Research topics in specialized language studies in the last decade: an analysis of articles published in English-language journals
Abstract
In the recent decade, LSP (Languages for Specific Purposes) research has become increasingly complex and interdisciplinary, reflecting the constantly changing demands of professional communication and the globalized labour market. A plethora of new topics have emerged in academic discourse, all of which are significant from both a theoretical and practical point of view. Nevertheless, there has been relatively little comprehensive analysis of which topics have been emphasized in the international literature, especially in internationally recognized English-language journals. The absence of such reviews can make it difficult to consciously follow research directions and trends and to utilize scientific results relevant to LSP teaching. Consequently, the objective of this study is to present the topics of LSP research over the past decade based on studies published in internationally recognized English-language journals. The study was conducted in January 2025 and analysed 488 studies published in English between 2014 and 2024 in the following journals: ESP across cultures, Journal of Languages for Specific Purposes, and English for Specific Purposes. The first part of the study describes the purpose and methodology of the research, in addition to the corpus on which the study is based, while the second part focuses on the results. The results of the study indicate which academic fields have the highest number of publications, and which foreign languages these studies focused on. The findings also highlight which areas of LSP research have been the subject of the most studies and whether new directions in research can be identified.
References
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Források
ESP across cultures (2014-2024) https://edipuglia.it/rivista/espacrosscultures/
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English for Specific Purposes (2014-2024) https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/english-for-specific-purposes
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