Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

CRES 705 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

The systematic review and meta-analysis course will be an advanced research methodology course designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct comprehensive and rigorous syntheses of existing research literature. This course delves into the principles and techniques of systematically gathering, critically appraising, and synthesizing primary research studies, with a particular focus on quantitative approaches like meta-analysis. Students will learn to formulate clear research questions, search for relevant studies across various databases, and assess the quality and bias of included studies using established tools and guidelines. The course also covers statistical methods for combining data from multiple studies, exploring heterogeneity, and drawing meaningful conclusions. Additionally, ethical considerations, publication bias, and the interpretation of results will be discussed. By the end of the course students will be well-prepared to contribute to evidence-based decision-making in their respective fields and to conduct rigorous systematic reviews and meta-analyses of their own.