Bowling has become popular as a leisure time activity in our country and has become widespread at amateur and professional levels. When the literature is examined, it is seen that scientific research in the field of bowling is still not at a sufficient level. The aim of this study is to examine the publications in the field of bowling until 2024. It is thought that the study will guide researchers who plan to study bowling in the process of determining the subject and method. This research was conducted using the content analysis model, which is one of the qualitative research methods. YÖK Thesis and Web of Science databases were selected as data collection tools. The keywords “TS= ‘Bowling’ AND TS=Sport OR TS=Bowling Sport” were used in the search process. According to the initial search results, 675 publications were identified in the Web of Science database and 6 publications were identified in the YÖK Thesis database. As a result of the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria determined to narrow the scope of the study, the search was limited under the Sports Sciences category and a total of 138 publications were included and analyzed.

When the academic studies conducted in the relevant field between 1999 and 2024 are analyzed, it is observed that most of the publications are in article format; a total of 132 publications were published as articles. When the thesis studies were analyzed, it was found that the number of doctoral and master's theses were equal to each other. When the distribution by years is analyzed, the years with the highest number of publications are 2016 and 2021, suggesting that the relevant field stands out as an interesting topic in that period or indicates a period of intense academic work. In terms of language preferences, 131 of the studies were found to be written in English, which may reflect the goal of reaching a wider international readership or the widespread use of English in academic communication.

It has been determined that the preferred language of the studies is mostly English. This situation reflects that the academic community in the relevant field has adopted the aim of international interaction and reaching a wider readership. As a result, it can be said that academic studies in the research field are increasingly published internationally, English is the most preferred language, and doctoral and master's theses are produced in a balanced manner. In this context, it can be said that the importance of international collaborations and language use for future research is emphasized.