Gap-spotting, identifying and filling perceived deficiencies in existing literature, has become the predominant strategy for formulating research questions across academic disciplines. While recent investigations have documented its prevalence in applied linguistics, the present study attempted to provide a more nuanced understanding of how gap statements vary across qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods articles published in Iranian applied linguistics journals. From a corpus of empirical articles published between 2016 and 2025 in 12 Scopus- or ISC-indexed journals, 220 articles that included gap-based justifications were selected. Those that did not state explicit research questions were excluded, and the remaining 215 articles were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.Using a six-category typology of research gaps, the analysis examined primary gap type, gap statement explicitness, gap claim basis, textual positioning of gap statements, and number of research questions. Findings revealed that knowledge gaps dominated across all three traditions with near-identical proportions (80.9–81.0%), indicating a shared disciplinary norm that transcends paradigmatic boundaries. Tradition-specific variations emerged in the use of attributions, rhetorical positioning, and research question counts. The observed patterns were consistent with a cumulative, positivistic epistemology that may privilege empirical accumulation over conceptual innovation. Findings highlighted the need for more diverse approaches to research question formulation to foster a pluralistic and socially responsive research culture across traditions.
Rezvani, R. and Farzaneh, N. (2026). The Rhetoric of Research Gaps across Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Traditions in Iranian Applied Linguistics Articles. Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly, (), -. doi: 10.22099/tesl.2026.56562.3519
MLA
Rezvani, R. , and Farzaneh, N. . "The Rhetoric of Research Gaps across Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Traditions in Iranian Applied Linguistics Articles", Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly, , , 2026, -. doi: 10.22099/tesl.2026.56562.3519
HARVARD
Rezvani, R., Farzaneh, N. (2026). 'The Rhetoric of Research Gaps across Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Traditions in Iranian Applied Linguistics Articles', Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22099/tesl.2026.56562.3519
CHICAGO
R. Rezvani and N. Farzaneh, "The Rhetoric of Research Gaps across Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Traditions in Iranian Applied Linguistics Articles," Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly, (2026): -, doi: 10.22099/tesl.2026.56562.3519
VANCOUVER
Rezvani, R., Farzaneh, N. The Rhetoric of Research Gaps across Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Traditions in Iranian Applied Linguistics Articles. Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly, 2026; (): -. doi: 10.22099/tesl.2026.56562.3519
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