Thematic Dispersion in Arabic Applied Linguistics: A Bibliometric Analysis using Brookes' Measure
This provides a replicable bibliometric methodology for assessing disciplinary structure, which is incremental for researchers in linguistics and bibliometrics.
The study applied Brookes' Measure to analyze thematic dispersion in Arabic Applied Linguistics research, finding a low dispersion index of 0.194 that indicates extreme heterogeneity across sub-disciplines.
This study applies Brookes' Measure of Categorical Dispersion (Δ) to analyze the thematic structure of contemporary Arabic Applied Linguistics research. Using a comprehensive, real-world dataset of 1,564 publications from 2019 to 2025, classified into eight core sub-disciplines, we calculate a dispersion index of Δ = 0.194. This remarkably low value indicates extreme thematic dispersion, revealing that the field is characterized by pronounced heterogeneity rather than concentration. The analysis identifies Computational Linguistics as a dominant but non-hegemonic force, coexisting with robust research in Sociolinguistics, Language Teaching, and other subfields. This study clarifies the correct application of Brookes' original formula, demonstrates its utility for field characterization, and provides a replicable bibliometric methodology for assessing disciplinary structure across domains.