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Research Gaps Suggester

The Research Gaps Suggester is a cutting-edge tool designed to assist researchers in identifying research gaps in a given topic. By inputting the desired topic, users can generate a specified number of research gaps to explore. Whether it’s for a thesis, academic paper, or any research endeavor, this tool provides valuable insights by highlighting areas where further investigation is needed. The number of research gaps to be generated can be specified by the user, ensuring a customizable and efficient research process.

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From research discovery to gap finding

ResGap is an application that helps you identify research gaps quickly and easily, specifically it:

• Provides a quick and comprehensive overview of your research topic.
• Finds the most cited publications, authors, journals and refereed outlets in your research area.
• Visualises how topics in your area have evolved over time, showing topics that have increased or decreased in appearance.
• Identifies research gaps by comparing different sets of literature (i.e. academic vs practitioner publications).

ResGap showcases research where the application was used:

ResGap showcases research conducted in a variety of research areas with diverse collaborators across the globe. This research applies the ResGap tool and associated methodologies, e.g. entity-linking, machine learning, text mining, natural language processing, etc.

Browse examples below:

• environmental accounting
• interdisciplinary research maps
• digital disruption and digital transformation
• trending topics in the top Information System journals from 1996 to 2017

Follow the ResGap blog for current updates.

Researchers

Whether you are a senior researcher or are just embarking on an academic career, ResGap can speed up your data analysis for literature reviews.

ResGap can help you to identify, for example:

• which are the most important topics within an area of study
• how research trends evolve over time
• which topics are being explored extensively, and which are possibly being overlooked
• which are the “hot” topics for top journals

Institutions

ResGap helps organisations determine where new research should be focused. The tool helps identify gaps and helps build a case for the development or expansion of research centres or departments.

Curricula are continuously evolving and must reflect the most up to date research. ResGap can highlight trends in the relevant literature, helping to identify learning objectives which may be overlooked or inadequately covered in course materials. As a ResGap user, you will have access to a bank of data covering 6,000+ published articles (from 1999 to 2017), enabling you to track the progression & popularity of published topics, which should inform curriculum development.

Empower your academic work and research with an automated, intelligent and efficient assistant which can help you identify relevant research gaps.

With ResGap you can simply, efficiently and reliably identify research trends, finding which topics in your area of interest are salient, emergent or waning. Efficiently comparing literature at scale while drawing reliable conclusions which assist you in your academic research, ResGap can help you uncover unmet research needs and more.

Our portal shows research trends of topics appearing in Information Systems journals (basket of 8). ResGap consolidates and groups data on over 6,000 actual publications (from 1996 until 2017). This data is then be used to generate a range of accessible graphics and models, allowing you to track the most important topics within your area of study over time.

Once signed into ResGap, you will also have access to a literature-comparison tool which was developed to identify gaps in different sets of literature and offers a wide variety of applications and features.

Dr. Mauricio Marrone – Founder

An Associate Professor at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) with interests in Information Systems, Research Methods, Innovation Diffusion and Text Analytics, Mauricio originally developed ResGap as a means to identify gaps in the research in his field. It soon became apparent that the portal had broader applications.

Tim Chard – Developer

Assoc. prof. mark dras – advisor, yvonne black – outreach manager.

Here's how to discover potential research gaps using Litmaps.

Finding research gaps is an essential part of novel research. Identifying gaps can connect disparate fields of research and advance knowledge, as well as enable opportunities for academic growth and success.

Understanding and reviewing scientific literature is essential to spotting these gaps. In this guide, we'll go over how to use Litmaps to find research gaps faster. You'll learn how to:

Comprehensively review existing literature

See where research does (and doesn't!) connect

Find inconsistencies and missing references

What is a research gap?

A research gap refers to any unexplored or unresolved area of research. It can also refer to a disconnections within the research, such as when researchers in different fields don't realize they work is connected, or a paper fails to reference important, related literature.

In the case of the former, research gaps are akin to open questions. Researchers are often eager to find unexplored areas which they can't make a novel contribution to by enhancing our understanding of that unknown topic.

In the case of the latter, many gaps happen simply because there is a huge amount of scientific literature, and even scientists themselves aren't aware of how it is all connected. One example is in how different scientific domains use different terminologies for the same concept. This results in unintentional research gaps. These gaps continue even today, because many researchers rely on keyword search, thus missing out on connections that don't match those "keywords". For example, in religious studies, scholar use the term "moral injury", which in medicine is referred to as "moral distress". Focusing on keywords alone means researchers from one field may miss important discoveries in the other.

Using Litmaps to find research gaps

Litmaps analyzes scientific literature and how it connects by using the citation network. By seeing the actual connections among articles, Litmaps let you observe how fields interact and find research gaps you'd otherwise miss.

How to find Research Gaps with Litmaps

Here's how to use Litmaps to find research gaps, by seeing where articles are and aren't connected.

1. Prepare your literature library

First, identify your topic and relevant articles. Save these articles to a Tag in Litmaps. Here's how to import papers you have into a Tag in Litmaps. If you have different subjects, save them as different Tags to stay organized.

Want to use papers you have already saved in Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, etc? Here's how.

2 . Create a Map

Now that you have your articles in Litmaps, we'll create a Map to visualize how your articles connect. See the image below, or click here to read step-by-step instructions on how to create a Map from your Tag.

Your Litmap shows how your articles are connected via citations and references. At this point, you may already spot some inconsistencies or missing references. If you want toe expand your Map and find even more articles and potential research gaps, continue to the next step.

3 . Expand your Map

Now that you've made your Map, you can use Litmaps to discover even more related literature. Litmaps will use all the articles on your Map as an input to the search algorithm, and find other related articles.

By going through your Map, and adding additional articles, you can find related literature on your topic. For each suggested article, you can see how it connects to the existing papers you already know, so you can keep track of what parts of your field are more or less connected.

4 . Find disconnected literature

At this point, you've explored your topic and created a collection of connected articles. You may have already discovered new connections and sub-topics you didn't yet know about. However, this search has been largely limited based on connected papers. If you want to find articles you may have missed because they aren't connected at all to your existing literature, you'll need to change your search strategy.

You'll see a very different Litmap, one that likely shows many entirely disconnected articles. This is a great way to spot papers that fail to cite or reference any you already know.

5 . Future-proof your process

Now you've curated a comprehensive set of papers on your topic and spotted any potential gaps in your field. The last step is to ensure your work doesn't go out-of-date.

You can re-run this search process manually at regular intervals, to see what new literature has come out. Or, automate this process by enabling " Monitor " for your Litmap. Litmaps will automatically run your search for you as new papers are published, and let you know about any new articles on your topic.

Something went wrong when searching for seed articles. Please try again soon.

No articles were found for that search term.

Author, year The title of the article goes here

LITERATURE REVIEW SOFTWARE FOR BETTER RESEARCH

“Litmaps is a game changer for finding novel literature... it has been invaluable for my productivity.... I also got my PhD student to use it and they also found it invaluable, finding several gaps they missed”

Varun Venkatesh

Austin Health, Australia

As a full-time researcher, Litmaps has become an indispensable tool in my arsenal. The Seed Maps and Discover features of Litmaps have transformed my literature review process, streamlining the identification of key citations while revealing previously overlooked relevant literature, ensuring no crucial connection goes unnoticed. A true game-changer indeed!

Ritwik Pandey

Doctoral Research Scholar – Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Using Litmaps for my research papers has significantly improved my workflow. Typically, I start with a single paper related to my topic. Whenever I find an interesting work, I add it to my search. From there, I can quickly cover my entire Related Work section.

David Fischer

Research Associate – University of Applied Sciences Kempten

“It's nice to get a quick overview of related literature. Really easy to use, and it helps getting on top of the often complicated structures of referencing”

Christoph Ludwig

Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

“This has helped me so much in researching the literature. Currently, I am beginning to investigate new fields and this has helped me hugely”

Aran Warren

Canterbury University, NZ

“I can’t live without you anymore! I also recommend you to my students.”

Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong

“Seeing my literature list as a network enhances my thinking process!”

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

“Incredibly useful tool to get to know more literature, and to gain insight in existing research”

KU Leuven, Belgium

“As a student just venturing into the world of lit reviews, this is a tool that is outstanding and helping me find deeper results for my work.”

Franklin Jeffers

South Oregon University, USA

“Any researcher could use it! The paper recommendations are great for anyone and everyone”

Swansea University, Wales

“This tool really helped me to create good bibtex references for my research papers”

Ali Mohammed-Djafari

Director of Research at LSS-CNRS, France

“Litmaps is extremely helpful with my research. It helps me organize each one of my projects and see how they relate to each other, as well as to keep up to date on publications done in my field”

Daniel Fuller

Clarkson University, USA

As a person who is an early researcher and identifies as dyslexic, I can say that having research articles laid out in the date vs cite graph format is much more approachable than looking at a standard database interface. I feel that the maps Litmaps offers lower the barrier of entry for researchers by giving them the connections between articles spaced out visually. This helps me orientate where a paper is in the history of a field. Thus, new researchers can look at one of Litmap's "seed maps" and have the same information as hours of digging through a database.

Baylor Fain

Postdoctoral Associate – University of Florida

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How To Find A Research Gap, Quickly

A step-by-step guide for new researchers

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | April 2023

If you’ve got a dissertation, thesis or research project coming up, one of the first (and most important) things you’ll need to do is find a suitable research gap . In this post, we’ll share a straightforward process to help you uncover high-quality, original research gaps in a very time-efficient manner.

Overview: Finding Research Gaps

• What exactly is a research gap?
• Research gap vs research topic
• How to find potential research gaps
• How to evaluate research gaps (and topics)
• Key takeaways

What is a research gap?

As a starting point, it’s useful to first define what we mean by research gap, to ensure we’re all on the same page. The term “research gap” gets thrown around quite loosely by students and academics alike, so let’s clear that up.

Simply put, a research gap is any space where there’s a lack of solid, agreed-upon research regarding a specific topic, issue or phenomenon. In other words, there’s a lack of established knowledge and, consequently, a need for further research.

