determine changes and potential implications for the region. Hydrophilic interaction liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) was utilized to determine the presence of any known and emerging PSTs in sample extracts.
2. Adapted from :
The exchange process frequently observed in polypyrrane condensations is proposed to occur by the acid-catalyzed fragmentation of a polypyrrane into pyrrolic and azafulvene components.15 As illustrated in Scheme 2, recombination of and can form a new polypyrrane that cannot be formed by direct condensation of the dipyrromethane and aldehyde. Ultimately this process leads to the production of a scrambled mixture of porphyrins. The factors that promote the scrambling process in MacDonald-type 2 + 2 condensations are poorly understood, but suppression of scrambling is essential for preparing large quantities of pure trans-porphyrins. In this paper we describe a study of a wide range of reaction conditions for the 2 + 2 condensation that has led to refined synthetic procedures for the preparation of trans-porphyrins.
3. Adapted from :
In the present paper, we focus on laser wake field acceleration in a new, highly non-linear regime. It occurs for laser pulses shorter than λ(p) but for relativistic intensities high enough to break the plasma wave after the first oscillation. In the present relativistic regime, one should notice that the plama wave fronts are curved and first break new the wave axis and for lower values than the plane-wave limit. This has been studied in 2D geometry in [14-17]. Here, we present 3D PIC simulations of two representative cases. The case (I) is just marginally above and the case (II) is far above the breaking threshold.
[bg_faq_start]
Good gap and fill signaling phrases are italicized.
1. “The factors that promote the scrambling process in MacDonald-type 2 + 2 condensations ….”
“ a study of a wide range of reaction conditions for the 2 + 2 condensation that has led to refined synthetic procedures for the preparation of trans-porphyrins.”
2. This question is a little trickier! The authors use “In the present paper…,” then, “In the present regime…,” and finally, “Here…,” all of which sound like signaling words for filling the gap. But where is the gap? We have to look closely at what exactly is being said. It is true that the first statement appears to be somewhat of a gap fill, although they haven’t yet given us a gap statement. The authors go on to say “This has been studied in 2D geometry,” which brings us back to move 1(iii), identifying critical evidence from the literature.
Thus, the is not explicit. It is a combination of stating that this concept has been studied in 2D, followed by announcement that the authors will study it in 3D.
: “ 3D PIC simulations of two representative cases.”
Although the first sentence (“… we focus on laser wake field acceleration…”) could also be considered part of the fill, because it comes before the gap statement and is also less descriptive, it functions more as an introduction to these moves.
3. According to the national monitoring program in Portugal, G. catenatum along the Portuguese coast during the 10-year period from 1995 to 2005.”
to fully characterize the toxin profile of G. catenatum strains isolated from the NW Portuguese coast before and after the 10-year absence of blooms to
determine changes and potential implications for the region.”
[bg_faq_end]
[bg_faq_end]
[bg_faq_start] Find 3-4 primary research articles (not reviews) from reputable journals in your field. Underline the gap statement and circle the gap fill. Remember that not all papers follow this exact move structure, so if you can’t seem to find either of these moves, you might have to look carefully at different parts of the introduction and ask yourself: [bg_faq_end] |
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on November 2, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on May 31, 2023.
A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.
Some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other. The type of research problem you choose depends on your broad topic of interest and the type of research you think will fit best.
This article helps you identify and refine a research problem. When writing your research proposal or introduction , formulate it as a problem statement and/or research questions .
Why is the research problem important, step 1: identify a broad problem area, step 2: learn more about the problem, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research problems.
Having an interesting topic isn’t a strong enough basis for academic research. Without a well-defined research problem, you are likely to end up with an unfocused and unmanageable project.
You might end up repeating what other people have already said, trying to say too much, or doing research without a clear purpose and justification. You need a clear problem in order to do research that contributes new and relevant insights.
Whether you’re planning your thesis , starting a research paper , or writing a research proposal , the research problem is the first step towards knowing exactly what you’ll do and why.
Discover proofreading & editing
As you read about your topic, look for under-explored aspects or areas of concern, conflict, or controversy. Your goal is to find a gap that your research project can fill.
If you are doing practical research, you can identify a problem by reading reports, following up on previous research, or talking to people who work in the relevant field or organization. You might look for:
Voter turnout in New England has been decreasing, in contrast to the rest of the country.
The HR department of a local chain of restaurants has a high staff turnover rate.
A non-profit organization faces a funding gap that means some of its programs will have to be cut.
If you are doing theoretical research, you can identify a research problem by reading existing research, theory, and debates on your topic to find a gap in what is currently known about it. You might look for:
The effects of long-term Vitamin D deficiency on cardiovascular health are not well understood.
The relationship between gender, race, and income inequality has yet to be closely studied in the context of the millennial gig economy.
Historians of Scottish nationalism disagree about the role of the British Empire in the development of Scotland’s national identity.
Next, you have to find out what is already known about the problem, and pinpoint the exact aspect that your research will address.
A local non-profit organization focused on alleviating food insecurity has always fundraised from its existing support base. It lacks understanding of how best to target potential new donors. To be able to continue its work, the organization requires research into more effective fundraising strategies.
Once you have narrowed down your research problem, the next step is to formulate a problem statement , as well as your research questions or hypotheses .
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
All research questions should be:
Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them.
In general, they should be:
Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, May 31). How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-problem/
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Research involves highlighting the questions that remain unanswered in your area of research. This is often referred to as ‘identifying the gap’ in the literature and tells the reader what areas need further investigation in your research area. Identifying ‘the gap’ in your research is fundamental to finding your position in an ongoing conversation by deciding how much you accept, question, or reject the claims that your sources make.
When you start to write about that research, you need to figure out how to signal that position, as you quote, summarize, or paraphrase from your sources.
Read the following text and note the way the researcher identifies the gap in the research as a way of positioning themselves in the research field.
This research project sets out to discover if an experience of Antarctica, specifically mine, could be interpreted through the creation of souvenirs and jewellery. Although Antarctica is considered to be a very remote place it has a long and significant history of science and exploration and most recently has become the destination for tourism [a] . However, unlike most tourist destinations Antarctica has not been memorialised through jewellery and souvenirs in the way of historic tourist locations in the world [b]. Throughout Antarctica’s history explorers have painted images and more recently documented it through photography [c] . Whalers and fishermen have made their own representations of this isolated and uninhabited continent, however, none of these matches the proliferation of souvenirs that have been produced to provide memories and reminders of Europe for example during the times of the Grand Tour or the commonly available souvenirs of popular resorts, sites and locations today [d] .
Excerpt from Kirsten Haydon’s dissertation Antarctic landscapes in the souvenir and jewellery (used with permission)
Research and Writing Skills for Academic and Graduate Researchers Copyright © 2022 by RMIT University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Robinson KA, Akinyede O, Dutta T, et al. Framework for Determining Research Gaps During Systematic Review: Evaluation [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2013 Feb.
Introduction.
The identification of gaps from systematic reviews is essential to the practice of “evidence-based research.” Health care research should begin and end with a systematic review. 1 - 3 A comprehensive and explicit consideration of the existing evidence is necessary for the identification and development of an unanswered and answerable question, for the design of a study most likely to answer that question, and for the interpretation of the results of the study. 4
In a systematic review, the consideration of existing evidence often highlights important areas where deficiencies in information limit our ability to make decisions. We define a research gap as a topic or area for which missing or inadequate information limits the ability of reviewers to reach a conclusion for a given question. A research gap may be further developed, such as through stakeholder engagement in prioritization, into research needs. Research needs are those areas where the gaps in the evidence limit decision making by patients, clinicians, and policy makers. A research gap may not be a research need if filling the gap would not be of use to stakeholders that make decisions in health care. The clear and explicit identification of research gaps is a necessary step in developing a research agenda. Evidence reports produced by Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs) have always included a future research section. However, in contrast to the explicit and transparent steps taken in the completion of a systematic review, there has not been a systematic process for the identification of research gaps.
In a prior methods project, our EPC set out to identify and pilot test a framework for the identification of research gaps. 5 , 6 We searched the literature, conducted an audit of EPC evidence reports, and sought information from other organizations which conduct evidence synthesis. Despite these efforts, we identified little detail or consistency in the frameworks used to determine research gaps within systematic reviews. In general, we found no widespread use or endorsement of a specific formal process or framework for identifying research gaps using systematic reviews.
We developed a framework to systematically identify research gaps from systematic reviews. This framework facilitates the classification of where the current evidence falls short and why the evidence falls short. The framework included two elements: (1) the characterization the gaps and (2) the identification and classification of the reason(s) for the research gap.
The PICOS structure (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome and Setting) was used in this framework to describe questions or parts of questions inadequately addressed by the evidence synthesized in the systematic review. The issue of timing, sometimes included as PICOTS, was considered separately for Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome. The PICOS elements were the only sort of framework we had identified in an audit of existing methods for the identification of gaps used by EPCs and other related organizations (i.e., health technology assessment organizations). We chose to use this structure as it is one familiar to EPCs, and others, in developing questions.
It is not only important to identify research gaps but also to determine how the evidence falls short, in order to maximally inform researchers, policy makers, and funders on the types of questions that need to be addressed and the types of studies needed to address these questions. Thus, the second element of the framework was the classification of the reasons for the existence of a research gap. For each research gap, the reason(s) that most preclude conclusions from being made in the systematic review is chosen by the review team completing the framework. To leverage work already being completed by review teams, we mapped the reasons for research gaps to concepts from commonly used evidence grading systems. Briefly, these categories of reasons, explained in detail in the prior JHU EPC report 5 , are:
The framework facilitates a systematic approach to identifying research gaps and the reasons for those gaps. The identification of where the evidence falls short and how the evidence falls short is essential to the development of important research questions and in providing guidance in how to address these questions.
