wants to investigate. It is the foundation of a research study and provides a clear direction for the research process. The identification of a research gap often leads to the formulation of a research problem.

The problem statement is a constructed sentence that defines the research problem and guides the research question. It helps to clarify the purpose of the study and provides a framework for the research design and research methodology. By addressing the research gap through the problem statement, researchers can contribute to the existing body of knowledge and fill the void in the literature. The research problem becomes the focal point of the study, and the research gap serves as the motivation for conducting the research.

Identifying a research gap and formulating a problem statement are crucial steps in the research process. They ensure that the research study is relevant, meaningful, and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field. As a key component of the research framework , the problem statement integrates directly into the overall structure that guides the entire research process, ensuring that all aspects of the investigation are aligned with the identified gaps and research questions.

Bridging the Research Gap

Bridging the research gap is crucial for the advancement of knowledge and the improvement of various fields. It involves closing the divide between research findings and their practical application in real-world settings. By bridging this gap, researchers can ensure that their work has a meaningful impact on society and that it is effectively utilized by practitioners and policymakers.

Effective Collaboration between Researchers and Practitioners

There are several strategies and approaches that can be employed to bridge the research gap. One practical way is to establish collaborations and partnerships between researchers and practitioners. By working together, researchers can gain valuable insights from practitioners’ experiences and expertise, while practitioners can benefit from the latest research findings and evidence-based practices. This collaboration can lead to the development of more relevant and effective solutions to real-world problems.

For facilitating such connections and collaborations, platforms like Researchmate.net are invaluable resources, providing the tools and community needed to bring together researchers and practitioners from diverse fields.

Intermediary Organizations in Facilitating Research Application

Another approach to bridging the research gap is through the use of intermediary organizations. These organizations act as a bridge between researchers and practitioners, facilitating the translation and dissemination of research findings into practical applications. They can provide training, resources, and support to practitioners, helping them to implement evidence-based practices in their work. Intermediary organizations also play a crucial role in promoting knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers and practitioners.

Enhancing Communication and Knowledge Transfer in Research

Furthermore, bridging the research gap requires effective communication and knowledge transfer. Researchers need to communicate their findings in a clear and accessible manner, using language that is understandable to practitioners and policymakers. This can be achieved through the use of plain language summaries, policy briefs, and other forms of knowledge translation.

Engaging with Practitioners and Policymakers

Additionally, researchers should actively engage with practitioners and policymakers, seeking their input and feedback to ensure that research findings are relevant and applicable to real-world contexts.

In conclusion, exploring the research gap is a critical step in the research process. It helps researchers identify areas where further investigation is needed, contributes to the advancement of knowledge, and drives innovation. By understanding the research gap, researchers can make meaningful contributions to their field and address unanswered questions. Bridging the research gap requires collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders, but the potential benefits are immense.

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What Is A Research Gap? (With Tips + Examples)

A research gap is a specific area within a field of study that remains unexplored or under-explored. Identifying a research gap involves recognizing where existing research is lacking or where there are unanswered questions that could provide opportunities for further investigation. Understanding research gaps is crucial for advancing knowledge, as it helps scholars and researchers focus their efforts on areas that can contribute significantly to their field.

What Is A Research Gap?

It is actually a question or any issue that needs to be solved by any pre-existing work or research in your area of study. A research gap can also exist where some new idea still needs to be studied.

Tips on Identifying Research Gap

Research always plays an essential role in acquiring more knowledge and addressing the gaps in different fields. When you are identifying a research gap, you are taking a very important step in the whole research process. This aids the researchers in contributing meaningful insights and triggers the knowledge boundaries.

Understanding the Literature You Are Studying: In order to identify any research gap, it is essential to have an excellent advertising of the preexisting literature in your study field.

Here, you need to conduct a review of many books, scholarly articles, conferences, and other relevant sources. In this way, you can get a good foundation as well as insights into any present state of in-depth knowledge in your own study area.

Defining Your Own Research Question: After getting a good knowledge of the pre-existing literature, you need to define a concise and clear idea of the research question. This research question needs to be very specific, attainable, measurable, time-bound and relevant. An acronym for this entire thing is known as SMART. This also needs to address any significant issue that still needs to be fully solved or adequately answered.

Identifying Your Study Objectives: Here, you need to identify the major objectives of your research paper. All these objectives need to be aligned with the identified research gap. These objectives always guide the researcher and aid you in determining the direction and scope of your research study.

Analyze the Existing Studies: Here, you need to analyze very carefully all the existing studies that are related to your research question. Here, it would help if you looked at the most common recurring findings, themes, and patterns of the discussed literature. Here, you also need to pay a lot of attention to the conflicted areas with the results, unanswered questions, and contradictory theories. These areas show the research gaps that can be explored later.

Consider The Practical Relevance: You always need to evaluate the very practical relevance of the research question as well as its potential impact on society. Here, it would help if you always considered the importance of addressing your own research gap as you identified it.

Here, you also need to assess whether your findings can contribute to the original theoretical framework and offer all the practical solutions for leading to the policy recommendations. These practical ads are relevant to the research paper and trigger its impact.

Consulting With the Experts and Peers: You always need to engage you’re discussing with your mentors, peers, and experts in your own field of study. Here, you always need to seek their opinions and perspectives on the research question to identify potential research gaps.

These can provide valuable insights into assumption challenges, and this helps you refine your research work. Your peers and experts can give you a new idea and help you identify the errors in your thinking.

Conducting Your Pilot Study: You need to conduct it to test the viability and feasibility of the research question. This pilot study provides you with feedback and data on the research design, approach and methodology.

This also helps you identify the potential limitations or challenges that need to be solved before conducting the full research studies.

Reflecting and Refining: You need to vividly reflect on the research progress to refine your research preferences. You need to add the objectives. As you go deeper into your research process, additional research gaps may be uncovered to refine your own research needs.

If you follow this process, you can adapt your own approach to ensure the research gaps.

As per the example of the research gap, identifying your research gap allows your research to contribute to gaining more knowledge to address the pre-existing limitations.

This way, you will understand the existing literature to define a crystal clear research statement. You can identify the research gaps by analyzing the existing studies to consider their relevance. According to the research gap finder, if you consult with your peers, doing all the pilot studies reflects on your research process progress.

If you follow the guide mentioned above, you can always embark on meaningful research studies to trigger your knowledge in your subject area and make a prominent contribution to your field.

Also Read: Struggling with Research Paper Writing?

Different Types of Research Gaps

Identifying research gaps is essential for advancing knowledge in any field. Research gaps are areas where more information is available or existing research needs to be more consistent or conclusive. Here are different types of research gaps:

• Evidence Gap

This gap occurs when no empirical evidence supports certain theories, practices, or interventions. It can also refer to areas where existing studies need to sufficiently cover the topic or lack rigorous methodological approaches.

Example: A need for randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of a new drug.

• Knowledge Gap

This gap refers to areas where there is a deficiency in understanding or awareness about a particular topic. It can be due to outdated information, incomplete research, or the absence of research on emerging issues.

Example: Limited knowledge about the long-term effects of exposure to new environmental pollutants.

• Theoretical Gap

Theoretical gaps arise when existing theories do not fully explain certain phenomena or when there is a lack of theoretical frameworks to guide research in a particular area.

Example: More theoretical models need to be developed to explain the psychological impacts of social media usage on teenagers.

• Methodological Gap

Methodological gaps exist when current research methods are inadequate for addressing certain research questions or when there is a need for new or improved methodologies.

Example: More robust qualitative methods are needed to study the experiences of marginalized communities.

• Population Gap

This type of gap occurs when certain populations are underrepresented in research. It can involve demographics like age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location.

Example: Lack of research on the mental health of older adults living in rural areas.

Geographical Gap

Geographical gaps refer to areas or regions that are under-researched. These gaps highlight the need for studies in different geographic contexts to understand local issues better.

Example: Limited studies on the effects of climate change in the Arctic regions.

Strategies to Identify Research Gaps:

• Literature Reviews: Comprehensive reviews can help identify where current research is lacking or inconsistent.
• Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: These methods provide a structured approach to synthesize existing research and identify gaps.
• Expert Consultations: Discussions with experts in the field can uncover areas that require further investigation.
• Research Databases: Utilizing databases and citation analysis tools to track research trends and identify under-researched areas.
• Interdisciplinary Approaches: Engaging with multiple disciplines can reveal gaps that are not apparent within a single field.

