How To Do a Meta-Analysis

Meta-analysis is basically a comparison of data from several studies. It is performed in order to track a
common effect or a variation and identify the reason for the latter. Here are the steps on writing a meta-
analysis research paper:

1. Frame the question

Formulate the problem your research paper aims to solve. Make a survey to see what solutions had been
offered so far, and what are their pros and cons. Use the PICO (Participant-Intervention-Comparator-
Outcomes) framework to formulate a laconic and precise research question.

2. Research the Literature Databases

Identify the appropriate search terms. They are often arranged using fuzzy and Boolean logic so consider
working with a librarian to assist you in comprehensive research across various databases.

3. Select Articles for Meta-Analysis

Use inclusion or exclusion criteria to remove non-relevant articles from the list. PRISMA (Preferred
Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses) chart can help to manage the list of the articles
in work.

4. Abstract Information From the Articles

Look for reference lists in the articles you use for your analysis and identify the authors whose work will be
useful.

5. Determine the Quality of Information of the Articles

Critically appraise each study and decide whether it meets your criteria. Use GRADE (Grading,
recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) criteria and the GRADEpro software to judge
the quality of the outcome-intervention pairing.

6. Determine the Extent to Which the Articles are Heterogeneous

Unlike the systematic review, meta-analysis implies studies of a reasonably uniform set of the researched
material.

7. Assess Publication Bias

Test if your meta-analysis omits studies which should have been included.

8. Run Meta-Regression and Subgroup Analyses

After examining the heterogeneity of your studies, estimating the summary effect size, plotting the forest
plot, and testing for publication bias, comment on the association between the intervention and the
outcome.

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