Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
Meta-analysis and systematic reviews is a research topic within Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty. Science Explorer counts 26k research works in it since 1950. 28.0% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on methods and guidelines for conducting systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence synthesis in research. It covers topics such as the PRISMA statement, measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses, assessing risk of bias, detecting publication bias, and interpreting effect sizes. The papers also discuss reporting guidelines, quality assessment tools, and diagnostic accuracy in research.
- PRISMA Statement
- Meta-Analysis
- Quality Assessment
- Publication Bias
- Evidence Synthesis
- Reporting Guidelines
- Risk of Bias
- Diagnostic Accuracy
- Research Methodology
- Effect Size
- Research works
- 26k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 7.3k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 28.0% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +26% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research?
By volume, the United States and the United Kingdom publish the most (1.6k and 535 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 1.6k works
- 2 United Kingdom 535 works
- 3 Canada 313 works
- 4 China 293 works
- 5 Germany 258 works
- 6 India 231 works
- 7 Australia 215 works
- 8 Netherlands 158 works
- 9 France 122 works
- 10 Italy 121 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research?
By volume in 2022–2025, McMaster University publishes the most Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research, followed by Harvard University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 McMaster UniversityCanada 33 works
- 2 Harvard UniversityUnited States 27 works
- 3 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States 26 works
- 4 Stanford UniversityUnited States 26 works
- 5 University of TorontoCanada 24 works
- 6 University of OxfordUnited Kingdom 23 works
- 7 University College LondonUnited Kingdom 22 works
- 8 Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States 21 works
- 9 University of SheffieldUnited Kingdom 20 works
- 10 Monash UniversityAustralia 19 works
Who are the leading researchers in Meta-analysis and systematic reviews?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Meta-analysis and systematic reviews include David Moher, Jennifer Tetzlaff and Douglas G. Altman.
- 1 David Moher Canada 38k citations
- 2 Jennifer Tetzlaff Canada 28k citations
- 3 Douglas G. Altman United Kingdom 23k citations
- 4 Lesley Stewart United Kingdom 20k citations
- 5 Elie A. Akl Canada 18k citations
- 6 Andrea C. Tricco Canada 18k citations
- 7 Alessandro Liberati Italy 18k citations
- 8 Larissa Shamseer Canada 15k citations
- 9 Roger Chou United States 14k citations
- 10 Isabelle Boutron France 14k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research done?
The largest centres of Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research in 2022–2025 are London (United Kingdom), New York (United States), Toronto (Canada) and Melbourne (Australia). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Tulsa, Hamilton and Ottawa.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- TulsaUS · 21.4 works29×
- HamiltonCA · 42.1 works13×
- OttawaCA · 59.5 works7.0×
- SheffieldGB · 22.5 works6.3×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Meta-analysis and systematic reviews than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Meta-analysis and systematic reviews?
Among universities, judged by research, McMaster University, University of Sheffield and Monash University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McMaster UniversityCanada | 64.3 | 22.6% | 12.9× | 33 | +1.7% |
| 2 | University of SheffieldUnited Kingdom | 63.3 | 32.6% | 7.8× | 20 | +79.3% |
| 3 | Monash UniversityAustralia | 63.2 | 41.4% | 4.6× | 19 | +94.8% |
| 4 | University of AberdeenUnited Kingdom | 61.0 | 38.2% | 10.5× | 10 | -12.7% |
| 5 | Tilburg UniversityNetherlands | 60.9 | 36.7% | 10.9× | 9 | +54.2% |
| 6 | University of ZurichSwitzerland | 59.7 | 39.1% | 5.2× | 14 | +108.4% |
| 7 | Utrecht UniversityNetherlands | 57.4 | 39.0% | 5.2× | 14 | +79.8% |
| 8 | University of FreiburgGermany | 56.9 | 45.0% | 4.6× | 8 | +175.5% |
| 9 | Harvard UniversityUnited States | 56.5 | 29.9% | 4.3× | 27 | +84.1% |
| 10 | University College LondonUnited Kingdom | 55.0 | 30.8% | 3.3× | 22 | +118.2% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Meta-analysis and systematic reviews research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 26% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Meta-analysis and systematic reviews.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.