Understanding and addressing these gaps is crucial for advancing research and knowledge across various domains.

Read More: How To Get A+ Grade In Research Paper?

What is a Research Gap Example?

A Research Paper Example gives you a very clear idea of how to find your research gaps and examples in textual forms. A few examples are given below:

• Context Healthcare: Although there have been enough researchers on the management of diabetes, there has been a research gap in understanding the impact of digital health interventions in the rural areas of Europe.
• Content environmental science: In a wealth of research regarding the huge environmental pollution caused by the use of plastics, there are fewer findings of how the plastic material really accumulates in certain areas like lakes, rivers, etc. and why these materials are never biodegradable.
• Context Education: The empirical research surrounding the online mode has become tremendously popular over the past few years. However, there needs to be more solid studies regarding the impact of the online learning process on the students who need special education. In each of these examples, you can see that the writer begins by acknowledging the preexisting reach results and then explains thoroughly the present area where the research gap really exists.

Also Read: Why Research Is Essential For Students? 20 Common Reasons!

How to Find a Research Gap?

After getting a very clear idea of various types of research gaps, the vet’s next question comes to mind is how to find a research gap. There is a basic 2 step strategy to find the research gap.

In the beginning, you need to find a lot of literature reviews, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews covering your research area of interest. Moreover, it would help if you dug into the very recent journals for wrapping your head in your own knowledge area.

Here, you can also study the current theses and dissertations, especially those in the doctoral degree courses. A number of dissertation databases, such as Open Access, EBSCO, Pro-Quest, etc., are very useful in this regard. Here. You also need to ensure that you are always looking for the most recent sources.

After gathering a good collection of these resources, you need to focus on further research opportunities. In this section, you need to state explicitly where more studies are needed. It would help if you also looked at the present research study’s limitation areas and where the research gaps might exist.

Following this procedure will help you become oriented to the present research area. This can serve as a foundation for finding the potential research gaps. Then, you need to shortlist the main ideas and evaluate them as per the given topic. It would help if you also looked only for the recent articles here.

Also Read:  Expert Literature Review Writing Services

How to Deal with Literature Gap?

In any project, a literature review is always very important. It helps you in identifying your excusing knowledge, methods and theories in your own field. However, conducting a literature review has its own challenges.

• Defiling your research question: The very first step is to define your own research question very clearly and briefly. It will help you narrow your scope and focus on the crucial sources. It would help if you used less information here. Your research must always be very specific, answerable, and original. The research project always needs to have real objectives and a purpose.
• Searching and selecting the sources: Your next step is to search and select the sources. That is very much reliable and relevant to your research field. There are a number of databases, like keywords, search engines, etc., related to your study field. However, there are also a lot of limitations to these tools, like currency, coverage, and quality of the sources. Here, certain criteria have to be applied to filter the sources, such as relevance, authority, timeline, and accuracy of the information.
• Analyzing and synthesizing the literature: This is the third step, where you need to analyze and synthesize the literature you selected. Here, you need to summarize the sources and compare, contrast and critique them. In this section, you also need to look for the similarities and differences, the strengths and weaknesses, and the gaps and inconsistencies of the literature review paper. The writers can also identify the major trends, themes, and debates in the discussed field. These should also be related to your research question.
• Fill in the gaps after identifying them: This is the 4th step to filling the literature review research paper. This gap needs to be addressed or is under the researched area and is to be addressed by you with the help of your knowledge. These gaps can be filled by looking for the limitations, contradictions or controversies in the review. You can also do this by asking new questions or proposing new ideas. The gaps can also be filled by providing the newest evidence, arguments or even insights related to your field of study.
• Organizing and structuring the literature review: This is the 5th step of your review, where you need to organize and structure the whole paper in a compact and logical manner. Here, you always need to follow certain guidelines as given by your institute and use the best style and font. Proper headings, subheading citations, and traditions should also be used here. This will help your readers follow your arguments and understand what you want to say. A very clear introduction should also be written, along with a good conclusion and summary to highlight your writing.
• Refining and Revising: The literature review is the final step of writing your literature review. Here, you need to ensure that your review is quite accurate, concise and clear. You must check your literature review thoroughly to make it free from errors, gaps, or inconsistencies in language, content, or presentation. Here, you can also seek feedback from your peers, experts or supervisors in your own field. Their suggestions will help you in performing well. The whore literature review should be thoroughly proofread and edited before the final submission.

Last but not least, never copy from any source; it will be considered plagiarism, and your paper will be cancelled then and there. Thus, write only from your own creativity and not from the writing and articles of other writers.

Read More: Dissertation Literature Review For Masters & PhD

Final Words

Writing a research paper is a challenging task. It would help if you had a lot of Research Skills to accomplish it. You will be given a Research topic on which you have to write. Your ultimate aim in writing the research paper is to get the top grade. This can be done by availing of the best online Case Study Help Service from a reliable provider. The Casestudyhelp is the best choice for you in this respect.

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How to Find a Research Gap

Last Updated: February 16, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 34,736 times.

Do you want to contribute original research and make an impact in your field? If so, it's important to look for research gaps, or areas of study that are either under-researched or currently unexplored. In this article, we'll explain in detail the best way to identify a research gap—by performing a comprehensive literature review—so you can dive deep into your research topic and analyze articles critically and effectively. For more tips and tricks on identifying potential research gaps and how to proceed when you find one, read on.

Researching Your Topic

• If you start with a narrow topic, you may struggle to find a gap in research, since you’ll be focused on fewer avenues of study.
• For instance, a broad topic for social sciences research might be "organizational development" or "human motivation." For urban planning, a broad topic might be "walkable cities" or "traffic management."

• While you can't include sources like Wikipedia and news websites on your literature review, it's okay to read them to get an overview of your topic and recent developments in your field.
• It’s okay to narrow your topic as you learn more about it. However, keep your options open until you’re sure you’ve found an area with gaps in research.
• Let's say you were researching human motivation. You might use search terms like "motivating workers," "goal setting," and "improving worker productivity."

• Your research needs to be very thorough to ensure that you’re actually finding a gap. If you only read a handful of articles, you may be missing other existing research that answers your proposed research question.

Tip: Look for both quantitative and qualitative research, if applicable to your field. This will give you a broader overview of the current research.

• Ask them questions like, “Which areas of research are hot right now?” “What kinds of changes are happening within the field?” “What possible avenues of research do you see?” or “Do you think this topic is a good fit for me?”

Analyzing the Literature

• If you decide an article is unhelpful, it’s okay to skip the second reading.

Tip: Conducting a literature review is often a very time-consuming task. However, it’s also an essential part of identifying a research gap. Additionally, you can use the notes you take during your literature review when it comes time to write your article, thesis, or dissertation.

• As an example, an author might identify their gap in research with a statement like: “This subject has not been previously studied,” or “This question remains unanswered.”

• If you keep your notes in a separate document, make sure you label them with the title of the article and the author’s name. This way you won’t accidentally get your notes mixed up.

• Save any questions that you can’t answer because they may be a starting point for writing a research question.

• For instance, you might make a research gap table in a spreadsheet. Create 3 columns and label them “Author,” “Year,” and "Summary." For each article, list the authors, year of publication, and a bullet point summary of the article contents.
• Similarly, you may make a Venn diagram to compare 1 or more articles. Look for overlapping themes and methods, as well as differences between the articles.

Using Current Research, Key Concepts, or Trends

• Keep in mind that other researchers may have addressed the gaps identified in a particular article since that article was written. However, this can give you a starting point for finding a potential gap.

• Don’t rely solely on these types of papers when conducting your research. However, they can make a great supplement.

• Some journals will even tell you how many articles are pertaining to that key concept. If you see a key concept that has fewer articles than the others, that might be a good avenue for further research because it’s been studied less.

• You can access Google trends here: https://trends.google.com/trends/?geo=US
• For instance, if you look up "organizational development" on Google trends, you'll see that people are looking for information on management development, mission statements, and software framework.

Expert Q&A

• Reading Wikipedia articles related to your topic of study may help you identify a gap in research, though you can’t use those articles as sources. Look for areas where more citations are needed, unanswered questions, or sections that are underdeveloped.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/264001
• ↑ https://resources.nu.edu/researchprocess/literaturegap
• ↑ https://guides.umd.umich.edu/c.php?g=529423&p=3621573
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK62480/

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From research discovery to gap finding

How do you find a research gap?

