A Scientometric Analysis and Critical Review of Research on English for Specific Purposes Using Citespace

Abstract

A few researchers conducted systematic reviews of literature on this field to understand the historical development of English for Specific Purposes. However, a holistic review combining scientometric analysis and critical review in the last ten years is still lacking. Based on 1528 bibliometric records from 2011 to 2022 retrieved from the Web of Science core collection, the study aims to provide a systematic and objective overview of ESP research via Citespace. The results provide references for understanding this field's research status quo, themes, and current trends.