An Analysis of Research Progress and Frontiers of Integrated Language Assessment Using Citespace

Abstract

The purpose of the current research is to explore the research development trend and hotspots of integrated assessment in the field of language. Using CiteSpace, a Java application for visualizing trends in scientific literature, this paper analyzed 512 publications between 2000 and 2020 from Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. By setting node types as “keyword” and “reference”, respectively, we have identified the development trends and the interests of researchers in the related field based on the visual knowledge map generated by Citespace. The study indicates that researchers have transferred from the traditional concept of “summary writing” to an overarching phrase “integrated writing” and “integrated task”. They also tend to incorporate multi-modalities in the past decade. Besides, researchers in the field mainly focus on computer-assisted language learning, assessment task, cross-disciplinary academic language skills, and theories of integrated language assessment. The work makes both theoretical and methodological contributions to progressive integrated language theory building, assessment task design, and language learning.