The aim of all research is to add to or enhance existing knowledge. Arguably, we can only achieve this once we understand the work that has already been carried out in a given field. There are varying opinions, depending on the field of inquiry and methodological approach involved, regarding the level of familiarity a researcher should have with existing literature prior to commencing fieldwork, however it is generally accepted that research should fill gaps in the literature. It is perhaps surprising, then, that so little is written about just how to find a “research gap” in the first place.

Finding the literature

The most obvious way to find a research gap is simply to read and analyse the relevant literature. However, this is easier said than done, as the volume of published literature can be staggering. Fortunately, there are some excellent bibliographic databases, which can speed the process of searching for relevant literature. Literature analysis may then be approached either qualitatively or quantitively.

Qualitative literature analysis

A qualitative analysis may involve the development of a concept matrix (Webster & Watson, 2002) or similar.

Figure 1: Example of a concept matrix (adapted from Webster & Watson, 2002)

Legend: O (organisation), G (group), I (individual)

The concept matrix assists researchers to organise the literature they have read, according to the concepts it relates to. It can be adapted, depending on the area of interest. In the example above, for instance, units of analysis are included.

Quantitive literature analysis

Quantitative analysis of literature may be carried out using a variety of tools, from systematic reviews to meta-analyses, citation analyses, and text mining (Marrone, 2017). Choice of tools may be determined to some extent by the ability of the researcher to acquire or access the technical expertise to leverage them.

Find the gap, or create one?

Reading and analysing the literature may reveal gaps which can be explored, however Alvesson & Sandberg (2011) suggest that research gaps may also be created by the researcher. By linking together work which has previously been considered separately, a researcher can uncover uncharted territory. In this way, opportunities to contribute to existing knowledge are constructed (Locke & Golden-Biddle, 1997) rather than merely identified.

What does a “research gap” look like?

Several authors have sought to characterise research gaps, describing the various forms they can take, whether considered from the perspective of objectively identifiable existing gaps in research (gap finding) or as opportunities to construct new “gaps” (gap creation). Some examples are summarised below.

Figure 2: Characteristics of research gaps (Click to see image bigger)

Gap-finding frameworks

Step-by-step guides to finding research gaps are hard to come by, however in the field of medical epidemiology, a framework for identifying research gaps from systematic reviews of literature has been published (Robinson et al., 2011). In this field, the PICOS framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Setting) is commonly used to characterise a research gap. Robinson et al. (2011) suggest that an analysis of the reason for the existence of the gap can further inform the development of research questions. The reasons elucidated by Robinson et al. (2011) for the existence of research gaps are similar to the characteristics of gaps described by other authors, as shown in figure 2 (Characteristics of Research Gaps).

There are many ways to go about identifying research gaps, perhaps so many that the options may on occasion be overwhelming. A considered approach, coupled with knowledge and utilisation of the tools available to assist in research gap-finding, is likely to result in improved research design.

• Alvesson, M., & Sandberg, J. (2011). Generating research questions through problematization. Academy of Management Review. 36(2), 247-271 [doi:10.5465/AMR.2011.59330882]
• Hallgren, M. (2012) The construction of research questions in project management. International Journal of Project Management, 30(7), 804-816.
• Locke, K., & Golden-Biddle, K. (1997) Constructing opportunities for contribution: Structuring intertextual coherence and “problematizing” in organizational studies. Academy of Management Journal, 40: 1023–1062.
• Muller-Bloch, C. & Kranz, J. (2015) A framework for rigorously identifying research gaps in qualitative literature reviews. International Conference on Information Systems 2015 [available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2015/proceedings/ResearchMethods/2/]
• Marrone, M., & Hammerle, M. (2017). Relevant Research Areas in IT Service Management: An Examination of Academic and Practitioner Literatures. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 41, 517-543.
• Robinson, K. A., Saldanha, I. J. & McKoy, N. A. (2011) Development of a framework to identify research gaps from systematic reviews. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 64(12), 1325-1330.
• Sandberg, J., & Alvesson, M. 2011. Ways of constructing research questions: Gap-spotting or problematization? Organization, 18: 23–44.
• Webster, J., & Watson, R. T. (2002). Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature review. MIS Quarterly, 26(2), 13-23

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What is a Research Gap? How to Identify it?

“ Choosing a topic, research or subject that has not been answered or explored yet by any other scientists is referred to as a research gap.” 

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find one! 

When you start reading literature, initially you may notice that nothing is left to study! That everyone feels, even me too when I was in my initial days of PhD. But when you get enough research experience, you can find gaps in research easily. 

“Every research is incomplete.”

Indeed, a research work completes when it states a gap or unexplored area with the final conclusion, so that future research will get direction. 

The process of research or doctorate starts (immediately after you get admission) by initiating searching a research gap which leads to postulating a research question. 

 A research question is your title or statement of thesis using which you will find your thesis objectives and address a particular question. It can be stated only by finding a research or literature gap. 

And as I said, it’s quite difficult for PhD students.  

So in this blog post, I will explain to you what a research or literature gap is and how you can identify it. 

How to appear in the PhD Interview?

What is a research or literature gap? 

Firstly, a research/ knowledge gap or literature gap is though different terms but has a similar meaning. The reason is that a research problem can be addressed either by experimental research and literature review. 

Definition: 

A research or literature gap is a problem or unexplored/ underexplored area of the existing research. 

Choosing a topic, research or subject that has not been answered or explored yet by any other scientist is referred to as a research gap. 

Let us start with an example;

Take a look at the hypothetical closing sentence.

“3 common mutations IVS1-5, IVS1-1 and CD8/9 have been selected for the present to screen thalassemia patients. A common mutation IVS1-5 has been identified in 2 out of 70 unrelated thalassemia patients using the conventional PCR technique.” 

Let’s say you want to do research on the Genetics of Thalassemia. Suppose this one is the closing paragraph of some research article and is a final conclusion. How can you find a research gap here? 

I find many gaps, Let us find out some of them;

• The sample size is too small. 
• There are 12 common mutations in beta-thalassemia which are present in almost 80% of cases. Only three are selected in the present study. 
• The present study is geologically restricted. 
• The author has used a single conventional PCR technique. More techniques like DNA sequencing can be used to address the same problem, which possibly provides more knowledge and can identify novel mutations as well. 
• The author hasn’t clarified which type of thalassemia patients they have included in the present study. 

These are some of the possible gaps in the present research. Let’s look at other closing statements for the same. 

“3 common mutations IVS1-5, IVS1-1 and CD8/9 have been selected for the present to screen thalassemia patients. A common mutation IVS1-5 has been identified in 2 out of 70 unrelated thalassemia patients using the conventional PCR technique. The present study can be strengthened by increasing sample size, diversifying geological studies, increasing the number of common mutations and using other techniques for thalassemia.”

“Major limitations of the present study are small sample size, number of mutations and technique selected for the study. 

All these closing statements posit the same type of research gaps. You can use these to prepare your thesis statement. Take a look at the one. 

“Identifying common Beta-thalassemia mutations by DNA sequencing from south India.”

Where to find a literature gap? 

Some research clearly indicates gaps in their studies whereas some don’t. And that’s why it’s difficult for students to discover one. Notedly, by looking into variables used in the study, gaps can be recognized.

• Samples- size, types, collection method, transportation conditions. 
• Research technique- single, two or multiple; significance, efficiency and accuracy of the techniques used. 
• Geological location and condition of the study conducted. 
• Objectives selected for the study.
• Data obtained and research discussions. 

You have to read tons of literature to actually determine possible gaps in the research. A research gap has been indicated in the conclusion section, final interpretation, future direction or suggestions part of a research paper. 

Besides, when you came across some phrases used in the literature such as, 

The present study has not been covered…..

………… excluded from the present study. 

………… is important to address in future research. 

…………. Techniques can be fruitful for future research. 

……………. have/has not been studied/ reported/ evaluated in the present study. 

Keep in mind that this indicates a gap, problem or scopes of improvement in the study. 

Read more: Which factors decide a PhD Salary?

How to find a research gap?

As I said, it’s not an easy process to find a problem or gap in the research, though by following some steps that I will mention here, you can find one and can go with it. 

