Navigating Research

𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: 

#𝟭 – 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?
One of the biggest challenges for researchers, whether early career or experienced, is identifying a true gap in the literature.
A research gap is not simply “something no one has written about.”
It’s where knowledge is incomplete, inconsistent, outdated, or contextually limited.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗽:

𝟭- 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆 – Review systematic reviews and meta-analyses to see what’s already established.
𝟮 - 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 – Contradictory findings often signal space for deeper exploration.
𝟯 - 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 – Outdated or one-dimensional approaches leave room for innovation.
𝟰 - 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘀 – Technology, policies, or cultural shifts may create fresh research needs.
𝟱 - 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 “𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵” 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – Authors often point to open questions that need addressing.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿:  Research doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. It just needs to fill in a missing piece of the puzzle and that’s where our contribution becomes valuable.