Let’s look at a hypothetical example to illustrate a research gap.

Within the existing research regarding factors affect job satisfaction , there may be a wealth of established and agreed-upon empirical work within a US and UK context , but very little research within Eastern nations such as Japan or Korea . Given that these nations have distinctly different national cultures and workforce compositions compared to the West, it’s plausible that the factors that contribute toward job satisfaction may also be different. Therefore, a research gap emerges for studies that explore this matter.

This example is purely hypothetical (and there’s probably plenty of research covering this already), but it illustrates the core point that a research gap reflects a lack of firmly established knowledge regarding a specific matter . Given this lack, an opportunity exists for researchers (like you) to go on and fill the gap.

So, it’s the same as a research topic?

Not quite – but they are connected. A research gap refers to an area where there’s a lack of settled research , whereas a research topic outlines the focus of a specific study . Despite being different things, these two are related because research gaps are the birthplace of research topics. In other words, by identifying a clear research gap, you have a foundation from which you can build a research topic for your specific study. Your study is unlikely to resolve the entire research gap on it’s own, but it will contribute towards it .

If you’d like to learn more, we’ve got a comprehensive post that covers research gaps (including the different types of research gaps), as well as an explainer video below.

How to find a research gap

Now that we’ve defined what a research gap is, it’s time to get down to the process of finding potential research gaps that you can use as a basis for potential research topics. Importantly, it’s worth noting that this is just one way (of many) to find a research gap (and consequently a topic). We’re not proposing that it’s the only way or best way, but it’s certainly a relatively quick way to identify opportunities.

Step 1: Identify your broad area of interest

The very first step to finding a research gap is to decide on your general area of interest . For example, if you were undertaking a dissertation as part of an MBA degree, you may decide that you’re interested in corporate reputation, HR strategy, or leadership styles. As you can see, these are broad categories – there’s no need to get super specific just yet. Of course, if there is something very specific that you’re interested in, that’s great – but don’t feel pressured to narrow it down too much right now.

Equally important is to make sure that this area of interest is allowed by your university or whichever institution you’ll be proposing your research to. This might sound dead obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many times we’ve seen students run down a path with great excitement, only to later learn that their university wants a very specific area of focus in terms of topic (and their area of interest doesn’t qualify).

Step 2: Do an initial literature scan

Once you’ve pinned down your broad area (or areas) of interest, the next step is to head over to Google Scholar to undertake an initial literature scan . If you’re not familiar with this tool, Google Scholar is a great starting point for finding academic literature on pretty much any topic, as it uses Google’s powerful search capabilities to hunt down relevant academic literature. It’s certainly not the be-all and end-all of literature search tools, but it’s a useful starting point .

Within Google Scholar, you’ll want to do a few searches using keywords that are relevant to your area of interest. Sticking with our earlier example, we could use the key phrase “job satisfaction”, or we may want to get a little more specific – perhaps “job satisfaction for millennials” or “job satisfaction in Japan”.

It’s always a good idea to play around with as many keywords/phrases as you can think up.  Take an iterative approach here and see which keywords yield the most relevant results for you. Keep each search open in a new tab, as this will help keep things organised for the next steps.

Once you’ve searched for a few different keywords/phrases, you’ll need to do some refining for each of the searches you undertook. Specifically, you’ll need to filter the results down to the most recent papers . You can do this by selecting the time period in the top left corner (see the example below).

Filtering to the current year is typically a good choice (especially for fast-moving research areas), but in some cases, you may need to filter to the last two years . If you’re undertaking this task in January or February, for example, you’ll likely need to select a two-year period.

Need a helping hand?

Step 3: Review and shortlist articles that interest you

Once you’ve run a few searches using different keywords and phrases, you’ll need to scan through the results to see what looks most relevant and interesting to you. At this stage, you can just look at the titles and abstracts (the description provided by Google Scholar) – don’t worry about reading the actual article just yet.

Next, select 5 – 10 articles that interest you and open them up. Here, we’re making the assumption that your university has provided you with access to a decent range of academic databases. In some cases, Google Scholar will link you directly to a PDF of the article, but in most cases, you’ll need paid access. If you don’t have this (for example, if you’re still applying to a university), you can look at two options:

Open-access articles – these are free articles which you can access without any journal subscription. A quick Google search (the regular Google) will help you find open-access journals in your area of interest, but you can also have a look at DOAJ and Elsevier Open Access.

DeepDyve – this is a monthly subscription service that allows you to get access to a broad range of journals. At the time of shooting this video, their monthly subscription is around $50 and they do offer a free trial, which may be sufficient for your project.

Step 4: Skim-read your article shortlist

Now, it’s time to dig into your article shortlist and do some reading. But don’t worry, you don’t need to read the articles from start to finish – you just need to focus on a few key sections.

Specifically, you’ll need to pay attention to the following:

• The abstract (which you’ve probably already read a portion of in Google Scholar)
• The introduction – this will give you a bit more detail about the context and background of the study, as well as what the researchers were trying to achieve (their research aims)
• The discussion or conclusion – this will tell you what the researchers found

By skimming through these three sections for each journal article on your shortlist, you’ll gain a reasonable idea of what each study was about, without having to dig into the painful details. Generally, these sections are usually quite short, so it shouldn’t take you too long.

Step 5: Go “FRIN hunting”

This is where the magic happens. Within each of the articles on your shortlist, you’ll want to search for a few very specific phrases , namely:

• Future research
• Further research
• Research opportunities
• Research directions

All of these terms are commonly found in what we call the “FRIN” section . FRIN stands for “further research is needed”. The FRIN is where the researchers explain what other researchers could do to build on their study, or just on the research area in general. In other words, the FRIN section is where you can find fresh opportunities for novel research . Most empirical studies will either have a dedicated FRIN section or paragraph, or they’ll allude to the FRIN toward the very end of the article. You’ll need to do a little scanning, but it’s usually pretty easy to spot.

It’s worth mentioning that naturally, the FRIN doesn’t hand you a list of research gaps on a platter. It’s not a silver bullet for finding research gaps – but it’s the closest thing to it. Realistically, the FRIN section helps you shortcut the gap-hunting process  by highlighting novel research avenues that are worth exploring.

This probably sounds a little conceptual, so let’s have a look at a few examples:

The impact of overeducation on job outcomes: Evidence from Saudi Arabia (Alzubaidi, 2020)

If you scroll down to the bottom of this article, you’ll see there’s a dedicated section called “Limitations and directions for future research”. Here they talk about the limitations of the study and provide suggestions about how future researchers could improve upon their work and overcome the limitations.

Perceived organizational support and job satisfaction: a moderated mediation model of proactive personality and psychological empowerment (Maan et al, 2020)

In this article, within the limitations section, they provide a wonderfully systematic structure where they discuss each limitation, followed by a proposal as to how future studies can overcome the respective limitation. In doing so, they are providing very specific research opportunities for other researchers.

Medical professionals’ job satisfaction and telemedicine readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic: solutions to improve medical practice in Egypt (El-Mazahy et al, 2023)

In this article, they don’t have a dedicated section discussing the FRIN, but we can deduct it based on the limitations section. For example, they state that an evaluation of the knowledge about telemedicine and technology-related skills would have enabled studying their independent effect on the perception of telemedicine.

Follow this FRIN-seeking process for the articles you shortlisted and map out any potentially interesting research gaps . You may find that you need to look at a larger number of articles to find something interesting, or you might find that your area of interest shifts as you engage in the reading – this is perfectly natural. Take as much time as you need to develop a shortlist of potential research gaps that interest you.

Importantly, once you’ve developed a shortlist of potential research gaps, you need to return to Google Scholar to double-check that there aren’t fresh studies that have already addressed the gap. Remember, if you’re looking at papers from two years ago in a fast-moving field, someone else may have jumped on it . Nevertheless, there could still very well be a unique angle you could take – perhaps a contextual gap (e.g. a specific country, industry, etc.).

Ultimately, the need for originality will depend on your specific university’s requirements and the level of study. For example, if you’re doing an undergraduate research project, the originality requirements likely won’t be as gruelling as say a Masters or PhD project. So, make sure you have a clear understanding of what your university’s expectations are. A good way to do this is to look at past dissertations and theses for your specific programme. You can usually find these in the university library or by asking the faculty.

How to evaluate potential research gaps

Once you’ve developed a shortlist of potential research gaps (and resultant potential research topics) that interest you, you’ll need to systematically evaluate  them  to choose a winner. There are many factors to consider here, but some important ones include the following:

• Originality and value – is the topic sufficiently novel and will addressing it create value?
• Data access – will you be able to get access to the sample of interest?
• Costs – will there be additional costs involved for data collection and/or analysis?
• Timeframes – will you be able to collect and analyse the data within the timeframe required by your university?
• Supervisor support – is there a suitable supervisor available to support your project from start to finish?

To help you evaluate your options systematically, we’ve got a topic evaluation worksheet that allows you to score each potential topic against a comprehensive set of criteria. You can access the worksheet completely free of charge here .

Recap: Key Takeaways

We’ve covered quite a lot of ground in this post. Here are the key takeaways:

• A research gap is any space where there’s a lack of solid, agreed-upon research regarding a specific topic/issue/phenomenon.
• Unique research topics emerge from research gaps , so it’s essential to first identify high-quality research gaps before you attempt to define a topic.
• To find potential research gaps, start by seeking out recent journal articles on Google Scholar and pay particular attention to the FRIN section to identify novel opportunities.
• Once you have a shortlist of prospective research gaps and resultant topic ideas, evaluate them systematically using a comprehensive set of criteria.

If you’d like to get hands-on help finding a research gap and research topic, be sure to check out our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the research journey, step by step.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

Very useful for me, but i am still confusing review of literature review, how to find out topic related previous research.

Powerful notes! Thanks a lot.

This is helpful. Thanks a lot.

Thank you very much for this. It is really a great opportunity for me to learn the research journey.

Very Useful

It nice job

You have sharpened my articulations of these components to the core. Thanks so much.