Select a topic that you like and that motivates you: 

Research interest is important because you have to do the same work for at least 4 to 5 years. Research takes a tremendous amount of physical, mental, economical and intellectual effort. Meaning you have to select a topic that likely motivates you. You should not get tired of doing that! 

Find lucrative keywords to go ahead: 

You can’t go through the whole topic or subject, right! you have to select one or a few. Means, make things more narrow. Take a look at the process, I have explained with an example. 

Find a keyword that is relevant to the topic you like or are interested in and go ahead with it. 

Find relevant resources and literature: 

Now next in the process, type your keyword or group of keywords in the Google search box and try identifying literature, reviews and research associated with it. 

Find reviews, read them and try to find gaps in studies. Keep in mind that it will remain in your interest circle. 

Read peer-reviewed articles and find gaps in the research: 

Try to read every fresh research and review article around your topic, go through the technique and sample collection process used in each research and discover discordance or space there. 

You can make a comparative analysis table as well. Take a look at the table below, 

When you make a comparative analysis of a few studies you will get an idea about the research gap, gap in sample collection, scope to use other techniques, improvisation or new research areas to include in the study. 

Choosing one from many: 

When you complete the process, you may find many unanswered questions or research gaps (if you have done things in this manner) and you get stuck with many, which to choose and which to leave. 

For PhD, it’s important to weightage a research work accurately; not more, not less. An imbalance will create an unnecessary burden and create problems in the future. 

Henceforth, prioritizing and narrowing down the research gap is crucial. 

In this case, you can take your supervisor’s help. Postulate an amazing research question that would be suitable for PhD, as per your interest, under your budget and fulfill your supervisor’s need. 

Expected outcomes: 

This is confusing for you surely! 

You may wonder by only identifying a gap and postulating a research question, how can we expect anything as outcomes? 

Expected outcomes of the research have significant value and importance in the PhD, PhD research proposal and your final report. You or your guide has to explain the possible results of the study. 

It’s mandatory and will give you direction for research. Expected outcomes can be considered as a path on which you will have to walk. 

Take an example of the research question we just postulated, “Identifying common Beta-thalassemia mutations by DNA sequencing from south India.”

What will be the expected results? 

• You will get some common mutations. 
• You will probably get some new mutations or variations. 
• Or you will get nothing, which means, no mutations in any samples. 

In either case, you have definite outcomes, and your final results will be around it, perhaps. You will definitely not get any information regarding the globin protein because that’s not included in the study. 

Right! 

You are just doing mutational analysis and want to find some common mutations in the selected population. So what research gap you will identify will surely give some expected outcomes. 

Wrapping up: 

Research gap/ knowledge gap or literature gap all terms leads us to the same direction and help us to propose a research question. Although as we said, expected outcomes are also an important consideration to fill the gap. 

If you are new to PhD or just started this article is the best place for you to start, and will definitely assist you to find a mission piece of link in the research. 

I hope you like this article. Please do visit other articles on this blog. 

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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Last Updated: Aug 26, 2024 Views: 491385

What is a research gap.

A research gap is a question or a problem that has not been answered by any of the existing studies or research within your field. Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn't been studied at all. Sometimes you'll find a research gap if all the existing research is outdated and in need of new/updated research (studies on Internet use in 2001, for example). Or, perhaps a specific population has not been well studied (perhaps there are plenty of studies on teenagers and video games, but not enough studies on toddlers and video games, for example). These are just a few examples, but any research gap you find is an area where more studies and more research need to be conducted. Please view this video clip from our Sage Research Methods database for more helpful information: How Do You Identify Gaps in Literature?

How do I find one?

It will take a lot of research and reading.  You'll need to be very familiar with all the studies that have already been done, and what those studies contributed to the overall body of knowledge about that topic. Make a list of any questions you have about your topic and then do some research to see if those questions have already been answered satisfactorily. If they haven't, perhaps you've discovered a gap!  Here are some strategies you can use to make the most of your time:

• One useful trick is to look at the “suggestions for future research” or conclusion section of existing studies on your topic. Many times, the authors will identify areas where they think a research gap exists, and what studies they think need to be done in the future.
• As you are researching, you will most likely come across citations for seminal works in your research field. These are the research studies that you see mentioned again and again in the literature.  In addition to finding those and reading them, you can use a database like Web of Science to follow the research trail and discover all the other articles that have cited these. See the FAQ: I found the perfect article for my paper. How do I find other articles and books that have cited it? on how to do this. One way to quickly track down these seminal works is to use a database like SAGE Navigator, a social sciences literature review tool. It is one of the products available via our SAGE Knowledge database.
• In the PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES databases, you can select literature review, systematic review, and meta analysis under the Methodology section in the advanced search to quickly locate these. See the FAQ: Where can I find a qualitative or quantitative study? for more information on how to find the Methodology section in these two databases.
• In CINAHL , you can select Systematic review under the Publication Type field in the advanced search. 
• In Web of Science , check the box beside Review under the Document Type heading in the “Refine Results” sidebar to the right of the list of search hits.
• If the database you are searching does not offer a way to filter your results by document type, publication type, or methodology in the advanced search, you can include these phrases (“literature reviews,” meta-analyses, or “systematic reviews”) in your search string.  For example, “video games” AND “literature reviews” could be a possible search that you could try.

Please give these suggestions a try and contact a librarian for additional assistance.

Content authored by: GS

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Gender bias in sports is a longstanding issue that affects athletes and women in leadership positions across all levels of competition. Despite significant progress in gender equity initiatives, disparities persist in media coverage, funding, sponsorship, coaching opportunities, and leadership roles. The bias not only impacts the visibility and financial support for women but also influences their psychological well-being, career longevity, and overall experience in sports. This Research Topic aims to address the critical problem of gender bias in sports. It seeks to provide a platform for analyzing the effects of gender bias on athletes, leadership positions, and sports organizations. It aims to explore the role of media and cultural perceptions in perpetuating gender disparities, as well as evaluate and highlight effective policies and initiatives that have successfully promoted gender equity. By gathering diverse perspectives and evidence-based research, this collection strives to identify practical strategies for overcoming gender bias and promoting inclusivity within sports environments. The ultimate goal is to foster dialogue, inform policy-making, and inspire actionable solutions that will contribute to reducing gender disparities and advancing equity in sports at all levels. This Research Topic invites contributions that explore various aspects of gender bias in sports, including but not limited to: • Disparities in media representation and coverage • Inequities in funding, sponsorships, and resource allocation • Gender differences in coaching opportunities and leadership roles • Psychological impacts of gender bias on athletes • Economic analysis of gender disparities in professional sports, the Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games • Intersectional perspectives on gender bias We welcome all types of manuscripts and papers focusing on underrepresented groups, innovative solutions, and practical applications are particularly encouraged.

Keywords : Gender bias, sports equity, professional sports, amateur sports, collegiate sports, economic impact, intersectionality, media representation, psychological effects, policy initiatives, pay gap, leadership

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DeVry University Releases "Closing the Gap: Upskilling and Reskilling in an AI Era," its Report on Learning and Development in the U.S. Workforce

While worker enthusiasm for life-long learning is growing in an AI-driven world, employers aren’t meeting the moment with the right upskilling opportunities and training

LISLE, Ill – Aug. 27, 2024 – Today, DeVry University released its second annual report on upskilling and reskilling the U.S. workforce in the age of AI. In partnership with Reputation Leaders , the research reveals that while employees are more enthusiastic about opportunities for ongoing learning, current employer upskilling and reskilling efforts are not meeting the moment with the right opportunities to reach, engage and train all employees. This can lead to greater organizational and talent risk.

The report, Closing the Gap: Upskilling and Reskilling in an AI Era , surveyed more than 1,500 employees and 580 hiring decision-makers across sectors to uncover gaps and opportunities for upskilling in this rapidly evolving landscape.

"Generative AI and high-volume data analytics are fundamentally transforming how we learn and work, leading to significant disruption in the job market. While some roles are vanishing, many are quickly evolving in ways we’ve never seen before,” said Elise Awwad , president and CEO of DeVry University. “This swift evolution underscores the urgency for upskilling and reskilling to meet rising expectations, while also preparing for the emergence of entirely new roles and career paths. Our research provides critical insights into how both employers and employees are adapting to this fast-paced change, highlighting what can be done better to meet future demands."

