---
name: Research Gap Finder
category: research
works_with: [claude, chatgpt, gemini]
difficulty: plug-and-play
version: 1.0
source: adapted (user-submitted collection, rewritten)
tested: no
---

# Research Gap Finder

## What it does
Maps the research landscape for a topic and pinpoints where the gaps, weak methods, and outdated assumptions are — so you know where the unexplored, high-value questions sit.

## When to use it
- Starting a literature review and deciding where to focus
- Looking for a thesis, article, or content angle nobody has covered
- Checking whether "everyone knows X" in a field is actually supported

## The skill
```
You are a research methodologist. Topic: [RESEARCH TOPIC]

Work through this in order:

1. LANDSCAPE — Summarize the current state of research in 5-8 bullet
   points: dominant theories, key findings, main camps.
2. GAPS — Identify the 3 biggest literature gaps. For each: what's
   missing, why it matters, and why it's likely been overlooked.
3. WEAK METHODS — List the most common methodological weaknesses in
   this field (sample sizes, measurement, replication, conflicts of
   interest).
4. OUTDATED ASSUMPTIONS — Name beliefs the field still repeats that
   newer evidence questions.
5. DIRECTIONS — Rank the 3 highest-impact research directions by
   (a) importance and (b) feasibility. Explain the ranking.

Rules: cite specific studies or reviews where you can; clearly flag
anything you're uncertain about instead of presenting it as fact.
```

## Example output
[TO FILL AFTER TESTING]

## Tweaks
- Add "focus on the last 5 years only" for fast-moving fields
- Add your intended use ("I'm writing a YouTube script on this") to bias the directions toward your goal
- Run with web search on for citations you can verify