Journal of Language and Linguistics Studies, cilt.17, sa.2, ss.830-847, 2021 (Hakemli Dergi)
The number of ELT doctoral dissertations is growing every year, and these are great sources to spot the leading
research trends and the research gaps in the field. Previous studies have been conducted to explore research trends
in Turkey, accordingly journal articles and conference proceedings were examined. However, little research has
aimed to investigate doctoral dissertations. As the number of graduates increases every year, a current study
exploring the research trends of ELT in Turkey is needed. Therefore, the present research aims to fill this gap by
examining 252 doctoral dissertations published between 2010 and 2020. Content analysis was conducted on the
titles and abstract parts of the dissertations and then, coding was applied with the help of a priori codes suggested
by the relevant literature. Findings have suggested that Teacher Professional Development is the leading research
topic while Culture, Social, and Gender Issues are found to be under-researched. The results imply that these areas
need improvements on both local and global scales. In light of the findings, further research in certain areas is
suggested for local researchers.