As part of the previous methods product, we developed a worksheet and instructions to facilitate the use of the framework when completing a systematic review (See Appendix A ). Preliminary evaluation of the framework and worksheet was completed by applying the framework to two completed EPC evidence reports. The framework was further refined through peer review. In this current project, we extend our work on this research gaps framework.
Our objective in this project was to complete two types of further evaluation: (1) application of the framework across a larger sample of existing systematic reviews in different topic areas, and (2) implementation of the framework by EPCs. These two objectives were used to evaluate the framework and instructions for usability and to evaluate the application of the framework by others, outside of our EPC, including as part of the process of completing an EPC report. Our overall goal was to produce a revised framework with guidance that could be used by EPCs to explicitly identify research gaps from systematic reviews.
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Danielle Blinka is a Writer, Editor, Podcaster, Improv Performer, and Artist currently living in Houston, TX. She also has experience teaching English and writing to others. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master of Arts in English with a concentration in writing, and Master of Public Administration from Lamar University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 33,996 times. Learn more...
Do you want to contribute original research and make an impact in your field? If so, it's important to look for research gaps, or areas of study that are either under-researched or currently unexplored. In this article, we'll explain in detail the best way to identify a research gap—by performing a comprehensive literature review—so you can dive deep into your research topic and analyze articles critically and effectively. For more tips and tricks on identifying potential research gaps and how to proceed when you find one, read on.
Tip: Look for both quantitative and qualitative research, if applicable to your field. This will give you a broader overview of the current research.
Tip: Conducting a literature review is often a very time-consuming task. However, it’s also an essential part of identifying a research gap. Additionally, you can use the notes you take during your literature review when it comes time to write your article, thesis, or dissertation.
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Find a research gap: tips to get started.
Finding a research gap is not an easy process and there is no one linear path. These tips and suggestions are just examples of possible ways to begin.
In Ph.D. dissertations, students identify a gap in research. In other programs, students identify a gap in practice. The literature review for a gap in practice will show the context of the problem and the current state of the research.
A research gap exists when:
A research gap should be:
To find a gap you must become very familiar with a particular field of study. This will involve a lot of research and reading, because a gap is defined by what does (and does not) surround it.
Use the Library Search (formerly Thoreau) to do a broad search with just one concept at a time . Broad searches give you an idea of the academic conversation surrounding your topic.
This list will be a record of what terms are:
Term I started with:
culturally aware
Subject terms I discovered:
cultural awareness (SU)
cultural sensitivity (SU)
cultural competence (SU)
Since a research gap is defined by the absence of research on a topic, you will search for articles on everything that relates to your topic.
For example, suppose your research gap is on the work-life balance of tenured and tenure-track women in engineering professions. In that case, you might try searching different combinations of concepts, such as:
Topic adapted from one of the award winning Walden dissertations.
Break your topic into themes and try combining the terms from different themes in different ways. For example:
Theme 1 and Theme 4
Theme 2 and Theme 1
Theme 3 and Theme 4
Theme 1 and related terms | Theme 2 and related terms | Theme 3 and related terms | Theme 4 and related terms | Theme 5 and related terms |
---|---|---|---|---|
women | STEM | tenure track | work life balance | professor |
female | science or technology or engineer or mathematics | tenured | work-life-balance | faculty |
Video: Search by Themes (YouTube)
(2 min 40 sec) Recorded April 2014 Transcript
Most research articles will identify where more research is needed. To identify research trends, use the literature review matrix to track where further research is needed.
There is no consistent section in research articles where the authors identify where more research is needed. Pay attention to these sections:
Departments.
Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV © 2024 Walden University LLC. All rights reserved.
Your Master's thesis should make a significant, novel contribution to the field. Your thesis hypothesis should address a research gap which you identify in the literature, a research question or problem that has not been answered in your research area of interest. This shows that you have developed expertise in the body of knowledge and theoretical issues in your chosen research area.
Step 1: Focus Your Research Area
Before you start trying to identify gaps in the literature, you need to figure out what your area of interest is, and then focus and narrow that research area. If you don't narrow down your initial research area of interest, you'll end up wanting to research everything. You'll overwhelm yourself with all the research gaps you find because there are still a lot of unanswered research questions out there.
Step 2: Read, Read, and then Read Some More
Read (a lot of) research articles : this is going to be time-demanding, but you really do need to read through a lot of research articles in your research area to become an expert in it. That being said, what you use from the articles that you read should relate directly back to your focused research questions and hypothesis. Don't waste your time getting sidetracked by issues that don't relate to your research questions and hypothesis.
Follow the research trails of seminal articles and authors using Web of Science and Scopus:
Read meta-analyses, literature reviews, and systematic reviews : these papers delve deep into the literature, examining the trends and changes over a long period of time in your research area and summaries of previous research findings.
Step 3: Map out the Literature :
Keep track of what the authors told you and the questions that occur to you whenever you read anything - an article, a book, a book chapter, a dissertation, etc. This will also help you write your thesis introduction later on and help you avoid unconscious plagiarism .Some more tips:
If you find don't find any answers to one of your questions, you've probably found a research gap from which you can develop a thesis hypothesis and experimental project. Get feedback from your advisors before you get too carried away, though!
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What is a research gap.
A research gap is a question or a problem that has not been answered by any of the existing studies or research within your field. Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn't been studied at all. Sometimes you'll find a research gap if all the existing research is outdated and in need of new/updated research (studies on Internet use in 2001, for example). Or, perhaps a specific population has not been well studied (perhaps there are plenty of studies on teenagers and video games, but not enough studies on toddlers and video games, for example). These are just a few examples, but any research gap you find is an area where more studies and more research need to be conducted. Please view this video clip from our Sage Research Methods database for more helpful information: How Do You Identify Gaps in Literature?
It will take a lot of research and reading. You'll need to be very familiar with all the studies that have already been done, and what those studies contributed to the overall body of knowledge about that topic. Make a list of any questions you have about your topic and then do some research to see if those questions have already been answered satisfactorily. If they haven't, perhaps you've discovered a gap! Here are some strategies you can use to make the most of your time:
Please give these suggestions a try and contact a librarian for additional assistance.
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From research discovery to gap finding
The aim of all research is to add to or enhance existing knowledge. Arguably, we can only achieve this once we understand the work that has already been carried out in a given field. There are varying opinions, depending on the field of inquiry and methodological approach involved, regarding the level of familiarity a researcher should have with existing literature prior to commencing fieldwork, however it is generally accepted that research should fill gaps in the literature. It is perhaps surprising, then, that so little is written about just how to find a “research gap” in the first place.
The most obvious way to find a research gap is simply to read and analyse the relevant literature. However, this is easier said than done, as the volume of published literature can be staggering. Fortunately, there are some excellent bibliographic databases, which can speed the process of searching for relevant literature. Literature analysis may then be approached either qualitatively or quantitively.
A qualitative analysis may involve the development of a concept matrix (Webster & Watson, 2002) or similar.
Figure 1: Example of a concept matrix (adapted from Webster & Watson, 2002)
Legend: O (organisation), G (group), I (individual)
The concept matrix assists researchers to organise the literature they have read, according to the concepts it relates to. It can be adapted, depending on the area of interest. In the example above, for instance, units of analysis are included.
Quantitative analysis of literature may be carried out using a variety of tools, from systematic reviews to meta-analyses, citation analyses, and text mining (Marrone, 2017). Choice of tools may be determined to some extent by the ability of the researcher to acquire or access the technical expertise to leverage them.
Reading and analysing the literature may reveal gaps which can be explored, however Alvesson & Sandberg (2011) suggest that research gaps may also be created by the researcher. By linking together work which has previously been considered separately, a researcher can uncover uncharted territory. In this way, opportunities to contribute to existing knowledge are constructed (Locke & Golden-Biddle, 1997) rather than merely identified.
Several authors have sought to characterise research gaps, describing the various forms they can take, whether considered from the perspective of objectively identifiable existing gaps in research (gap finding) or as opportunities to construct new “gaps” (gap creation). Some examples are summarised below.
Figure 2: Characteristics of research gaps (Click to see image bigger)
Step-by-step guides to finding research gaps are hard to come by, however in the field of medical epidemiology, a framework for identifying research gaps from systematic reviews of literature has been published (Robinson et al., 2011). In this field, the PICOS framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Setting) is commonly used to characterise a research gap. Robinson et al. (2011) suggest that an analysis of the reason for the existence of the gap can further inform the development of research questions. The reasons elucidated by Robinson et al. (2011) for the existence of research gaps are similar to the characteristics of gaps described by other authors, as shown in figure 2 (Characteristics of Research Gaps).
There are many ways to go about identifying research gaps, perhaps so many that the options may on occasion be overwhelming. A considered approach, coupled with knowledge and utilisation of the tools available to assist in research gap-finding, is likely to result in improved research design.
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Conquer Research! How to Identify Gaps & Uncover Groundbreaking Topics
The first step in carrying out any sort of research is identifying the research gap. Choosing an unexplored area in your research field will enable the smooth and successful completion of your research work with a good number of publications . But the big question is, how to identify the research problem from the existing literature. Some researchers have a clear idea about the research problem they want to pursue. However, some researchers, especially those who are at an early stage of their career, find it difficult to choose a research problem that is unique and novel. So, the best way to handle this is to identify the gap in existing research i.e., identifying the research gap!
In this article, iLovePhD explains the research gap and discusses six important tips to identify the gap.
Here are the 6 effective tips to identify the research gap.
