This free, open online course provides an introduction to the methods of systematic reviews and meta-analysis, suitable for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and researchers with prior graduate-level training in research methodology and statistics. It covers the entire process of conducting a systematic review, from problem formulation and literature searching to data coding, critical appraisal, meta-analysis, and reporting of results. The course follows guidelines developed by the Campbell Collaboration for rigorous reviews in social, behavioral, and economic sciences. While this version is self-guided, self-paced, and self-supported with no instructor or scored assessments, your feedback during this pilot phase is crucial for improving the course content and effectiveness.
The course is structured into modules covering all essential aspects of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Key learning objectives include understanding the strengths and limitations of these methods, formulating research questions, developing search strategies, screening and coding studies, performing critical appraisal, synthesizing data, and reporting findings.
The skills gained in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis are valuable across various research disciplines. This course equips students to produce comprehensive, accurate summaries of empirical evidence, which are crucial for informing policy, practice, and future research. Graduates are well-prepared to contribute to evidence-based guidelines and uncover new patterns in research findings.
This course is designed for individuals who have already completed foundational graduate-level coursework in research methods and statistics.
While the course materials are free, this version does not offer college credit or a certificate of completion.
This course is offered for free to independent learners. However, this version does not offer college credit or a certificate of completion.
The course is designed for individuals who have already completed foundational graduate-level coursework in research methods and statistics.
As an "Open & Free" course, there is no formal application process for independent learners. You can access the course materials directly on the Carnegie Mellon University Open Learning Initiative (OLI) website and begin learning at your own pace.
This is a self-guided and self-paced course, meaning you can complete it on your own schedule without a fixed duration.
The skills gained are valuable for roles such as Researcher, Academic, Policy Analyst, or Practitioner informing decisions, particularly in evidence-based research and practice.
This is a self-supported, self-guided, and self-paced Open & Free course, and there is no instructor provided.