1. FINDINGS CUMULATION AND REPORT WRITING
LECTURE 8 META ANALYSIS
EPSY 642 FALL 2009
Victor L. Willson

2. Meta-Analysis Report-Writing
Traditional journal approach:
-Intro, lit review, methods, results, discussion
-References: background, studies in meta analysis*
-Tables: effects, SEs, Q’s, mediators, moderators
-Figures: Cluster diagrams, funnel plots, graphs of effects by features
Literature review approach:
-Thematic or theory focus: what lit exists, what does it say
Tabular summarizations of works

3. Theory section What is already proposed or known about the outcome
What are the purported major mediators and moderators in the literature to date
What does the literature say about each above? What is the controversy

4. Purpose of Study
Explain why a meta-analysis will resolve problems in the literature
State what the major outcome(s) to be examined
State the major theoretical predictors to be examined

5. Methods Sample (or population) of studies Coding procedure
Methods
Sample (or population) of studies
Sources used to find articles
Procedures for cross-referencing
Coding procedure
Coding menu (either as a table or appendix if possible)
Procedures for reliability of coding
Data analysis approach (eg. Lipsey & Wilson)

6. Results
Descriptives: mean, SD, Q total, funnel plot or other figure of effects (see Lipsey & Wilson, for example)
Design artifacts- do any cause interpretation problems, and if so what did you do about them
Revised descriptives after design issues
Mediators and moderators of substantive interest

7. Data Tables
1. summary of all articles- may have mean effect size or effects for each construct along with major independent variables 2. Table of Q statistics (may be in Table 1 above also) 3. Table of mediators and moderators 4. Any multiple regression analyses (vw does not recommend generally unless good theory for order of entry of predictors)

8. Summary/Discussion
Refer to your original discussion of literature and theory
What did you find that resolves problems or differences
What new problems have arisen
What research was missing from your meta analysis? What should people study?