Teacher research is a key driver of both professional development and educational quality. Despite its recognized significance, there remains a scarcity of research investigating research practices of EFL teachers and psychometrically sound tools to test it. Furthermore, the transformation of the EFL teachers in Turkey as researchers remains as an underexplored area. This work is born out of a desire to fill these critical gaps. It explores the multifaceted nature of research engagement among EFL teachers in Turkey, focusing on how and why teachers participate in research, what supports or hinders their efforts, and how such involvement contributes to their professional transformation.

At the heart of this study lies the development and validation of the Teacher Research Engagement Scale (TRES)—a psychometrically robust tool designed to measure the extent and dimensions of teacher research engagement.