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Meta‐analysis for descriptive research
Author(s) -
Reynolds Nancy R.,
Timmerman Gayle,
Anderson Judy,
Stevenson Joanne Sabol
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.4770150609
Subject(s) - meta analysis , descriptive statistics , nursing research , nursing literature , index (typography) , metric (unit) , research design , psychology , descriptive research , argument (complex analysis) , value (mathematics) , statistics , computer science , medicine , nursing , mathematics , alternative medicine , operations management , pathology , world wide web , economics
Although nurses have begun to use meta‐analysis, a review of the nursing literature demonstrates that its use has not been maximized. Meta‐analysis can be employed to synthesize descriptive as well as experimental research, yet attention in nursing has focused almost exclusively on meta‐analysis techniques for, and meta‐analytic studies of, experimental research. Furthermore, nursing literature has emphasized use of the effect size index ( d ) rather than the correlation index ( r ); the latter may, in some cases, be the more suitable metric, particularly with meta‐analysis of correlational studies. An argument is made for the value of meta‐analysis as a technique for integrating descriptive research, and an overview of different meta‐analytic approaches to data analysis using the correlational index with descriptive research is provided.