Conducting a meta-analysis involves several key steps:
Formulating a Research Question: Define a clear and focused research question. Systematic Literature Search: Perform a comprehensive search of relevant databases to identify studies that meet predefined criteria. Data Extraction: Extract relevant data from the identified studies, such as sample size, outcomes, and statistical measures. Data Synthesis: Use statistical methods to combine the data. This often involves calculating a weighted average of the effect sizes. Analysis and Interpretation: Interpret the combined results in the context of the research question, considering potential biases and limitations.
