How to find a research gap for your bachelor thesis
The research gap is a central component of every scientific work. In your bachelor thesis, it shows where there are still open questions in your research area that you want to address with your work. Learn here how to find and clearly describe a research gap.
What is meant by a research gap?
A research gap is an area or question within your topic that has not yet been sufficiently researched or fully answered. With your bachelor thesis, you have the opportunity to identify this gap and close it through your research or provide a new approach.
It is not always about opening up a completely new research area. Often you can expand existing research, take a new perspective, or examine a specific question more closely.
Why is a research gap important in your bachelor thesis?
The research gap is the starting point of your scientific work. It helps you to focus your research and ensures that your bachelor thesis does not simply repeat what is already known. You show that you have critically examined the existing literature and are making a valuable contribution to research.
- New Approach:With the identification of a research gap, you offer a new perspective or expansion of existing research.
- Scientific Relevance: Your work is considered relevant because it addresses open questions or unresolved problems.
- Clear Focus:The research gap gives your work a clear direction and ensures that you do not get lost in general topics.
How to find a research gap
To find a suitable research gap for your bachelor thesis, proceed step by step:
- 1. Literature research: Begin with a thorough research in your subject area. Get an overview of the existing literature.
- 2. Identify contradictions and gaps: Look for areas that have not yet been fully investigated or where there are contradictory research results.
- 3. Check the relevance of the gap: Make sure that the identified gap is relevant to your field. It should have a scientific or practical significance.
- 4. Check feasibility: Make sure you have enough resources and time to address the gap meaningfully within the scope of your bachelor thesis.
Overview of the steps for identification
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Literature review | Conduct a comprehensive research to determine the current state of research in your field. |
| Identify gaps | Look for contradictory or missing information in the literature. |
| Check relevance of the gap | Evaluate whether closing the gap is scientifically or practically significant. |
| Feasibility | Make sure you have enough time and resources to address the research gap. |
How to describe the research gap
Once you have identified the research gap, the next step is to formulate it clearly and precisely in your introduction. Here are some tips on how to do this:
- Short and understandable:Present the research gap clearly and understandably, without anticipating too many details.
- Emphasize relevance:Explain why it is important to close this gap and what significance this has for research or practice.
- Transition directly to the research question: The research gap should logically lead to the formulation of your research question.
Examples of formulating a research gap
Here are some alternative examples of how you can formulate a research gap in your introduction:
- "The long-term effects of [...], especially with regard to [...], have hardly been investigated so far."
- "Previous studies have mainly focused on [...], but not on the role of [...]".
- "There are conflicting research results on [...], which require further investigation."
- "The specific conditions under which [...], have not yet been comprehensively researched."
- "Although the topic of [...] is well researched, there are only a few studies that deal with [...]".