Systematic review and metaanalysis

What is the primary purpose of a systematic review in research?

• a) To provide a brief summary of a research topic.

• b) To present the author's opinions and insights on a subject.

• c) To thoroughly and systematically evaluate and synthesize existing research on a specific topic.

• d) To propose a new research hypothesis.

What term is used to describe the process of statistically combining the results of multiple studies in a systematic review?

• a) Data extraction

• b) Meta-analysis

• c) Literature synthesis

• d) Abstract screening

In a systematic review, what is the primary goal of assessing the quality of included studies?

• a) To exclude studies with poor quality from the review

• b) To criticize and devalue the work of other researchers

• c) To provide recommendations for future research

• d) To increase the number of studies included in the review

What is the Cochrane Collaboration known for in the context of systematic reviews?

• a) Developing systematic review software

• b) Conducting systematic reviews on medical interventions

• c) Providing funding for systematic review research

• d) Promoting the exclusion of meta-analyses in reviews

What is the purpose of a forest plot in a systematic review?

• a) To show the geographical distribution of included studies

• b) To display the results of meta-analyses for individual studies

• c) To provide an overview of the review's methods

• d) To illustrate the timeline of research on the topic

What is the primary purpose of a meta-analysis in research?

• a) To present new experimental data on a topic.

• b) To conduct a comprehensive literature review.

• c) To statistically combine and analyze the results from multiple studies on a specific topic.

• d) To perform qualitative analysis of research findings.

In meta-analysis, which statistical model is commonly used when combining effect sizes from studies with different study designs, such as randomized controlled trials and observational studies?

• a) Fixed-effects model

• b) Random-effects model

• c) Homogeneity model

• d) Descriptive model

When conducting a meta-analysis, what does the "fixed-effects model" assume about the effect sizes of included studies?

• a) They are likely to be different due to heterogeneity.

• b) They are identical, and any observed variation is due to random sampling error.

• d) They are influenced by the quality of the studies.

• c) They are influenced by publication bias.

What is the primary advantage of using a random-effects model in meta-analysis?

• a) It assumes that all included studies have identical effect sizes.

• b) It provides a more conservative estimate of the overall effect size by accounting for heterogeneity.

• c) It is easier to implement and interpret than other models.

• d) It is suitable for analyzing small sample sizes.