Minding and Finding the Gap: Research Methods Introduction and Brainstorming to Find a Gap

Find and Mind the Gap!

London underground station

If you ever travel to London, chances are you’ll ride the London Underground. And if you ride the London Underground, chances are you’ll hear the frequent announcement to “Mind the Gap”. It is a safety reminder for all patrons who utilize that form of public transportation to stay aware, to be safe, and to make smart choices.

In AP Research, you will also frequently hear the reminder to “Mind the Gap” – but, in this case, the phrase takes on a slightly different meaning. Before you can “mind” the gap, first you must find the gap – and what that means is that your Research Inquiry design must present and cover an area of research that is missing from the academic conversation that your topic is centered around. It doesn’t make sense for you to simply reproduce and find the exact same findings as someone else – the goal is that you are entering your voice into the Academic Conversation centered around your topic of inquiry interest.

Previously, you were asked to begin brainstorming the general field that you may be interested in studying. Now it’s time to narrow that focus even more and begin examining the research that already exists in the field surrounding your general topic.

For example, if a student wanted to research the effects of sleep deprivation, that is too broad an area of focus. Here’s how we may narrow it down:

examples of Honing Research Topics, full text available below image

View the full text from the image above.

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep Deprivation in Teens

Sleep Deprivation in High School Students

Sleep Deprivation in High School Students in Georgia

Sleep Deprivation in Public High School Students in Georgia

You can see how each level gets more and more specific. We know that there have been studies done on sleep deprivation, and on sleep deprivation in teens – but the more specificity you can add to the Research Topic and Research Question, the more precise your research will be.

However, it isn’t just as simple as identifying a specific topic. Finding the gap also means knowing, generally, what research exists.

In AP Research, it is essential that you use credible sources to guide your inquiry and your work. Wikipedia isn’t a credible source in Academic Research. Neither is Reddit. Your sources must be peer-reviewed. Your best bet for topic exploration is to utilize an online database (Google Scholar, JSTOR, EBSCOhost Databases, etc). Your public library is also a great resource.

Before Moving On

You Should Know logo Welcome to the start of your QUEST for the year – it’s time, now, to begin digging in! Pull your initial brainstorming sheet back out, and now start narrowing down your focus.

As you reference credible research to determine a gap (and remember that your research must be able to fill a gap), keep and document your found sources. You will be able to use these as a part of your Annotated Bibliography (more information to come).

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