The Meta-Plot: A Graphical Tool for Interpreting the Results of a Meta-Analysis
Publication date
2023-02
Authors
van Assen, Marcel
Van Den Akker, Olmo R.
Augusteijn, Hilde E.M.
Bakker, Marjan
Nuijten, Michèle B.
Olsson-Collentine, Anton
Stoevenbelt, Andrea H.
Wicherts, Jelte M.
Van Aert, Robbie C.M.
Editors
Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Article
Metadata
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License
cc_by
Abstract
The meta-plot is a descriptive visual tool for meta-analysis that provides information on the primary studies in the meta-analysis and the results of the meta-analysis. More precisely, the meta-plot portrays (1) the precision and statistical power of the primary studies in themetaanalysis, (2) the estimate and confidence interval of a random-effects meta-analysis, (3) the results of a cumulative random-effects metaanalysis yielding a robustness check of the meta-analytic effect size with respect to primary studies' precision, and (4) evidence of publication bias. After explaining the underlying logic and theory, the meta-plot is applied to two cherry-picked meta-analyses that appear to be biased and to 10 randomly selected meta-analyses from the psychological literature. We recommend accompanying any meta-analysis of common effect size measures with the meta-plot.
Keywords
cumulative meta-analysis, funnel plot, meta-analysis, publication bias, statistical power, Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), General Psychology
Citation
Van Assen, M A L M, Van Den Akker, O R, Augusteijn, H E M, Bakker, M, Nuijten, M B, Olsson-Collentine, A, Stoevenbelt, A H, Wicherts, J M & Van Aert, R C M 2023, 'The Meta-Plot : A Graphical Tool for Interpreting the Results of a Meta-Analysis', Zeitschrift fur Psychologie / Journal of Psychology, vol. 231, no. 1, pp. 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000513