The first step in gap analysis is to do a systematic review of existing literature relevant to your research. A comprehensive literature survey would provide a clear understanding of the existing works. Conduct a systematic review of relevant scholarly articles, books, conference papers, and other reliable sources. This will not only help you to understand the depth of work but also provide an opportunity to ask questions that can lead you to identify research gaps.
Also Read: How to Write a Literature Review ?
When you are reading research articles, focus more on the Introduction section where the authors explain the importance of their research and the gaps they have identified and attempted to fill through their research. Reading review articles on a particular area of research is more important and also it is the easiest way to understand the gap in your research in a short time. Read meta-analyses and review papers to learn more about the developments and trends in research over the years in your field of research.
Pay attention to areas where there are conflicting results, contradictory theories, or unanswered questions. These areas often indicate potential research gaps that you can explore further.
It is always a good practice to note all the questions that cross your mind while reading articles. You can use tables, charts, or tools to record this. You know, it will help you in the long run when you are developing your idea into a research problem or even when writing your manuscript.
Skim-reading the literature in the sense, you don’t need to read the articles from start to end. Instead, you need to focus on these three key sections. They are:
Abstract – Here you will get to know what the work is all about and their key findings.
Introduction – It will give you more detail about the context and background of the study, as well as how the researchers filled the gap with their novel and unique research work.
Conclusion – Another useful way to find a research gap is to focus on the recommendations for future research or the conclusion section in the research or review article. It will give you directions or suggestions for future research that could be highly interesting and inspiring.
By skimming through these three sections of any research and review article, you will gain a reasonable idea of what each study was about, without taking much of your time.
FRIN stands for “Future Research is Needed”. This is an easy method to identify the research gap. You will have to search for a few specific phrases in the articles you read. The phrases are
…investigation on this is still required/needed….
…it is important to understand this…
…have not been reported…
…the key question remains unanswered…
…it is important to address…
These expressions indicate the gaps or issues related to the main question that still need extensive scientific study. Therefore, it is important to take notice of them and use this information to develop novel research that is worth exploring.
Discuss the issues and problems with your research Supervisor or advisor to get their suggestions. These conversations can provide valuable insights and help you to refine your research focus. They can help you to identify the blind spots in your thinking.
You can use digital tools as they can save time and make your search easy. Tools like Essential Science Indicator – identify the most cited articles in your field to know which topics are considered important. You can also use Google Trends to learn more about the popular questions related to your research area. This will ease your search for an unexplored area.
Consider conducting a laboratory-scale study to test the feasibility and viability of your research problem. A lab-scale study will provide you with initial data and you also get an idea on how to design your experiments. It can help you to identify any potential limitations or challenges that need to be addressed before undertaking a full-scale research study.
Also Read: Comparison Between Laboratory-Scale, Pilot-Scale, and Full-Scale Studies in Research
Once you have a list of potential research gaps that could be explored, you need to systematically evaluate them to choose a good research problem. This will help you to avoid duplication of work. The key factors to be considered are listed here.
Originality and Novel – You need to ensure that the research problem should be original, unique, and novel.
Data Collection and Analysis – You need to check whether the data collection and sampling methods are easy and feasible. Also, check the instrumentation facilities are available for the study.
Costs – Check for any additional costs involved in data collection and analysis.
Time frames – Check that you can complete the research works within the timeframe specified by your university.
Supervisor’s guidance – The most important factor is, to ensure that your supervisor is comfortable in guiding you in your chosen topic throughout your research work.
According to Robinson, Saldanhea & McKoy (2011), Muller-Bloch, & Kranz (2015), and Miles (2017), the research gap has been classified into seven categories .
Evidence gap : Little or no evidence to address the research problem.
Knowledge gap : Knowledge may not exist in the actual field. It might be the case that the result of a study differs from what was expected.
Practical-Knowledge gap : When professional behavior or practices deviate from research findings or are not covered by research.
Methodology gap : A distinction in research methods is needed to have new insights or to avoid ambiguous findings.
Empirical gap : Research findings need to be evaluated or empirically verified.
Theoretical gap : Theory should be applied to certain research issues to generate new insights; a lack of theoretical knowledge may lead to a gap in research.
Population gap : Type of research gap that deals with a population that is not adequately represented or under-researched in the prior research (Eg., Gender, age, race).
By following the above-said tips, I am sure that you can very well identify the research gaps in your area of research. Unique research topics emerge from research gaps, so it’s important to do a gap analysis before you attempt to define a topic. Once you have identified a potential research gap and resultant topic, frame your objectives, then develop a clear methodology, and carry out your experiments, and this will certainly lead to breakthrough results.
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GEAR UP provides students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds hands-on experience and mentoring to address a critical global challenge.
Climate change is a major global challenge that gets attention in news, entertainment, and at all levels of academia. But another looming challenge—the world’s aging population—is much less of a focus, says Hans-Peter Kohler, Frederick J. Warren Professor of Demography and Professor of Sociology. This results in little opportunity for college undergraduates to study or research population aging.
Kohler and the Perelman School of Medicine’s Norma B. Coe and Rachel M. Werner responded by creating the Get Experience in Aging Research Undergraduate Program, or GEAR UP. The initiative is run by the Population Aging Research Center (PARC), which Kohler and Coe co-direct, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI), led by Werner. Established in 2022 with funding from the National Institute on Aging, GEAR UP supports research in STEM areas related to population aging by undergraduate students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds who are attending colleges across the country.
The GEAR UP program lasts 15 months, including two summers and the academic year in between. It introduces students to researchers and topics, connects them with mentors to work on research initiatives, and provides workshops and social events.
Arturo Bardales, C’24, is a mathematical economics major with a statistics minor who plans to earn a doctorate in economics. He has been working with the Population Studies Center’s Irma Elo, Tamsen and Michael Brown Presidential Professor of Sociology, and Jere Behrman, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics, on two projects in Chile, both of which address cognitive aging and health inequality. “I wanted to pursue research as a career, so it was great getting this experience,” he says. “I know now what the expectations are.”
GEAR UP scholar Rhoodjinie Mentor, NU’25 (right), discusses her poster with another attendee at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) conference in November 2023. GEAR UP scholars also took part in GSA’s Advancing Diversity and Aging Research summit at the conference.
Ashley Duchi, C’24, has been working with the School of Nursing’s Adriana Perez, who is studying whether promoting physical activity will delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in older Latinos with mild cognitive impairment. “It’s been incredibly fulfilling,” says Duchi, who is majoring in health and societies and minoring in chemistry. “It’s clinical research, so I’m improving my social skills, which I believe are important for me as a pre-med, but I’m also learning practical skills.”
Though Duchi anticipated conducting research in college, she wasn’t sure she would want it as part of her career. “GEAR UP exposed me to so many different career paths available in studying population aging, as well as the chance to network with established people in the field,” she says.
For Werner, the experiences Bardales and Duchi describe are all part of what makes GEAR UP a success. “The goal is to make population aging research more visible at the undergraduate level and make it accessible,” she says.
Kohler notes that Penn has “the scholars and established research programs to provide hands-on engagement and mentoring,” he says. “It’s very cool to be engaged and see research coming alive.”
Susan Ahlborn
Alums now at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Doyle auction houses discuss championing underrepresented artists, enriching an object’s narrative, their time at Penn, and more.
As philosophers-in-residence at the Academy at Palumbo in South Philadelphia, Ph.D. students Jacqueline Wallis and Afton Greco are teaching high schoolers how to contemplate life’s big questions.
The Living the Hard Promise dialogue series offers a chance for frank conversation about subjects from free speech on campuses to the role of universities.
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Nature volume 630 , pages 45–53 ( 2024 ) Cite this article
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The controversy over online misinformation and social media has opened a gap between public discourse and scientific research. Public intellectuals and journalists frequently make sweeping claims about the effects of exposure to false content online that are inconsistent with much of the current empirical evidence. Here we identify three common misperceptions: that average exposure to problematic content is high, that algorithms are largely responsible for this exposure and that social media is a primary cause of broader social problems such as polarization. In our review of behavioural science research on online misinformation, we document a pattern of low exposure to false and inflammatory content that is concentrated among a narrow fringe with strong motivations to seek out such information. In response, we recommend holding platforms accountable for facilitating exposure to false and extreme content in the tails of the distribution, where consumption is highest and the risk of real-world harm is greatest. We also call for increased platform transparency, including collaborations with outside researchers, to better evaluate the effects of online misinformation and the most effective responses to it. Taking these steps is especially important outside the USA and Western Europe, where research and data are scant and harms may be more severe.
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Ceren Budak
Department of Government, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
Brendan Nyhan
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David M. Rothschild
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
Emily Thorson
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Duncan J. Watts
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C.B., B.N., D.M.R., E.T. and D.J.W. wrote and revised the paper. D.M.R. collected the data and prepared Fig. 1 .
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The authors declare no competing interests, but provide the following information in the interests of transparency and full disclosure. C.B. and D.J.W. previously worked for Microsoft Research and D.M.R. currently works for Microsoft Research. B.N. has received grant funding from Meta. B.N. and E.T. are participants in the US 2020 Facebook and Instagram Election Study as independent academic researchers. D.J.W. has received funding from Google Research. D.M.R. and D.J.W. both previously worked at Yahoo!.
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With social media trend cycles moving faster than ever, we’re asking ourselves: what’s worth paying attention to in 2024?
Welcome to social media in 2024, where trends change faster than Taylor Swift fan theories. There are hot new platforms, fresh ways to shop, and countless algorithm updates. It’s enough to make even the savviest heads spin.
But no need to spiral, friends, because we’ve done the digging for you. Take this blog post as permission to stop obsessively checking every app in search of the hottest new social media trends.
Get our 2024 Social Trends report, and dig into the juicy data that’ll help you reach your goals in 2024—which is shaping up to be social’s best year yet.
