Asking chatgpt on how to adapt research gap statements for own dissertation project work: a note for Housing Studies students.

Asking chatgpt on how to adapt research gap statements for own dissertation project work: a note for Housing Studies students.

Below is my dialogue with the assistant bot (a version of chatgpt accessed via poe.com) on the topic of research gap statement adaptation.

Finding 1

My query to the assistant bot: "I am a part-time Housing Studies student, currently working on the formulation of my dissertation project proposal. On doing my preliminary literature review, I did come across some useful research gap statements from the academic articles. I wonder if there are any useful ways to adapt those research gap statements from others to make up my a few more tailor-made research gap statements for my project work. Could you give me some advice for that?"

The reply from the assistant bot: "Certainly, I'd be happy to provide some advice on adapting research gap statements for your dissertation project proposal.

When formulating your own research gap statements, it's important to carefully analyze the research gaps identified in the literature you've reviewed. Here are some tips to help you adapt those gaps to fit your specific project:

Understand the Context: Thoroughly examine the context in which the research gaps were identified. What were the specific research questions, objectives, or focus areas of the previous studies? Ensure that you understand the underlying issues and limitations that led to those gaps.

Identify Relevance: Assess how the research gaps you've found are relevant to your own dissertation project. Consider the similarities and differences between the existing research and your proposed area of study. Determine which gaps are most applicable and can be meaningfully addressed by your research.

Tailor the Gaps: Use the existing research gap statements as a starting point, but modify and refine them to align with your specific research objectives and the unique aspects of your project. This may involve:

Narrowing or broadening the scope of the gap to fit your focus

Incorporating additional contextual factors or variables that are relevant to your study

Highlighting specific methodological or theoretical limitations that your research can address

Identifying new or underexplored areas within the broader research domain

Emphasize Significance: Ensure that your research gap statements clearly articulate the importance and potential impact of addressing the identified gaps. Explain how your research can contribute to advancing the field, fill critical knowledge voids, or provide practical or theoretical implications.

Strike a Balance: While adapting the research gap statements, aim to strike a balance between being specific enough to demonstrate the uniqueness of your project and keeping the statements concise and easy to understand.

Here's an example of how you might adapt a research gap statement from the literature:

Original gap statement:

"The existing literature on housing affordability has primarily focused on homeownership, with limited research on the experiences of low-income renters."

Adapted gap statement:

"While previous studies have examined housing affordability challenges for homeowners, there is a paucity of research exploring the unique barriers and coping strategies employed by low-income renters in urban areas, particularly in the context of rising rental costs and limited availability of affordable housing options."

Remember, the goal is to craft research gap statements that clearly articulate the specific areas your dissertation project aims to investigate and contribute to, building upon the foundation of the existing literature."

Finding 2

My second query is: "What are some common pitfalls to avoid when formulating research gap statements?"

The reply from the assistant bot is: "When formulating research gap statements for your dissertation project proposal, it's important to be aware of some common pitfalls to avoid. Here are a few key things to watch out for:

Overly Broad or Vague Statements: Research gap statements that are too broad or vague can be less effective in guiding your research and demonstrating its significance. Aim for specificity by clearly identifying the key aspects of the research gap, such as the target population, geographical context, theoretical perspectives, or methodological approaches.

Lack of Justification: Research gap statements should be supported by a clear rationale and evidence from the existing literature. Avoid simply stating a gap without explaining why it is important to address and how your research can contribute to filling that gap.

Overlooking Existing Knowledge: Ensure that your research gap statements do not simply restate what is already known in the field. Carefully review the literature to identify genuine knowledge gaps that have not been adequately addressed by previous studies.

Failure to Align with Research Objectives: Your research gap statements should be closely aligned with the objectives and focus of your proposed dissertation project. Avoid statements that are tangential or do not directly inform the research questions or hypotheses you aim to investigate.

Lack of Specificity: Research gap statements that are too broad or generic may not be helpful in guiding your research design and methodology. Strive to identify specific aspects of the research domain that require further exploration, such as particular theories, variables, populations, or geographical contexts.

Overconfidence in Addressing the Gap: While it's important to demonstrate the significance of the research gap, be cautious about making overly ambitious claims about your ability to comprehensively address the gap. Acknowledge the inherent limitations and constraints of your study, and focus on how your research can make a meaningful contribution within those boundaries.

Failure to Acknowledge Limitations of Existing Research: When adapting research gap statements from the literature, ensure that you accurately represent the limitations and shortcomings of the previous studies. Avoid oversimplifying or misrepresenting the existing knowledge base.