The research uncovered four key insights about the challenges of upskilling and reskilling in an AI-driven world:

Workers Have More Access, Time and Energy for Upskilling—But Still Aren’t Taking Action

While more workers say they face no barriers to upskilling (30% in 2024 vs. 22% in 2023), employers estimate only about half (55%) of workers participate in upskilling opportunities available at work. Nearly 9 in 10 employers (87%) say they offer upskilling. This represents a slight increase compared to last year's study (78%) in both availability of upskilling and utilization of programs, but across industries, the survey still found a substantial gap between what workers and employers say versus what they do.

Workers Believe in Their Current AI Skills More Than Their Employers Do

Workers and employers both acknowledge the ubiquity of AI and the importance of embracing skills in this new technology as an essential component of the near-future workplace. Yet, employers are underestimating the AI fluency of their current workers. According to the survey, employers say that 32% of their workers are merely novices at AI; however, workers feel far more strongly about their skill sets with only 3% describing themselves as such.

Women Are Falling Behind When It Comes To AI

Amid growing access to and deployment of AI tools, women are falling behind men in uptake of skills and use of AI tools. Only 41% describe their AI proficiency as intermediate or higher, in comparison to 55% of men. And, while 43% of men regard AI as a way to help them get ahead, only 27% of women agree. Women see less value in the adoption of AI in comparison to men on every measure, with only 49% seeing the benefits of AI as making their work easier in comparison to 58% of men. 

Current Upskilling Approaches—Including in AI—May Expose Companies to Long-Term Risk

The data raises ethical questions about the choices employers make in providing access to AI training and skills development. Seventy-two percent of employers say they do not provide upskilling benefits to all workers, and 42% of employers say they are not confident that their organization understands how to train workers on AI effectively. When more than half of workers (56%) say they are using AI tools at work at least weekly, many are doing so without training and without guardrails for any ethical or security considerations.

“Inequitable access to AI learning and resources and use of AI tools in the workplace without guardrails, threaten to create new and avoidable organizational risks. The solution is integrated planning for the use of AI and holistic training that prepares all workers for seamless deployment of the new technology.  At DeVry, we believe intentional education of employees and the broader U.S. workforce around AI is imperative for companies and organizations to successfully navigate an increasingly technology-focused marketplace,” commented Awwad.

About the Survey

DeVry University engaged Reputation Leaders, an independent research firm to conduct research from June 11-26, 2024, about artificial intelligence (AI) in connection to upskilling and reskilling. We surveyed workers and employers about their attitudes and experiences on the topic.​ The worker sample consisted of a total of 1,526 American adults between the ages of 25 and 45. The respondents were employed, underemployed, or unemployed but expecting to start work in the next 12 months​. The employer sample consisted of 581 hiring decision-makers from a mix of industries, with a particular focus on the technology sector and HR managers.​To view all the findings of Closing the Gap: Upskilling and Reskilling in an AI era, click here . 

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• Data Descriptor
• Open access
• Published: 27 August 2024

A gap-free genome assembly of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans , a vascular wilt pathogen

• Huan Wang 1   na1 ,
• Gang Yao 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Weikai Chen   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0009-8125-3993 1 ,
• Dilay Hazal Ayhan 1 ,
• Xiangfeng Wang 1 ,
• Jie Sun 1 ,
• Tan Meng 1 ,
• Shaoying Chen 1 ,
• Xin Geng 1 ,
• Dian Meng 1 ,
• Lili Zhang 1 , 3 &
• Li Guo   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6100-3481 1  

Scientific Data volume  11 , Article number:  925 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Fungal genetics
• Fungal genomics
• Sequence annotation

Fusarium oxysporum is an asexual filamentous fungus that causes vascular wilt in hundreds of crop plants and poses a threat to public health through Fusariosis. F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans strain Fo5176, originally isolated from Brassica oleracea , is pathogenic to Arabidopsis, making it a model pathosystem for dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions. Assembling the F. oxysporum genome is notoriously challenging due to the presence of repeat-rich accessory chromosomes. Here, we report a gap-free genome assembly of Fo5176 using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C data. The 69.56 Mb assembly contained 18 complete chromosomes, including all centromeres and most telomeres (20/36), representing the first gap-free genome sequence of a pathogenic F. oxysporum strain. In total, 21,460 protein-coding genes were annotated, a 26.3% increase compared to the most recent assembly. This high-quality reference genome for F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans Fo5176 provides a valuable resource for further research into fungal pathobiology and evolution.

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Background & summary.

Fusarium oxysporum species complex is a group of soil-borne plant pathogens with a broad host range worldwide, causing severe economic losses in valuable crops such as cotton, tomato, banana and watermelon 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 . This species complex consists of various formae speciales (f. sp.) that infect hundreds of plant species, causing vascular wilt diseases 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 . They are also natural producers of various toxic metabolites, such as fusaric acid, posing threats to plant and human health 10 , 11 . Furthermore, they can act as disease agents for immune-compromised humans or other mammals 12 , 13 . Thus, elucidating the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of F. oxysporum is crucial for both agricultural safety and public health. F. oxysporum strain Fo5176 was first isolated from Brassica oleracea (cabbage) 14 , 15 and is pathogenic to multiple ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana 16 . The Arabidopsis-Fo5176 pathosystem has been established to study host-pathogen interactions 16 , 17 . F. oxysporum has a dynamic genome organization, containing conserved “core” chromosomes and lineage-specific (LS) “accessory” chromosomes. The accessory chromosomes are typically repeat-rich (>74%) due to the enrichment of various transposons 18 , making them extremely challenging to assemble accurately and completely. To date, there has been no reported complete, gap-free genome assembly of pathogenic F. oxysporum . Although a chromosome-level genome sequence of the Fo5176 strain was assembled using PacBio Sequel long reads and Illumina short-reads, it still has many gaps, leading to incomplete and incorrect annotation of genes 17 , 19 . Moreover, telomere and centromere sequences were unreported in previous assemblies, leaving these complex genomic regions unknown. A gap-free reference genome resource for Fo5176 would provide new insights into the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms underlying fungal growth, development, pathogenicity and mycotoxin production.

To produce a gapless reference genome of Fo5176, we extracted genomic DNA from fungal mycelia and generated 6.27 Gb of continuous long reads (CLR) (290 × coverage) from the PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing platform, and 2.40 Gb of PacBio circular consensus sequencing (CCS) high-fidelity (HiFi) reads (34.17 × coverage) (Table  1 ). We also used a previously reported Hi-C (high-throughput chromatin conformation capture sequencing) dataset 17 to anchor contigs onto chromosomes. During the genome assembly process, the raw CCS HiFi reads of Fo5176 were assembled with four long-read assemblers: Hifiasm 20 , HiCanu 21 , Flye 22 , and NextDenovo 23 . The CLR reads were first corrected by HiCanu and then assembled by Hifiasm. All draft genome assemblies were then merged one by one using quickmerge after being individually polished by Nextpolish 24 . The raw contigs were then scaffolded and corrected using Hi-C reads with the Juicer 25 /3D-DNA pipeline 26 . The final assembly contained 18 chromosomes (Fig.  1A ) with a contig N50 of 4.37 Mb, a significant improvement ( + 29.2%) over the previous assembly by Fokkens et al . (hereafter Fokkens assembly) 17 (Table  2 ). The number of chromosomes was determined by centromeric interaction regions detected in the Hi-C contact map (Fig.  1A ) 27 . Consistently, each contig was represented as a single chromosome, indicating a gapless assembly. Comparing the two assemblies using the D-GENIES dotplot 28 , we found that Chr19 and Chr17 of the previous assembly were merged into a single chromosome in the new assembly (Fig.  2A–C ), which was supported by mapped HiFi reads spanning the junction (Fig.  2D ).

Overview of a gap-free genome assembly and annotation of Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo5176. ( A ) Genome-wide Hi-C contact maps show the interaction matrices among 18 chromosomes. ( B ) Circular plot showing the gene features in Fo5176 genome. Track a to h: (a) Ideograms of 18 chromosomes with their lengths, in which the highlight lines in each ideogram represent the genomic location of secondary metabolite gene clusters. (b) GC content, (c) gene density black: low, red: high, (d) exon density green: low, yellow: high, (e) histogram of repetitive DNA density, (f) Simple repeat density, (g) ncRNA (non-coding RNA) and (h) Colony morphology of Fo5176 strain is photographed after 5-day incubation at 25 °C. The densities are calculated in 20 kb windows (b, d and e). Chr: chromosome.

