Evidence Synthesis in the Sciences and Social Sciences

Definition: Collecting relevant data from included studies.

How-To:

• Use a standardized data extraction form (e.g., author, year, population, outcomes).
• Pilot test the form on a subset of studies.

 

• Meta-Analysis: Combine quantitative data.
• Narrative Synthesis: Summarize findings qualitatively.

Quantitative and Statistical Analysis:

1. SPSS: For conducting descriptive and inferential statistical analyses.

2. RevMan (Review Manager): Specialized in systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and risk-of-bias assessments.

3. R and RStudio: A versatile environment for statistical computing with meta-analysis packages like:

• Metafor: Advanced statistical modeling.

Qualitative and Thematic Analysis:

1. NVivo: For thematic coding and qualitative synthesis of textual data.

2. MAXQDA: Combines qualitative and mixed-methods data analysis.

3. Atlas.ti: Robust for conducting content and thematic analysis, particularly for textual datasets.

Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization:

1. Bibliometrix: A user-friendly R package for bibliometric analysis enabling users to visualize bibliographic data and research trends.

2. VOSviewer: For creating bibliometric maps of citation networks and keyword co-occurrences.