A Review of Chinese as a Second Language Journal Publication Trends: The Case of Universiti Teknologi MARA

Abstract

This study reviews the publication trends on Chinese as a second language, which indicates the current situation, research gaps, and potential directions for future research. This review examines Chinese as a second language journal publications produced by lecturers and researchers at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) since the publications are scattered without systematic organisation, making it difficult to determine which direction the research is headed and to foresee the topics of interest that will encourage future growth. This review conducted a systematic review of 75 journal articles published from 2013 to 2023, focusing on publication status and trends, co-authorship, and content scope. As a result, this study discovered a publication gap between general-UiTM-recognised journals and international-recognised journals. It proposed to broaden the expertise collaboration to international networking. This study also identifies population gaps, which urged conducting research at a wider range. In terms of content scope, research gaps were found in theoretical, conceptual, model, and tool-building research, as well as in-depth investigation of Chinese language, culture, and social studies. The incorporation of technology in future research is prospective due to the current rise in digital awareness. Moreover, learners’ behaviour in learning Chinese as a second language should be further investigated due to dispersive research. This systematic review contributes to the continuous development of researching and instructing Chinese as a second language in UiTM. It serves as a guide for other Malaysian higher education institutions with a similar research interest.