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How to Use Chatgpt to Find Research Gaps – Complete Guide

Are you struggling to find a suitable topic for your research project? Do you want to make sure that your research question is original and relevant? If so, you might want to try using chatgpt, a powerful tool that can help you find research gaps in any field or domain.

What is Chatgpt and How Does It Work?

Chatgpt is a web-based application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate natural language responses based on user input. It is powered by GPT-3, one of the most advanced language models in the world, which can produce coherent and diverse texts on various topics and styles.

Chatgpt can be used for various purposes, such as chatting, writing, learning, and researching. In this article, we will focus on how to use chatgpt to find research gaps, which are areas or aspects of a topic that have not been adequately explored or addressed by existing literature or knowledge.

What is a Research Gap and Why Is It Important?

A research gap is a gap or a missing piece in the current state of knowledge or understanding of a topic or problem. It can be identified by reviewing the existing literature and sources on the topic and finding out what has been done, what has not been done, and what can be done better or differently.

Finding a research gap is important for several reasons. First, it can help you narrow down your topic and formulate a specific and clear research question or hypothesis. Second, it can help you justify the significance and contribution of your research project and show how it fills the gap or advances the knowledge in your field. Third, it can help you avoid duplication or repetition of existing research and ensure the originality and novelty of your work.

How to Use Chatgpt to Find Research Gaps

Finding a research gap can be challenging and time-consuming, especially if you are not familiar with the topic or the literature.

However, chatgpt can make this process easier and faster by generating relevant keywords and phrases, searching for existing sources, and identifying the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge.

Here are the steps to use chatgpt to find research gaps:

• Identify a general topic or question of interest. For example, you might be interested in exploring the effects of social media on mental health.
• Generate relevant keywords and phrases using chatgpt. You can type in your topic or question and ask chatgpt to suggest some keywords or phrases that are related to it. For example, you might get suggestions like “social media addiction”, “cyberbullying”, “online self-presentation”, “social comparison”, “depression”, “anxiety”, etc.
• Use chatgpt to search for existing literature and sources on the topic. You can type in your keywords or phrases and ask chatgpt to find some sources that match them. For example, you might get results like “The relationship between social media addiction and depression: A meta-analysis”, “Cyberbullying victimization and mental health in adolescents and the moderating role of family dinners”, “Online self-presentation: Processes of identity expression among college students”, etc.
• Analyze the results and identify the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge. You can read the abstracts or summaries of the sources and ask chatgpt to highlight the main findings, implications, limitations, or suggestions for future research. For example, you might get highlights like “social media addiction is positively associated with depression across different age groups and cultures”, “cyberbullying victimization is negatively associated with mental health and family dinners can buffer this effect”, “online self-presentation is influenced by various factors such as gender, personality, culture, and feedback”, etc.
• Refine your topic or question based on the gaps and generate new keywords or phrases using chatgpt. You can use the highlights to narrow down your focus and identify a specific aspect or angle that has not been sufficiently explored or addressed by existing research. For example, you might decide to focus on how online self-presentation affects social comparison and mental health among college students. You can then ask chatgpt to generate some new keywords or phrases that are related to this subtopic. For example, you might get suggestions like “online self-presentation strategies”, “social comparison orientation”, “self-esteem”, “body image”, “well-being”, etc.
• Repeat the process until you find a specific and original research gap. You can use chatgpt to search for more sources using your new keywords or phrases and analyze them to find out if there is still a gap or a missing piece in the current knowledge. For example, you might find out that there is little research on how online self-presentation strategies affect social comparison orientation and self-esteem among college students, and how this in turn affects their body image and well-being. This could be your research gap that you can use to formulate your research question or hypothesis.

Also Check: How to Use ChatGPT to Summarize a Research Paper

Examples and Tips for Using Chatgpt to Find Research Gaps in Different Fields or Domains

Chatgpt can be used to find research gaps in any field or domain, as long as you have a general topic or question of interest. Here are some examples and tips for using chatgpt to find research gaps in different fields or domains:

Humanities and Social Sciences:

You can use chatgpt to find research gaps in topics such as history, literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, education, etc. For example, you might be interested in exploring the impact of COVID-19 on online education.

You can use chatgpt to generate keywords and phrases such as “online learning”, “student engagement”, “teacher feedback”, “academic performance”, “motivation”, “satisfaction”, etc. You can then use chatgpt to search for sources and identify the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge.

For example, you might find out that there is little research on how online learning affects student engagement and motivation among different age groups and cultures, and how this in turn affects their academic performance and satisfaction. This could be your research gap that you can use to formulate your research question or hypothesis.

2. Humanities and Social Sciences:

3. science and engineering:.

You can use chatgpt to find research gaps in topics such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, etc. For example, you might be interested in exploring the applications of quantum computing in cryptography.

You can use chatgpt to generate keywords and phrases such as “quantum algorithms”, “quantum key distribution”, “quantum encryption”, “quantum hacking”, “quantum security”, etc. You can then use chatgpt to search for sources and identify the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge.

For example, you might find out that there is little research on how quantum algorithms can be used to enhance quantum encryption and security, and how this can prevent quantum hacking and attacks. This could be the research gap that you can use to formulate your research question or hypothesis.

4. Arts and Design

You can use chatgpt to find research gaps in topics such as music, art, photography, fashion, architecture, etc. For example, you might be interested in exploring the influence of social media on fashion trends.

You can use chatgpt to generate keywords and phrases such as “social media platforms”, “fashion influencers”, “fashion followers”, “fashion styles”, “fashion choices”, etc. You can then use chatgpt to search for sources and identify the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge.

For example, you might find out that there is little research on how social media platforms affect fashion followers’ fashion styles and choices, and how this in turn affects their identity and self-expression. This could be your research gap that you can use to formulate your research question or hypothesis.

Also Check: How to use ChatGPT to Write Research Proposal: Use ChatGPT Effectively

Chatgpt is a powerful tool that can help you find research gaps in any field or domain. By using chatgpt, you can generate relevant keywords and phrases, search for existing literature and sources, and identify the gaps or limitations in the current knowledge. You can then refine your topic or question based on the gaps and find a specific and original research gap that you can use to formulate your research question or hypothesis.

By using chatgpt responsibly and critically, you can make your research process easier and faster, and find research gaps that are meaningful and valuable for your field or domain. We hope that this article has given you some insights and tips on how to use chatgpt to find research gaps.

2 thoughts on “How to Use Chatgpt to Find Research Gaps – Complete Guide”

It is very informative and excellent please continue so that I can properly us chatgpt thanks.

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Research Gap Analysis Template

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In the world of research, finding the right gaps to fill in your field can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. But fear not, because ClickUp's Research Gap Analysis Template is here to make your life easier!

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Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just starting out, our Research Gap Analysis Template is your secret weapon for making a meaningful impact in your field. Try it out and bridge those gaps today!

Benefits of Research Gap Analysis Template

Research Gap Analysis Template is an invaluable tool for researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their field. By using this template, researchers can:

• Identify areas of research that have not been explored or have limited existing knowledge
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• Develop research questions and hypotheses that address these gaps
• Guide the research design and methodology to effectively fill the identified gaps
• Contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field and make a lasting impact in their research community.

Main Elements of Research Gap Analysis Template

When conducting research, it's important to analyze the gaps in existing knowledge. ClickUp's Research Gap Analysis template provides the tools you need to effectively identify and address these gaps.

Here are the main elements of this template:

• Whiteboard: Utilize the Whiteboard view to brainstorm ideas, map out research objectives, and visually track progress.
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Thoroughly review and analyze the existing research you've gathered. Look for patterns, inconsistencies, and gaps in the current knowledge base. Identify areas where further research is needed to fill the gaps and contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

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How to Identify a Research Gap

• 5-minute read
• 10th January 2024

If you’ve been tasked with producing a thesis or dissertation, one of your first steps will be identifying a research gap. Although finding a research gap may sound daunting, don’t fret! In this post, we will define a research gap, discuss its importance, and offer a step-by-step guide that will provide you with the essential know-how to complete this critical step and move on to the rest of your research project.

What Is a Research Gap?

Simply put, a research gap is an area that hasn’t been explored in the existing literature. This could be an unexplored population, an untested method, or a condition that hasn’t been investigated yet. 

Why Is Identifying a Research Gap Important?

Identifying a research gap is a foundational step in the research process. It ensures that your research is significant and has the ability to advance knowledge within a specific area. It also helps you align your work with the current needs and challenges of your field. Identifying a research gap has many potential benefits.

1. Avoid Redundancy in Your Research

Understanding the existing literature helps researchers avoid duplication. This means you can steer clear of topics that have already been extensively studied. This ensures your work is novel and contributes something new to the field.

2. Guide the Research Design

Identifying a research gap helps shape your research design and questions. You can tailor your studies to specifically address the identified gap. This ensures that your work directly contributes to filling the void in knowledge.

3. Practical Applications

Research that addresses a gap is more likely to have practical applications and contributions. Whether in academia, industry, or policymaking, research that fills a gap in knowledge is often more applicable and can inform decision-making and practices in real-world contexts.

4. Field Advancements

Addressing a research gap can lead to advancements in the field . It may result in the development of new theories, methodologies, or technologies that push the boundaries of current understanding.

5. Strategic Research Planning

Identifying a research gap is crucial for strategic planning . It helps researchers and institutions prioritize areas that need attention so they can allocate resources effectively. This ensures that efforts are directed toward the most critical gaps in knowledge.

6. Academic and Professional Recognition

Researchers who successfully address significant research gaps often receive peer recognition within their academic and professional communities. This recognition can lead to opportunities for collaboration, funding, and career advancement.

How Do I Identify a Research Gap?

1. clearly define your research topic .

Begin by clearly defining your research topic. A well-scoped topic serves as the foundation for your studies. Make sure it’s not too broad or too narrow; striking the right balance will make it easier to identify gaps in existing literature.

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2. Conduct a Thorough Literature Review

A comprehensive literature review is a vital step in any research. Dive deep into the existing research related to your topic. Look for patterns, recurring themes, and consensus among scholars. Pay attention to areas where conflicting opinions or gaps in understanding emerge.

