Meta-analysis

CoordinatorRobbie C.M. van Aert
Venue / DatesTilburg University (on campus)
Thursday 21 & Friday 22 January 2027 (9:30-16:30 hrs.)
Mandatory/ElectiveElective
ECTS1
Registrationsecretariaat@iops.nl
Deadline registration: 31 December 2026
FeeIOPS-members: free
AbstractGiven the exponential increase in published literature, there is a need for methods to synthesize and summarize the literature. Meta-analysis is the methodology for statistically combining evidence from multiple studies on the same topic. This two-day intensive course introduces participants to all steps of conducting a meta-analysis. Topics that will be discussed, among others, are: searching the literature for studies, computation of effect sizes, analyzing data using the equal-effect, random-effects, mixed-effects, multilevel, and multivariate meta-analysis model, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias analyses.
Approximately half of the sessions will be lectures to discuss the theoretical concepts of meta-analysis. The other sessions will be hands-on sessions where the participants apply the theoretical concepts. Participants will be provided with data to analyze, but they can also bring their own meta-analytic data and analyze these (if they have any). We will use the statistical software R in these hands-on sessions.
The aim of the workshop is that participants get familiar with the statistical details of meta-analysis such that they are prepared to conduct their own meta-analysis and/or develop new meta-analysis methods.
The course assumes knowledge about linear modelling and preferably a basic understanding of R. Participants that are not familiar with R can still take part in the course since R code for many of the exercises will be provided.
ExaminationParticipation