Meta-analyses in survey methodology

ǂa ǂsystematic review

Gregor Čehovin (Author), Michael Bošnjak (Author), Katja Lozar Manfreda (Author)

Abstract

Meta-analytic techniques have become the standard methods for aggregating the results from thematically related studies in the behavioral, health, and economic sciences. To analyze the state of the art of using meta-analyses in survey methodology, previous meta-analyses are systematically identified and classified according to the thematic areas the analyses address. This is followed by identifying gaps in research (i.e., areas where there are few or no existing meta-analyses) and investigating potential avenues for future meta-analyses in this field. The findings are based on a systematic search of two bibliographic harvesters (together covering 265 bibliographic databases), which yielded 54 eligible manuscripts reporting 60 meta-analytic studies and 91 effect sizes. To identify the thematic areas, the effect sizes are structured according to seven categories of the total survey error (TSE). Characteristics of primary studies that potentially influence the variability of meta-analytic findings also are considered, such as the survey mode, questionnaire design, and sample characteristics. The results show that the thematic areas of these meta-analyses cover only two of the seven TSE categories: measurement and nonresponse error. Thematic areas in the remaining TSE categories are not covered, and the key practical implication is that gaps exist in current research. Regarding the methodology of existing meta-analyses in the survey methodology field, there are fundamental differences in reporting styles in terms of transparency and replicability, calling for a concerted effort to develop meta-analytic reporting standards for survey methodology.

Keywords

Družboslovne ankete;Metodologija;Metaanaliza;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2018
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
UDC:	303
COBISS:	35940445
ISSN:	0033-362X
Views:	961
Downloads:	575
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	English
Secondary keywords:	Social sirveys;Methodology;Meta-analysis;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 641-660
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ82
Issue:	ǂno. ǂ4
Chronology:	Win. 2018
DOI:	10.1093/poq/nfy042
ID:	11711768