Evidence Gap Map
What is an evidence gap map?
An evidence gap is a thematic collection of empirical knowledge in a domain or discipline. They help clarify and map key concepts that underpin a research area. They also help researchers and decision-makers:
- Identify overall gaps in the research and evidence base;
- Report on the types of evidence, such as observational studies, impact evaluations–that are being published in the field;
- Capture how a research field is evolving, and whether there is enough evidence in any one area to evaluate more specific questions;
- Explore the indicators and methods of analysis currently being used in the domain
How is an evidence gap map created?
For studies to be included in the evidence gap map, they must be interventions that have been tested with relevant populations, as compared to research and development that might be promising, but is ultimately unproven on the ground. In addition:
- A targeted population. This study was focused on farmers and service providers of digital agriculture services, and ideally includes a description and rationale for why a particular user group was targeted for study;
- Geographies of interest. Country must be a recipient of Official Development Assistance (ODA) Funds
- Identifiable interventions or services. Ideally a clearly defined digital agricultural service, program or product that was introduced and used by a target population;
- Measurement of outcomes. Original data, descriptions and measurement of the impact(s) of using the services.
How do I use the evidence gap map?
Hover over each circle to see how many studies are available for the intervention and outcome combination. Outcomes were classified as positive, nil and mentioned, where mentioned outcomes did not have enough supporting data presented in the study to determine whether or not they had an impact. Mentioned outcomes are particularly useful, however, to get a sense of where the research field may be headed in the future.
Select the circles and scroll to the bottom to see the citations for the papers. You can also export the studies as a .csv file.
The code and detailed instructions on how to build your own evidence gap map using Google Sheets and WordPress are available on GitHub!