Session 2: A brief introduction to research synthesis
Read the paper by Gurevitch et al. (2018) for a quick overview of the history of research synthesis (60 minutes).
If you are looking for a longer overview on meta-analysis and additional readings, check out Buecker, Stricker, and Schneider (2021).
Gurevitch et al. (2018) focuses on meta-analysis but there are various types of research syntheses that represent different approaches to capturing the current state of research, existing literature and analyses. The following table provides an overview of different types of research syntheses and additional resources.
| Type | Additional resources |
|---|---|
| Systematic review | Systematic reviews aim to provide a comprehensive, unbiased synthesis of many relevant studies in a single document using rigorous and transparent methods. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) has many helpful chapters that describe different forms of systematic reviews. |
| Meta-analysis | A meta-analysis uses existing research to quantitatively analyze the literature. Bruecker et al. (2021) provides an overview of meta-analyses and an annotated reading list. For more details on how to conduct a meta-analysis in R, read the guide by Harrer et al. (2021). |
| Scoping review | A scoping review aims to identify the scope and extent of research findings and literature. The JBI provides useful resources. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) also published a helpful extension for scoping reviews. |
| Umbrella review | An umbrella review is essentially an overview of different systematic reviews. This can be used when the literature in a field is large. The JBI provides additional information on umbrella reviews. |
Buecker, S., Stricker, J., & Schneider, M. (2021). Central questions about meta-analyses in psychological research: An annotated reading list. Current Psychology (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01957-4
Gurevitch, J., Koricheva, J., Nakagawa, S., & Stewart, G. (2018). Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis. Nature, 555(7695), 175–182. http://doi.org/10.1038/nature25753
Harrer, M., Cuijpers, P., Furukawa, T., & Ebert, D. (2021). Doing meta-analysis with R: A Hands-On Guide. Chapman and Hall/CRC. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003107347