3. Evaluate Existing Studies

Critically evaluate the studies you encounter during your literature review. Assess the paradigms , methodologies, findings, and limitations of each. Note any discrepancies, unanswered questions, or areas where further investigation is warranted. These are potential indicators of research gaps.

4. Identify Unexplored Perspectives

Consider the perspectives presented in the existing literature. Are there alternative viewpoints or marginalized voices that haven’t been adequately explored? Identifying and incorporating diverse perspectives can often lead to uncharted territory and help you pinpoint a unique research gap.

Additional Tips

Stay up to date with emerging trends.

The field of research is dynamic, with new developments and emerging trends constantly shaping the landscape. Stay up to date with the latest publications, conferences, and discussions in your field and make sure to regularly check relevant academic search engines . Often, identifying a research gap involves being at the forefront of current debates and discussions.

Seek Guidance From Experts

Don’t hesitate to reach out to experts in your field for guidance. Attend conferences, workshops, or seminars where you can interact with seasoned researchers. Their insights and experience can provide valuable perspectives on potential research gaps that you may have overlooked. You can also seek advice from your academic advisor .

Use Research Tools and Analytics

Leverage tech tools to analyze patterns and trends in the existing literature. Tools like citation analysis, keyword mapping, and data visualization can help you identify gaps and areas with limited exploration.

Identifying a research gap is a skill that evolves with experience and dedication. By defining your research topic, meticulously navigating the existing literature, critically evaluating studies, and recognizing unexplored perspectives, you’ll be on your way to identifying a research gap that will serve as the foundation for your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

If you need any help with proofreading your research paper , we can help with our research paper editing services . You can even try a sample of our services for free . Good luck with all your research!

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Home » Research Gap – Types, Examples and How to Identify

Research Gap – Types, Examples and How to Identify

Table of Contents

Research Gap

Definition:

Research gap refers to an area or topic within a field of study that has not yet been extensively researched or is yet to be explored. It is a question, problem or issue that has not been addressed or resolved by previous research.

How to Identify Research Gap

Identifying a research gap is an essential step in conducting research that adds value and contributes to the existing body of knowledge. Research gap requires critical thinking, creativity, and a thorough understanding of the existing literature . It is an iterative process that may require revisiting and refining your research questions and ideas multiple times.

Here are some steps that can help you identify a research gap:

• Review existing literature: Conduct a thorough review of the existing literature in your research area. This will help you identify what has already been studied and what gaps still exist.
• Identify a research problem: Identify a specific research problem or question that you want to address.
• Analyze existing research: Analyze the existing research related to your research problem. This will help you identify areas that have not been studied, inconsistencies in the findings, or limitations of the previous research.
• Brainstorm potential research ideas : Based on your analysis, brainstorm potential research ideas that address the identified gaps.
• Consult with experts: Consult with experts in your research area to get their opinions on potential research ideas and to identify any additional gaps that you may have missed.
• Refine research questions: Refine your research questions and hypotheses based on the identified gaps and potential research ideas.
• Develop a research proposal: Develop a research proposal that outlines your research questions, objectives, and methods to address the identified research gap.

Types of Research Gap

There are different types of research gaps that can be identified, and each type is associated with a specific situation or problem. Here are the main types of research gaps and their explanations:

Theoretical Gap

This type of research gap refers to a lack of theoretical understanding or knowledge in a particular area. It can occur when there is a discrepancy between existing theories and empirical evidence or when there is no theory that can explain a particular phenomenon. Identifying theoretical gaps can lead to the development of new theories or the refinement of existing ones.

Empirical Gap

An empirical gap occurs when there is a lack of empirical evidence or data in a particular area. It can happen when there is a lack of research on a specific topic or when existing research is inadequate or inconclusive. Identifying empirical gaps can lead to the development of new research studies to collect data or the refinement of existing research methods to improve the quality of data collected.

Methodological Gap

This type of research gap refers to a lack of appropriate research methods or techniques to answer a research question. It can occur when existing methods are inadequate, outdated, or inappropriate for the research question. Identifying methodological gaps can lead to the development of new research methods or the modification of existing ones to better address the research question.

Practical Gap

A practical gap occurs when there is a lack of practical applications or implementation of research findings. It can occur when research findings are not implemented due to financial, political, or social constraints. Identifying practical gaps can lead to the development of strategies for the effective implementation of research findings in practice.

Knowledge Gap

This type of research gap occurs when there is a lack of knowledge or information on a particular topic. It can happen when a new area of research is emerging, or when research is conducted in a different context or population. Identifying knowledge gaps can lead to the development of new research studies or the extension of existing research to fill the gap.

Examples of Research Gap

Here are some examples of research gaps that researchers might identify:

• Theoretical Gap Example : In the field of psychology, there might be a theoretical gap related to the lack of understanding of the relationship between social media use and mental health. Although there is existing research on the topic, there might be a lack of consensus on the mechanisms that link social media use to mental health outcomes.
• Empirical Gap Example : In the field of environmental science, there might be an empirical gap related to the lack of data on the long-term effects of climate change on biodiversity in specific regions. Although there might be some studies on the topic, there might be a lack of data on the long-term effects of climate change on specific species or ecosystems.
• Methodological Gap Example : In the field of education, there might be a methodological gap related to the lack of appropriate research methods to assess the impact of online learning on student outcomes. Although there might be some studies on the topic, existing research methods might not be appropriate to assess the complex relationships between online learning and student outcomes.
• Practical Gap Example: In the field of healthcare, there might be a practical gap related to the lack of effective strategies to implement evidence-based practices in clinical settings. Although there might be existing research on the effectiveness of certain practices, they might not be implemented in practice due to various barriers, such as financial constraints or lack of resources.
• Knowledge Gap Example: In the field of anthropology, there might be a knowledge gap related to the lack of understanding of the cultural practices of indigenous communities in certain regions. Although there might be some research on the topic, there might be a lack of knowledge about specific cultural practices or beliefs that are unique to those communities.

Examples of Research Gap In Literature Review, Thesis, and Research Paper might be:

• Literature review : A literature review on the topic of machine learning and healthcare might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the use of machine learning for early detection of rare diseases.
• Thesis : A thesis on the topic of cybersecurity might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in detecting and preventing cyber attacks.
• Research paper : A research paper on the topic of natural language processing might identify a research gap in the lack of studies that investigate the use of natural language processing techniques for sentiment analysis in non-English languages.

How to Write Research Gap

By following these steps, you can effectively write about research gaps in your paper and clearly articulate the contribution that your study will make to the existing body of knowledge.

Here are some steps to follow when writing about research gaps in your paper:

• Identify the research question : Before writing about research gaps, you need to identify your research question or problem. This will help you to understand the scope of your research and identify areas where additional research is needed.
• Review the literature: Conduct a thorough review of the literature related to your research question. This will help you to identify the current state of knowledge in the field and the gaps that exist.
• Identify the research gap: Based on your review of the literature, identify the specific research gap that your study will address. This could be a theoretical, empirical, methodological, practical, or knowledge gap.
• Provide evidence: Provide evidence to support your claim that the research gap exists. This could include a summary of the existing literature, a discussion of the limitations of previous studies, or an analysis of the current state of knowledge in the field.
• Explain the importance: Explain why it is important to fill the research gap. This could include a discussion of the potential implications of filling the gap, the significance of the research for the field, or the potential benefits to society.
• State your research objectives: State your research objectives, which should be aligned with the research gap you have identified. This will help you to clearly articulate the purpose of your study and how it will address the research gap.

Importance of Research Gap

The importance of research gaps can be summarized as follows:

• Advancing knowledge: Identifying research gaps is crucial for advancing knowledge in a particular field. By identifying areas where additional research is needed, researchers can fill gaps in the existing body of knowledge and contribute to the development of new theories and practices.
• Guiding research: Research gaps can guide researchers in designing studies that fill those gaps. By identifying research gaps, researchers can develop research questions and objectives that are aligned with the needs of the field and contribute to the development of new knowledge.
• Enhancing research quality: By identifying research gaps, researchers can avoid duplicating previous research and instead focus on developing innovative research that fills gaps in the existing body of knowledge. This can lead to more impactful research and higher-quality research outputs.
• Informing policy and practice: Research gaps can inform policy and practice by highlighting areas where additional research is needed to inform decision-making. By filling research gaps, researchers can provide evidence-based recommendations that have the potential to improve policy and practice in a particular field.

Applications of Research Gap

Here are some potential applications of research gap:

• Informing research priorities: Research gaps can help guide research funding agencies and researchers to prioritize research areas that require more attention and resources.
• Identifying practical implications: Identifying gaps in knowledge can help identify practical applications of research that are still unexplored or underdeveloped.
• Stimulating innovation: Research gaps can encourage innovation and the development of new approaches or methodologies to address unexplored areas.
• Improving policy-making: Research gaps can inform policy-making decisions by highlighting areas where more research is needed to make informed policy decisions.
• Enhancing academic discourse: Research gaps can lead to new and constructive debates and discussions within academic communities, leading to more robust and comprehensive research.

Advantages of Research Gap

Here are some of the advantages of research gap:

• Identifies new research opportunities: Identifying research gaps can help researchers identify areas that require further exploration, which can lead to new research opportunities.
• Improves the quality of research: By identifying gaps in current research, researchers can focus their efforts on addressing unanswered questions, which can improve the overall quality of research.
• Enhances the relevance of research: Research that addresses existing gaps can have significant implications for the development of theories, policies, and practices, and can therefore increase the relevance and impact of research.
• Helps avoid duplication of effort: Identifying existing research can help researchers avoid duplicating efforts, saving time and resources.
• Helps to refine research questions: Research gaps can help researchers refine their research questions, making them more focused and relevant to the needs of the field.
• Promotes collaboration: By identifying areas of research that require further investigation, researchers can collaborate with others to conduct research that addresses these gaps, which can lead to more comprehensive and impactful research outcomes.

