Meta-analysis is the process of developing a comprehensive picture of a field of research by performing analyses on summary data from individual studies - it allows us to synthesize a body of evidence for the purpose of setting policy or planning future research. Meta-analysis has had a substantial impact in many fields but in areas such as mental health, where a body of research often takes the form of numerous small and inconclusive studies, its potential impact is especially great. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive computer program for meta-analysis. The program will allow the researcher to create a database of studies dynamically linked to analytic procedures. It will enable the researcher to compute an average effect (working with a wide selection of effect size indices) and to study the impact of moderator variables on the effect size. The program will feature a host of graphic displays that highlight the substantive (as well as statistical) significance of effects, and will incorporate features to study publication bias, to display a cumulative meta-analysis, and to perform a prospective meta-analysis. It will also allow the researcher to create tables and graphs for inclusion in papers and research proposals.
The project will produce a micro- computer program for meta-analysis, a field with applications in the behavioral, social and medical sciences and marked by substantial growth over the past five years. The program will be marketed through the same channels that have been used successfully by us in the past.
