Writing Motivation in the Web of Science and Scopus Databases: A Scientometrics Perspective in CiteSpace

Abstract

In education, writing motivation is a major concern since high levels of motivation generally contribute to effective writing. This study selected 148 studies from the Web of Science and Scopus on writing motivation in the early 21st century (2001–2022). Accordingly, using the Scientometric perspective in CiteSpace, the current research state, development trends, and possible future paths in writing motivation are systematically analysed. The analysis of publications includes quantity and trends, citation frequency, and keyword co-occurrence. Findings reveal that (1) since 2011, the number of publications on writing motivation has increased annually, showing a steady upward trend. (2) Highly cited articles on writing motivation focus on the following research perspectives: motivation theory, writing performance, gender, grade level, and writing instructional methods. Furthermore, Pajares and the United States emerged as outstanding contributors and nations, respectively. (3) The majority of research hotspots are devoted to educational research, psychology, and linguistics. (4) The writing motivation research process can be separated into three distinct phases: the emerging phase, the stagnation phase, and the rapid development phase. Writing motivation is a promising research field that will require researchers and practitioners to investigate educational methodologies continuously, select large samples to study the scope, and implement ideas. By doing so, these constructive methods will benefit students’ writing and meet future work requirements.