Which statement best describes meta-analysis?

• A. A narrative summary
• B. Uses statistical technique to derive an estimate of effect size
• C. Is the same as an RCT
• D. Collects data from a single study

Answer: (B)

Meta-analysis uses statistical methods to combine results from multiple studies to produce a single estimate of the overall effect size. This approach goes beyond describing individual studies; it quantitatively pools data so you get a more precise measure of the effect and can assess consistency across studies. It’s not a narrative summary, which describes findings qualitatively, and it’s not an RCT or data collection from one study—the meta-analysis synthesizes data from several studies to derive a broader conclusion, often presenting results with an overall effect and heterogeneity metrics.