Comparison of two genome assemblies of Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo5176. ( A ) D-GENIES dotplot alignment comparing the chromosome features between the Fokkens assembly (19 chromosomes, horizontal) and the gap-free assembly (18 chromosomes, vertical). With numbered chromosomes as coordinates, Chr19 and Chr17 of the previous assembly are joint in Chr17 of the new assembly (the upper right). ( B-C ) The correct joining of previous Chr19 and Chr17 (horizontal) into new Chr17 (vertical) is confirmed by genome dotplot ( B ) and Hi-C contact map ( C ). ( D ) IGV visualization of PacBio HiFi reads spanning the genomic junction at Chr17 of the gap-free assembly. The dashed red boxes denote the Chr19 and Chr17 chromosome regions of Fokkens assembly, respectively, and the underneath (Fo5176_gapfree_Chr17) represents the Chr17 region from the gap-free assembly. Chr: chromosome. Ann: annotation.

It has been reported that F. oxysporum strain Fo47, a fungal endophyte and biocontrol agent, carries 11 core chromosomes and a single accessory (Chr7) chromosome 29 . To identify the characteristics of chromosomes in Fo5176, a whole-genome sequence alignment between Fo5176 and Fo47 using D-GENIES dotplot 28 revealed that the size of the Fo5176 sequence mapped to the 10 core chromosomes of Fo47 ranged from 1.9 Mb to 6.5 Mb, including Chr01, Chr03, Chr05, Chr06, Chr07, Chr08, Chr09, Chr12, Chr15, and Chr17 (Fig.  S1 ), suggesting a set of 10 entire core chromosomes. Furthermore, a translocation between the chimeric (core/lineage-specific) chromosomes Chr04 and Chr13 of Fo5176 was observed. For LS chromosomes, the Chr14 in Fo5176 is the counterpart to the LS Chr7 in Fo47. In addition to Chr14, five chromosomes (Chr02, Chr10, Chr11, Chr16, and Chr18) did not align to any Fo47 chromosomes (Fig.  S1 ), indicative of five additional LS chromosomes in the Fo5176 genome. In total, Fo5176 contained 10 core chromosomes, two chimeric chromosomes (Chr04 and Chr13) and 6 LS chromosomes.

This gap-free assembly genome captured all centromeres on 18 chromosomes (Figs.  3A,B , 4 ). A total of 20 telomeres were identified, missing 16 telomeres including the 5′ end of chromosomes 1, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16 and 17, and the 3′ end of chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13 and 16 (Figs.  3C,D , 4 ). Compared to the Fokkens assembly sized at 67.98 Mb with an N50 of 3.38 Mb, the 69.56 Mb gap-free assembly was larger with a contig N50 of 4.37 Mb (Table  2 ). A more comprehensive comparison between the previous study and this assembly using GenomeSyn plot 30 showed that six gaps on Chr02, Chr03 and Chr11 were closed (Fig.  4 ). Furthermore, four small inversions on Chr03, Chr07 and Chr14, and one large inversion in the region of the centromere on Chr18 were corrected in the gap-free Fo5176 genome (Fig.  4 ).

Validations of centromere and telomere regions in Fusarium oxysporum strain Fo5176 genome. ( A, B ) The features of two representative centromere regions of Chr10 and Chr11 are visualized using IGV (integrated genome viewer), where PacBio HiFi and RNA-seq reads are mapped. The dashed red boxes denote the centromere regions. ( C, D ) IGV visualization of 5′ and 3′ end telomere regions in Chr09 where PacBio HiFi and RNA-seq reads are mapped. The dashed red boxes denote the centromere and telomere regions, respectively. Chr: chromosome. Ann: annotation.

Comparison of Fo5176 genome characteristics between the previous version (GCA_014154955.1) and the gap-free assembly in this study. For each chromosome, top is the Fokkens assembly (GCA_014154955.1) with gaps (orange lines) and bottom is the gap-free assembly from this study with all centromeres and 20 telomeres (brown triangles). Synteny and genomic inversion events are shown in grey and color lines, respectively. Gene density is shown throughout the chromosome as heatmaps. GC content was shown as line graph above or below each chromosome. The chromosome ideogram of previous Chr19, now part of Chr17 of the new assembly, is delineated by black dotted lines. Chr: chromosome.

For annotation of the protein-coding genes, three different sources of evidence were integrated, including ab initio prediction, Fusarium homologous proteins and RNA-seq data. The same annotation pipeline was also applied to the Fokkens assembly 17 , allowing a fair comparison of the two assemblies. A total of 21,460 protein-coding genes were identified in our gap-free assembly (Fig.  1B ; Table 2 ), 26.3% more than previously reported for the Fokkens assembly. Repetitive elements (REs) are enriched in F. oxysporum accessory chromosomes and associated with virulence factors responsible for pathogenicity 18 . In our gap-free assembly, REs accounted for 20.13% with a high density in accessory chromosomes such as chromosomes 2, 16, and 18. The most abundant REs were DNA transposons (~7.89% of REs), of which tc1-is630-pogo (2.98%) and hobo-activator (2.26%) are the most abundant families. The proportions of REs in the gapless assembly differed greatly from the Fokkens assembly, specifically adding 100% (8,155 bp) small RNA and losing all Penelope and SINEs in the new assembly, respectively (Table  2 ). Moreover, the unclassified elements accounted for 4.72% of the genome (Table  2 ).

Fusarium oxysporum species are natural producers of bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs), some of which play important roles in pathogenicity, antivirals, defense response and nutrition acquisition 10 , 11 . For example, Fusaric acid contributes to the virulence of F. oxysporum in plant and mammalian hosts 10 , 11 . In the Fo5176 genome, 58 putative secondary metabolite (SM) gene clusters containing 71 key biosynthetic genes were predicted by antiSMASH v6.1.1 31 , including 15 nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), 14 polyketide synthases (PKS), 13 NRPS-like genes, 11 terpenes, 5 indoles and 2 betalactones (Figs.  1B , 5 ; Table  S1 ), with no predicted SM gene clusters on chromosomes 10, 14, 16 and 18. Effectors are important virulence factors of F. oxysporum during plant infection. F. oxysporum is known to secrete a group of small cysteine-rich proteins called effectors, such as SIX (secreted in xylem) proteins, which can suppress the host immunity and modify host cellular activities to promote infection 9 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 . In the Fo5176 gap-free genome, a total of 579 putative effectors were predicted across 18 chromosomes (Table  S2 ) based on a pipeline integrating three tools: EffectorP 37 , SignalP 38 and TMHMM 39 . The predicted effectors and putative secondary metabolite gene clusters provide a resource for future characterization of new pathogenicity factors of Fo5176 and elucidation of their molecular mechanisms.

Features and distribution of secondary metabolites (SM) gene clusters in Fo5176 genome. A total of 58 putative SM gene clusters including 71 key biosynthetic genes on 14 chromosomes (except for Chr10, Chr14, Chr16 and Chr18) are predicted by antiSMASH software. Each track represents a unique gene cluster, with its chromosomal distribution and diverse types of SM genes. Note different colors indicate the types of SM genes: Green: biosynthetic gene; Yellow: biosynthetic-additional gene; Purple: other gene; Blue: regulatory gene; Red: transport gene. Chr: chromosome.

In summary, this gap-free genome assembly is the first for the pathogenic F. oxysporum , one of the most common and devastating fungal pathogens of crop plants, as well as human pathogens. This genome represents a major improvement in terms of contiguity and accuracy and will serve as an essential resource for researchers studying this fungus. The genome assembly and annotation are not only important for decoding the mechanisms of plant-pathogen interactions using the model plant Arabidopsis as a host, but also beneficial for elucidating the dynamic evolution of Fusarium species.

