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Vol. 3 No. 4 (2026): October

Copyright (c) 2026 Ali Reza Haidari, Reza Naderi; Mahdi Nazari

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The Evolution of Formative Assessment Research: A Bibliometric Mapping of Knowledge Structure, Collaboration Networks, and Emerging Trends

https://doi.org/10.62810/jssh.v3i4.382
Ali Reza Haidari
Bamyan University, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Bamyan, AF
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6718-7459
Reza Naderi
Bamyan University, Department of English, Faculty of Education, Bamyan, AF
Mahdi Nazari
Bamyan University, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Bamyan, AF

Corresponding Author(s) : Ali Reza Haidari

arhaidari@bu.edu.af

Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 3 No. 4 (2026): October

Abstract

Formative assessment has gained extensive academic interest because of its importance for learning, feedback provision, and fostering self-regulated learning. Nevertheless, a framework delineating the intellectual background, field collaboration, and key concepts is needed. This study aimed to visualize the knowledge structure and publication dynamics of formative assessment literature. Data were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection, and 425 English-language articles published from 2015 to 2026 were selected using PRISMA-based criteria. Five analyses were conducted using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20): publication trends, citation analysis, coauthorship networks, co-citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence. Findings showed continuous scholarly production within the research timeframe, with activity concentrated among several authors, institutions, and countries, including the USA, China, and various European countries. Co-citation analysis highlighted educational feedback, assessment for learning, and self-regulated learning as key components of the field’s knowledge structure. Keyword analysis uncovered topics such as assessment literacy, learner engagement, learning analytics, gamification, and technology-assisted assessment. Artificial intelligence, personalized feedback, adaptive assessment, and ethical questions in digital assessment require further exploration. However, the mere presence of these topics in the database is not sufficient to determine their development stage or the existence of research gaps. This research gives a structured overview of formative assessment literature in the Web of Science database and suggests directions for further bibliometric and empirical research. Findings should be interpreted in light of the database's coverage and the incomplete information about publications in 2026.

Keywords

Assessment for learning Assessment Literacy Bibliometric Analysis Formative Assessment Self-Regulated Leaning
Haidari, A. R., Naderi, R., & Nazari, M. (2026). The Evolution of Formative Assessment Research: A Bibliometric Mapping of Knowledge Structure, Collaboration Networks, and Emerging Trends. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(4), 1044–1064. https://doi.org/10.62810/jssh.v3i4.382
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