1. text-only posts are the sleeper hit of the year (and x remains on top).
While the shakeup at X seems to have stabilized in recent months, the uncertainty at the platform did give plenty of other text-based apps an opportunity to eat up some market share in 2023.
Mastodon , for example, has 1.7 million monthly active users . The Jack Dorsey-funded Bluesky Social is invite-only (exclusive!) but boasts over 1 million active users.
And then there’s Meta’s Threads app. It exploded out of the gate in July 2023, reaching more than 44 million daily active users in record time.
Source: Inforgram
But don’t give up on X just yet. The platform formerly known as Twitter is still the most-used text-based social media app .
X says its user base exceeded 540 million in 2023 and will grow to over 650 million users over the next five years (though Statista reports slightly lower numbers, as well as a dip in users worldwide in 2023).
X platform usage remains high, even if those users aren’t quite sure what to call it:
Source: Hootsuite on LinkedIn
But the popularity of these new competitors has made one thing clear: the people are hungry for text, and not just on text-based platforms.
Over on Facebook, old-school text posts are still doing big numbers. Auntie Anne’s has been repurposing top-performing Tweets as Facebook posts for years now, and the engagement those posts earn is eye-popping.
Plus, we all know text-only posts on LinkedIn can take off:
The success of these posts, especially among marketers, makes a ton of sense. They require less time to create (especially if you use a tool like OwlyWriter AI ) and are way less likely to get stuck in your approval process .
What are we getting at? No matter what happens at X, text-based social apps aren’t going anywhere. And text-only posts, even on platforms that aren’t considered text-forward, are far from over.
If you want real insights from real people, Google search results don’t always do the trick.
But you know where you can reliably find a wealth of advice from actual humans?
That’s right: social media. In 2024 and beyond, social media channels represent the biggest threat to traditional search engines .
TikTok is now integrating Google search results into its in-app results, and the platform has added robust search tools like Keyword Insights to its Creative Center.
Plus, recent surveys suggest that social media platforms are the second most popular way for Gen Z to research their shopping decisions. It looks like Google is right to worry about TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram encroaching on its territory.
We talked about social SEO as an important trend in 2022 — and tested our theories in our own experiments — but it’s an even bigger deal now.
Last year, the social SEO tactics we suggested focused mainly on keyword optimization in captions and profiles. Now, social strategies are evolving to address search intent while still producing content that entertains as it educates (edutainment, if you will).
As long as it’s still relevant, evergreen content can show up in social search basically forever. And the more engagement those posts have, the more likely they are to rise to the top of social search results pages.
Here’s an example of an SEO-optimized post created by the Hootsuite social team.
@hootsuite Ranking the captions our new AI instagram caption generator wrote to announce its own launch #copywriting #aiwritingassistant #instagramcaption #aiinstagramcaption ♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS
Social search is still new, but as the platforms continue to improve and expand their search functions, we can see this particular social media trend continuing far into the future.
Since we’re still recovering from the whiplash of the short-form video takeover, it feels crazy to say this, but here goes: longer videos are about to be hot again .
When we say longer videos, we don’t mean long videos. Unless you’re in a long-form niche (YouTube video essays, for example), we’re talking a length of two to five minutes per video instead of less than a minute.
There are a few reasons why we expect the algos to reward meatier videos this year.
First, the big platforms keep increasing their max video lengths . Instagram Reels can now be as long as 15 minutes, and TikTok is reportedly testing that length as well. Plus, X (Twitter) rolled out its premium subscription, which allows paid users to upload videos of up to two hours long.
Post by @mattnavarra View on Threads
Second, user behavior is changing. As we mentioned in trend #2, users now frequently turn to social networks to answer questions they might normally pose to Google or other web search engines . Content creators on social need to be able to answer questions in-depth in their videos, which takes more time.
Finally, people are heading to social media to kill time and be entertained more than ever before . (We’re guessing that’s why Paramount recently uploaded the entirety of Mean Girls to TikTok).
In short, social media is poised to earn an even bigger chunk of the Free Time Pie this year, if you can imagine that. And our brains love getting sucked into stuff, so bank on it: long(er) is the new short.
These days, social media feeds are busy with news, memes, creator content, ads, organic marketing from brands — and arguments about whether the dress is black and blue or white and gold (Just kidding! 2015 called and asked if you were paying attention!).
The one thing you don’t see much of on social feeds anymore is organic, uncurated posts from friends and family.
There are many reasons for this shift. But the fact that personal updates don’t live in plain sight doesn’t mean they’ve completely disappeared from the social media landscape.
In August 2023, Business Insider interviewed a handful of Gen Z Instagram users for an article ominously titled “ Social media is dead .” 22-year-old content creator Tati Bruening said:
“There’s this very weird, unspoken social standard of what’s allowed on Instagram. I know that for my age group, it’s like you give up on it entirely, and then you just post only to your Close Friends or alternate accounts. There’s this sublayer of Instagram that’s much more true to what the app once was, but it is just not viewable to the general public.”
But Close Friends stories and finstas aren’t the only private places Instagram users share personal updates with friends. Even more engagement happens in DMs.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said in a recent episode of the 20VC podcast : “Most of Instagram’s growth has been in stories and DMs.” He also admitted Meta was aware of messaging app Telegram growing into a potentially significant competitor, even though Instagram is “not a messaging app.”
Maybe this is why the team at Instagram has developed many new DM-centered features recently, including:
So, what does this mean for social marketers?
First, tracking brand-related engagement is more difficult when it happens in the privacy of DMs — off-limits territory for social listening tools and traditional analytics. But that doesn’t mean it can’t yield significant business results (see our tips for tracking this type of dark social below).
Second, brands and organizations need to get comfortable with the fact that DMs are the preferred communication method for most social media users . This goes for B2C conversations too, which means that social media will become even more of a customer service channel in coming years.
Manage all your messages stress-free with easy routing, saved replies, and friendly chatbots. Try Hootsuite’s Inbox today.
Every social marketer wants to expand their reach, but if you’ve ever tried to buy followers or likes, you know the results can be… disappointing . Especially when your boss asks you to prove how those investments have paid off.
Comments, likes, and followers can all be faked. Views and impressions are easily inflated. But there’s one engagement signal that’s much harder to game: shares .
Unlike comments, likes, followers, or views, shares represent actual value. When someone shares your content in Stories, DMs, or off-platform, you know they’re willing to vouch for you to their own audience.
Don’t get us wrong: comments and likes are still valuable engagement signals. But if you design your content to be shared, the likes and comments will still follow. The reverse isn’t always true.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X have either made share counts public or are testing doing just that — and if that’s not a nod to their importance, we don’t know what is.
Looks like @instagram has begun rolling out share/comment counts. UX wise, it looks sharp. Although, it does seems a little counterintuitive following the removal of like counts all those years ago. pic.twitter.com/fANF1rBCpV — Nick Alessi (@nckalessi) August 10, 2023
If you want to make sure your content gets shared more in 2024, start by looking at what’s already working. (Hint: Hootsuite Analytics makes this part pretty easy.) What has your audience responded well to in the past, and how can you make more of that?
Start free 30-day trial
Then, when you’re creating new content, try running it through social media consultant Rachel Karten’s shareability test before you hit Post.
But whatever you do, don’t buy shares (or likes, comments, or followers). At best, you’ll hear crickets. At worst, you’ll earn a platform suspension or a permanent ban.
You already know the group chat is the new Facebook status (see trend #4), which is why messaging apps like Telegram are in such a sweet position to skyrocket this year. The privacy-focused chat platform has over 800 million monthly active users and gets around 2.5 million new sign-ups per day. (Seeing the dollar signs yet?)
Although Telegram has been around since 2013, it didn’t become the full-fledged social media network it is today until much more recently. That’s thanks in part to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has consistently used the app to communicate during the war with Russia.
What was once an app for sending secure messages to friends now has many enticing social features. And the platform continues to add more, which is why we think it’s in a strong position to become one of the next super apps .
Some current Telegram features include:
The app added an advertising platform in 2021, which allows brands to send sponsored messages to channels with 1,000+ subscribers. Marketers might want to consider integrating Telegram into their paid strategies and striking while the iron is hot on this platform.
Mastodon. Hive. Bluesky. Threads. What do these social networks have in common?
Sure, each has been touted as Twitter/X’s heir apparent. But they’re also either current or future examples of decentralized social media networks, and they may be a sign of things to come.
But before we get too far into it, a refresher on “decentralized platforms” (because this stuff can get confusing).
Unlike traditional social networks, decentralized platforms use blockchain or peer-to-peer networks to distribute information across many servers.
That means your data isn’t confined to a single server, and no one entity controls it. If enough of these networks are connected, you can communicate seamlessly across them.
That’s exactly what the fediverse , or “federated universe,” is all about. Users on one network in the fediverse can follow, interact, and share content with users on another. The fediverse is big on privacy, independence, community and connection.
That said, the fediverse may not be our social reality just yet .
The team behind Threads certainly seems excited to move towards the decentralized model, but so far, Threads still operates a lot like other traditional social networks.
And while the shakeup at X this year had some social marketers questioning the concept of traditional, centralized networks, the platform formerly known as Twitter has managed to retain most of its users.
Plus, most existing decentralized networks are still too technically complex (see the many “How does Mastodon/Bluesky even work??” posts on X) for most regular users.
We first talked about photo dumps back in 2022, but at the time, they seemed like a passing fad.
Apologies: our crystal ball must have been malfunctioning that day.
Photo dumps, formerly known as carousels, are now the only way to post on Instagram — and since TikTok introduced photo mode , they’ve taken off on that platform too.