Fungal cultivation, DNA extraction, PacBio library preparation and sequencing

The Fo5176 strain used in this study was routinely grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium at 25 °C. For genomic DNA isolation, the hyphae of Fo5176 were harvested from a 2-day-old potato dextrose broth (PDB) culture set at 150 rpm and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. High-molecular-weight genomic DNA was extracted using a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method 40 . A PacBio HiFi sequencing library was prepared for sequencing according to PacBio’s standard protocol. The genomic DNA was fragmented using a Covaris g-TUBE device, and the size and concentration were measured with an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. DNA damage repair, end repair, A-tailing and hairpin adapter ligation were performed using the PacBio SMRT Express Template Prep Kit 2.0. The library was then treated with nuclease using SMRTbell Enzyme Cleanup Kits (PacBio). For the PacBio CLR library construction, the high-quality genomic DNA was extracted using the standard CTAB extraction protocol. The DNA concentration was measured using the Qubit dsDNA BR Assay Kit on the Qubit Fluorometer, and the DNA integrity was evaluated using the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer system. The final CLR SMRTbell sequencing library was prepared using the SMRTbell Express Prep kit v2.0 Protocol and sequenced on the PacBio Sequel II system in CLR mode with the Sequel II Sequencing Kit 2.0. The resulting library was sequenced at Biomarker Technologies Corporation (Qingdao, China) and the raw CCS data was generated using the CCS algorithm.

Genome assembly

To improve the quality of the genome assembly, raw contigs of Fo5176 were assembled with four long-read de novo assemblers using CCS reads: Hifiasm v.0.16.1 with the ‘-primary’ option 20 , HiCanu v.1.4 with the ‘-pacbio-hifi oeaErrorRate = 0.001’ options 21 , Flye v.2.9 with the ‘-pacbio-hifi’ option 22 , and NextDenovo with the ‘parameters: minimap2_options_cns = -x ava-hifi’ option 23 . Additionally, 6.27 Gb of PacBio CLR reads (290 × read depth; average length: 14,715 bp) were generated using the PacBio Sequel II system and used in the genome assembly. The CLR reads were assembled using Hifiasm following the HiCanu v.1.4 correction. All draft assemblies were assessed and then merged one by one using the single-scaffolding tool quickmerge v.0.3 under default parameters. Firstly, the draft assemblies of NextDenovo and Flye were merged; then the Hifiasm CCS draft assembly was merged on top of that, followed by the HiCanu draft assembly, and finally the Hifiasm CLR draft assembly. The final merged assembly was further polished by NextPolish v.1.4.0 24 with the HiFi reads.

RNA extraction and sequencing

To annotate the protein-coding genes, total RNA was extracted using the TRIzol approach (Invitrogen, USA) 17 from 2-day-old PDB hyphae of Fo5176. After evaluating RNA integrity using the RNA Nano 6000 Assay Kit, the high-quality RNA was used for total mRNA-Seq library construction by the Illumina TruSeq RNA Library Prep kit (Illumina, CA), following the manufacturer’s instructions. RNA-seq analysis was performed on an Illumina Novaseq. 6000 sequencer at Biomarker Technologies Corporation (Qingdao, China). A total of 5.1 Gb of clean, paired-end (2 × 150 bp) RNA-seq data were obtained, which were then checked for quality control using fastp v.0.23.2 41 and mapped to the assembled genome sequence using Hisat2 v.2.1.0 42 under default parameters. Mapping ratios were calculated using SAMtools v.1.15 43 .

Gene annotation and repetitive elements analysis

To annotate the assembly, three approaches were combined: ab initio prediction, homology-based protein predictions, and RNA-seq evidence. During the ab initio prediction process, the repetitive sequences dispersed in the genome were de novo predicted and compiled by RepeatModeler v.1.0.11 44 (parameters: -database -engine ncbi -pa). For further analyses, RepeatMasker v. 4.1.2.p1 45 was used to extract and softmask the repetitive elements. The GeneMark-ET model 46 was trained to predict gene models, followed by ab initio gene prediction using BRAKER2 for five rounds 47 (parameters:–species = Fo–fungus–softmasking–genome–bam–prot_seq–prg = gth–gff3–rounds = 5). Then, the MAKER v.3.01.03 pipeline 48 , a genome annotation and data management tool, was applied to train the SNAP 49 semi-HMM model for two rounds. The gene finder AUGUSTUS 50 was used to predict the built-in Fusarium genome feature model. For homology-based protein prediction, a set of protein sequences (anchored chromosome level) of Fo5176, Fol4287 and Fo47 were downloaded and combined from the Fusarium public database. For transcriptomic data, the RNA-seq reads of Fo5176 were aligned to the assembled genome using Hisat2 v.2.1.0 42 . Reference-based assembly and de novo assembly of transcripts were also generated using Scallop (v.0.10.5) 51 and Trinity (v.2.8.4) 52 (parameters:–min_kmer_cov 3–normalize_max_read_cov 100), respectively. To predict the final gene model, the above transcript and protein datasets were integrated and aligned to the genome using the MAKER v.3.01.03 pipeline 48 . Moreover, the non-coding RNAs in the Fo5176 genome were predicted by Rfam/Infernal v.1.1.4 53 (parameters: ‘cmscan–cut_ga–rfam–nohmmonly–fmt 2 -clanin -tblout’) and tRNAscan-SE v.2.0.9 54 (parameters: ‘-E -X 20 -f -m -b -j–detail’).

Fungal effector prediction

For effector prediction, EffectorP v3.0 37 and SignalP v.6.0 38 were independently used to identify putative secreted proteins from the Fo5176 proteome, and the overlapping effectors from the two predictions were obtained. The candidate effectorome was then scanned using TMHMM v.2.0 39 to exclude those containing transmembrane helices, yielding the final set of predicted effectors.

Data Records

The raw sequencing data of PacBio HiFi, CLR, and RNA-seq have been deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under the BioProject number PRJNA910529 55 with the accession number of SRR22746921 56 , SRR22746920 57 and SRR22746918 58 , respectively. The final assembled genome is deposited under the same BioProject at NCBI (GCA_030345115.1) 59 and also in Genome Warehouse of National Genomics Data Center ( https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/ ) at China National Center for Bioinformation under the accession number of GWHDOBK00000000 60 . The genome annotations including CDS and protein-coding regions files have been submitted to the online open access repository Figshare 61 .

Technical Validation

Manual correction, validation and evaluation of genome assembly.

To obtain a nearly complete and error-free reference genome, we manually corrected the misassembly and removed redundant contigs using Hi-C reads alignment within Juicebox visualization 62 . To remove potential contamination sequences such as mitochondrial genomes and sequencing adaptors, we used megaBLAST 63 to align our assembly to the species’ mitochondrial genome, common database ( ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/kitts/contam_in_euks.fa.gz ), ( ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/kitts/adaptors_for_screening_euks.fa ), and the nucleotide sequence database (remote mode), and found no errors. Compared to the previous assembly (NCBI: GCA_014154955.1), our gap-free assembly has reduced the gap length from 4,000 to 0 based on high-coverage HiFi, CLR, and Hi-C reads. Furthermore, all centromeres and most telomeres (20/36) (TTAGGG) are captured via StainedGlass 64 and trf v.4.09.1 65 (parameters: 2 7 7 80 10 90 2000 -d -m -l 2), and then visualized using IGV 66 (Fig.  3 ). A one-to-one correspondence between the previous and new assemblies showed 14,713 coding region genes via liftoff v.1.6.3 67 and BEDtools v.2.30.0 68 (parameters: intersect -wa -wb -f 0.9), which account for 86.6% of the previous assembly and 68.6% of this study’s genome. Compared to the previous version (NCBI: GCA_014154955.1), our assembly has corrected six gaps on Chr02, Chr03 and Chr11, and five major inversions on Chr03, Chr07, Chr14 and Chr18 (Fig.  4 ), visualized via GenomeSyn plot 30 .

Assessment of assembly quality and completeness

The accuracy and completeness of the genome assemblies were assessed by BUSCO (Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Ortholog) 69 and CEGMA v.2.5 (Core Eukaryotic Genes Mapping Approach) 70 analyses. First, HiFi and CLR reads were mapped to the assembly using Winnowmap2 v.2.03 71 with parameters ‘-W repetitive_k15.txt –t 104 -ax map-pb’. Completeness evaluation for our gap-free assembly showed BUSCO and CEGMA values of 98.9% and 99.6%, respectively (Table  2 ), suggesting a highly accurate and complete assembly.

