Abstract:

Goal setting is a central process within self-regulated learning (SRL), influencing learners’ motivation, strategy use, and academic outcomes. Although goal setting has been extensively studied across psychology, business, and healthcare, its development within educational research remains fragmented. To address this gap, this study conducts a long-term bibliometric review to systematically map the evolution, structure, and disciplinary engagement of goal-setting research, with particular attention to its implications for educational theory and practice.

The review draws on peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and conference papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science from the 1950s through December 2025. Bibliometric techniques, including publication trend analysis, source and author impact analysis, country productivity mapping, and keyword co-occurrence analysis, were applied to identify influential contributors, dominant research domains, and thematic patterns over time. This approach enables a comprehensive examination of both the quantitative growth and conceptual orientation of goal setting scholarship, with specific attention to how educational research has engaged with and adapted goal-setting frameworks.

Findings indicate a steady increase in goal-setting publications, with psychology emerging as the dominant field, followed by business and education, highlighting the comparatively limited but growing educational engagement with goal-setting research. Influential outlets include Journal of Applied Psychology, Disability and Rehabilitation, and International Journal of Stroke, and foundational contributions by Locke and Latham continue to shape citation networks. Thematic analyses reveal a strong concentration on health, rehabilitation, and performance-related contexts, while educational applications, particularly those centered on student-driven and culturally responsive goal setting, remain comparatively underrepresented.

The results highlight methodological and conceptual gaps in educational goal setting research, including limited attention to learner autonomy, diversity, and technology-enhanced learning environments. The review provides evidence for the need for educationally grounded goal-setting frameworks that integrate SRL, emphasize formative and self-regulatory feedback processes, and selectively leverage emerging technologies such as AI-supported systems to address inclusive and cross-disciplinary learning contexts. By providing a systematic overview of goal-setting research trajectories, this study offers a methodological foundation for future educational research and practice.

Keywords:

Goal setting, higher education, bibliometric analysis, self-regulated learning, learning outcomes, research trends.