A Bibliometric Analysis of Grammar Instruction and Written Feedback in Second-Language (L2) Writing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21456642Keywords:
Grammar Instruction, Written Corrective Feedback, Second-Language Writing, Adaptive Learning, Technology-Enhanced WritingAbstract
Grammar instruction and written corrective feedback are widely recognized as central components of second-language writing development, yet research on how these two strands intersect with emerging technology-mediated writing tools remains fragmented, with no comprehensive account of how the field has evolved conceptually and methodologically over time. This gap limits understanding of dominant research patterns and influential contributions within grammar and second-language writing scholarship. This paper conducted a Bibliometric Analysis of research on grammar instruction and technology-enhanced writing pedagogy in second-language contexts published from 2015 to 2025. Specifically, it aimed to map the intellectual landscape and evolution of the field by analyzing annual publication trends and identifying the ten most-cited articles, while simultaneously mapping terminology co-occurrence links and temporal overlay visualizations to uncover thematic trajectories and emerging research trends across the study period. Bibliographic records were retrieved from Google Scholar and Scopus, then screened through an Identification, Screening, Eligibility, and Inclusion process, yielding a refined dataset of 152 journal articles. The dataset was analyzed using VOS viewer to generate keyword co-occurrence, overlay, and density visualizations. Results showed that grammatical accuracy and corrective feedback constituted the conceptual core of the field, with research progressively shifting from teacher-centered, direct feedback practices toward technology-mediated, adaptive, and artificial intelligence-assisted feedback models. Publication output followed a cyclical rather than linear growth pattern, culminating in a marked surge in the most recent years. The ten most-cited articles centered on feedback timing, feedback type, and individual learner differences. Despite the theoretical alignment between grammar instruction and writing development, findings indicate that explicit grammar teaching remains insufficiently integrated into sustained, technology-supported writing practice. These results map the field's established knowledge clusters and structural gaps, stressing the need for longitudinal research designs and principled instructional models that embed form-focused instruction within iterative, technology-mediated feedback cycles.
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