An asessment of the academic field of language education: Bibliometric review based on the Web of Science database

The research presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 6017 articles obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) database containing the keyword "Language." The primary aim of the study is to assess the status of language-themed articles published between 2014 and 2023 and to provide insights into the field. The data from the WoS database were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. In the descriptive analysis, frequencies and percentages were generated, while in the bibliometric analysis, various methods were employed to examine the dissemination of scientific knowledge and evaluate the data in accordance with a few parameters. Additionally, the data were visualized using scientific mapping methods with the VOSviewer software. The research focused on articles indexed in the SCI-E, SSCI, and A&HCI indices of the WoS database and limited by the keyword "Language." Studies in the education categories were considered during this process. The data were presented in tables and graphs, with consideration given to various parameters, including citation statistics, research area, journal of publication, author information, author's affiliated institution, financial supporters, country and language of publication, publication year, and keyword analysis. The findings of the study indicate that language research is concentrated in the fields of education and linguistics. Furthermore, the study indicates that both theoretical and practical aspects of language research are the focus of academic studies, with the interdisciplinary nature of these studies emphasizing their broad applicability across different academic fields. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and trends in language education research, as well as offering insights into future research directions. Based on this research, it is recommended that similar studies be conducted in different databases.