A Bibliometric Analysis on Reading Strategies in ESL/ EFL Context

Abstract

Reading strategies are crucial in providing the most effective reading experience to English as Second Language (ESL)/English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners. There is a growing trend in the studies on the topic in the recent years. Therefore, this review analyses bibliometrically on the reading strategies in ESL /EFL context and presents an overview of the field in terms of publications, collaborations, most frequently cited studies and keywords. This analysis answers 3 questions: (a) What is the bibliometric information regarding the number of yearly publications and contributions and collaborations by country and region about reading strategies in ESL/EFL context on Scopus,  (b) What are the most frequently cited studies in the field of reading strategies in ESL/EFL context, and (c) What are the most used keywords in reading strategies in ESL/EFL context?. 347 documents were retrieved from Scopus website for this study. The data were analysed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer version 1.6.20 and Harzing’s Publish or Perish software programs. The findings show that the number of publications significantly increased from the year of 2019 to 2024. The collaborations between countries were slightly impressive. The most cited articles consisted of articles from older and newer publications. Keywords were categorised into six main clusters: EFL, cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies, academic writing, metacognitive awareness, and ESL.The results of this study can provide useful insights to the researchers in tackling some issues related to reading strategies in ESL/EFL context and initiating new discoveries to empower this area.