Protocol for a meta-review on applied linguistics researchscape

Over the years, applied linguistics has evolved into an increasingly complex and interdisciplinary field. Accordingly, more diverse research methods are being used to address different topics in the field. Despite this conceptual complexity and methodological diversity, much of the existing research syntheses focus on one specific subfield or one particular research method, so there is a notable gap in our understanding of how applied linguistics as a whole is conceptualised and researched. This state-of-play meta-review, commissioned by the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL), aims to systematically examine research syntheses in applied linguistics, focusing on key topics, methodologies, and research gaps. We will use a structured search strategy across four databases: Scopus, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and EBSCO. Forward and backward citation tracking will also be employed to identify additional relevant studies. This meta-review will use descriptive statistics (e.g., percentages, frequency counts) to summarise thematic and methodological trends and thematic analysis to identify and interpret patterns in the data. Additionally, an interactive evidence gap map on an open-access web database will be created using EPPI Mapper to make the data more accessible and visually informative.