By being mindful of these potential pitfalls, you can craft research gap statements that are well-justified, specific, and aligned with the objectives of your dissertation project. This will help strengthen the foundation of your research proposal and demonstrate the unique value your study can bring to the field."

Finding 3

My third query is: "Can you provide examples of well-formulated research gap statements in the Housing Studies field?"

The reply from the assistant bot is: "Certainly, here are a few examples of well-formulated research gap statements in the field of Housing Studies:

Gap Statement on Affordable Housing Policies:

"While previous research has examined the effectiveness of affordable housing policies in mitigating housing affordability challenges, there is a limited understanding of how these policies are implemented and experienced at the local level. Further research is needed to explore the nuanced, context-specific factors that influence the success or failure of affordable housing initiatives, particularly in addressing the needs of marginalized communities."

Gap Statement on Homelessness and Housing Instability:

"Existing studies on homelessness have primarily focused on the experiences of single adults, overlooking the unique challenges faced by families with children who are experiencing housing insecurity. There is a need for in-depth, qualitative investigations that examine the barriers, coping strategies, and support systems utilized by homeless families as they navigate the complex web of housing, social, and economic systems."

Gap Statement on Gentrification and Displacement:

"The scholarly literature on gentrification has extensively documented the negative impacts of neighborhood change on low-income residents, particularly the displacement of long-term residents. However, there is a dearth of research exploring the role of community-based organizations in mitigating the effects of gentrification and empowering residents to advocate for their housing rights. Further exploration of these grassroots initiatives could provide valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners."

Gap Statement on Aging in Place:

"While the concept of 'aging in place' has gained prominence in housing policy discussions, the majority of research has focused on the experiences of older adults in single-family homes or assisted living facilities. Limited attention has been given to the housing challenges and support needs of older adults living in multi-family, urban environments. Expanding the research to this underexplored population could inform the development of age-friendly housing strategies that better accommodate the diverse living arrangements of the aging population."

These examples demonstrate how to craft research gap statements that are specific, well-justified, and aligned with the broader research landscape in Housing Studies. Each statement identifies a clear knowledge gap, highlights the importance of addressing it, and suggests how the proposed research can contribute to filling that gap."

Finding 4

My fourth query is: "Is it feasible to provide research gap statements in a more concise form, and then derive them into some kind of research objective statements?"

The reply from the assistant bot is: "Yes, it is definitely feasible to provide research gap statements in a more concise form and then derive research objective statements from them. This approach can help you streamline the presentation of your research proposal and clearly connect the identified gaps to your study's aims.

Here's an example of how you might condense a research gap statement and then derive a corresponding research objective:

Concise Research Gap Statement:

"Limited research has explored the housing experiences and coping strategies of low-income families facing the threat of displacement due to gentrification."

Derived Research Objective:

"The primary objective of this study is to investigate the lived experiences and coping mechanisms of low-income families at risk of displacement in gentrifying urban neighborhoods, in order to inform the development of community-based anti-displacement interventions."

In this example, the concise research gap statement identifies the key aspects of the knowledge gap, namely the lack of research on the housing experiences and coping strategies of low-income families facing displacement due to gentrification.

The derived research objective then directly addresses this gap by outlining the study's aim to explore the lived experiences and coping mechanisms of the target population, with the explicit purpose of informing anti-displacement interventions.

Here are a few tips for effectively transitioning from concise research gap statements to research objective statements:

Identify the Key Elements: Distill the research gap statement down to its core components, such as the target population, the phenomenon of interest, the context, and the potential contribution.

Articulate the Aim: Use the research gap as a springboard to clearly state the overarching aim or purpose of your study. What do you intend to achieve through your research?

Specify the Approach: Indicate the methodological or analytical approach you will use to address the research gap, such as qualitative exploration, quantitative analysis, or mixed-methods investigation.

Link to Practical Implications: Consider how your research objectives can lead to meaningful outcomes, such as informing policy, improving programs, or advancing theoretical understanding.

Maintain Coherence: Ensure that the research objectives logically flow from the identified research gaps and align with the overall scope and focus of your dissertation project.

By transitioning from concise research gap statements to well-crafted research objective statements, you can effectively communicate the rationale, approach, and potential impact of your study within the proposal."

Some overall evaluation comments

The assistant bot was able to suggest how to formulate tailor-made research gap statements for dissertation proposal formulation for Housing Studies students. The examples provided by the bot are useful for illustration purpose.

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.