What is the general pattern seen in funnel plots used to examine publication bias?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Funnel plots for examining publication bias typically have the effect size on the Y-axis and the sample size or a measure of study precision (such as the standard error) on the X-axis. The general pattern observed is that as the sample size increases, the scatter of effect sizes narrows and converges around the true effect size, forming a funnel shape. This is because larger studies have more precise estimates of the effect size, leading to less scatter as sample size increases.

What Is the General Pattern Seen in Funnel Plots Used