Conducting Meta-Analysis for Systematic Reviews Using R

Are you working on a systematic review and want to take it to the next step? In this beginner-friendly workshop, we’ll walk through the essential steps to perform a meta-analysis using R, with a focus on practical application and clear interpretation.

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to conduct a meta-analysis tailored for systematic reviews of RCTs. We’ll use R, a free, open-source statistical software, to guide you through importing data, calculating effect sizes, assessing heterogeneity, and producing forest plots. Whether you’re new to meta-analysis or just need a refresher, this session offers a practical entry point into evidence synthesis using reproducible, code-based workflows.

ln this workshop, participants will learn to: -Run a meta-analysis and create a forest plot -Perform subgroup analyses -Create funnel plots for publication bias

No prior experience with meta-analysis is required. This workshop is ideal for researchers who are conducting or planning to conduct systematic reviews involving RCTs. Basic familiarity with R (e.g., running R scripts or using RStudio) is helpful but not required. we’ll provide all the code and walk through each step together.

Workshop Preparation

• A working copy of RStudio is required
• Participants will benefit most from the workshop if they are already conducting a systematic review, ideally at the data-extraction stage.

Facilitator Bio

Sahar is a PhD candidate in the Health Research Methodology program at McMaster University with a background in midwifery. She supports researchers in data analysis using statistical software such as R, SAS, and SPSS, research methodology, and evidence synthesis.

Workshop Slides

Coming soon.

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