A Bibliometric Analysis of Knowledge Development and Emerging Trends of Critical Thinking in English Education (1995-2024)

Abstract

Despite the growing emphasis on Critical Thinking (CT) in English education, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding its development and emerging trends over time. This study aims to bridge this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis (BA) to map the knowledge development and emerging trends, identify influential contributors, and highlight emerging trends in CT research within the context of English education. A total of 878 articles were retrieved from the Web of Science core collection database from 1995 to 2024. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were employed as analytical instruments. The data collection process involved extracting publication metadata including authorship, institutional affiliations, keywords, citations, and country of origin. The analysis reveals that Hwang Gwo-jen, Stapleton Paul, and Yuan Rui are the most frequently cited authors, while institutions such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, and Islamic Azad University have made substantial contributions. China, the United States, and Iran emerged as the leading countries in this research area. Major research themes include higher education, academic writing, 21st-century skills, teacher education, CT, and teacher-student interaction. Additionally, emerging topics such as media education, information literacy, ChatGPT, digital games, educational technology, collaborative learning, and reading comprehension are gaining traction. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape and suggest future directions for scholars and educators aiming to integrate CT into English education through innovative and technology-enhanced pedagogies.