Which of the following statements accurately describes literature reviews and meta-analyses?
A)A narrative review allows statistical, quantitative conclusions, whereas a meta-analysis provides directions for future study.
B)Unlike a traditional literature review, a meta-analysis begins with a body of previous research on a topic.
C)Both narrative reviews and meta-analyses provide valuable information and are, in fact, often complementary.
D)Without conducting a meta-analysis, a background in meta-analysis alone is not beneficial when reviewing research findings.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both narrative reviews and meta-analyses serve different purposes and can provide valuable information. Narrative reviews provide a summary and analysis of previous research, often focusing on qualitative aspects such as themes and patterns in the literature. Meta-analyses, on the other hand, use statistical methods to combine the results of multiple studies and provide a quantitative summary of the findings. While they differ in their methods, both types of reviews can be complementary and useful for informing future research. Option A is incorrect because a narrative review does not typically allow for statistical, quantitative conclusions. Option B is incorrect because both literature reviews and meta-analyses begin with a body of previous research. Option D is incorrect because a background in meta-analysis can be beneficial for understanding and conducting literature reviews even if a meta-analysis is not conducted.

Which of the Following Statements Accurately Describes Literature Reviews and Meta-Analyses