A Systematic Review of Studies on Language Learning Strategies from 1977 to 2018

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the extent to which language learning strategies (LLS) are studied, including the changing research trends, the most prominen t scholars working on LLS and the countries in which the articles are based on, citation analysis, global academic collaboration and emerging top research topics. The analysis of the related literature was carried out by employing a bibliometric analysis of the research and review papers indexed in the Web of Science databases: Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Social Sciences and Humanities and Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) between 1977 and 2018. In this research, no separation was set from the research of language learning strategy (LLS) use as a native or non-native language. The results showed that there has been a booming interest in language learning strategy research over time.  While the first study appeared in 1977, there were 383 LLS publications, most of which were in the field of education (%68.41) in the Web of Science (WoS) till 2018. The publications included articles, proceedings, book reviews, editorial material, review and meeting abstract. It was found that language learning strategy research focused mostly on individual learner variables such as motivation, gender, proficiency in English as a foreign language while most of those studies were carried out through Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (Oxford, 1990) by quantitative methodology. This is the first study reporting the landscape of global research tendencies and trends in LLS. This study contributes to the understanding of the overall LLS academic research and gives an insight into the past, today and future of the language studies.