Unlocking the trends and transformations in applied linguistics, this study presents an analysis of the research methodologies and theoretical orientations employed in 120 articles (16 issues) published in the esteemed Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research over its last four years (2020-2023). By studying a wide range of articles published in the aforementioned journal, this meta-analysis seeks to discover the dominant research methodologies and theoretical orientations, as well as their distribution across various subfields of applied linguistics and language research. Moreover, the contexts (EFL, ESL), instruments, participants, and the number of authors in each study are reviewed, with data presented in detailed tables and discussed. The results revealed the dominance of qualitative methodology (46%) over quantitative and mixed method research, the supremacy of sociocultural theoretical orientation (35%), the dominance of learners as participants (53%) in the studies, the prevalence of EFL context (88.33%) over ESL, and the power of questionnaire (21.67%) as an instrument over other instruments. The results of this meta-analysis provide a systematic mapping of current research trends and methodological approaches in the field, offering a foundation for future studies. By synthesizing existing findings, this study identifies patterns that can guide researchers and practitioners in selecting appropriate research designs and theoretical frameworks.
Rashidi,N. and Khojastehnam,S. S. (2025). A Meta-Analysis of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research. Interdisciplinary Research in English Language Communication, 2(1), 18-30. doi: 10.30470/irelc.2025.2064390.1026
MLA
Rashidi,N. , and Khojastehnam,S. S. . "A Meta-Analysis of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research", Interdisciplinary Research in English Language Communication, 2, 1, 2025, 18-30. doi: 10.30470/irelc.2025.2064390.1026
HARVARD
Rashidi N., Khojastehnam S. S. (2025). 'A Meta-Analysis of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research', Interdisciplinary Research in English Language Communication, 2(1), pp. 18-30. doi: 10.30470/irelc.2025.2064390.1026
CHICAGO
N. Rashidi and S. S. Khojastehnam, "A Meta-Analysis of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research," Interdisciplinary Research in English Language Communication, 2 1 (2025): 18-30, doi: 10.30470/irelc.2025.2064390.1026
VANCOUVER
Rashidi N., Khojastehnam S. S. A Meta-Analysis of the Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research. IRELC, 2025; 2(1): 18-30. doi: 10.30470/irelc.2025.2064390.1026
