Course Description
In this workshop we will discuss the perils and promises of meta-analysis. In the morning program Dr. Daniel Lakens will discuss the importance of meta-analytically evaluating sets of studies, and explain the basics of performing a meta-analysis in R. We will also discuss the challenges associated with meta-analyzing sets of very heterogenous studies. Meta-analyses are often of surprisingly low quality, and Cristian Mesquida Caldentey will discuss how to identify problems in meta-analysis, such as common coding errors and lack of reproducibility.
In the afternoon program Dr. Robbie van Aert from Tilburg University will discuss the challenge of meta-analyzing a biased scientific literature, for example due to publication bias and selective reporting. He will provide a hands-on introduction to a range of bias detection techniques, such as the p-uniform method that he developed with his collaborators.
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of R is expected, as we will use packages such as metafor and puniform during the hands-on part of the workshop.
Reading Materials
van Assen, M. A. L. M., van Aert, R. C. M., & Wicherts, J. M. (2015). Meta-analysis using effect size distributions of only statistically significant studies. Psychological Methods, 20(3), 293–309. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000025
Aert, R. C. M. van, Wicherts, J. M., & Assen, M. A. L. M. van. (2016). Conducting Meta-Analyses Based on p Values Reservations and Recommendations for Applying p-Uniform and p-Curve. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), 713–729. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616650874
Carter, E. C., Schönbrodt, F. D., Gervais, W. M., & Hilgard, J. (2019). Correcting for Bias in Psychology: A Comparison of Meta-Analytic Methods. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 2(2), 115–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245919847196
https://lakens.github.io/statistical_inferences/11-meta.html and https://lakens.github.io/statistical_inferences/12-bias.html
Capacity
This course has a maximum capacity of 25 participants.
Time and Location
This workshop will be held on-site only at Eindhoven University of Technology on February 22, 2024. Details will be provided to all attendees over email after registration for the workshop.
Workshops start from 9:30 to 16:30 with a lunch break from 12:30 to 13:30. Lunch will not be provided but can be purchased at the university canteen or the on-campus supermarket.
Registration
To register for this workshop, please complete the following form. Note that your registration will be considered finalized only after receiving a confirmation email.
Registration Form
Instructors
dr. Daniel Lakens
Daniel Lakens is an Associate Professor in the Human-Technology interaction group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His areas of expertise include meta-science, research methods, and applied statistics.
dr. Robbie van Aert
Robbi van Aert is an assistant professor at the Department of Methods and Techniques at Tilburg University. His research concerns the development of statistical methods to conduct meta-analyses. Many of the methods he developed can be used to correct for publication bias in a meta-analysis.