Mapping Research Hotspots in Discourse Studies (2010–2025)
School of Foreign Languages, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| Abstract: | This study takes research articles published in the journal Discourse Studies between January 2010 and July 2025 as its research object. Using the scientometric analysis software CiteSpace, it systematically analyzes the overall development trajectory of Discourse Studies over the past 15 years from the perspectives of publication volume, highly cited documents, highly cited authors, research hotspots, and frontiers. The findings reveal that: (1) The United States has consistently held a dominant position in the journal Discourse Studies. Although China's influence in this field has grown significantly, it has not yet become a "central intermediary" in the global collaboration network, and its cooperative exchanges with other countries need further deepening. (2) The research hotspots in Discourse Studies over the past 15 years include: cognitive construction and action formation in social interaction; analysis of discourse production on digital platforms and social media; analysis of discourse application contexts; and the interdisciplinary integration of discourse analysis methods. This paper argues that the development of Discourse Studies in the past 15 years exhibits a deepening shift from "theoretical exploration" towards "theory-practice integration," emphasizing the combination of theoretical construction and empirical research, particularly the integration of discourse application context analysis with interdisciplinary methods. |
| Keywords: | Discourse Studies; Discourse Application Contexts; Scientometric Analysis; Research Hotspots |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.ssrf.2026.02.002 |
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Received: 4 March 2026
Accepted: 20 March 2026
Published Online: 24 March 2026
Funding
| 1. | 2023年湖南省社科基金教育学专项课题“高校英语教师数字化教学能力测度评估、影响因素及提升策略研究” (编号: 23YBJ17) |
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