AAAA Systematic Reviews

Question 1

What is positive results bias?

Answer 1

Bias that arises when authors are more likely to submit (or editors to accept) positive than negative or inconclusive results.

Question 2

What is outcome reporting bias?

Answer 2

Bias that arises when several outcomes within a trial are measured but are reported selectively depending on the strength and direction of those results.

Question 3

What is publication bias?

What are the two types?

Answer 3

• Bias that arises when the publication of research results depends on their nature and direction.
• Includes positive results bias and outcome reporting bias.

Question 4

What is a meta analysis?

Answer 4

Examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject, in order to determine overall trends.

Question 5

How is data in a meta analysis usually summarised?

Answer 5

In a forest plot.

Question 6

What is the difference between a systematic review and a meta analysis?

Answer 6

• A systematic review reviews all literature on a topic to answer a question.
• A meta analysis uses statistical techniques to combine the quantitative results from a number of studies.
• A systematic review may contain a meta analysis.

Question 7

What are the two types of review?

Answer 7

Narrative and systematic.

Question 8

What is the difference between a narrative review and a systematic review?

Answer 8

• Narrative reviews describe and discuss the state of the science of a specific topic from a theoretical and contextual point of view.
• Systematic reviews use methodological approaches to review all of the literature of a specific topic in order to answer a question.