Mathematical Thinking Research: A Bibliometric Study in 2016-2025 Based on Scopus Database

Source abstract

Mathematical thinking is a complex skill that urgently needs to be developed by students to support their readiness to face the Society 5.0 era. This era requires a super-smart society with reliable problem-solving abilities. Accordingly, this research provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of literature published in Scopus-indexed journals globally over a ten-year period. This research is a mapping study that forms part of a literature review. The analysis was conducted on 903 articles published between 2016 and 2025 from the Scopus database. The analysis was assisted by software, namely Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The results were analyzed to map publication patterns, research affiliations, citation impact, authorship networks, and thematic clusters. The number of documents increased significantly worldwide between 2016 and 2025. A total of 44.5% of the papers are in the social sciences. Universitat d'Alacant emerged as the most prolific institution, contributing the highest volume of publications. Concurrently, the United States represents the most prolific nation in terms of overall publication volume. The most cited document is a meta-analysis study by Mia C. Daucourt. Collaborations between countries and continents are frequent, particularly among the USA, China, Europe, and Australia. Furthermore, the most prominent keywords associated with mathematical thinking include ‘student’, ‘teacher’, ‘response’, ‘study’, ‘ability’, ‘skill’, ‘interaction’, and ‘noticing’. The findings provide a foundational reference for future mathematical thinking research by fostering international collaboration and integrating novel themes to advance scientific contributions.