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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/S67807/01
Title: Statistical Questions in Meta Analysis
Principal Investigator: Copas, Professor J
Other Investigators:
Hutton, Professor JL
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Statistics
Organisation: University of Warwick
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 June 2004 Ends: 30 September 2007 Value (£): 190,545
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Statistics & Appl. Probability
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Meta analysis is one of the most widely used methodologies in the medical sciences, and increasingly so in other areas of science and the social sciences. It is increasingly recognised that the uncritical use of these methods can lead to simplistic and potentially misleading research, often due to lack of attention to the underlying (and technically demanding) statistical difficulties.The project poses 20 research questions on statistical aspects of meta analysis. These are grouped around three main themes: publication bias (biased selection of studies for review); heterogeneity (uncontrolled differences between studies); and variance estimation (uncertainty in standard errors and their dependence on outcome measures). Some questions extend existing published work of the applicants, others pose new questions or invite work on more speculative ideas. The emphasis of the project is on theoretical advances in methodology, rather than routine reanalysis of case studies. Practical examples will however feature throughout the project to test and motivate ideas.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
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Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.warwick.ac.uk