The Quality of Scientific Studies and Research Syntheses, Purpose, and Factors

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Why is it important to consider the quality of scientific studies and research syntheses?
The quality of scientific studies, as well as research synthesis, will often mimic the kind of information within a particular study. Bearing in mind that the essence of conducting a study is to generate knowledge, the quality of scientific studies and research syntheses used are essential to avoid instances where there is an influx of misleading information and conclusions.
What are the three broad categories of factors to consider when assessing scientific quality?
The three broad categories include:
* Study designs
* Population sample and considerations
* Association and causality
What are the pros and cons of each type of research synthesis?
First of all, the methods or types of research synthesis include:
* Systematic Review or Review of articles in professional journals – the pros of systematic review include increasing the breadth of literature, it is transparent and also replicable, and finally, it focuses solely on empirical evidence. The cons, however, include requires access to a wide range of databases as well as scholarly materials and journals, takes a lot of time to complete, requires a team which can make the entire process expensive, and since there is need for a lot of materials, often one will need a lot of data to make any conclusions.
* Meta-analysis – this is one of the tools for quantitative systematic review. It is preferred because it avoids the Simpson’s paradox, it can lead to the reduction of the probability of false negative results, can help in explaining diversity in study results, and also allows or helps to ensure objectivity during the appraisal of evidence. However, it also has some disadvantages which include the use of summary data as opposed to individual data, cause or lead to publication bias, study selection, as well as data, can be biased, and finally, the criteria for inclusion and exclusion is often not detailed.
* Comprehensive organization reports – the pros for this method include a guarantee of reliability (conducted by credible organizations), are also definitive and can therefore, lead to credible conclusions, and can lead to the development of relevant information. The cons, however, include the time taken to conduct the process and publish the reports.
* Consensus conference reports – The pros for this m...