Disadvantages of Research Gap

While research gaps can be advantageous, there are also some potential disadvantages that should be considered:

• Difficulty in identifying gaps: Identifying gaps in existing research can be challenging, particularly in fields where there is a large volume of research or where research findings are scattered across different disciplines.
• Lack of funding: Addressing research gaps may require significant resources, and researchers may struggle to secure funding for their work if it is perceived as too risky or uncertain.
• Time-consuming: Conducting research to address gaps can be time-consuming, particularly if the research involves collecting new data or developing new methods.
• Risk of oversimplification: Addressing research gaps may require researchers to simplify complex problems, which can lead to oversimplification and a failure to capture the complexity of the issues.
• Bias : Identifying research gaps can be influenced by researchers’ personal biases or perspectives, which can lead to a skewed understanding of the field.
• Potential for disagreement: Identifying research gaps can be subjective, and different researchers may have different views on what constitutes a gap in the field, leading to disagreements and debate.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Research Question Generator for Free

If you’re looking for the best research question generator, you’re in the right place. Get a list of ideas for your essay, research paper, or any other project with this online tool.

• 🎓 How to Use the Tool
• 🤔 What Is a Research Question?
• 😺 Research Question Examples
• 👣 Steps to Making a Research Question

📝 Research Question Maker: the Benefits

🔗 references, 🎓 research question generator: how to use it.

Research can’t be done without a clear purpose, an intention behind it.

This intention is usually reflected in a research question, which indicates how you approach your study topic.

If you’re unsure how to write a good research question or are new to this process, you’ll surely benefit from our free online tool. All you need is:

• Indicate your search term or title
• Stipulate the subject or academic area
• Press “Generate questions”
• Choose a suitable research question from the generated list.

As you can see, this is the best research question generator requiring minimal input for smart question formulation. Try it out to see how simple the process is.

🤔 Why Make an Inquiry Question?

A research question is a question that you formulate for your scientific inquiry . It is a question that sets the scope for your study and determines how you will approach the identified problem, gap, or issue.

Questions can be descriptive , meaning they aim to describe or measure a subject of the researcher's interest.

Otherwise, they can be exploratory , focusing on the under-researched areas and aiming to expand the existing research evidence on the topic.

If there's enough knowledge about the subject, and you want to dig deeper into the existing trends and relationships, you can also use an explanatory research question.

What Makes a Strong Research Question?

The strength of your formulated research question determines the quality of your research, whether it’s a short argumentative essay or an extensive research paper . So, you should review the quality of your question before conducting the full-scale study.

Its parameters of quality are as follows:

• Clarity . The question should be specific about the focus of your inquiry.
• Complexity . It should not be self-obvious or primitively answered with a “yes” or “no” variant.
• Focus . The question should match the size and type of your academic assignment.
• Conciseness . It should be brief and understandable.
• Debatability . There should be more than one potential answer to the question.

😺 Research Question Examples: Good & Not So Good

Here are some examples to illustrate what we mean by quality criteria and how you can ensure that your question meets them.

Lack of Clarity

The bad example is too general and does not clearly estimate what effect you want to analyze or what aspect of video gaming you're interested in. A much better variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are clear enough:

• Sex trafficking: why do we have to address it?
• Palliative care: what constitutes the best technique for technicians communication with patients and families?
• How do vacuum cleaners work?
• What does it mean to age well?

Lack of Focus

The bad example is not focused, as it doesn’t specify what benefits you want to identify and in what context the uniform is approached. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are focused enough:

• How are biochemical conditions and brain activity linked to crime?
• World wars and national conflicts: what were the reasons?
• Why does crime exist in society?
• Decolonization in Canada: what does decolonization mean?

The bad example is too simplistic and doesn’t focus on the aspects of help that dogs can give to their owners. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are complex enough:

• How is resource scarcity impacting the chocolate industry?
• What should the Brazilian government do about reducing Amazon’s deforestation?
• Why is a collaborative approach vital during a pandemic?
• What impact has COVID-19 had on the economy?
• How to teach handwriting effectively?

Lack of Debatability

The problem of diabetes is well-known and doesn’t cause any doubts. So, you should add debatability to the discussed issue.

Look at some other research question examples that are debatable enough:

• Online vs. print journalism: what is more beneficial?
• Why will artificial intelligence not replace human in near future?
• What are the differences between art and design?
• Crime TV: how is criminality represented on television?

The question in the left column is too long and ambiguous, making the readers lose focus. You can shorten it without losing the essence.

Look at some other research question examples that are concise enough:

• What is the best way to address obesity in the US?
• Doctoral degree in nursing: why is it important?
• What are the benefits of X-rays in medicine?
• To what extent do emotions influence moral judgment?
• Why did the Industrial Revolution happen in England?

👣 Steps to Generate Research Questions

Now, it’s time to get down from science to practice. Here is a tried-and-tested algorithm for killer research question generation.

• Pick a topic . Once you get a writing assignment, it’s time to find an appropriate topic first . You can’t formulate a thesis statement or research question if you know nothing about your subject, so it's time to narrow your scope and find out as much as possible about the upcoming task.
• Research the topic . After you’re brainstormed several topic options, you should do some research. This stage takes the guesswork out of the academic process, allowing you to discover what scholars and other respected people think about your subject.
• Clarify who your audience is . Think about who will read your piece. Will it be the professor, your classmates, or the general audience consisting of laypersons? Ensure the research question sounds competent enough for a professor and understandable enough for laypeople.
• Approach the subject critically . With a well-articulated topic at hand, you should start asking the "why's" and "how's" about it. Look at the subject as a kid; don't limit your curiosity. You're sure to arrive at some interesting topics to reveal the hidden sides of the chosen issue.
• Evaluate the questions . Now that you have a couple of questions about your topic, evaluate them in terms of research value. Are all of them clear and focused? Will answering all of them take time and research, or is the answer already on the surface? By assessing each option you’ve formulated, you’re sure to choose one leader and use it as your main research question for the scientific study.

Thank you for reading this article! If you need to quickly formulate a thesis statement, consider using our free thesis maker .

❓ Research Questions Generator FAQ

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

• Developing research questions - Library - Monash University
• Formulation of Research Question – Stepwise Approach - PMC
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With our question generator, you can get a unique research question for your assignment, be it an essay, research, proposal, or speech. In a couple of clicks, our tool will make a perfect question for you to ease the process of writing. Try our generator to write the best work possible.

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What is a Research Gap

• 3 minute read
• 290.3K views

Table of Contents

If you are a young researcher, or even still finishing your studies, you’ll probably notice that your academic environment revolves around certain research topics, probably linked to your department or to the interest of your mentor and direct colleagues. For example, if your department is currently doing research in nanotechnology applied to medicine, it is only natural that you feel compelled to follow this line of research. Hopefully, it’s something you feel familiar with and interested in – although you might take your own twists and turns along your career.

Many scientists end up continuing their academic legacy during their professional careers, writing about their own practical experiences in the field and adapting classic methodologies to a present context. However, each and every researcher dreams about being a pioneer in a subject one day, by discovering a topic that hasn’t been approached before by any other scientist. This is a research gap.

Research gaps are particularly useful for the advance of science, in general. Finding a research gap and having the means to develop a complete and sustained study on it can be very rewarding for the scientist (or team of scientists), not to mention how its new findings can positively impact our whole society.

How to Find a Gap in Research

How many times have you felt that you have finally formulated THAT new and exciting question, only to find out later that it had been addressed before? Probably more times than you can count.

There are some steps you can take to help identify research gaps, since it is impossible to go through all the information and research available nowadays:

• Select a topic or question that motivates you: Research can take a long time and surely a large amount of physical, intellectual and emotional effort, therefore choose a topic that can keep you motivated throughout the process.
• Find keywords and related terms to your selected topic: Besides synthesizing the topic to its essential core, this will help you in the next step.
• Use the identified keywords to search literature: From your findings in the above step, identify relevant publications and cited literature in those publications.
• Look for topics or issues that are missing or not addressed within (or related to) your main topic.
• Read systematic reviews: These documents plunge deeply into scholarly literature and identify trends and paradigm shifts in fields of study. Sometimes they reveal areas or topics that need more attention from researchers and scientists.

Keeping track of all the new literature being published every day is an impossible mission. Remember that there is technology to make your daily tasks easier, and reviewing literature can be one of them. Some online databases offer up-to-date publication lists with quite effective search features:

• Elsevier’s Scope
• Google Scholar

Of course, these tools may be more or less effective depending on knowledge fields. There might be even better ones for your specific topic of research; you can learn about them from more experienced colleagues or mentors.

Find out how FINER research framework can help you formulate your research question.

Literature Gap

The expression “literature gap” is used with the same intention as “research gap.” When there is a gap in the research itself, there will also naturally be a gap in the literature. Nevertheless, it is important to stress out the importance of language or text formulations that can help identify a research/literature gap or, on the other hand, making clear that a research gap is being addressed.

When looking for research gaps across publications you may have noticed sentences like:

…has/have not been… (studied/reported/elucidated) …is required/needed… …the key question is/remains… …it is important to address…

These expressions often indicate gaps; issues or topics related to the main question that still hasn’t been subject to a scientific study. Therefore, it is important to take notice of them: who knows if one of these sentences is hiding your way to fame.

Language Editing Services by Elsevier Author Services:

Systematic Review VS Meta-Analysis

Literature Review in Research Writing

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Research Question Generator Online

Are you looking for effective aid in research question formulation? Try our research question generator and get ideas for any project instantly.

• 🤖 How to Use the Tool

❗ Why Is a Research Question Important?

🔖 research question types & examples, 🗺️ how to generate a research question.

• 👀 More Examples
• 🔍 References

🤖 How to Use a Research Question Generator?

Struggling to develop a good research question for your college essay , proposal , or dissertation ? Don't waste time anymore, as our research question generator is available online for free.

Our tool is designed to provide original questions to suit any subject discipline.

Generate your questions in a few easy steps as shown below:

• Add your research group and the influencing factor.
• Indicate your dependent variable (the thing you’re planning to measure).
• Add the optional parameters (the second research group and the time frame).
• Look at the examples if necessary.

Once you get the initial results, you can still refine the questions to get relevant and practical research questions for your project.

