How to find a research gap
Where does your PhD research sit in the academic landscape? How do you identify the gaps?
Finding a research gap. It’s that elusive, magical moment when you realise, exactly where your research fits in. It’s like discovering the last available sun lounger by the pool during peak holiday season - it’s rare, it’s golden, and when you find it, you claim it with everything you’ve got (probably by throwing your metaphorical towel on it before anyone else does!).
But let’s be real – the process of getting there is not simple. You don’t just stumble across it. You might even think you’ve found a research gap, because it doesn’t seem like anyone else is on that sun lounger but then, you realise they are and you’ve got to move on and find a different one. Or you’ve got a research gap all to yourself but you fall out of love with it quite quickly. Maybe it’s in the shady area of the pool or it’s a bit to close to the bins, eww.
So, finding your research gap, finding “the one” is a lot messier than many people make it out to be. That’s what you need to know from the start because I think that does make you feel a bit better if you think you’re in a mess trying to find a gap – that’s fine, that’s normal.
In this blogpost, I’m going to walk you through how to navigate the whole research gap thing.
If we’ve not met before hi, Dr Elizabeth Yardley and I’ve spent the last two decades supporting graduate students, helping them get out of their own way essentially. On this blog, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned in that time to help you finish your PhD and actually enjoy the journey. So, research gaps, let’s get into it!
What is a research gap?
A research gap is like a missing piece of a puzzle. It’s something in the existing body of knowledge that hasn’t been explored, explained, or resolved. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be massive or completely new.
You’re not reinventing the wheel here. A gap can be a new context, a different method, or even a question that hasn’t been asked yet. So, you could be looking at the same thing that a load of other researchers have also looked at, but your perspective, your approach, the questions you’re going in with – are different.
Why does it matter? Because your research gap is what makes your PhD unique. It’s your way of contributing to the field. Without a gap, your work doesn’t have a focus - it’s just a collection of ideas floating around without a home.
Why good research gaps are hard to find
Finding a research gap can feel impossible. You’re reading paper after paper, thinking, “Have these people studied everything already?!”
When you’re focusing on what’s already there, it’s hard to see what’s NOT there.
But here’s a secret: no one has studied everything. Academia is full of uncharted territory because researchers are human - they have biases, limitations, and areas they just haven’t gotten to yet.
The trick isn’t to look for something that’s never been done - it’s to find a new angle, a fresh perspective, or a way to build on what’s already out there. And trust me, there’s always room for more.
“Academia is full of uncharted territory because researchers are human - they have biases, limitations, and areas they just haven’t gotten to yet.”
How to find a research gap
Step one: figure out what lights your fire
Seriously, what do you actually care about? Because let me tell you, you’re going to be living with this topic for literal years.
Ask yourself:
• What fascinates me about my field?
• What problems do I want to solve?
• What questions keep popping into my head?
For example, if you’re in education, what is it about education that floats your boat – are you interested in students, teachers, the education system itself, policy?
If you’re interested in small businesses, what is it about small businesses that you’d happily spend years researching? How they start? How they keep going? How they expand? A particular type of small business – independent coffee shops for example.
Specificity is your best friend. The more you niche down, the better. Becoming more focused will reveal more opportunities, it will! Because if you’re looking at some huge bug hulking topic like, “small businesses” or “education”, it does become really difficult to visualise what you could do a PhD on, right?
“The trick isn’t to look for something that’s never been done - it’s to find a new angle, a fresh perspective, or a way to build on what’s already out there.”
(b) Review the literature
I know, I know - it’s a lot. But this is where you’ll start to see patterns, gaps, and opportunities.
Here’s how to tackle it:
Start broad: Begin with meta analyses, review articles or foundational texts in your field. These will give you an overview of what’s been done.
Narrow down: As you read, pay attention to areas where researchers say things like, “Further research is needed…” or “This remains underexplored.” Those are gold.
Take notes: Create a system to track key ideas, gaps, and questions.
Don’t try to read everything. Focus on the most relevant and recent studies. You’re looking for quality, not quantity.
As you’re reading, start asking questions like:
• What’s missing here?
• Could this be studied in a different way?
• What’s changed since this study was published?
For example, if a study looks at law firms but only focuses on big city law firms, you could ask: What about small independent law firms? Or if a study used surveys, you might explore whether interviews would uncover richer data.
Remember, your gap doesn’t have to be earth-shattering - it just has to add something meaningful to the conversation.
(c) Find your sweet spot
Now we need to see what sits at the intersection of what excites you, what’s underexplored and what’s feasible.
Because let’s be honest: some gaps are too big to tackle in a PhD. Your research needs to be doable with the time, resources, and skills you have.
For instance, if you’re exploring career change among people in their mid-30s, it might sound exciting to compare their experiences across five different countries. But unless you have an unlimited budget, fluency in multiple languages, and an army of research assistants, that’s going to be impossible.
Instead, narrow it down. Could you focus on career changers in one country or even one region? Or maybe compare two distinct industries? The smaller and more specific your focus, the more manageable - and impactful - your research will be.
Think of it like this: you’re not trying to build a skyscraper. You’re building one solid, well-constructed room that adds something valuable to the bigger structure.
Does it feel less grand? Sure. But that’s okay - it’s better to finish a focused, feasible study than to get halfway through an impossible one and burn out.
(d) Test your idea
Once you think you’ve found your gap, test it out. Talk to your supervisor, colleagues, or peers. Say something like, “I’m thinking of exploring X because I noticed Y. What do you think?” You want to make sure your gap is:
Clear: Can you explain it in a sentence?
Valuable: What specifically does it contribute to the field?
Achievable: Can you realistically study this in your timeframe?
Common mistakes
Before we wrap up, let’s talk about some common mistakes:
Trying to be too original: Remember, your gap doesn’t have to be groundbreaking—it just has to add value.
Overlooking the literature: You need to show that your gap is informed by what’s already out there so at least take a look at the literature to familiarise yourself with what exists.
Being too broad: Narrow your focus so your research is manageable and specific.
Not being open to change: The gap you find yourself in now might not be the one you end up in, if not, that’s fine, and being here right now is part of the journey towards the research gap you do eventually settle on. You haven’t wasted your time, you haven’t messed up, it’s all part of the process. Sometimes you need to go down a dead end road to discover it’s a dead end road, which is also a good philosophy for many things in life!
What next?
Check out my free Research Proposal Starter Kit! Click here to learn more and get yours!
Research Proposal Starter Kit - click here to get yours!