CRS Literature Review & Synthesis 3 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the 'IĀ²' statistic measure in a meta-analysis?
- The average effect size across studies
- The proportion of total variation in effect sizes due to heterogeneity (Correct answer)
- The number of included studies needed for significance
- Publication bias in the literature
Correct answer: The proportion of total variation in effect sizes due to heterogeneity
IĀ² quantifies the percentage of variance in effect sizes attributable to between-study heterogeneity rather than sampling error.
Question 2: A researcher uses a 'funnel plot' during literature synthesis. What is its primary purpose?
- To display the thematic structure of findings
- To visually assess potential publication bias (Correct answer)
- To organize studies by publication year
- To compare study designs side by side
Correct answer: To visually assess potential publication bias
Funnel plots display effect size against standard error; asymmetry suggests publication bias where small negative studies may be missing.
Question 3: Which inclusion criterion would be most appropriate for a CRS literature review focused on U.S. workplace training programs?
- Studies published in any language from any country
- Peer-reviewed studies of adult learners in U.S. organizational settings (Correct answer)
- Only qualitative studies using ethnographic methods
- Studies with sample sizes over 10,000 participants
Correct answer: Peer-reviewed studies of adult learners in U.S. organizational settings
Defining criteria by peer-review status, population (adult learners), and setting (U.S. organizations) ensures relevance and quality for the specific research question.
Question 4: In narrative synthesis, 'tabulation' is used to:
- Calculate pooled effect sizes
- Organize study characteristics and findings in a structured table for comparison (Correct answer)
- Randomly assign studies to reviewer groups
- Assign statistical weight to each study
Correct answer: Organize study characteristics and findings in a structured table for comparison
Tabulation presents key attributes and findings across studies in a systematic table, making it easier to compare and identify patterns without statistical pooling.
Question 5: Which database is most specialized for locating grey literature and unpublished research reports?
- PubMed
- ERIC
- OpenGrey (Correct answer)
- JSTOR
Correct answer: OpenGrey
OpenGrey (formerly OpenSIGLE) is a European repository specifically designed to provide access to grey literature including technical reports and theses.
Question 6: When synthesizing qualitative studies, which method involves translating concepts from one study into the terms of another?
- Meta-analysis
- Meta-ethnography (Correct answer)
- Content analysis
- Delphi synthesis
Correct answer: Meta-ethnography
Meta-ethnography, developed by Noblit and Hare, synthesizes qualitative findings by translating studies' conceptual interpretations into one another.
Question 7: A literature review that explicitly states a protocol before data collection begins is called:
- Rapid review
- Integrative review
- Pre-registered or prospective systematic review (Correct answer)
- Exploratory review
Correct answer: Pre-registered or prospective systematic review
Pre-registering a protocol (e.g., on PROSPERO) before starting data collection reduces bias by committing to methods and outcomes in advance.
CRS Literature Review & Synthesis 3
What does the 'IĀ²' statistic measure in a meta-analysis?