Abstract: The paper provides an overview of the research of Academic Word List (AWL) abroad and at home. It firstly highlights that the research of AWL is of important theoretical significance as well as practical significance. And then it reviews the origin and development of AWL. After that, it introduces the most powerful AWL compiled by Coxhead and the verification and application of Coxhead′s AWL. Finally, it points out that AWL enlightens the research activities of science and teaching by studying it.