(And seriously, no one’s calling them carousels anymore.)
Source: Jess Val on TikTok
You’ve probably noticed that your friends are posting on Instagram less frequently these days. But do us a favor and check out their last few posts — they’re photo dumps, aren’t they?
Those friends aren’t alone, either. There are now more than 3.6M Instagram posts using the #photodump hashtag .
And while the name may imply a lack of curation or strategy, that’s definitely not the case.
The multi-photo format allows creators and brands to tell longer stories, participate in photo-specific trends, and connect with their audience in a way that feels authentic and unfiltered.
Source: TikTok
They’re also a great way to deliver a lot of information without investing in a costly, production-heavy video. On Instagram, you can share up to 10 photos or videos in a single post, and on TikTok, you’ve got up to 35 slides.
Plus, carousels, sorry, photo dumps, are still the top-performing format on Instagram , earning more reach and engagement than Reels or solo posts.
Better storytelling, more reach, and higher engagement for less money? Yeah, we’d call that a format worth investing in.
We watched closely as COVID-19 turned LinkedIn from a place for professional updates, career advice, and work brags to a feed filled with personal anecdotes and weekend selfies.
But just as we were warming up to the professional platform getting personal, LinkedIn started giving some signals that it would be returning to its roots.
In fact, LinkedIn has already rolled out some algorithm changes that prioritize professionalism , including one that focuses on “knowledge and advice,” especially among subject matter experts and people within a user’s network.
That’s because, LinkedIn says, its users find content the most valuable when it’s rooted in knowledge, especially if it was posted by someone they know.
Subtext: if you want your posts to go viral on LinkedIn in 2024, you’ve got to work even harder on building out your personal network and followers.
Another indicator that things are skewing more professional is LinkedIn’s new Top Voice badge feature. The platform grants these badges to creators who “share valuable expertise through content that demonstrates their unique, original contributions to a topic.”
Source: Kaylee Edmondson on LinkedIn
The platform clearly wants to reward users who share content based on their professional expertise.
One more important trend to note for LinkedIn in 2024: Gen Z will gain a greater share of the platform’s user base. They’re its fastest-growing demographic, and they’re already outpacing their elders when it comes to adding connections on the platform.
And that’s not just because millions of Gen Z’ers age into the job market each year. It’s also because, as critics posit , younger internet users are seeking a place of earnest celebration (and one free of the overly curated, aspirational, and FOMO-inducing content on Instagram and TikTok).
We’ve been predicting the big TikTok ecommerce boom for a while, but it was still surprising to see just how fast the ForYouPage morphed into a shopping app with the release of TikTok Shop in the U.S. in September 2023.
Just a few months later, TikTok is at the center of the social shopping trend . The app’s in-house storefront and fulfillment service is fast becoming an influencer favorite. And if you’ve spent much time scrolling lately, you already know the algorithm seems to be rewarding users who promote it.
With TikTok handling the shipping and fulfillment, too, there’s less incentive for money-makers to take their sales and affiliate rewards outside of the app.
But it’s not all roses and dollar signs. TikTok users are already reporting scams and knock-offs and questioning creators’ sincerity . There has also been a steep rise in “deinfluencing” content, or content that helps users with overspending and impulse shopping .
@overcoming_overspending here for another ✨deinfluencing✨ moment #deinfluencing #deinfluencer #deinfluence #overspending #overspendingmoney #consciousconsumer #moneytok #moneycoachforwomen #savemoneytips #spendless #shoppingaddict #compulsiveshopping #compulsiveshopper #creditcarddebt #debtfree #impulsebuying #impulseshopping ♬ original sound – Paige-Overcoming Overspending
So, what does this mean for sellers? Besides the obvious — they need to get their products up on TikTok, like, yesterday — we predict that creators who promote their goods in a more authentic way will have the most success on TikTok Shop.
You may see influencers lean more heavily into product placement and detach from overt advertising tactics offered by TikTok Shop.
Hands up, who else placed their bets on BeReal in 2023?
The real-time selfie app captured our hearts, minds, and marketing strategies last year, and why not? An endless feed of unfiltered, spontaneous updates felt like the perfect antidote to highly curated Instagram feeds.
But the app’s popularity came and went like the disappearing selfies that made it so enticing. Although BeReal amassed over 73 million active users at the height of its popularity, recent stats show that only a third of those users are still active on the platform.
Source: Appfigures.com
Sadly, we don’t have high hopes for BeReal’s resurgence — at least for brands , and here’s why: the app’s swift rise and fall shone a light on a broader, more salient social media trend. These days, users are quick to adopt shiny new trends, but they’re even quicker to abandon them.
The steady decline in BeReal’s monthly users proved that, once the novelty wears off, users — especially Gen Z users — are quick to uninstall.
You know those TikTok jokes about Reels being the place where trends go to die? No? Here’s an example:
@kassypoo27 no explanation needed ♬ What on earth is going on in the house of commons – zkrm
The idea is that social media trends start making rounds on Reels after they surface — and sometimes even get old — on TikTok.
But let’s be clear: Even if Reels are a bit behind on shiny new trends, they’re still a very relevant (and continuously growing) format, and your brand should definitely be making them.
That said, the TikTok to Reels trend pipeline is real.
TikTok’s demographic skews younger than Instagram’s, and the platform is always a couple of steps ahead of its Meta-owned rival in terms of editing features, filters, and audio clips. It’s also, by nature, more creative and “unhinged” (more on that in the next section) than Instagram.
All this means that, for now, TikTok is likely to remain the mothership of short video trends — and keeping an eye on it will help you stay ahead of your Instagram-focused competitors.
You’ve probably noticed brands becoming more fun and daring with their online personas in the last few years. This social media trend not so coincidentally overlapped with TikTok’s rise to popularity as a B2C-friendly network. It’s an entertainment platform , after all, and businesses that can’t, well, entertain their TikTok audiences may be better off looking for success elsewhere.
That’s more or less how the unhinged social media manager persona was born. Social media managers fully embraced the language of the internet (niche memes, edgy humor, obscure Gen Z lingo, trending sounds, etc.) to create relatable, often chaotic, sometimes a bit shocking — and ultimately, engaging — content.
@scrubdaddy STANK!! 🤢. #scrubdaddy #smile #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #americasfavoritesponge ♬ ITS DA DOOO DOOO TRUCKL – Theyluv_MikeMike🩵🦅
Getting spicy and subverting expectations paid off for a few trailblazers (hi Duolingo , hello Scrub Daddy ), helping them go viral and inspiring others to follow suit. Before long, a pizza chain was posting about stuffed crustussy (?!?), a travel bag producer was telling their audience of “idiots” who didn’t know how to adjust straps to “shut up,” and every other brand account was complaining about their boss in the first person.
And then… it started getting old. The more brands leaned into the chaos, the less authentic the SMM-turned-comedian voice felt. With such widespread adoption, it lost the shock value and a lot of its original appeal. And let’s not forget the poor souls who accidentally took things a bit too far and ended up in hot water.
So, is there a happy medium? Does being funny and relatable outweigh the risk of reputational damage? Is the unhinged social media manager trope slowly dying?
The answer is: it’s complicated.
The unhinged SMM is the polar opposite of the social marketer limited by inflexible brand guidelines, complicated approval processes, and leaders who don’t understand social media. And most organizations would benefit from building a relatable online personality, learning to speak their audience’s language, and giving social media managers more creative freedom.
Those who decide to go a bit unhinged need to make sure that it’s part of a smart strategy (thorough audience research and clear goals) rather than just posting the team’s only chronically online Gen Z person’s jokes without approval.
2021 and 2022 were full of news about Mark Zuckerberg’s then-new project, the metaverse.
Since Meta is best known as a social media company (home of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and, as of 2023, Threads), social media managers everywhere rightfully wondered how the metaverse would change social — and their jobs.
But, in late 2023, we’re not hearing as much buzz about the metaverse — at least not in the context of social media.
Since Zuckerberg dubbed 2023 “ the year of efficiency ,” engaging in several belt-tightening tactics, the expensive metaverse project has moved out of the spotlight — but it hasn’t been completely deprioritized. Meta continues to invest in it, but more for gaming than anything else. This aligns with independent predictions on how the metaverse will make money in the coming years:
So, what does the future hold for Meta’s metaverse? Time will tell. But for all we know, social media isn’t moving into virtual reality quite yet.
Is ChatGPT coming for your job? Do you need to rebrand yourself as a prompt engineer ? Is AI-written content good enough, kind of ok, or absolute hot garbage?
The jury of LinkedIn thought leaders is still out, but we’ve got some answers.
The TL;DR of our take is: Generative AI is a super valuable tool for savvy marketers. It won’t take your job (unless you’re really bad at it — and we know that’s not true!). It will make it easier, and it will help you get better results faster.
And we have proof. Our team at Hootsuite ran an experiment where we tested a human writer against ChatGPT on X (formerly Twitter). The results were interesting — ChatGPT generated more engagement, but the human-written captions got more impressions. You probably see where we’re going with this: Humans and AI work great as a team.
AI can help you get words on the page faster, brainstorm ideas, and create many variants of a specific message for testing. But social media managers are still the brains behind it all.
Tools like ChatGPT will allow you to spend more time thinking about your goals, interacting with your social audience, testing new tactics, measuring your results, and so on.
Simply put, AI will help you become a more strategic social marketer .
OwlyWriter AI instantly generates captions and content ideas for every social media network. It’s seriously easy.
Bonus: Here’s a bunch of free tools that will help you get started with AI.
Remember when YouTube Shorts first launched in 2021? Many dismissed it as another “TikTok clone” and went back to creating content for the networks they were familiar with.