The main importance of formulating a research question is to break down a broad topic and narrow it to a specific field of investigation . It helps you derive a practical knowledge of the topic of interest. The research question also acts as a guiding structure for the entire investigation from paragraph to paragraph. Besides, you can define research issues and spot gaps in the study.

The research questions disclose the boundaries and limitations of your research, ensuring it is consistent and relevant. Ultimately, these questions will directly affect the research methods you will use to collect and analyze data. They also affect the process of generating a thesis statement . With a checker proposal, you can also polish your research question to ensure it aligns with the research purpose.

The research writing process covers different types of questions, depending on the depth of study and subject matter. It is important to know the kind of research you want to do; it will help you in the formulation of an effective research question. You can select quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies to develop your questions.

Let us explore some of these question types in detail to help you choose a workable option for your project:

Quantitative Research Questions

Quantitative questions are specific and objective, providing detailed information about a particular research topic . The data you collect from this research type is quantifiable and can be studied using figures.

These questions also delineate a relationship between the research design and the research question.

Quantitative questions focus on issues like:

• "How often"
• "How intense"
• "Is there a statistical relationship"

They illustrate the response with numbers.

In addition, quantitative questions help you to explore existing patterns in data from a specific location or context. The collected information allows researchers to make logical and data-driven conclusions.

This type of research question can be classified further into 3 categories.

Descriptive Research Questions

Such questions seek to describe a quantifiable problem and investigate the numbers, rates, or intensity of the issue. They are usually used to write descriptive papers .

Comparative Research Questions

As the name suggests, comparative questions intend to compare and contrast two or more issues in a research project. These questions are used in comparative papers . To formulate such a question, identify two or more variables, choose a standard for comparison, and present an in-depth discussion.

Let's look at a few examples.

Relationship-based Research Questions

Relationship-based questions reveal and identify a connection between two or more research variables . Such questions entail a dependent variable, an independent variable, and a socio-demographic of the population you are interested in studying.

Qualitative Research Questions

Qualitative research questions are open-ended and aim to explore or explain respondents' subjective meanings and experiences . You can't measure the data you collect from a qualitative research question in figures, as it's mostly narrative. Some of the common types include those described below.

Exploratory Research Questions

These questions investigate a particular research topic without any assumptions.

Explanatory Research Questions

These questions examine the reasons and find connections between existing entities.

Mixed Methods Studies

When you combine quantitative and qualitative research questions, you will get a mixed-method research study . It answers your research question more comprehensively since it combines the advantages of both research methods in a pragmatic study .

This mixed study can focus on quantitative data (score comparison with attitude ranking) and qualitative insights from student interviews about attitudes.

We have outlined a few steps to generate exceptional questions for students who don't know how to write them effectively.

👀 More Research Question Examples

• Why do minorities delay going to the doctor?
• What makes humans mortal genetically?
• Why and how did the US get involved in the Korean War?
• The virus COVID-19: what went wrong?
• What is cancel culture, and can it go too far?
• How do human infants acquire a language?
• Eastern vs. Western religions: what’s the difference?
• Why is capitalism better than socialism?
• What do Hamlet and Oedipus have in common?
• How does language influence our world?
• Competence for nurses: why is it important?
• COVID-19 pandemic: what we can learn from the past?

❓ Research Question Generator FAQ

❓ how to form a research question.

You should select an interesting topic related to the subject you are studying. Carry out preliminary research with our research question generator online and pick the question from the list of offered suggestions. Refine the question until you are satisfied with the result.

❓ What makes a good research question?

An effective research question should focus on a single issue and clearly state the research direction you will take. The topic should neither be too broad nor too narrow – just enough to keep you focused on the main scope of the study. Also, it should be answerable with a comprehensive analysis.

❓ How to find the research question in an article?

In an academic article, the research question is usually placed at the end of the introduction, right before the literature review. At times, it may be included in the methods section – after the review of academic research.

❓ How to write a quantitative research question?

Identify what claim you want to make in your research purpose. Choose a dependent variable, an independent variable, and a target population, and formulate the assumed relationship between the variables for that respondent group. Ensure the data you collect is measured within a specific context.

🔗 References

• Types of Research Questions With Examples
• Developing research questions - Library - Monash University
• Research Question - Research Guide - LibGuides
• How To Write a Research Question: Steps and Examples
• How to Write a Research Question - GMU Writing Center

World’s #1 Research Paper Generator

Over 5,000 research papers generated daily

Have an AI Research and write your Paper in just 5 words

See it for yourself: get your free research paper started with just 5 words, how smodin makes research paper writing easy, instantly find sources for any sentence.

Our AI research tool in the research paper editor interface makes it easy to find a source or fact check any piece of text on the web. It will find you the most relevant or related piece of information and the source it came from. You can quickly add that reference to your document references with just a click of a button. We also provide other modes for research such as “find support statistics”, “find supporting arguments”, “find useful information”, and other research methods to make finding the information you need a breeze. Make research paper writing and research easy with our AI research assistant.

Easily Cite References

Our research paper generator makes citing references in MLA and APA styles for web sources and references an easy task. The research paper writer works by first identifying the primary elements in each source, such as the author, title, publication date, and URL, and then organizing them in the correct format required by the chosen citation style. This ensures that the references are accurate, complete, and consistent. The product provides helpful tools to generate citations and bibliographies in the appropriate style, making it easier for you to document your sources and avoid plagiarism. Whether you’re a student or a professional writer, our research paper generator saves you time and effort in the citation process, allowing you to focus on the content of your work.

Free AI Research Paper Generator & Writer - Say Goodbye to Writer's Block!

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Smodin’s AI-powered tool generates high-quality research papers by analyzing millions of papers and using advanced algorithms to create unique content. All you need to do is input your topic, and Smodin’s Research Paper generator will provide you with a well-written paper in no time.

Why Use Smodin Free AI Research Paper Generator & Writer?

Writing a research paper can be a complicated task, even more so when you have limited time and resources. A research paper generator can help you streamline the process, by quickly finding and organizing relevant sources. With Smodin's research paper generator, you can produce high-quality papers in minutes, giving you more time to focus on analysis and writing

Benefits of Smodin’s Free Research Paper Generator

• Save Time: Smodin AI-powered generator saves you time by providing you with a well-written paper that you can edit and submit.
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• Easy to Use: Smodin is easy to use, even if you're not familiar with the topic. It is perfect for students, researchers, and professionals who want to create high-quality content.

How to Write a Research Paper?

All you need is an abstract or a title, and Smodin’s AI-powered software will quickly find sources for any topic or subject you need. With Smodin, you can easily produce multiple sections, including the introduction, discussion, and conclusion, saving you valuable time and effort.

Who can write a Research Paper?

Everyone can! Smodin's research paper generator is perfect for students, researchers, and anyone else who needs to produce high-quality research papers quickly and efficiently. Whether you're struggling with writer's block or simply don't have the time to conduct extensive research, Smodin can help you achieve your goals.

Tips for Using Smodin's Research Paper Generator

With our user-friendly interface and advanced AI algorithms, you can trust Smodin's paper writer to deliver accurate and reliable results every time. While Smodin's research paper generator is designed to be easy to use, there are a few tips you can follow to get the most out of Smodinl. First, be sure to input a clear and concise abstract or title to ensure accurate results. Second, review and edit the generated paper to ensure it meets your specific requirements and style. And finally, use the generated paper as a starting point for your research and writing, or to continue generating text.

The Future of Research Paper Writing

As technology continues to advance, the future of research paper writing is likely to become increasingly automated. With tools like Smodin's research paper generator, researchers and students can save time and effort while producing high-quality work. Whether you're looking to streamline your research process or simply need a starting point for your next paper, Smodin's paper generator is a valuable resource for anyone interested in academic writing.

So why wait? Try Smodin's free AI research paper generator and paper writer today and experience the power of cutting-edge technology for yourself. With Smodin, you can produce high-quality research papers in minutes, saving you time and effort while ensuring your work is of the highest caliber.

© 2024 Smodin LLC

Research Problem Generator

Are you stuck and don't know how to formulate a research problem?

Worry no more!

Our research problem generator will help you create one. Formulating a research problem is crucial in academic writing and can assist you in outlining your study process .

All you need to do to get a well-formulated research problem is:

• Choose your research problem type;
• Formulate the key issue you aim to solve;
• Add the argument(s) and the counterargument.

Understanding the different types of research problems will help you identify one that works well for you. This article discusses what a research problem entails, presents its types, its importance, and the steps to create a great research problem for your study.

• ️🧩 What Is a Research Problem?
• ️🔢 Research Problem Types
• ️🧭 Steps to Formulating It
• ️🔗 References

🧩 What Is a Research Problem & Why Is It Important?

A research problem is a research issue or a statement that a researcher seeks to solve. It covers a particular field that experts intend to comprehend and address.

The primary objective of the research problem could be to clarify an inconsistency or get answers on the area of study.

Researchers often conduct investigations to solve issues, contribute factual ideas, or fill knowledge gaps . Research problems are important since readers understand the purpose of the investigation and evaluate the results.

Moreover, research problems are the main drivers of the research questions and the approach you will take to conduct a successful analysis.

A good research problem:

• Can be outlined in a clear and concise manner
• Has the main goal
• Has a limited and specific scope
• Generates valid research questions
• Doesn't have ethical restrictions
• Relates to multiple academic fields of study
• Is quantifiable by research

🔢 Research Problem Types

College and university students encounter various academic writing assignments. Thus, learners must know how to identify a research problem. You can do this by reading widely on the topic of interest to find a knowledge gap or contradiction.

Let us explore the general types of research problems that are available in our research problem maker. These research problems can help in advancing your research further.

Casuist Research Problem

This type of research problem focuses on the right and wrong aspects through moral dilemma analysis . It brings out different cases of moral rules in an investigation. Researchers base the study on their assumptions about human conduct or conscience to identify the research problem.

Descriptive Research Problem

Here, researchers investigate an underlying importance of a particular event or circumstance . This type of research problem helps researchers uncover hidden matters and understudied subjects. It is quantitative ; an example could be describing a population or phenomenon under investigation.

