RA3: Analysis Methods for Systematic Reviews: Oxford, United Kingdom

Cochrane UK run workshops designed to help people prepare and update Cochrane Systematic Reviews. There are four core workshops (RA1, RA2, RA3 & RA4) to help authors at different stages of review preparation, from beginning a review protocol through to completing the review. 

This workshop (RA3) is designed to target authors who have spent time working on their systematic review, are in the process of (or have just finished) study selection, and are now thinking about their analysis. This day enables authors to think through the appropriateness of their data collection form, and goes into further detail about analysis methods and models, and exploring heterogeneity.

This workshop is suitable for those who:

  • have attended workshops RA1 and RA2
  • have completed the protocol for their review
  • have developed and run their search for eligible papers
  • want to understand the meta-analysis methods for binary and continuous data types

The following will be covered:-

  • Meta-analysis methods for binary data (odds ratio, risk ratio, risk difference, NNTB/NNTH)
  • Meta-analysis methods for continuous data (mean difference, standardised mean difference)
  • Critical appraisal of participants’ data collection form
  • Extracting data from research papers
  • Statistical methods for assessing heterogeneity
  • Subgroup and sensitivity analyses and when to use them
  • Fixed and random effects models
  • Assessing risk of bias with the Cochrane risk of bias tool

This workshop comprises lectures and both individual and group practical exercises. Handouts of slides used in the lectures are provided.

By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:

  • understand and choose an appropriate method for summarising studies with binary and continuous outcome measures
  • refine their data collection form and commence the data extraction process
  • understand the methods for assessing and dealing with heterogeneity of study results
  • understand the use of the Cochrane risk of bias tool and modify it for their review

More information and registration is available here