Current status and research trend of English language assessment: a bibliometric analysis

This study offers a bibliometric overview of the English language assessment research from 1992 to 2024. It aims to uncover the current state, research trends, and future directions of the field. A total of 927 articles published in Web of Science (WoS) were analyzed using the VOSviewer bibliometric software tool. Based on the sample of 927 articles from the WoS, the findings indicate that (1) the prominent topics and themes include writing assessment, second language writing, language, L2, bilingualism, and self-assessment; (2) potential research directions focus on writing assessment, multilingualism, translanguaging, dynamic assessment, and sociocultural theory; (3) English language assessment research has been gradually increasing since 1992, with a significant growth phase beginning in 2006; (4) journals such as Language Testing, Language Assessment Quarterly, System, Assessing Writing, and Modern Language Journal are pivotal for publications in this field; and (5) Yu Shulin, Pavel Trofimovich, Matthew E. Poehner, Kazuya Saito, and Judit Kormos are notably prolific authors with significant impact. The study highlights the critical role of English language assessment in influencing English language teaching through the “washback effect,” which shapes teaching approaches. This analysis is of significance to all researchers and illustrates the developmental trajectories of the field, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift toward more holistic and inclusive assessment models.