I really like the concept of meta-analysis. The idea of gathering data from a number of potentially diverse research studies that share a common focus or goal and then analyzing that data from a new perspective. When I say “new perspective”, I mean from a global level that on some level encompasses the collective research conducted by each of the individual studies. This allows the “meta” researcher the ability to work with a more empirically significant data set and to slice and analyze the data in many ways.
The analysis is statistical and is dependent on the supporting studies all having the common thread of the types of quantitative data that was gathered. From my perspective, identification of applicable studies would be one of the biggest challenges during the literature review. Drawing conclusions based on sources of data that really are not comparable would quickly nullify your findings.
As I reflect on the advantages of blogging and social media as it relates to finding your voice, the MALAT program and contributing something back to the scholarly communities, I realize that it has been such a positive experience in other ways as well. Just going through the process of writing with the goal of communicating in a concise fashion forces the writer to acknowledge what has been learned and how it might be applied. This has been the case in taking the time to briefly discuss the meta-analysis methodology.
References
Estes, H. (2012). Blogging and academic identity. Literature Compass, 9(12), 974-982. DOI: 10.1111/lic3.12017
The analysis is statistical and is dependent on the supporting studies all having the common thread of the types of quantitative data that was gathered. From my perspective, identification of applicable studies would be one of the biggest challenges during the literature review. Drawing conclusions based on sources of data that really are not comparable would quickly nullify your findings.
As I reflect on the advantages of blogging and social media as it relates to finding your voice, the MALAT program and contributing something back to the scholarly communities, I realize that it has been such a positive experience in other ways as well. Just going through the process of writing with the goal of communicating in a concise fashion forces the writer to acknowledge what has been learned and how it might be applied. This has been the case in taking the time to briefly discuss the meta-analysis methodology.
References
Estes, H. (2012). Blogging and academic identity. Literature Compass, 9(12), 974-982. DOI: 10.1111/lic3.12017