Statistical synthesis of research literatures.
Based on the effect size collected from each selected study, the meta-analysis performed the statistical synthesis of the data and produced a single summary effect of which the statistical significance was also assessed [34].
However, data on Foraminifera have mainly originated from geological studies that employ varied methodologies (e.g., different sieve fractions, depth intervals, wet vs. dry sorting, dead vs. live assemblages), which often hamper a thorough statistical synthesis of the data.
Therefore, meta-analysis, a systematic statistical synthesis of data from multiple studies, has been widely used to aggregate evidence from related studies (Manoli et al., 2006).
A statistical synthesis of the evidence was not conducted because no randomised trials involving feedback in formative assessments were identified and the prospective and retrospective studies included a variety of methods of assessment.
While some may argue that the presence of sparse data should preclude any statistical synthesis of the evidence, we counter that clinicians cannot postpone treatment selection until high quality evidence has accumulated.
Due to the clinical heterogeneity of programme content, duration and follow-up times we did not consider it appropriate to undertake a statistical synthesis of a longer follow-up period for either self-reported symptoms of depression or the MSIS psychological subscale.
Thus statistical synthesis for each of the outcomes of interest into one estimate of effect, with associated statistical precision and determination of clinical relevance, was often not possible.
Relations between the statistical synthesis and optimal decomposition of IMS projects are analysed.
If the purpose of a flow diagram is to make the conduct of study selection transparent, reproducible and systematic (thereby reassuring the reader that attempts were made to minimize bias), then we believe it is useful for such diagrams to be included in any systematic review, regardless of whether statistical synthesis (meta-analysis) is undertaken.
