Finding and formulating the research gap in your thesis
A research gap is an unexplored or under-explored area in your chosen topic. It offers you the opportunity to make a scientific contribution with your bachelor thesis. Find out here how to find and correctly describe a research gap.
What is a research gap?
A research gap describes areas in a scientific topic that have not yet been sufficiently or not at all researched. A bachelor thesis is about identifying this gap and using your work to contribute to closing this gap.
It does not always have to be a completely unexplored area. Often it is about expanding existing knowledge by bringing in a new perspective or examining a specific case.
Why is the research gap important?
The research gap forms the basis for your research question and gives your work a clear focus. Without a clear research gap, you risk drifting into already researched topics and not providing any real added value to the existing literature.
- New contribution:You can with your bachelor thesis provide new insights or close existing gaps.
- Focus of the work:The research gap helps you to clearly define the thematic scope of your work.
- Scientific relevance: A well-formulated research gap shows that your work is relevant and not just a repetition of what is already known.
How do I find a suitable research gap?
Identifying a research gap requires a thorough literature review and the systematic examination of previous research. You proceed in the following steps:
- 1. Determine the state of research: Start with a comprehensive literature review on your topic area. Get an overview of what has already been investigated.
- 2. Identify unresolved questions: Look for areas that are still not fully answered in the existing research. Are there any contradictions or open questions?
- 3. Check relevance:Consider whether the identified gap is scientifically or practically relevant. Does closing the gap add value to the field?
- 4. Consider your own resources: Make sure you have enough time and resources to address the research gap in your bachelor thesis.
Steps to identifying a research gap
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Determine the state of research | Conduct a systematic literature review to capture the current state of research on your topic. |
| Identify unresolved questions | Find areas where there are still unresolved questions or contradictions in previous research. |
| Check the relevance of the gap | Make sure the identified research gap is for is important to the scientific or practical environment is. |
| Assess your own resources | Consider the time frame and available resources in order to realistically address the research gap to be able to. |
Tips for Formulating the Research Gap
Once you have identified a research gap, you need to describe it precisely in your introduction. Here are some tips for formulation:
- Clear and concise:The research gap should be described briefly and understandably.
- Highlight scientific relevance: Show why closing the gap is important.
- Derive a concrete research question: The description of the research gap should lead directly to the formulation of your research question.
Examples of formulating a research gap
Here are some sample formulations to help you precisely describe a research gap in your introduction:
- "So far, there has been no in-depth research into the extent to which […] concentrated, however, a detailed analysis of […] is missing."
- "There is a knowledge gap regarding the way in which […]"
- "The existing studies do not provide clear findings on whether […]"
- "In previous research, the aspect [...] has been neglected"
- "There is a lack of empirical studies that analyze [...]"