Practical Meta-Analysis:
Summarizing Results Across Studies

Description: Meta-analysis is a technique for encoding, analyzing, and summarizing quantitative findings from research studies. It is used by applied researchers and evaluators to review, synthesize, and interpret existing research on such topics as effects of intervention, assessment of change, differentiation of diagnostic or demographic groups, relationships between risk variables and subsequent behavior, and reliability and validity of measurement instruments. This course will provide practical instruction on how to conduct meta-analysis, including (a) specifying the problem and gathering relevant studies, (b) coding procedures, (c) database structures, (d) analyzing meta-analytic databases, and (e) interpreting meta-analysis results. Participants will be given a detailed guide for conducting meta-analysis and a computer disk with applicable software. On the first day procedures will be explained and implementations discussed. On the second day, hands-on applications of analytic techniques will occur with participant access to individual computers. Problems provided sufficiently in advance by participants will be incorporated into class discussion, or if more appropriate, consultation provided after class hours.

Instructor: David B. Wilson is an Assistant Professor in the Administration of Justice Program in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University.  He received his Ph.D. in applied social psychology from Claremont Graduate University.  His research interests include program evaluation research methodology, meta-analysis, and the effectiveness of interventions for the rehabilitation of offenders and the prevention of crime and problem behavior.  Recent work has focused on correctional boot camps, domestic violence interventions, incarceration-based drug treatment, and school-based prevention programs.  He was the 1999 recipient of the Marcia Guttentag award for Early Promise as an Evaluator from the American Evaluation Association.

Certificates: CAEP IIB.j and CQEM III.k

Fee: $795