How to Find Research Gaps from Literature Review and Related Research Papers

To identify research gaps in a research paper, you can follow these steps:

• Read the paper thoroughly: Before identifying research gaps, it's essential to understand the study'spurpose, methodology, and findings. This will help you understand what the authors have investigated and what they have not.
• Look at the conclusion and discussion sections: These sections often highlight the limitations of the study and suggest areas for further research. Look for statements that indicate the authors acknowledge that their study did not investigate certain aspects or that there is still much to learn about a particular topic.
• Consider the research question and hypothesis: If the authors have proposed a research question and hypothesis, analyze them and determine whether they have answered the question fully. If the answer is no, then there may be research gaps that require further investigation.
• Conduct a literature review: Reviewing the literature can help you identify areas that have not been adequately addressed in previous studies. If there is a gap in the literature, there may be a corresponding gap in the research paper you are analyzing.
• Consider the methodology: Look at the methods used in the study and determine whether there are other methods that could be used to investigate the research question. If there are alternative methods, this may indicate a research gap that needs to be filled.
• Identify inconsistencies: If the results of the study are inconsistent or contradictory, there may be a research gap that requires further investigation.

Overall, identifying research gaps requires a thorough understanding of the research paper and related literature. By following these steps, you can identify areas that require further investigation and suggest potential research questions for future studies.