XFrequentist comments on Even if you have a nail, not all hammers are the same - Less Wrong
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
Comments (125)
A good systematic review (meta-analysis is the quantitative component thereof, although the terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably) will define inclusion criteria before beginning the review. Papers are then screened independently by multiple parties to see if they fit these criteria, in attempt to limit introducing bias in the choice of which to include. It shouldn't be quite as arbitrary as you imply.
This is meant to counter publication bias, although it's fraught with difficulties. Your comment seems to imply that this practice deliberately introduces bias, which is not necessarily the case.
Are you aware of the PRISMA statement? If so, can you suggest improvements to the recommended reporting of systematic reviews?