Relational Research Problem

This case entails investigating two or more entities that are connected . Researchers are tasked with examining and defining the relationship between the variables.

Comparative Research Problem

Researchers often use a compare-and-contrast approach to identify a relevant research problem. This type is also called a difference research problem. It focuses on identifying the differences between two or more variables .

🧭 Steps to Formulating a Research Problem

The following 6 steps will help you formulate an effective research problem.

Step 1 - Identify the Area of Interest

As a student, you need to learn how to write a research paper , and one common aspect is to identify the area of interest you want to investigate. It will help you pinpoint the challenges present in the specific field. You can write a checklist of your research and add your goals and the issue you want to address . Have a clear outline of the research stages to guide you throughout the process.

Step 2 - Define the Research Objectives

The next step is to outline your goals and objectives clearly. Formulate a thesis statement to guide you in defining your goals since it will have the issues you want to address . Ensure the statement is brief and to the point to help the readers comprehend your research answers and the steps involved.

Step 3 - Review Context

Reviewing your research context allows you to remain focused on the issue. It is important to identify certain variables influencing your object . You will know if your findings are relevant and worth the entire research exercise in terms of time, effort, and budget.

Step 4 - Define Relationships between Variables

Identifying relevant variables will give effective and justifiable solutions to your research problem. Find the critical variables with functional relationships to help you know the extent of each entity during research.

Step 5 - Choose Important Variables

Choose essential variables you will use in your research and their influence on the final results. You will know the potential impact of these entities on your research.

Step 6 - Revise Your Research Plan

Finally, revise your research plan by talking to professionals and mentors in the industry you are investigating. Getting relevant feedback is critical since it will help you know the right questions to formulate .

Ultimately, you can use this research problem maker and generate impressive results within minutes. There is no need to stress about problem formation anymore!

Thank you for reading this article! If you need help to formulate a thesis statement, try our free thesis maker .

❓ Research Problem Maker FAQ

Below are frequently asked questions and detailed answers that might help you to make an informed decision.

❓ What is a research problem?

It is a specific area of concern or an issue that a researcher seeks to address to find solutions. It helps to justify your research by providing a clear purpose.

❓ How to identify a research problem?

You can identify a research problem by reading widely about the existing research, the theoretical aspect and the debates surrounding the topic. You might search for contradicting perspectives or an area with inadequate research to generate a relevant problem.

❓ What is a research problem statement?

A research problem statement is a brief and clear explanation that describes the specific issue you need to investigate. It helps readers to understand the primary goal of the research.

❓ How to write a research problem statement?

The first step is to identify the context of the problem by finding out what you already know. Proceed to describe the problem you want to address and the knowledge gap you want to fill. Finally, define the goals and purpose of your study. Make your statement clear and concise to allow the readers to understand the direction of your research.

Updated: Jun 5th, 2024

🔗 References

• Research Problem - Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper
• Research Problem: Definition (Plus 6 Steps To Formulate One)
• The Research Problem/Question
• What is a Problem Statement? With Examples
• Effective Problem Statement Examples | YourDictionary

Best wines for the summer under £10 a bottle | Weekend Money

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. We'll be back with live updates on Monday but for now you can read our weekend reads below - and leave a comment with your thoughts.

Saturday 13 July 2024 09:55, UK

Weekend Money

• 'Surrounded by a billion strangers': The risks from your child's first smartphone - and how to tackle them
• The best wines for the summer under £10 a bottle
• Blow to August rate cut hopes - as analysts predict when change will come
• Your comments : Readers take sides in Co-op v pubs

Essential reads from this week

• Ian King answers your questions on what Labour government means for your pocket
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• Basically... What are the different ways of paying for a car?
• Women in Business : From blackouts to CEO - how burnout helped create UK's biggest venue booking platform
• Best deals on school uniform ahead of new academic year
• How much it would cost you to go to Euro 2024 final between England and Spain

Ask a question or make a comment

Anyone else dreaming of sea views, warm weather and a glass of wine? 

We can't work magic and book you a holiday, but we can tell you where to find the flavours of Puglia, Sicily and Valencia in your local supermarket - and for less than £10 a bottle. 

Our regular wine expert Tom Tryon ( @vinetribe ), who is the founder of online wine community Vinetribe, gave news reporter Emily Mee  his recommendations...

Sainsbury's 

Minimalista Malbec (£9) . Lighter than your average Malbec, this is juicy and well balanced

Sicilian Grillo, Taste the Difference (£8.75) . Full of sunshine-ripened flavour, but with enough acidity to keep it fresh

Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel (£9.50) . Luscious and juicy with delightful black fruit and spiciness 

Canto Nono Alvarinho (£9) . Classy Portuguese Alvarinho. Perfect for a warm summer's day

M&S 

M&S Found Agiorgitiko (£9) . Bright and juicy red with delightful ripe red fruit

M&S Found Organic Verdil (£9) . Intriguing and complex wine, bursting with marmalade, grapefruit and sweet honey flavours. You have to try it 

Agramont Garnacha Old Vine (£6.49) . Light and fresh wine - a lovely, juicier alternative to Rioja 

Duca di Castelmonte Zibibbo  (£8.99) . Beautifully aromatic: herbal, floral and peachy. Plenty of body and a good acidity too

Specially Selected Australian Cabernet Franc (£8.99). Quite tannic, balanced by rich fruit. Unusual wine but delicious 

Unearthed Custoza Bianco (£9.99) . Slightly floral with a bit of a bite 

Maree d'ione Organic Nero di Troia (£9.99) . Classy and rich, packed with fruit and spice

Azevedo Vinho Verde (£9.99) . Zingy, slightly spritzy and loads of fun. Very easy sipping

Extra Special Barossa Shiraz (£8) . Powerful BBQ-ready flavours, lovely with smokey food

Santodeno Grillo Sicilia (£8) . Super Sauvignon alternative - plenty of flavour and juicy enough to be refreshing

Cidade Branca Alentejo (£7) . Classic Portuguese red with oodles of rich, dark fruit and spice

The Best Verdeca (£7.50) . Citrussy, aromatic and interesting. Too good to miss

For more personalised recommendations, you can use Tom's  Supermarket Wine Finder  app to see wines in your local store, matched to your tastes and meal plans. 

By Brad Young , Money reporter

If your child is approaching secondary school, you might be preparing to spend hundreds of pounds on their first smartphone. 

But choosing a costly contract is just the first in a series of difficult decisions facing parents as their child gains online autonomy. 

While phones bring huge benefits in terms of connectivity and independence, they also expose children to risks ranging from accidently running up bills to sexual exploitation and AI-enabled bullying. 

Sky News spoke with experts in the field about what trends parents should be aware of, and what tools they can use to tackle them. 

There are four categories of risks to children according Childnet, a UK-based charity for child safety online.

These are content , such as pornography or gambling, contact , like grooming or cyberbullying, commerce , where children have mistakenly racked up huge bills, and conduct , which includes what information a child shares online. 

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has revealed "a really sharp rise in young people who are being sexually exploited and groomed over the internet" without leaving their home, said Kate Edwards, the charity's associate head of child safety online. 

This refers to incidents where a child is directed to take part in their own abuse, which may be filmed or photographed and shared.

Ms Edwards said young people have also been self-reporting instances of sextortion, where they "have been tricked into sharing a sexual image of themselves and then given a ransom demand" under the threat of sharing the photograph. 

The charity has received phone calls from children reporting generative AI being used to bully, groom or medically misdiagnose children, as well as calls raising concerns over pro-eating disorder or pro-suicide content. 

"The age of onset for an eating disorder can be quite young... if it's around a similar age where someone might get their first phone, then it is important for parents to be aware of the risks," said Umairah Malik, clinical advice coordinator at the UK's leading eating disorder charity, Beat. 

The risk of an eating disorder developing is highest for children aged 13 to 17 years, said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 

Video content shared on social media is particularly hard to regulate, with those that fixate on body image or what an influencer eats in a day causing disordered behaviours to develop among vulnerable viewers. 

'We gave him a loaded gun'

Social media played a role in the murder of Amanda Stephens' son, Olly, aged 13, who was lured to a field near his Reading home and stabbed to death in 2021 following an online dispute. 

Ms Stephens now believes the risks posed by smartphones are too great for children to own one. 

"I look back to it, I felt almost proud as we gave Olly his first phone. Now I feel like we gave him a loaded gun," she said. 

"He was exposed to horrendous violence, threats, bullying, under our roof."

During the trial of two 14-year-old boys and a 13-year-old girl, Ms Stephens said she learned there was little policing on social media of violent language or sharing images of knives. 

"In the safety of your home, they are surrounded by a billion strangers."

She's not the only one in favour of a blanket ban - the House of Commons Education Committee has advised the government to consider legislating against mobile phones for under-16s.

As it stands, phone ownership is near universal among children by age 12, according to Ofcom.

But there are tools parents can use. 

"There are many tools out there to help them. I know it can feel very scary when you hear about all those risks," said Ms Edwards. 

"What is important to bring across is while there are all of those risks, that does not mean that every child that uses a smartphone is going to come across those risks and that there are only risks to using this technology. There are also many benefits."

What can parents do to increase safety?

Ms Edwards said parents should have open conversations with their children, working with them to decide on restrictions and breaking down barriers of authority between parent and child.

And whatever rules are in place, the most important thing is to "let your child know their safety comes before any rule".

A common issue raised by children via Childline is online harm or abuse while breaking a family rule – such as using a device at night. The children were therefore fearful of getting in trouble so did not speak up, she said. 

Ms Edwards said parents can contact the mobile phone operator and let them know it is a child's phone, and they will put additional barriers in place including blocks on content or spending. 

At home, internet service providers offer tools to set up limits on what can be accessed via the WiFi. 

CEO of Childnet International Will Gardener pointed to Apple's Family Sharing account and Google's Family Link, which connect a child's phone with their parents, enabling some control over down-time, such as switching off certain apps within particular timeframes. 

They can also be used to approve payments, ensure requests for app downloads and monitor usage. 

