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title: "4.3.1 Objectives of meta-analysis"
canonical: "https://jbi-global-wiki.refined.site/space/MANUAL/355828327/4.3.1%20Objectives%20of%20meta-analysis"
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The objectives of meta-analysis should be pre-specified in the review protocol. There are different legitimate objectives for a meta-analysis: to improve statistical power to detect a treatment effect, to estimate a summary average effect, to identify subsets of studies (sub-groups) associated with a beneficial effect, and to explore if there are differences in the size or direction of the treatment effect associated with study-specific variables (Normand 1999).