Higher-order thinking research in mathematics education: a bibliometric mapping analysis

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of research on higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in mathematics education. The objectives are to examine publication distribution and identify leading journals, authors, institutions, and countries. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOSviewer software. A total of 104 articles published between 2004 and 2022 were reviewed. Various visual representations, including graphs, tables, charts, and maps, were used to present the findings. The results show that HOTS research in mathematics education is closely associated with problem-solving, mathematics learning, and assessment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education emerged as the most prominent journal, while Universiti Teknologi Malaysia was identified as the most influential institution, with Malaysia playing a significant role in this research domain. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape and offer directions for future studies in mathematics education. Based on these results, suggestions for future research are proposed.