If we could, we’d go back to those not-too-distant days and give ourselves a good shake. Because YouTube Shorts is more than just a flash in the pan .
According to Google Trends, American interest in YouTube Shorts (generally a reliable indicator of business interest in the platform) has increased by more than 500% since 2021.
Source: Google Trends
This isn’t just a stateside phenomenon, either. In 2022, there were 1.5 billion monthly active users on YouTube Shorts. In 2023, that number rose another half billion.
Users who’ve stuck with the platform are seeing big gains. But if you’re not using Shorts yet, there’s still time to get on board.
On our own Hootsuite Labs channel, we only started posting Shorts regularly back in April 2023. We now earn thousands of views, hundreds of likes, and a respectable stream of new channel subscribers each week.
If you already have a YouTube channel, Shorts could be a huge opportunity to connect with a new audience. (And if you’re already making TikToks or Instagram Reels, you’ve got a library of short-form video content just waiting to be repurposed.)
Say hello to content links! 🩳 Edit any Short in Studio Desktop 🔗 Add a link to any related video, long, Short, or Live, public or private 🤳 Get a one-click, Remix-style button right on the Short 🤔 Use it to bridge Shorts to long-form, link multi-part Shorts, drive to live,… pic.twitter.com/tjmYqEWEdZ — YouTube Liaison (@YouTubeLiaison) August 10, 2023
You can even link your Shorts to any related YouTube video: long, Short, public or private. It’s a great tactic to drive up subscribers on the platform that’s already considered one of the most creator-friendly around .
In Short (sorry), if you’ve been waiting for a push to get on YouTube Shorts, consider this your official friendly shove.
We’ve compiled research from several different sources to bring you the most data-backed predictions:
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Britny Kutuchief is the Senior SEO Copywriter at Hootsuite. She has a master's degree in creative writing. Before joining Hootsuite, she spent a decade working for digital marketing agencies as an SEO content writer. See more of her credentials on LinkedIn.
Based in Akron, Ohio, Britny spends her non-writing hours pursuing local infamy on Instagram and hiking with her Golden Retriever, Darwin.
Liz Stanton is an Inbound Marketing Strategist and associate editor of the Hootsuite blog. After years of freelance writing, she transitioned to a full-time marketing career in 2018. Before joining Hootsuite in 2022, Liz worked as a brand strategist, content editor, and digital campaign manager. She specialized in helping digital marketing agencies, B2C businesses, and SaaS startups build their brands and improve conversions through content marketing and social media.
Karolina Mikolajczyk is a Senior Inbound Marketing Strategist and associate editor of the Hootsuite blog. After completing her Master’s degree in English, Karolina launched her marketing career in 2014. Before joining Hootsuite in 2021, she worked with digital marketing agencies, SaaS startups, and international corporations, helping businesses and social media content creators grow their online presence and improve conversions through SEO and content marketing strategies.
Instagram marketing is competitive, but not impossible. Follow this guide and try our top strategies to succeed in 2024 and beyond.
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From online surveys to envelope stuffing, there are lots of popular get-rich-quick money-making ideas. But do these methods really work? Usually, they don’t. You might earn a little bit, but the real issue with these gigs is their lack of stability and potential for long-term success.
Fortunately, there are legitimate ways to make money online. Unlike quick-fix schemes that promise much but deliver little, these reliable methods can lead to sustainable earnings and even career growth. And the best part? You only need a laptop and a stable internet connection to pursue them.
1. start a dropshipping business.
Dropshipping is a business model where you sell a product to a customer, but the supplier handles the storage, packaging, and shipping on your behalf. You can dropship through your own ecommerce store —just install a dropshipping app and you’ll gain access to dozens of suppliers across various product categories.
Ready to start a dropshipping business? Shopify is the platform most online entrepreneurs use to sell products without inventory. With Shopify dropshipping apps, you can source a variety of products and have them shipped to your customers.
Print on demand (POD) is another popular way to earn money online. Many entrepreneurs are drawn to it because it allows for low initial investment and easy setup. You create designs for products such as t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags, and then a POD service prints and ships the items directly to your customers.
How does it differ from dropshipping? First, you can make your own custom products, which is great for brand recognition. Second, you can choose from specific items rather than a vast range of categories. Most print-on-demand companies offer products that are easy to print on, like t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags.
Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways to make money online. Throughout the years, its popularity has gone up and down, but it continues to be an effective way to earn passive income. The best part about affiliate marketing is that you choose from a vast range of companies to partner with, including Shopify , Amazon , and Uber.
This business model allows you to earn a living by promoting other brands. Once you’ve signed up for an affiliate marketing program, you’ll start earning commissions from sales of retail products, software, apps, and more. While the commission may seem small, keep in mind that you can be an affiliate for several brands and promote a variety of products across different platforms.
If others are profiting from YouTube , you can too. Your YouTube channel should focus on a single niche so you can build a strong, loyal audience. For example, you can create makeup tutorials, stream video games, review products, teach skills, create prank videos, or do anything else you think there’s an audience for.
The key to earning money on YouTube is creating content people want to watch. Enticing headlines and keyword-optimized descriptions can draw viewers to your videos. Once you hit the 1,000-subscriber mark, you become eligible to earn advertising revenue through running ads on your content.
Building a personal brand can also help you make money online. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo charges more than $2 million for a sponsored Instagram post, for example. While it may seem like reality stars, singers, and athletes are the biggest influencers, keep in mind that even smaller-scale influencers can make more money today than they did a few years back.
To become an influencer, you need to build a healthy following. The best platforms to get started on? Instagram and TikTok. Some of the biggest non-celebrity influencers often gained their first taste of exposure on these platforms. You might want to check out how to get more Instagram followers if you want to build a big audience on the platform.
Selling courses ranks as one of the top strategies for earning money online. If you’re an expert in a particular subject, you can capitalize on your knowledge by creating online courses. You can sell these courses on online platforms like Udemy or through your own website if you have a dedicated audience. Some entrepreneurs earn as much as $5,000 per month from their online courses .
The platform you choose to sell your course on will shape your online money-making strategy. Selling on Udemy means you won’t have to focus much on promotion—it practically takes care of itself. You may want to enhance its visibility through blogs or social media networks. On the other hand, if your course is on your own website, consider using ads for promotion.
With Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing , it’s never been easier to publish an ebook. All you need to do is write the ebook, format it, create an ebook cover, publish it, and promote it. You can choose to hire a writer for your ebook, a graphic designer to design the cover, and a manuscript editor to eliminate errors from the content.
When researching the topic, focus on keywords based on popular searches on Amazon. The Keyword Tool is a great choice for finding the words people use while searching, so you can craft your title around them.
Blogging is one of the oldest methods for making money online. People who love writing tend to start blogs with a niche focus. For example, a blog about procrastination, cars, dropshipping, toys, etc., is often a narrow enough focus to build a loyal following and big enough that you can cover a lot of ground. For those looking to make money online fast, this method can be a rewarding venture.
You can start a blog on various platforms, such as Shopify (remove the checkout feature so you don’t have to pay a subscription as you build it out) or WordPress. When you start your blog, focus on very specific keywords with a tight focus and continue to expand into additional but still relevant categories as you grow and dominate new spaces.
The easiest way to make money online is to take your current 9-to-5 job and do it online instead. For example, if you’re a writer, data entry specialist, graphic designer, teacher, or developer, you can market these skills and find clients online who are willing to pay you to apply them.
There’s a never-ending list of job platforms for each type of freelancer too. For example, freelance writers can apply for jobs on specific online writing job boards, but also on general freelance websites like Fiverr , Freelancer , Upwork , and all the others. Remember, freelancing is a numbers game: the more applications you fill out and submit, the more likely you’ll be to get a response back.
If you’re not a developer, you’re probably looking at this money-making idea and feeling a bit stuck. Fortunately, you can hire someone with programming skills to build an app for you. Sites like Toptal will connect you with plenty of app developers who are open to working with entrepreneurs to turn their vision into reality.
All you have to do is come up with a unique app idea, identify the audience you want to target, and create a brand image for your product. The programmer you hire will take care of things on the development front.
With a growing interest in content marketing , more and more companies are looking for writers who can fill their web properties with great content. The secret to succeeding as a writer is to focus on a specific niche. Many writers try to be generalists, covering everything from food to tech. However, a niche focus sets you apart.
What about AI replacing human writers? While AI can generate content, it lacks the human touch. As a writer, your experience in a niche adds value. You can offer thoughts, experiences, and insider perspectives. That’s what brands want. That’s what they pay for.
Sites for finding freelance writing jobs include:
Side gigs can help you make money online while you keep your full-time job. If you’re looking to make an extra couple of hundred dollars per month, this is a great idea. The work doesn’t always last long term, but it can.
Use platforms like Fiverr to find part-time gigs you can do online. As a new entrant in the gig economy, you’ll want to focus on offering a low price so you can get your first review. Ask a friend to buy your gig and leave your first review so you can get started faster. Treat the friend like a client and actually deliver a finished product that you can feature in your portfolio.
Translation is a fairly underserved niche, meaning there’s less competition in this field than in other niche markets. To capitalize on the opportunity, you need to be fluent in at least two languages. If you’re bilingual or majored in a popular language in school, this may be a great money-making idea for you to try out.
You will need to show proof of your ability to translate without using machine translation tools. If you have a language degree or experience translating text, make sure to highlight that in your portfolio or résumé. Most companies will require a translation test, and you can’t use translation tools at any time to help you pass the test.
Sites where you can find translation jobs to make money online include:
Do you have a closet full of items you no longer use? Consider turning that clutter into cash by selling your unwanted goods online. You can list your items on online marketplaces like eBay or Etsy, or even set up your own online store for direct selling.
