In research writing, researchers engage themselves into a number of laborious activities just to

ensure that they get the findings that may address their concerns adequately. In doing so,
researchers tend to read the relevant literature review of other scholars on the related topics
trying to find out what the previous researchers might have done and what the current researcher
may feel that it has not been done adequately. The noted difference becomes the gap between the
researchers that may be conducted. One researcher’s gap may be another researcher’s non-gap.
Therefore, this assignment intends to examine the different types of research gaps that can
emerge in scholarly investigations clearly.

Brown, and White, (2017), say conceptual gap is one of the research gaps that may emerge in
scholarly investigations. In this type of a research gap, a concept discovered in one field of
research topic is defined and understood differently. Researchers have different ideas on some
factors that affect communities in various ways. It can also be referred to as theoretical gap
because at times it can be noted that the theories or conceptual frameworks in the existing body
of knowledge fail to fully address a phenomenon or predict the outcomes due to the various
ideologies or perspectives researchers may have. For example, one researcher did research on
motivation of workers at the place of cork and used verbal praise and attendance to work as the
only ways to motivate teachers; the other researcher comes and adds that the previous researcher
never examined the motivation of teachers well. He or she wishes to add that giving awards to
best performing teachers in school and taking teachers out for refreshment parties within the
school or outside school are the most effective ways to motivate workers and justify them
accordingly.

Methodological gap is other research gap that exists among the many scholars according to
Garcia, and Kim, (2018). Researchers mostly tend to employ a number of methods when
carrying out their researches. Some methodologies however have been over-used more than the
others. Following this type of a research gap, the researcher has to identify the research design
that has been used the most and use a different approach to carry out an investigation on the area
of interest. This is because the researcher is trying to establish factors that may lead to a noted
problem in that particular environment and find solutions using different methods so as to get
quality results.
Another research gap according to Gerring, (2007), is geographical gap a that exists among
researchers which states that a geographical gap has the differences in physical and geographical
location of variables. In this type of a research gap, the same research is noted to have been
researched in various locations. If not, then the research might have been conducted in one area
and not the other. This results into the researchers wanting to research more about a certain topic
due to the difference in the location of the study areas geographically. It is also true that the
findings of a particular study are determined by the geographical location of a place. Take for
instance, research done conducted in the United States of America may not give the exact results
as the research conducted in Kazungula Zambia. This is because the two places are not the same
and have different conditions and respondents altogether. A researcher, however, will be required
to state the findings by other researchers as well as what new knowledge the researcher wishes to
add so as to prove their research valid and worthy studying.

Not only that, Robinson K, et al, (2011) gives Population gap as the type of research regarding
the population that is not adequately represented or under-researched in the evidence base or
prior research. This kind of a gap exists when a study is restricted to a certain population and
never applicable to others. For instance, in most cases the less disadvantaged group of people
tend to be used more in research studies than the advantaged ones. Looking at that, one can tell
that the results collected may not be always balanced because the other group of people is less or
never taken as sample population for any study.

Time bound gap is another key research gap that exists. Morris, et al, (2011), alludes that it takes
on 17 years for a clinical innovation to be routinely implemented in practice. This gap happens
when the research you intend to carry out now was carried out some long time ago. In research,
time factor is also an important aspect because of the many changes that we experience on a
daily basis in our communities. It is not true that what was deemed as factor causing a problem
in the past days can remain a problem in the current days. The longer the time the study was
done, the latest information on the same problems arises. That length in time will definitely
require the need for a fresh study to establish the latest knowledge to be added to the already
existing body of knowledge.

In the similar manner, in research it is worthy noting an evidence research gap. This gap occurs
with a provoactive exception which arises if a new research findings contradict widely the
accepted conclusions. The gap involves the contradictions in the previous research findings. It
happens when the results from a given study allow conclusions in their own right, but are
contradictory when examined from a more abstract point of view. Contradictory evidences begin
with analysing each research stream. These evidences need to be synthesised to reveal the
contradictory evidence, (Muller-Bloch and Kranz, 2014).

Additionally, Muller-Bloch and Kranz, (2014), gives a methodological gap which deals with the
conflict that takes place due to the influence of methodology on research results. In other words,
the gap addresses the conflicts with the research methods in the prior studies and offers a new
line of research that is divergent from those research methods. It is so useful to vary research
methods, especially if the research topic is mainly explored using a singular or common method.

Furthermore, the theoretical gap is important not ignore in the research process. This refers to the
theoretical knowledge or understanding of a particular research area topic. It occurs when there
is lack of theoretical explanations or frameworks to explain a particular phenomenon or when
there is a contradiction in existing theories, (Miles, D. (2017). For example, if one phenomenon
is being explained through the various theoretical models, there might be a theoretical conflict. It
is therefore important to examine whether one of those theories is superior in terms of the gap in
the prior research.
In summary, all the above discussed research gaps may exist in one scenario or the other.
Whenever they are discovered by the researchers, the gaps are noted making it easy for the
researchers to investigate on their chosen topic of study. Identifying a research gap is so cardinal
for the researcher to avoid duplicating information on the research being undertaken. Despite the
differences in the research gaps, they all help the researcher to make a well-informed decision to
carry out a particular study convincingly and reasonably. The supervisors, funders and the
researchers can be all convinced of the relevancy of a particular study to be carried out in that
particular community without having any doubt in their mind.
 REFERENCE

Brown, A. and White, C. (2017). Addressing methodological challenges in clinical trials of novel
treatments for Rare Diseases. Journal of Rare Diseases Research.

Gerring, J. (2007). Is there a (viable) crucial case method? Comparative Political Studies.

Miles, D. A. (2017:4). A Taxonomy of Research Gaps: Identifying and Defining the Seven
Research Gaps, Doctoral Student Workshop: Finding Research Gaps-Research
Methods and Strategies. Dallas, Texas.

Morris Z, et al, (2011). The Answer is 17 years, What is the Question: Understanding Time Lags
in Translational Research. A Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine

Robinson K, et al. (2011). Development of A Framework for to Identity Research Gaps