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Research Literacy of University EFL Teachers: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies (2010-2026)

Shenhai Zhu, Youming Guo*

Guide to Education Innovation / 2026,6(3): 375-387 / 2026-08-12 10 6

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• Information:

  Guangxi Normal University, Guilin

• Keywords:
  University EFL teachers; Research literacy; Research engagement; Academic writing; Higher education; Systematic review
• Abstract: This systematic review examines how research literacy has been conceptualized and investigated among university English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. Following PRISMA-informed procedures, the review synthesizes 17 peer-reviewed empirical studies identified from the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, ERIC, and Education Source. Eligible studies were published online or in final form between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2026; the final search was conducted on 15 June 2026. The included evidence originates primarily from China, with additional studies conducted in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia. The synthesis identifies three recurrent conceptualisations of research literacy in the literature: conducting research, engaging critically with published research, and developing academic writing competence. It also shows that these practices are shaped by interacting personal, relational and institutional conditions, including research training, motivation, beliefs, agency, researcher identity, emotion, mentoring, workload, research culture, resource access and evaluation policy. A central tension across the corpus is the gap between research undertaken for promotion or policy compliance and research used to inform pedagogy. Methodologically, the field is dominated by qualitative case studies and cross-sectional surveys, with limited longitudinal, intervention-based or comparative evidence. The review develops a multilevel framework that connects contextual conditions, mediating resources and research-literacy practices across policy, institutional and teacher-practice levels.
• DOI: 10.35534/gei.0603034 (registering DOI)
• Cite: Zhu, S. H., & Guo, Y. M. (2026). Research Literacy of University EFL Teachers: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies (2010-2026). Guide to Education Innovation, 6(3), 375−387.