Book Introduction to Meta-Analysis

This book provides a clear and thorough introduction to meta-analysis, the process of synthesizing data from a series of separate studies. The first edition of this text was widely acclaimed for the clarity of the presentation, and quickly established itself as the definitive text in this field. The fully updated second edition includes new and expanded content on avoiding common mistakes in meta-analysis, understanding heterogeneity in effects, publication bias, and more. Several brand-new chapters provide a systematic “how to” approach to performing and reporting a meta-analysis from start to finish. Written by four of the world’s foremost authorities on all aspects of meta-analysis, the new edition: Outlines the role of meta-analysis in the research process Shows how to compute effects sizes and treatment effects Explains the fixed-effect and random-effects models for synthesizing data Demonstrates how to assess and interpret variation in effect size across studies Explains how to avoid common mistakes in meta-analysis Discusses controversies in meta-analysis Includes access to a companion website containing videos, spreadsheets, data files, free software for prediction intervals, and step-by-step instructions for performing analyses using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA)™