FROM GAPS TO GOALS: A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF HOW RESEARCH PROBLEMS ARE CONCEPTUALIZED AS WRITING IDEAS

Abstract

This study examines how research gaps are textually constructed and transformed into research goals as writing ideas in academic journal articles. Employing a qualitative library research approach, the data consist of introductory sections of scholarly articles analyzed systematically. The analysis focuses on sentences that identify research gaps and articulate research goals, as well as the linguistic mechanisms that link these two elements. The findings indicate that research gaps are not presented as neutral facts but are discursively constructed to create a research space. Three main Gap-to-Goal conceptualization patterns are identified: conceptual gaps leading to the development of theoretical frameworks, empirical gaps prompting exploratory and in-depth descriptive goals, and methodological gaps resulting in the validation or adaptation of research methods. This transformation is mediated through causal rhetorical structures, transitional phrases, and dominant action verbs. The study highlights that research goals emerge from a deliberate discursive process, underscoring the importance of linguistic strategies in academic writing.