Apps also have their own safety mechanisms, said Ms Edwards, including whether someone can contact or share things about your child, or whether they can game with other people. 

Parents and children should also be aware of what support mechanisms are available. 

The NSCC's safety hub has more information on how to keep children safe online, while their partnership with Vodaphone has produced a toolkit for thinking about your child's first phone. 

Children can confidentially report sexual images or videos to Childline and the IWF's Report Remove , which will work to remove them from the internet. 

Any adults concerned about a child's safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline at [email protected] or by calling 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk. 

If you're worried about your own or someone else's health, you can contact Beat on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. 

The one piece of Money news we need to take with us from the week just gone concerns speculation over when an interest rate cut will come.

When the Bank of England's chief economist began his speech on Wednesday, some expected he would tee up a long-awaited August rate cut.

But instead, Huw Pill dampened expectations, saying the timing of a rate reduction was still an "open question" amid strong price pressures.

Services inflation and wage growth showed "uncomfortable strength", he said, prompting investors to rein in bets on a cut, dropping to a 50/50 chance from 62/48.

Mr Pill, a centrist on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), voted with the majority of his colleagues last month to keep interest rates at a 16-year high of 5.25%.

His more hawkish colleague Catherine Mann has signalled she is unlikely to vote for a cut next month.

She said inflation dropping to 2% was merely "touch and go" and that it would likely rise above that rate for the rest of the year.

Ms Mann added that growth in wages and services prices were still inconsistent with the Bank's target. 

When will a rate cut come?

Sticky inflation is causing the Bank to hesitate "despite evidence that a high interest rate environment has heightened monetary conditions and also caused growth conditions to be more unfavourable", said Jeff Ng, head of Asia macro strategy, SMBC.

He said that while he still expects a rate cut in the current quarter, odds for the first cut to come in the fourth quarter are rising. 

Economic forecasters ANZ said the Bank will only have one more set of data when it meets in August, which is "unlikely to be sufficient for the MPC to be able to gain confidence on the path of inflation, and the MPC may lean in favour of waiting for more data."

It added the MPC will "have greater confidence to cut rates in September".

Of all the stories we've covered this week, none prompted more correspondence than publicans hitting out at a Co-op advert that urged people to watch the football at home (with Co-op pizzas) instead of the pub...

We have highlighted the struggles of pubs and hospitality extensively in this blog, but the bulk of your comments came out on the side of Co-op...

Pub prices are way over the top! When you are expected to pay £12 for a small wine and a beer, aren't the pubs pricing themselves out of business? Bottos01

What is wrong with the Co-op advert? Pubs advertise to draw people into their establishments in order to sell them vastly overpriced alcohol, what is the difference? I can get four pint cans from the Co-op for the price of one pint in the pub. Come on publicans, do the maths. Confused

Buy 4 pints and a couple of pizzas in a pub. Then starve for a week because you've blown the grocery budget. Muppets. Mark clacton

No sympathy for the pubs. They've been pricing themselves out of the market for years. The cost of a pint in a pub is ridiculous. Perhaps they should man-up and learn to respond to a bit healthy competition! DaveZ

I'm sure the pubs are slightly annoyed, although many other businesses need to survive. Sky News provides so much emphasis on pubs and not other businesses trying to cope in the BIG squeeze. Fossy

Fossy will be pleased to know we have a long read coming up on the plight of pubs in the coming weeks.

Reader Richard Stubbs was among a minority batting for his local...

This IS disgraceful by the Co-op, they have been waging war on shoppers because of shoplifting, innocent shoppers stopped and searched constantly, yet staff will just stand watching whilst shoplifters fill huge bags. The pub has atmosphere! Richard Stubbs

We also had reaction from readers on water bills, which are set to rise less than some water firms wanted over the next five years - but still by 21%.

All firms sought hefty increases to bills between 2025-30, with Southern Water leading the way with a proposed rise of almost 73%.

The want customers to pay for an investment programme to stop raw sewage dumping, build new reservoirs and reduce leaks.

Water bills to rise 21% over the next five years. Why are the customers paying for the incompetence of the men in suits? They should be made to pay for everything that needs to be done. Once again it's the public that have to foot the bill. Absolutely disgraceful and pathetic. Colin

The proposed 21% increase in water bills is completely unacceptable due to years of neglect by water companies. I would find a maximum increase of 10% acceptable, but only if there are no pay rises, bonuses for bosses, directors, and managers, and no dividends paid to shareholders Kam

Finally, and on a more positive note, there was praise for Tesco's decision to close Express stores at 7.30pm this Sunday so staff can watch the Euro 2024 final.

Well done Tesco for shutting your doors on Sunday so your staff can see the match. At last you have seen sense as your staff are human after all. Jean Allcock

Tesco's announcement was followed by moves by Sainsbury's and Lidl...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young, Ollie Cooper and Mark Wyatt, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The UK is set to lose the most millionaires of any country by 2028, a report has found.

Bucking a worldwide trend, the number of millionaires (in dollars) will fall 17% from 3.1 million people in 2023 to 2.5 million, according to Swiss bank UBS.

It joins the Netherlands as the only two countries of 56 analysed where the number of millionaires is forecast to decline - though the UK is starting with the third most millionaires to begin with, behind only the US and China.

Paul Donovan, chief economist of UBS Global Wealth Management, said the shift away from the UK partly reflected its millionaire tally was  "disproportionately high".

He added: "You have obviously seen in the UK over the last few years, as you have seen in other countries, implications arising from sanctions against Russia."

The UK's decision to scrap non-dom status - which meant wealthy, often foreign residents did not pay tax on overseas income - had a "small effect".

"The non-indigenous millionaire population, the global population, which is constantly shifting, will be looking for low tax locations all of the time," he said.

This was "not a function of UK policies per se" but reflected the "pull factors" of other countries, such as Dubai and Singapore.

The UBS report forecast the total number of dollar millionaires in the United States would rise by 16% by 2028, in Germany by 14%, in France by 16%, in Japan by 28%, in Spain by 12% and in Italy by 9%.

The strongest growth in millionaires - of 47% - was expected to be in Taiwan, driven by the country's microchip industry.

Complaints about the banking sector have reached the highest level in at least a decade, an ombudsman has found. 

A total of 80,137 cases were filed with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) about banking and payment products in the latest financial year. 

That compares with 61,995 in 2022/23.

Concerns about current accounts and credit cards and worries about frauds and scams were behind the increase, the service said.

Admin, customer services, affordability or irresponsible lending by financial firms were among the reasons customers complained. 

Current accounts were the product people moaned about the most, with 30,635 gripes filed. 

Consumers brought 24,402 credit card complaints, of which 13,584 were due to perceptions around unaffordable or irresponsible lending.

Fraud and scam cases generated 27,312 complaints. 

Around half were about authorised push payment (APP) scams, where someone is tricked into sending money online to a fraudster posing as a genuine payee.

Across all financial products, the FOS upheld 37% of the complaints it resolved, which is slightly higher than the 35% recorded in 2022/23.

"The financial services sector takes complaints seriously," a UK Finance spokesperson said. 

"Where things go wrong, firms will always look to put it right and provide good outcomes for customers." 

The spokesperson pointed out that the financial services industry prevents more than £1bn of fraud every year, and was "the only sector which reimburses victims."

A French budget hotel chain has revealed plans to open 100 properties in the UK. 

As part of its ongoing expansion, B&B Hotels is set to open the properties by 2035. 

The company first launched in the UK in February with a hotel at Heathrow Terminal 5, with basic double rooms starting at around £73 a night. 

Since then, it has taken over five sites in Birmingham, Ipswich, Inverness, Warrington and Derby.

The brand already operates nearly 800 sites across Europe, Brazil and the US. 

Fabrice Collet, president and chief executive officer at B&B Hotels, said the move was an "important step" in the company's ambition to have 3,000 hotels in 10 years. 

"Our successful growth model and commitment to value for our guests have made us a beloved brand across Europe, and we’re excited to bring that same experience to guests in the UK," he said. 

England's success at the Euros might have lifted our spirits, but it's also given a "much needed boost" to the economy. 

Fans of the Three Lions are expected to spend £124.9m in hospitality venues this weekend as they flock to the pub to watch the team take on Spain, a spending report by VoucherCodes found. 

On Sunday alone, 17.2m pints are expected to be poured, with drink spend totalling £70.5m. 

This is the highest amount at any stage during the competition and an 19% increase on Wednesday's semi-final spend of £59.3m. 

Food spend is set to hit £54.3m. 

For fans who couldn't secure a spot at the pub, a total of £280.1m is expected to be spent across stores as shoppers prepare to cheer on England from home.

Food and drinks sales (£202.5m) are set to make up the majority of retail spend as fans head to the supermarket, the website found. 

The economic boost has been welcomed by the Night Time Industries Association, with its CEO saying the Euro final is a "golden opportunity". 

Michael Kill said: "I cannot overstate the significance of England's success in the Euros for our night time economy and hospitality sector. 

"Their win in the semi-finals provides us with another golden opportunity to host a massive night of football, bringing fans together across the UK. 

"This event is more than just a match; it is a beacon of hope and a much-needed boost for venues, staff, and the entire community involved in nightlife and hospitality."

Airlines are putting on extra flights as tens of thousands of England football fans travel to Germany for the Euro 2024 final.

British Airways says it will operate two additional flights from Heathrow to Berlin on Sunday, where England's match against Spain takes place at 8pm. 

This will boost the carrier's seat capacity for travel to the German capital by "nearly 30%", a spokesperson said.

Yesterday, the airline reported a 1,000% increase in searches for flights to Berlin, which peaked at 10.05pm - 11 minutes after England secured their place in the final by beating the Netherlands.

The first extra flight will depart Heathrow at 7.50am and arrive in Berlin at 10.40am. 

But the Money team understands this flight has already sold out. 

The second will leave London at 1.50pm and arrive in the German capital at 4.40pm. 

A quick look on the British Airways website shows prices start at £481. 

To fly to Berlin at a similar time on the day after the final, tickets start at £128. 

Extra capacity has also been added to return flights on Monday 15 July to bring fans home.

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