Meta-Analysis in Library and Information Science: Method, History, and Recommendations for Reporting Research

Meta-analysis is a method for summarizing statistical fi ndings across multiple research studies. It is a useful method for assessing the level of agreement or disagreement surrounding a given research question. The ability to perform meta-analysis is dependent on the level of consistency in measures and the amount of data shared in published research. Guidelines to minimum standards for reporting research may improve the quality of writing in published research. Inconsistencies in reporting research fi ndings across studies, failing to provide enough detail on method and instrumentation to facilitate replication, and the multiplicity of different operational defi nitions or measures for the same concept all pose diffi culties to successfully attempting any form of research synthesis. This article presents a methodological explanation of meta-analysis, a literature review describing the application of meta-analysis in library and information science, and guidelines for reporting quantitative research that would enable subsequent researchers to perform meta-analysis. Introduction Every scholarly journal provides highly precise guidelines to its authors regarding the length of articles, the formatting of manuscripts, and the style of citations and footnotes. While authors may meet these guidelines with varying degrees of success, at least all parties involved in the scientifi c communication process recognize that a standard has been established. Curiously, few scholarly journals provide any guidelines regarding standards for the reporting of research in terms of the descriptive elements of Meta-Analysis in Library and Information Science: Method, History, and Recommendations for Reporting Research