Early in my doctoral program, faculty members stressed the importance of “finding a gap” in the literature. A gap exposes an opportunity to design and publish a meaningful study. Publications are conversations. Each book, article, and conference proceeding adds breadth and depth to an ongoing discussion, sometimes spanning millennia. I listened to a long-running conversation through reading, following the twists and turns leading to my field’s current understandings and questions. If I wanted to join the discussion, I had to reflect on what was missing and what would allow me to add a novel idea.
As I looked for a gap, I was lost. I wasn’t an expert but a student learning from experts. How would I recognize missing information? In some cases, authors suggest future directions, but those might not be relevant to my interests or fit within my study’s constraints. I needed a way to find gaps.
I found a compass by enumerating gaps one might find in research. Once I had a list, it helped me brainstorm how these gaps might manifest in my field and refine literature searches to verify or refute that such a gap existed. This approach led me to the focus of my dissertation, building upon the existing conversation and adding new insights.
Below, I describe six gaps I considered, briefly explaining each. If you are working to identify or refine your dissertation topic or generate an idea for a new research project, considering the existing knowledge in your field from these perspectives might help.
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