Misunderstanding meta-analysis

Although it is increasingly common, meta-analysis is still a relatively new addition to the toolbox of research strategies. Partially because of its newness and partially because its early enthusiasts may have overstated its presumed contributions, a number of common misunderstandings have developed about the meta-analytic approach. These misunderstandings have to do with the way that meta-analysis is conducted and interpreted and its relation to primary research and narrative review. This article aims to highlight these misunderstandings and offer an alternative view of meta-analysis. It is hoped that meta-analytic research of the future will be a partnership with primary research and that meta-analysis will be valued not so much for its definitiveness as for the creative speculations it allows about patterns that appear across studies.