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Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

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Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) is a powerful computer program for meta-analysis. The program combines ease of use with a wide array of computational options and sophisticated graphics.


"Given that publications report a wide range of values from analyses (e.g., means and standard deviations, r, F, t values, eta squared, partial eta squared, etc.), it can be extremely difficult to compute effect sizes that take each of these factors into consideration. This can make the process of a metaanalysis more time consuming that it necessarily has to be. I found one useful and time‐saving aspect of Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis is that it allowed me to enter effect size data from articles in a number of formats. Upon running the analysis, the programme would compute standardised effect sizes for each study (even though I might have used around 10 different types of data entry), as well as an overall effect size. Furthermore, even though I had over 50 moderators to assess, CMA made it simple to test each moderator, whilst offering the option to test moderators according to other specific study characteristics. This meant I could delve deeper into my data to see what was really going on. For these more sophisticated methods, the programme also reports the information required to compute additional statistics, such as tau squared within and between studies (enabling me to compute the R squared statistic), which are not provided by some other programmes but are commonly reported in published meta‐analyses."

Natalie Taylor, PhD - Researcher, Health and Social Psychology Group, Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds


"As a first‐year graduate student with minimal knowledge of meta‐analysis at the time, I found Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis to be an incredibly user‐friendly program. I began using Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis while reading Lipsey & Wilson's (2001) Practical Meta‐Analysis and found it easy to transition from the conceptual and practical issues discussed in their text to the procedures available in your program. My mentor and I continue to use your program as we prepare my Master's thesis for publication, and our use of this software has undoubtedly facilitated our progress. Best of luck with the future development of Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis and with your ongoing scholarship."

Jonathan Shaffer, PhD - Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Medical Center