Implementation Problems in Meta-Analysis

The paper probes implementation problems in meta-analysis by comparing six quantitative reviews of the research on the validity of student ratings of instructional effectiveness. The disparate conclusions of the reviews are explained by comparing the syntheses at each step in a meta-analysis: specif...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of educational research 1988-07, Vol.58 (2), p.151-179
Main Authors: Abrami, Philip C., Cohen, Peter A., d'Apollonia, Sylvia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied statistics
College instruction
Education
Educational psychology
Educational research
Educational sciences
Evaluation of teaching methods
Literary criticism
Meta analysis
Narratives
Sample size
Statistical variance
Students
Systematic review
Teachers
Teaching methods
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The paper probes implementation problems in meta-analysis by comparing six quantitative reviews of the research on the validity of student ratings of instructional effectiveness. The disparate conclusions of the reviews are explained by comparing the syntheses at each step in a meta-analysis: specifying inclusion criteria, locating studies, coding study features, calculating individual study outcomes, and data analysis. In addition, the resolution of implementation problems is explored, and several suggestions are offered for improving the practice of quantitative synthesis including the following: techniques for the specification of inclusion criteria, guidelines for the systematic summary of study features, a call for the analysis of statistical power and the reduction of Type II errors, and a discussion of the analytical problems posed by the presence of between- and within-study findings.
ISSN:0034-6543
1935-1046
DOI:10.2307/1170333