To maximize your sales, focus on high-demand items such as electronics, furniture, toys, and handcrafted goods. Plus, take clear, bright photos of your products—strong visuals help to attract customers and speed up sales.
If you’re looking to earn money on your own schedule, consider becoming an online tutor. Companies that hire tutors often provide the flexibility to set your own hours, allowing you to work when it’s convenient for you.
You’ll need a strong understanding of the subject you plan to tutor, as well as effective communication skills to explain concepts clearly to students. Additionally, having a teaching degree or relevant experience in the field can increase your chances of landing a tutoring position.
You can find online tutoring jobs on platforms such as:
If you own a car, you can make some spare cash as an Uber driver or delivery person. Even without a car, you can deliver food and other essentials using a bicycle or moped. Uber drivers looking to make even more money can turn their vehicle into a moving billboard with Free Car Media , which wraps your car in a removable vinyl advert.
Interested in making money fast with Uber? If you legally run a side business, you could showcase your products to passengers—though not all will be interested. With prior consent, passengers may sift through products you have for sale under the driver’s seat. If they wish to buy but don’t have cash, you can utilize Uber’s tip function for payment. Always ensure that this approach complies with local laws and regulations.
As entrepreneurs build more businesses, the demand for virtual assistants grows. A virtual assistant is a self-employed individual providing various services remotely, such as writing, bookkeeping, social media management, and customer support.
Find virtual assistant gigs on sites like Virtual Assistant Jobs , Indeed , or Upwork . Many have also succeeded by directly reaching out to brands and entrepreneurs. Combining job postings and proactive outreach could land your first client sooner than expected.
While Twitch started as a gaming platform, it’s quickly evolving to include other types of content. Nowadays, Twitch streaming is an increasingly popular way to make money online.
You’ll need to find a popular game or channel that isn’t overly competitive so people can easily find your content. In order to get people to notice your streams, you’ll need to have a consistent style for your channel: Is it going to be funny, educational, or entertaining? Choose your path and stick to it.
There are five ways to monetize your Twitch channel:
Investing in stocks can be a way to make money quickly, but it’s not without risk, especially if you’re inexperienced. While the rewards can be high, you might also face losses.
If you have a 9-to-5 job, consider exploring your company’s financial programs. Does it allow investment in company stocks? If so, this could be an option. With company stock programs, your role as an employee may influence the organization’s success. Additionally, if your company offers an RRSP matching program, consider this as a way to save for retirement or a down payment on a home.
Whether you’re a professional photographer or just love snapping great pictures, you can make money online by selling your images. Sites like Shutterstock and Alamy are great places to showcase your work. These websites pay royalties to photographers when someone downloads a copy of their image.
If you’re looking to monetize your photography quickly, you can create a listing on Foap , a smartphone app that lets you upload your works and earn cash. When an agency, brand, or anyone else buys a photo or video from your digital Foap portfolio, the app creator shares the profit with you 50-50.
Have clothes you don’t wear anymore? Rather than letting them sit in your closet, sell them online. There are quite a few websites that let you sell apparel for cash, such as Poshmark , Refashioner , and ThredUp .
You can also explore Facebook buy and sell groups in your community to find people online and sell the items in person. Just be careful of scams and follow the recommended safety precautions.
If you’re looking to save and make a bit of money, couponing can be a viable option. Coupon Chief’s Pays-2-Share program , for example, lets you share coupons and earn a 2% to 3% commission on sales. The key is to share coupons that haven’t been used before.
This method resembles affiliate marketing, where you earn commissions through referral links. Many coupon companies pay their affiliates consistently, making this a legitimate way to earn online. For instance, Coupon Chief has paid more than $1.3 million in commissions to date.
If you regularly buy domain names but fail to use them, you can always try to sell them for a profit. Selling domains is ultra-competitive, though. If you own a one-word .com domain, you’ll have a better chance of selling. Words that have a high search volume sell well too. You can search for domain names and buy a custom domain through the Shopify domain registration platform.
Once you purchase a domain, list it for sale on GoDaddy’s Domain Auction . You can look through the domains with the highest bids to see what type of domains sell well. This research will help you evaluate the potential sale value of your domains and estimate how much profit you could make by selling them.
Graphic design is an amazing skill that you can monetize in several ways. You can go the print-on-demand route and sell your designs on your own custom products. Alternatively, you can pitch your designs on a crowdsource platform like 99designs .
There’s also the option to create your own graphics and templates to sell on marketplaces like Envato or Creative Market . Or how about picking up some clients and working as a freelance graphic designer? According to PayScale , this role will net you $29.90 per hour, on average.
If you’re passionate about user experience, UserTesting pays reviewers $10 to give other entrepreneurs feedback on their websites and apps. You’ll be given a set of questions to answer as you browse through a site. That’s one fast way to make money online.
You’ll communicate your ideas and feedback to the entrepreneur through a video while navigating their website or app. Your video is only 20 minutes long, so if you do three videos per hour, you’ll make $30. Other reviewers can take projects quickly, so you have to act fast when a new website or app needs to be reviewed.
Creating and publishing email newsletters is one of the most profitable online business ideas. Here’s why: People crave personalized content they can read at their leisure, and newsletters hit the spot.
Starting is simpler than you think. First, identify your niche—what you’re passionate about and what can benefit your readers. Then, choose a reliable email hosting service that offers customizable templates, robust security, and tools for building a strong subscriber relationship.
When you’ve done whatever it takes to make money fast but struggle to make an impact, sometimes you’re left with no choice but to get a part-time job. You can browse part-time jobs on Indeed or a niche job board that caters to your field.
Some job websites require an upfront fee to register, so read the fine print carefully. Most sites let you filter for part-time and contract-based jobs, so you should have no problem finding relevant positions to apply for. With many companies hiring part time, it’s easier than ever to make extra money without working a full week.
One of the trendiest ways to make money online is to become a TikTok consultant. Brands will contact you for brainstorming video ideas, developing engaging bios, and more. It’s the perfect money-making opportunity for digital nomads —you can run the entire business from your smartphone.
However, you need to have a few talents before you begin offering TikTok consultancy to businesses. The most important is knowing how to create viral videos that get people to engage with brands. If you don’t have the expertise to drive sales through this platform, you can still learn how to attract customers by taking this TikTok course .
If you have a knack for picking out the perfect greeting card for different occasions, this might be an easy way to make money online. However, it’s not recommended that you market your services to everyone and anyone—it’s not a smart way to do business. Instead, design or source greeting cards that appeal to a certain segment of the population.
For example, you can make greeting cards that cater to C-level executives wanting to thank their senior vice presidents for making profitable decisions last year. Or you can target health care professionals who want to thank their patients for choosing their clinic. For designing the cards, you can use an online graphic tool like Photoshop or Canva .
Do you know your town or city well? Share it with people by offering virtual tours. This can be a way for tourists and others to explore new places without leaving home.
You can use video calls to show historical sites, cultural spots, and local favorites. Share local stories and facts. Allow people to ask questions and see things up close. Offer different tours, like ones for food lovers or history buffs. Work with local shops so tour guests can buy local products.
Reselling products is a way to make money without creating items. You can buy vintage or collectible items and then sell them. If you want to focus on specific products, you can become a certified distributor of a brand in your area.
Start by finding brands to resell on wholesale directories and platforms like AliExpress. Then, set up an online platform to sell your chosen products. Remember, you will need to manage inventory. This takes effort, but it doesn’t require making products.
If you own a website, you can make money by selling ad space on it. The more people click or look at these ads, the more cash you make. Make sure your website is a place where advertisers want to be. This means good content that shows up in search results. Also, check where ads work best on your site to keep your readers happy.
You could start with a network like Google’s to get ads up and running fast. If you’re using a site builder like WordPress, there are easy guides to follow. Or, explore other ad networks that offer different kinds of ads and special features to boost your earnings and reach more people worldwide.
Do you have a great speaking voice? Consider using it to make money online by narrating audiobooks. Being organized, professional, and punctual are key to building a reputable profile in the industry. You can find opportunities on platforms such as Bunny Studio , Voices , or ACX .
Enhance your visibility by creating a personal website where you can upload samples of your narration. You can also network by joining audiobook narration groups on social media and attending industry events. This will help you connect with authors and publishers looking for narrators.
If you’ve got a spare bedroom or a quaint guest house sitting empty, consider turning it into a source of income by hosting on Airbnb. It’s an effective way to use your property to cover your mortgage or save for future goals. You can even increase your earnings by selling items directly to guests, such as handmade décor or local products.
To get started, sign up for a free Airbnb account and set up your listing with attractive descriptions and photos. To add a personal touch, use QR codes in your space that guests can scan to purchase featured items
Looking to earn extra money? Consider micro jobs—small online tasks like transcribing audio or organizing data. Websites like TaskRabbit for various odd jobs, Upwork for freelance work, and PeoplePerHour for creative and technical tasks offer plenty of opportunities.
Just ensure you have a stable internet connection and a functional computer. For design or tech roles, showcasing your previous work could help you secure the job.
Making money online can help you stay afloat during these troubled times, but it can also help you escape your 9-to-5 job so you can become a full-time entrepreneur. By brainstorming online business ideas and choosing to start an online business, you gain more financial freedom , improve your financial security, and inch closer to living life on your terms .
It really is possible to earn a living online if you work hard and stick with it. So, which money-making idea will you pursue first?
How can i make money online fast.