Code availability

All commands and pipelines used in data processing were executed according to the manual and protocols of the corresponding bioinformatic software and described in the Methods section, along with the versions. If no detailed parameters were mentioned for the software in this study, default parameters were used as suggested by the developer.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the Key R&D Program of Shandong Province (ZR202211070163) and the Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Shandong Province (ZR2023JQ010). L.G. is also supported by Young Taishan Scholars Program. We would like to thank the Bioinformatics Platform at Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Plant Science Data Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences for providing the high-performance computing resources.

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Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Molecular Crop Design and Breeding, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences in Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, 261325, China

Huan Wang, Gang Yao, Weikai Chen, Dilay Hazal Ayhan, Xiangfeng Wang, Jie Sun, Shu Yi, Tan Meng, Shaoying Chen, Xin Geng, Dian Meng, Lili Zhang & Li Guo

Engineering Laboratory for Grass-Based Livestock Husbandry, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China

Weifang Institute of Technology, College of Modern Agriculture and Environment, Weifang, Shandong, 262500, China

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L.G. and L.Z. conceived and supervised the project. H.W., L.Z., X.G. and D.M. conducted the experiments; G.Y., W.C., H.W., X.W., J.S., S.Y., T.M. and S.C. performed the genomic data analysis; H.W., L.Z., D.H.A. and L.G. wrote and revised the manuscript. All authors read and prove the final version of the manuscript.

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Wang, H., Yao, G., Chen, W. et al. A gap-free genome assembly of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans , a vascular wilt pathogen. Sci Data 11 , 925 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03763-6

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He claimed they were later "back up for three times the price".

Several users have replied saying they have been affected by the issue.

Oasis fan Mark Slinger, 36, who lives on the Isle of Man, told Sky News he booked a room at Maldron Hotels in Manchester city centre for 20 July - the final night of Oasis's run of shows at Heaton Park.

He made the £90 reservation through booking.com yesterday morning when the band announced their major reunion tour.

However, he was contacted by the hotel that evening asking him to cancel the booking.

The email says: "We are writing to inform you of an issue with your booking at Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre. Due to a technical error, you have received a confirmation for a booking that was not successfully made. Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate your booking at this time."

It said a cancellation request had been sent, which Mark was asked to "accept promptly".

He told Sky News he hasn't accepted the request and "won't be doing". He also doesn't believe the issue was down to a "technical error".

"They realised they can cancel and re-sell at four times the price due to the Oasis gig," he said.

Maldron Hotels said in a statement to the Money blog that a technical error on Monday and Tuesday led to "substantially more" rooms being booked at its two Manchester hotels than were available for the nights of the four Oasis concerts.

It said it would be unable to honour bookings made on these dates as a result, and no bookings are currently being taken while the issue is investigated.

"This is not an attempt to resell rooms at inflated prices, rather an overbooking issue due to a technical error with our booking systems," the hotel said.

"Additionally, due to the same technical error, a small number of customers were able to book the rooms at a higher price later that evening. We will also be unable to accommodate these bookings.

"We will be honouring all bookings made prior to 26 August. 

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Hotels operate dynamic pricing so that rates go up along with demand - so it's not unusual for prices to increase substantially around big events.

Yesterday, we reported that hotel prices for Oasis's first night at Wembley were already as much as three times as expensive as the week before.

"I had a quick look at a Holiday Inn a couple of miles away the week before the concert, it's £195 a night. The first night of the concert, it's £594 a night," said correspondent Matthew Thompson.

"So already people are getting on the hotel rooms even before the tickets go on sale. That gives you some sense of just how much demand there is for these tickets."

Have you been affected by this issue? Let us know via WhatsApp .

Some of the country's biggest energy companies are attending talks with the government today about how they can help struggling customers with their fuel bills this winter.

Centrica, EDF and Scottish Power are among those taking part in discussions with minister Miatta Fahnbulleh at the energy department, as are regulator Ofgem, Energy UK and Citizens Advice.

Our  political correspondent Darren McCaffrey  says it's part of a government attempt to have energy firms do more to help customers.

"What the government is saying is there isn't as much help as there has been previously, fiscally we're in a pretty desperate situation - they're looking for the companies to step up," he says.

There are three things in the government's mind:

• The energy price cap will increase by 10% from 1 October
• Household energy debts are said to be at record levels
• Most pensioners are losing their winter fuel allowance

Whether energy companies will be willing to pick up the tab to help is uncertain right now, though.

"The government is trying to push them in that direction," says Darren. 

"That's the key thing that will potentially emerge from this meeting."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

It's another good morning for anyone travelling to the US as the pound has remained near a more-than two-year high against the dollar. 

A pound still buys $1.32, meaning sterling goes further than at any point in the last 29 months. 

Market observers expect the US central bank to sizably cut interest rates, which is weakening the value of the dollar. 

As oil is paid for in dollars, having the currency weakened can make importing motor fuels cheaper. This morning, the benchmark oil price has fallen below $80 a barrel, standing at $78.79, the lowest since Friday last week.  

The share prices of the biggest companies on the London Stock Exchange are down 0.02% for the 100 most valuable (the FTSE 100) and 0.06% for the 101st to 350th most valuable (the more UK-based companies of the FTSE 250).

There's good news for holidaymakers as the boss of Ryanair suggests fares could keep falling through the winter and into next year.

Michael O'Leary told reporters that fares for the budget airline had been predicted to rise by 10% from July to September - but instead will fall 5%.

We reported earlier this month that resorts around Europe have been lowering rates due to lower demand - with the post-COVID boom easing and travellers reluctant to keep paying premium prices.

Mr O'Leary said it was reasonable to expect that fares could stay down by 5% in the six months to the end of the financial year in March.

"More people are flying with us this summer at lower fares," said Mr O'Leary.

"Good news for our passengers, bad news for our shareholders."

Booze limit

In separate comments, Mr O'Leary has said plane passengers should be restricted to two drinks at airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

"We don't want to begrudge people having a drink," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000ft."

He added it was difficult for staff to identify drunk passengers as they board: "As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off, we see the misbehaviour."

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RSC Advances

Zinc metal complexes synthesized by a green method as a new approach to alter the structural and optical characteristics of pva: new field for polymer composite fabrication with controlled optical band gap.

* Corresponding authors

a Department of Physics, College of Education, University of Sulaimani, Old Campus, Kurdistan Regional Government, Sulaimani 46001, Iraq

b Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Raparin, Kurdistan Region, Ranya 46012, Iraq

c Research and Development Center, University of Sulaimani, Qlyasan Street, Kurdistan Regional Government, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq E-mail: [email protected]

d Department of Physics, College of Science, Charmo University, Chamchamal 46023, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

The current study employed a novel approach to design polymer composites with modified structural and declined optical band gaps. The results obtained in the present work for polymer composites can be considered an original method to make a new field for research based on green chemistry. Natural dyes extracted from green tea were mixed with hydrated zinc acetate (Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 ·2H 2 O) to produce a metal complex. FTIR results comprehensively established the formation of the Zn-metal complex. The interaction among various components of PVA : Zn-metal complex composite was investigated using FTIR spectroscopy. The non-existence of anion bands of acetate in the Zn-metal complex spectrum confirms the formation of the Zn-metal complex. XRD analysis reveals that the Zn-metal complex improves the amorphous phase of the PVA-based composites. The absorption edge of the doped films shifted towards the lower photon energies. Optical dielectric properties were used to determine N / m *, ε ∞ , τ , μ opt , ω p , and ρ opt ; the W–D model was used to calculate E d , E o and n o parameters. The optical dielectric loss parameter was used to determine the optical band gap while the Tauc model was employed to identify various types of electron transitions. The optical energy band gap was 6.05 eV for clean PVA while it decreased to 1 eV for PVA inserted with the Zn-metal complex. The increase in Urbach energy from 0.26 eV to 0.45 eV is an evidence of the boost of amorphous phases in PVA : Zn-metal complex composites. The nonlinear refractive index and the first-order and second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities were determined. The value of E o obtained from the W–D model closely matches the optical energy band gap obtained from the Tauc model, which indicates the precision of the analysis in the present study. The increase in SELF and VELF in the composite films establishes that new energy states assigned to the added Zn-metal complex amplify the probability of light–matter interaction.

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D. S. Muhammad, D. M. Aziz and S. B. Aziz, RSC Adv. , 2024,  14 , 26362 DOI: 10.1039/D4RA04228J

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