Differentiation in writing: a bibliometric approach to trends and insights

This study uses bibliometric analysis to look at global trends in writing differentiation from 2014 to 2024. It does this by looking at how different teaching methods can meet the needs of different learners. It shows how writing differentiation can be used around the world, what new themes are emerging, and what areas need more research in the field of education. The research on writing differentiation from 2014 to 2024 was examined through bibliometric analysis using Web of Science data. Key patterns and clusters were identified by analysing publications by year, journal, authorship, and country using Excel, RIS, VOSviewer, RStudio, and MapChart. A review of 165 writing differentiation papers (2014–2024) shows a publication peak in 2019 followed by a sharp decline in 2023, a growing emphasis on themes like ‘competence’, ‘attitudes’, and ‘differentiation’, and the US as the leading contributor to research. The US leads writing differentiation research output and institutional contributions, highlighting its growing importance. Changing keyword patterns indicate a shift towards adaptive teaching strategies, emphasizing the need for future research to promote international collaboration and broaden the approach’s educational impact.