A man eats a chicken wing, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women. But a study of over 28,000 people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures, and that the gap is wider in more developed countries. (AP Video: Joshua A. Bickel)
A man eats a chicken wing, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Chicken wings sit in a pan before frying, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
A line cook slices beef brisket, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
A line cook places chicken wings into a bowl before serving, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
A cook prepares pork rib tips, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
A line cook carries a pulled pork sandwich Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. Psychologists have known for years now that men tend to eat more meat than women, but a study of people around the world now reveals that that’s true across cultures. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
CHICAGO (AP) — Vacationing in Chicago this week from Europe, Jelle den Burger and Nirusa Naguleswaran grabbed a bite at the Dog House Grill: a classic Italian beef sandwich for him, grilled cheese for her.
Both think the way their genders lined up with their food choices was no coincidence. Women, said Naguleswaran, are simply more likely to ditch meat, and to care about how their diet affects the environment and other people.
“I don’t want to put it in the wrong way, that male people feel attacked,” said Naguleswaran, of Netherlands, laughing. She said she used to love eating meat, but giving it up for climate reasons was more important to her. “We just have it in our nature to care about others.”
Now, scientists can say more confidently than ever that gender and meat-eating preferences are linked. A paper out in Nature Scientific Reports this week shows that the difference is nearly universal across cultures — and that it’s even more pronounced in countries that are more developed.
Researchers already knew men in some countries ate more meat than women did. And they knew that people in wealthier countries ate more meat overall. But the latest findings suggest that when men and women have the social and financial freedom to make choices about their diets, they diverge from each other even more, with men eating more meat and women eating less.
That’s important because about 20% of planet-warming global greenhouse gas emissions come from animal-based food products, according to earlier research from the University of Illinois. The researchers behind the new report think their findings could fine-tune efforts to persuade people to eat less meat and dairy.
Chicken wings sit in a pan before frying, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
“Anything that one could do to reduce meat consumption in men would have a greater impact, on average, than among women,” said Christopher Hopwood, a professor of psychology at the University of Zurich and one of the authors of the paper. The work was funded by Mercy for Animals, a nonprofit dedicated to ending animal agriculture. Hopwood said he is not affiliated with the organization and is not an advocate.
AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on gender preferences when it comes to eating.
The researchers asked over 28,000 people in 23 countries on four continents how much of various types of food they ate every day, then calculated the average land animal consumption by gender identity in each country. They used the United Nations Human Development Index, which measures health, education and standard of living, to rank how “developed” each country was, and also looked at the Global Gender Gap Index, a scale of gender equality published by the World Economic Forum.
They found that, with three exceptions — China, India and Indonesia — gender differences in meat consumption were higher in countries with higher development and gender equality scores.
The large number and cultural diversity of people surveyed is “a real strength of this,” said Daniel Rosenfeld, a social psychologist at UCLA who studies eating behavior and moral psychology and was not involved in the study.
A line cook slices beef brisket, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
The study did not answer the question of why men tend to eat more meat, but scientists have some theories. One is that evolutionarily, women may have been hormonally hardwired to avoid meat that could possibly have been contaminated, affecting pregnancy, whereas men may have sought out meat proteins given their history as hunters in some societies.
But even the idea of men as hunters is intertwined with culture, Rosenfeld said. That’s a good example of another theory, which is that societal norms shape gender identity from an early age and thus how people decide to fill their plates.
Rosenfeld, who said he stopped eating meat about 10 years ago, said his own experience hanging out in college “as a guy hanging out with other guy friends” illustrated the cultural pressure for men to eat meat. “If they’re all eating meats and I decide not to,” he said, “it can disrupt the natural flow of social situations.”
The same cultural factors that shape gender influence how people respond to new information, said Carolyn Semmler, a professor of psychology at the University of Adelaide in Australia who also studies meat eating and social factors like gender. Semmler was not involved in this study. In some of her past work, she’s studied cognitive dissonance around eating meat.
A line cook places chicken wings into a bowl before serving, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
In those cases, she said women presented with information about poor animal welfare in the livestock industry were more likely to say they would reduce their meat consumption. But men tended to go the other direction, she said.
“One participant said to me, ‘I think you guys are trying to get me to eat less meat, so I’m going to eat more,’” she said.
Semmler said meat can be important to masculine identity, noting for example the popular notion of men at the grill. And she said presenting eating less meat as a moral cause can be a sensitive issue. Still, she said, people should be aware of how their food choices affect the planet.
But she and Hopwood acknowledged how difficult it is to change behavior.
“Men are a tough nut to crack,” Hopwood said.
Jose Lopez, another diner at the Dog House Grill, said he thought men should eat less meat but said that in general he has observed otherwise.
“We’re carnivores. Men eat like savages,” he said.
A line cook carries a pulled pork sandwich Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Follow Melina Walling on X: @MelinaWalling.
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Learn what a research gap is, why it matters, and how to identify four common types of research gaps in your field. Get practical examples and tips on how to write a research gap statement for your dissertation, thesis or research project.
Learn what a research gap is and how to identify one in your field of study. Find out the different types of research gaps and see examples of how to write about them in literature reviews, theses and research papers.
Learn a step-by-step process to identify research gaps and topics for your dissertation, thesis or project. Use Google Scholar to scan literature, filter by time period and select articles that interest you.
Learn what a research gap is, how to identify it, and how to use it to pursue innovative research in your field. Explore different types of research gaps, examples, and tools to help your search.
Learn what a research gap is and why it is important to find one for your study. Explore six strategies to discover unexplored or underexplored areas in your field, such as reading literature, seeking advice, using digital tools, and more.
Learn what a research gap is, why it is important, and how to find one in the literature. Follow the steps and guidelines to identify, prioritize, and address research gaps in your field.
Learn what a research gap is, why it is important, and how to find one for your thesis or dissertation. Follow a step-by-step guide with tips and examples to identify a research gap that will advance your field.
Learn what a research gap is, the different types of research gaps (including examples), and how to find a research gap for your dissertation, thesis or rese...
Learn what a research gap is and how to find one for your research project. This video tutorial by Elsevier provides steps and tools to help you identify and fill the gap in the literature.
Learn what a gap statement is and how to identify and fill a gap in the literature for your research project. See examples of gap statements from different fields and learn how to use phrases to signal your gap and fill.
This is the second part of the video series on research writing. This video explains the step-by-step of research gap analysis. Guided by the 3 rhetorical mo...
How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas & Examples. Published on November 2, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on May 31, 2023. A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.
Learn how to find an original research gap (and consequently a research topic) as quickly and efficiently as possible. In this step-by-step walkthrough, we'l...
Learn how to identify the gap in your research area and position yourself in the literature by quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing from your sources. See an example of how a researcher highlights the gap in their dissertation on Antarctica.
A research gap may not be a research need if filling the gap would not be of use to stakeholders that make decisions in health care. The clear and explicit identification of research gaps is a necessary step in developing a research agenda. Evidence reports produced by Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs) have always included a future ...
For instance, you might make a research gap table in a spreadsheet. Create 3 columns and label them "Author," "Year," and "Summary." For each article, list the authors, year of publication, and a bullet point summary of the article contents. Similarly, you may make a Venn diagram to compare 1 or more articles.
Finding a research gap is not an easy process and there is no one linear path. These tips and suggestions are just examples of possible ways to begin. In Ph.D. dissertations, students identify a gap in research. In other programs, students identify a gap in practice. The literature review for a gap in practice will show the context of the ...
Learn how to identify and write about research gaps in the Introduction section of your paper. Find out why research gaps are important and how to provide context for your study.
Your Master's thesis should make a significant, novel contribution to the field. Your thesis hypothesis should address a research gap which you identify in the literature, a research question or problem that has not been answered in your research area of interest.This shows that you have developed expertise in the body of knowledge and theoretical issues in your chosen research area.
2. Narrow down your topic. 3. Write your research gap statement. 4. Revise and refine your research gap statement. 5. Use appropriate citation and formatting styles. Be the first to add your ...
State of the Art papers summarize the state of knowledge on a specific subject. They delimit research frontiers and identify fruitful and promising areas of future research. They can be classified ...
A research gap is a question or a problem that has not been answered by any of the existing studies or research within your field. Sometimes, a research gap exists when there is a concept or new idea that hasn't been studied at all. Sometimes you'll find a research gap if all the existing research is outdated and in need of new/updated research ...
Finding the literature. The most obvious way to find a research gap is simply to read and analyse the relevant literature. However, this is easier said than done, as the volume of published literature can be staggering. Fortunately, there are some excellent bibliographic databases, which can speed the process of searching for relevant literature.
Here are the 6 effective tips to identify the research gap. 1. Understand the Existing Literature: The first step in gap analysis is to do a systematic review of existing literature relevant to your research. A comprehensive literature survey would provide a clear understanding of the existing works. Conduct a systematic review of relevant ...
This is the Taglish version of the video on how to write the research gap. There are several examples given on how to write section of Move 2. You can also c...
"The goal is to make population aging research more visible at the undergraduate level and make it accessible," she says. Kohler notes that Penn has "the scholars and established research programs to provide hands-on engagement and mentoring," he says. "It's very cool to be engaged and see research coming alive."
The controversy over online misinformation and social media has opened a gap between public discourse and scientific research. Public intellectuals and journalists frequently make sweeping claims ...
2024 social media trends. 1. Text-only posts are the sleeper hit of the year (and X remains on top) 2. Social platforms will become the hottest new search engines. 3. Longer videos will make a big comeback. 4. Engagement will move from feeds to DMs.
You only need a laptop and a stable internet connection to pursue them. How to make money online: 35 real ways. 1. Start a dropshipping business. Dropshipping is a business model where you sell a product to a customer, but the supplier handles the storage, packaging, and shipping on your behalf.
A line cook slices beef brisket, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at a barbecue restaurant in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) The study did not answer the question of why men tend to eat more meat, but scientists have some theories. One is that evolutionarily, women may have been hormonally hardwired to avoid meat that could possibly have been ...